In 2015, in a famous, historical location in Laguna Beach, Urth Caffe made its Orange County debut. Already a popular, well established restaurant in Los Angeles, this cafe, with roots as an organic coffee and tea spot, quickly grew in popularity in the place once known simply as The Cottage.

Certified organic, sustainably grown coffee is the basis for Urth Caffe’s existence, but they have grown into a great destination for all-day dining. Breakfast offers everything from oatmeal to omelettes, including some not-so-healthy options like pasties and waffles. Willpower may need to be used if you have a weakness for sweets. Salads are a lunchtime favorite, but sandwiches, panini and a few pizzas are also on the menu. On our lunchtime visit we had a few salads and the quiche. The Urth’s Farmer’s salad had shaved fennel, artichoke hearts, red onions and tomatoes with radishes, pecans and spinach tossed in a peppercorn dressing. A grilled chicken breast was added on top. The hearty fruit and nut bread on the side was a great compliment to the flavors of the salad. The Urth Salad takes a Mediterranean approach and combines feta, Kalamata olives, hearts of palm, garbanzo beans and pine nuts in a tangy vinaigrette. And finally, the bacon and leek quiche with a side salad was a great way to make a breakfast staple into a hearty lunch.

Urth Caffe puts together menu items that keep health in mind and are crowd pleasers,too. Their salad greens are organic and when organic vegetables are not available, they purchase locally grown produce. The fish is wild caught. They have a wonderful selection of pastries and baked goods that are made with natural sugars and are baked fresh daily. With several locations to choose from, the newest addition in Orange has a great historical vibe to the architecture… worth a visit for sure.

(review originally posted 3/24/17)