O, that sacred decade: the 2000s.
Plastic shirts, Ed Hardy, Rodeo drive, Visor clip CD holders, Britney, Paris Hilton, ripped jeans, ROCawear, JUICY sweatpants, Cardigans, American Apparel, Pink Polos, and of course, Entourage.
It was a special time in history when the cult of celebrity was peaking, but simultaneously, not just anyone could be a celebrity. You couldn’t get your 15 minutes by putting your Sidekick 3 or Motorola Razr into selfie mode, and even if you did get a good picture of yourself, it was ‘kind of a big deal’ to change your profile picture on Myspace.
So— we took a little more interest into the celebrities of the day— after all, they were all we had!
Because of this, certain institutions in LA became more popular based on the fact that you might be able to see a famous person IRL there. One of these hotspots was Urth Cafe.
Urth started in Manhattan Beach in 1989, but I wager that it didn’t really get popular until their Beverly Hills location was erected in 2003, which became the go-to spot for all of the agents, executives, and assistants that would do just about anything to get out of the office. This made it an increasingly popular place to meet their clients (often movie stars), which in turn fed into the cult of celebrity that we all seem to be obsessed with here in LA.
But this little power playground became a magnet for tourists after Entourage popularized the Melrose location for exactly the reasons above.
And beyond the superficial reasons to visit Urth Cafe— the food is pretty good!
This quirky-become-cool lunch chain has a quintessentially ‘Hollywood’ menu— healthy salads and sandwiches made with fresh ingredients, but prepared in a sort of ‘conveyer belt’ way that is common with franchises. Everything you order, at any of their locations, will come to you to the same way. A bit bizarre, but I actually quite like this about Urth. The consistency is nice, and it shows that even though it’s a chain, the original owners still care about the food.
The menu at Urth is a mix of Bohemian California soup/salad/sandwich variety, with a bit of Central Perk flair— novelty sized lattes and pastries that look like they came out of a TV show. The coffee is to die for— I am a black coffee drinker, but I ALWAYS order the spanish latte from Urth. It’s super sweet, creamy, and a little bit spicy from some cinnamon and whatever other herbs they put in it.
A strange, outdated layout that was once trendy has now become a nostalgic (and slightly out of touch) backdrop for anyone looking to enjoy a salad while yelling at someone through the phone.
Urth Cafe
267 S Beverly Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
M - Sun 7AM - 10PM
Urth also has locations in Santa Monica, Melrose, Pasadena, and DTLA.
$$
Parking: Street (digital meter), Paid lot (cash)
My Order: Spanish Latte (strong), Pot Roast Sandwich
Pro Tip: They will ask you if you want your coffee weak or strong. The weaker coffee is much sweeter, so I always go with strong.
Pairs Well With: The Beverly Hills Bikini Shop (250 ft), Al’s Newsstand (.1 miles)