Urban Plates Tustin (The Market Place)

Urban Plates opened its first restaurant in Del Mar, California, in 2011. The goal hasn't changed since: make craveable, wholesome, clean food that everyone can afford. Our restaurant on Jamboree Road brings that idea to Orange County, serving neighbors from Tustin, Northpark, Tustin Legacy, and Orange.

Fast food is built for speed. Casual dining is built for sitting down with a server. We're fast casual, which means you get the speed of fast food with the “sit down” vibe and food quality of casual dining. At Urban Plates, you order at the counter, sit at nice tables, and we bring your food to your table. Everything is cooked from scratch with quality ingredients, plus meals are served on real ceramic plates, you eat with real silverware, and drink from real glasses. It’s great quality food, it’s fast, and the dining rooms and spacious patios are great places to dine-in. We’re also great for food to-go or food delivered.

Our chefs cook in small batches all day long. That keeps everything fresh, lets us make it from scratch, and keeps our average ticket time around eight minutes. Order at the counter, a kiosk, online, or in our app, and we'll bring your food to the table. Eating at home? Order pickup on our website or app, or get delivery through our website/app, DoorDash, Uber Eats, or Grubhub anywhere in our Tustin delivery area.

We started Urban Plates because we were tired of the compromises that big restaurant chains ask you to accept. Here's what we won't do:

• Leave you feeling heavy and sluggish after a meal.
• Make you choose between taste, health, and price.
• Hide what's on your plate. Our ingredients are listed, our menu flexes for dietary needs, and you can eat healthy, indulgent, or a little of both.
• Cut corners. We cook from scratch with quality ingredients, and spurn processed factory food.

We have a broad menu that everyone loves. Our menu covers entrée Plates (a protein plus two sides), salads, sandwiches, burgers, tenders, bowls, wraps, and desserts baked fresh in-house. Guest favorites in Tustin include the Chimichurri 100% Grass-Fed Steak Plate, Grilled Sustainable Salmon, Grilled Cage-Free Chicken, the Cobb and Caesar salads, the Club sandwich, our 100% Grass-Fed Char-Grilled Burger, and Crispy Jumbo Chicken Tenders. They're the American classics you know, made from scratch with better ingredients.

We work hard to operate an efficient business so that we can pass along value to you. Cooking in small batches means less waste. Smart tools keep the kitchen running efficiently. And our team members tend to stay with us, so they know their jobs well (and we don’t have to waste money training new people all the time). All of this lets us serve generous, high-quality meals at prices that compete with fast food.

Plate Pass is $5 a month and takes 20% off every order, every day. If you spend more than $25 a month with us, about two entrées, it pays for itself. It’s the best deal in the restaurant industry and our big menu means there’s a lot to choose from to make your Plate Pass membership worthwhile. Learn more at urbanplates.com/plate-pass.

Urban Plates Tustin is open daily from 11 AM to at least 9PM. Most fast casual restaurants cover lunch through dinner rather than early breakfast or late night, and our hours are set around when our neighbors eat. Check this page or our app for holiday hours before you visit.

It's our chefs saying, "You have to try this." Each Spotlight puts a few menu dishes on sale, usually 25% to 30% off, for dine-in or takeout. Then the Spotlight moves on to something new, so it pays to check back with us frequently. If you’re looking for “fast food near me” in Tustin, the Chef Spotlight will provide superior quality and quantities of food for the same price (or less) as fast food restaurants. Chef Spotlight makes eating at Urban Plates in Tustin very affordable.

Chefs want their food to be savored. Every dish on our menu is made from scratch by people who care whether you like it. But most of us order the same thing every time, so some of the dishes our chefs are proudest of never reach your table. Chef Spotlight fixes that by making it easy to say “yes.”

There's a lot to work through. Chargrilled protein Plates with your choice of more than a dozen scratch-made sides. Chef-crafted salads. Hand-crafted sandwiches and 100% grass-fed burgers. Bowls and slow-cooked braises. Desserts our pastry chefs bake fresh every day. We serve individual desserts as well as whole cakes and tarts that feed 8-to-10 people. And the menu changes with the seasons. Chef Spotlight is the easy, low-cost way to try it all.

• See what's on now on this page, in our app, or at the Tustin restaurant.
• Join our email list to hear about every new Spotlight first.
• Order at the counter, a kiosk, online, or in the app for dine-in or takeout.
• Have Plate Pass? You'll save even more. The discount applies automatically.

Good food should come with a good deal. Whether you're searching for restaurant deals near me, a healthy lunch deal in Tustin, or cheap eats near Orange County that don't taste cheap, Chef Spotlight puts scratch-made plates, salads, and sandwiches at sale prices. Stop by Urban Plates on Jamboree Road, or order ahead for takeout.

Healthy starts before anything hits the grill. It means good ingredients, real cooking, honest labels, and the freedom to order your way. Here's how we do it:

• Clean, quality ingredients: 100% grass-fed steak, cage-free chicken, sustainable seafood, and our Organics All the Time guarantee.
• Made from scratch: Small batches cooked all day. No processed or factory food.
• Lean proteins: Chargrilled steak, salmon, chicken, shrimp, and tofu.
• Plenty of vegetables: Scratch-made veggie sides, chef-crafted salads, and seasonal produce.
• Easy to customize: Swap a side, get dressing or sauce on the side, or skip the bread.
• Full transparency: Calories are on the menu. Ingredients, nutrition, and allergens are online.

Our steak is 100% grass-fed. Our chicken is cage-free and never frozen, and both are raised without hormones or antibiotics. Our salmon and seafood are sustainably sourced. And our Organics All the Time guarantee keeps organic quinoa, potatoes, carrots, beets, and tofu on the menu every day. We also have a great line up of seasonal foods. Our motto: “The seasons change, so does our menu.”

Every Urban Plates kitchen, including Tustin, has real chefs cooking in small batches all day. Our proteins hit a real chargrill for that smoky flavor. Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, and mac & cheese are made in-house. Unprocessed is our process.

We have options for vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-friendly, high-protein, lower-calorie, and GLP-1 friendly eating. Want something lighter? Build a Plate with a grilled protein and two veggie sides. Want something richer? Go for the burger or the made-from-scratch Mac & Cheese. Healthy, indulgent, or a bit of both is your call, and the calories are listed for every menu item to help you decide.

Urban Plates started in Del Mar in 2011 and is still California-owned and locally operated. We serve every meal on real plates with metal silverware and glassware, so it feels like a sit-down dinner at a takeout price. You can dine in, take out, or get delivery in Tustin.

GLP-1 medications slow down how quickly your stomach empties and turn down your hunger. Most people end up eating less, with studies estimating 16% to 39% fewer calories.

Eating less is the goal, but it comes with a catch. If you eat less of the wrong foods, you can fall short on protein, fiber, and fluids. That can lead to muscle loss, low energy, and constipation. And heavy, greasy meals sit longer in a slower stomach, which is a common cause of nausea and reflux.

The answer isn't eating more. It's making each bite count. Your provider can set your personal targets.

Have protein at every meal, even the small ones. It helps protect your muscle as the weight comes off. Good choices include lean beef, fish, chicken, eggs, tofu, shrimp, and low-fat dairy. Then add fiber from vegetables, quinoa, whole grains, beans, and fruit. And drink more water than you think you need.

Common daily targets:

• Protein: 60 grams or more a day, often 1.0 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight, spread over three or more meals.
• Fiber: 25 to 38 grams a day. Add about 5 grams a week so it helps instead of bloats.
• Fluids: 8 to 12 cups a day (about 2 to 3 liters), mostly water. Fiber needs water to work.

A few habits that make it easier:

• Eat small and slow. Your "I'm full" signal arrives late, so stop when you're comfortably satisfied.
• Go easy on fried, greasy, and sugary foods. The same goes for very rich dishes, sugary drinks, and alcohol, especially early on.
• Choose slow carbs. Quinoa, whole grains, beans, and vegetables beat refined and processed foods.
• Keep backup foods handy. On rough days or after a dose change, bland foods like rice, bananas, crackers, and broth-based soups are easier to manage.
• Ask about a multivitamin. Eating less can leave gaps, so check with your provider.

Yes, you can still eat out. Dinner with friends, lunch with the team, and birthday celebrations are all still on the table.

Restaurant portions were built for the appetite you used to have, so order for the one you have now. Asking for sauce on the side isn't being difficult. It's being specific. Here's what helps:

• Choose a restaurant that cooks to order, so you can ask for what you need.
• Pick grilled, roasted, or seared over fried.
• Build your meal around lean protein and vegetables.
• Get sauces and dressings on the side.
• Skip the bread to save room for what matters.
• Eat your protein first, then slow down.
• Box half before you start. That's tomorrow's lunch.
• Drink water and go easy on alcohol.
• Check the nutrition info before you go.

Our Plates are already built this way. Every Plate is a protein plus two sides. Choose 100% grass-fed steak, sustainable salmon, cage-free chicken, wild ahi, garlic shrimp, or organic tofu. Pair it with sesame broccolini, organic quinoa, roasted Brussels sprouts, or organic carrots and beets for a simple, balanced meal.

Clean ingredients make it easy. Our steak and chicken are raised without hormones or antibiotics, our chicken is never frozen, our salmon is sustainable, and our Organics All the Time guarantee keeps organic staples on the menu daily.

Everything is made to order. Since we cook from scratch, "sauce on the side" or "no bread" is an easy ask. Calories are on the menu, and full nutrition and allergens are at urbanplates.com/nutrition.

Big portions work in your favor. Eat what feels right, box the rest, and tomorrow's lunch is handled. That's two meals for the price of one.

1. Pick a lean protein: grilled chicken, salmon, steak, ahi, shrimp, or tofu.
2. Add one of our low-calorie sauces for flavor and get it on the side.
3. Add a veggie side: sesame broccolini, carrots & beets, Brussels sprouts, or a house salad.
4. Add a fiber-rich side: organic quinoa, marble potatoes with the skin on, or a second vegetable.
5. Skip the complimentary bread, or only eat half and save the rest for later.
6. Eat your protein first, go slow, and box what's left.

• Grilled Cage-Free Chicken with sesame broccolini and organic quinoa. 570 cal. GF, DF.
• Grilled Sustainable Salmon (Dijon honey) with sesame broccolini and a side house salad. 620 cal. GF, DF.
• Grilled Grass-Fed Steak with roasted Brussels sprouts and organic carrots & beets. 680 cal. GF, DF.
• Seared Wild Ahi Tuna (ponzu & wasabi) with sesame broccolini and herb-roasted marble potatoes. 570 cal. GF, DF.
• Grilled Organic Tofu (chili glaze) with organic quinoa and organic carrots & beets. 640 cal. GF, V, DF.

For rough days: A cup of Tomato Basil or Chicken Tortilla soup (110 cal), yellow basmati rice, or herb-roasted marble potatoes. They're simple and easy to eat in small amounts.

Go easy on: Crispy tenders and fries, mac & cheese, truffle fries, rich sauces like hollandaise and truffle aioli, and the bigger club sandwiches, especially when symptoms flare.

Urban Plates on Jamboree Road serves scratch-made, chargrilled proteins and vegetable sides fast. Dine in, take out, or order delivery anywhere in our Tustin delivery area.

These outside sources informed this guide:

• American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
• Cleveland Clinic: GLP-1 Diet
• UCHealth: Nutrition and GLP-1 Medications

This section shares general nutrition information, not medical advice. Talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing your diet or medication.

• Buffet trays of our Famous Plates, with one protein and two sides per guest.
• Protein and side trays in two sizes: small serves 10, large serves 20.
• Individually packaged meals, so every guest gets exactly the plate they ordered.
• Boxed meals with a hand-carved sandwich and chips. Add a side salad or a cookie.
• Sandwich trays with 5 or 10 sandwiches, cut in half and served with chips.
• Catering salads: small serves 10, large serves 20.

You know what you're getting. Our chefs cook catering orders from scratch with the same ingredients we use in the restaurant: 100% grass-fed steak, never-frozen cage-free chicken, sustainable salmon, MSC-certified wild ahi, and organic tofu. Order online in a few minutes, or work with a catering consultant who'll help you plan. One order, one less thing to worry about.

A good lunch says "we appreciate you" better than any email. For office catering in Tustin or corporate lunches along Jamboree Road, boxed meals give everyone their own lunch with no buffet line. Group trays work for all-hands meetings, trainings, and client lunches. And with options for every diet, nobody's stuck picking at the bread basket.

Planning a birthday, graduation, shower, holiday party, or game day? Build a buffet your guests will love. Order Famous Plates in group trays, or mix and match protein trays, side trays, and salads in sizes that serve 10 or 20. Add slow-cooked braises, soups, and desserts from our pastry chefs, and you've got a party.

When everyone gets their own box, everyone gets what they want. Boxed lunches are great for meetings, trainings, sports teams, and field trips. Choose individually packaged Plates, salads, or sandwiches with chips. One person, one container. Easy to hand out, easy to eat.

Every guest deserves a real meal, not just a side salad. Most of our proteins are gluten-free and dairy-free, including the steak, chicken, salmon, ahi, and tofu. Vegan options include Chili Glazed Grilled Tofu, the Beets + Avocado Bowl, the Classic House and Caribbean salads, Tomato Basil soup, and sides like Organic Quinoa, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and Herb Roasted Marble Potatoes. We also bake a gluten-free chocolate cookie. Individually packaged meals make it easy to get the right plate to the right person.

While some items are marked gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, or vegan, we can't guarantee they won't come into contact with other foods during prep. If a guest has a serious allergy, talk with our catering team before you order.

• Famous Plates: A protein and two scratch-made sides per guest, packaged individually or in group trays. Choose from Grilled Grass-Fed Steak, Chimichurri Grass-Fed Steak, Grilled Sustainable Salmon, Seared Wild Ahi Tuna, Grilled Cage-Free Chicken, and Chili Glazed Grilled Organic Tofu.
• Protein and side trays: Hand-carved proteins plus sides like Mashed Organic Potatoes, Mac & Cheese, Organic Rainbow Carrots & Golden Beets, and Yellow Basmati Rice.
• Sandwich trays: Hand-carved sandwiches on grilled rustic bread, served with chips.
• Catering salads: Classic House, Caribbean, Chopped Caesar, and Local Mixed Beet.
• More: Braises, bowls, soups, desserts, and drinks.

Start with your headcount. For Famous Plates, order one per guest. Trays and catering salads come small (serves 10) or large (serves 20). A large braise serves 6. Not sure? Our catering consultants size orders every day and can help you get it right.

Order online at urbanplates.com for pickup or delivery, email catering@urbanplates.com, or call 1-800-652-4788. Delivery is available within 10 miles of our Tustin restaurant for a $25 fee through a third-party partner. Larger orders may be delivered by an Urban Plates manager, depending on availability. Need to keep food hot? Add Sterno fuel or a disposable chafing rack.