Small Business Sundays: Urban Fresh

Dana & Chauncey Padilla in 2023. Photo: Urban Fresh on Facebook.

It was May 5th, 2015 when Dana and Chauncey Padilla opened Urban Fresh, a plant based restaurant in downtown Tucson. Their goal is to "[provide] nourishing, healthy meals that satisfy the body and the soul," as per their website.

The two stumbled into the opportunity when another local business owner needed to sell their restaurant. They purchased it and kept the name Urban Fresh. The previous Urban Fresh had only been open for two and a half years before its closure.

"It was very much a leap of faith that we took. And we're here nine years later," said Dana.

Chauncey had just gotten out of the military and the couple moved back to the United States, their shared love of food brewing under the surface. Eventually, that love boiled over and they purchased the restaurant.

"It was like a jacket," said Chauncey. "We put it on, and it just kind of fit. So, you know, I always tell people the restaurant kind of tells us where we should go."

They realized that Urban Fresh was their passion when they began getting positive feedback from clients about their dishes. The restaurant has been a learning experience for both, in particular Chauncey, who had never prepared vegan food before they purchased the restaurant. Now, they have a dedicated base of customers and even bake in-house.

"One of the accomplishments that I kind of felt was a big stepping stone for me was starting to bake. We now produce all of our breads here, which I make," reflected Chauncey.

They consider their guests a big family, in part because the guests aren't afraid to tell them what they like, and what needs improvement. They have also stayed with them through their early learning curves.

"So I think that is one of our greatest accomplishments is just creating that community of people that really appreciate what we're doing and that support it... So as long as they're there and they want us around, we'll be here," added Dana.

Their menu has grown over time as well. They started with a core group of items and have expanded to include more customer favorites. Along with their growing menu, they incorporate the community in their foods as much as possible.

"I think that's what connects us to the community, you know, looking for new gardeners, new ways to put local produce into the food here."

They have partnered with a variety of local gardeners, mushroom companies, sprout companies, and many others to include local produce in their foods.

The couple considers the business a "labor of love."

"It really is nice to know that we're providing something good for people... That they can come away and feel good about what they ate," said Dana.

Chauncey concurred, "We're not buying packaged stuff. We start with the most simplest ingredient, the bean, or the flour, and we create from there."

Urban Fresh is located at 73 E Pennington St in Tucson, AZ, and can be found online at urbanfreshaz.com. They are also on Instagram, Facebook, and Yelp.

"I feel we're providing a great service to people, honestly, and I think it's really nice when you hear people that really appreciate what we're doing. That's what keeps us going," concluded Dana.