Urban pL8 is expected to open Jan. 2 at Krog Street Market. Check the restaurant's Facebook page for more details on hours and menus: facebook.com/urbanpl8.
99 Krog St. N.E., Atlanta. urbanpl8.com.
In 2009, when chef/owner Betsy Pitts opened the first version of Urban pL8 on Huff Road in Atlanta’s Westside design district, she was a culinary school grad with stints at Bacchanalia, Floataway Cafe and Watershed on her resume.
By the time Urban pL8 closed in 2014, Pitts had become a dedicated follower of the paleo diet, and her restaurant was a favorite of paleo, gluten-free and CrossFit devotees, offering a menu of healthy sandwiches, entrees and meals to go.
Now, Pitts and partner Amy Lloyd are set to debut a new, high-tech Urban pL8 at Krog Street Market, with grab-and-go salads and sandwiches, and a variety of paleo and gluten-free options, including more meals to go, weekly meal plans and family meals.
Recently, Pitts, Lloyd and chef de cuisine Jamilla Tobias were at the Krog Street Market stall, checking out the shiny new exhibition kitchen and prep and packaging areas, where customers will watch the chefs at work.
The design by Jennifer Healey of J Healey Interiors features custom tile and lighting, with a look akin to a celebrity chef set for a television show. But it also reflects Pitts’ fine dining background.
“I worked with a lot of great chefs, including Shaun Doty, Scott Peacock and Anne Quatrano,” Pitts said. “All of them were classically trained and that was my background. When we first opened Urban pL8, it was just going to be fresh, locally sourced new American cuisine.
“Then I started doing CrossFit, and doing these strict paleo challenges, which was crazy. ‘I love sugar. I love cheese. I can’t do this,’ I thought. But I did it for a month and I felt amazing. And when I was working in the restaurant, I started converting some of my dishes and making the paleo swaps, like taking the cream out and substituting coconut milk.”
As it turned out, many of Pitts’ gym friends wanted what she was having. A new menu was born and paleo versions of her most requested dishes took off. “At the end, the menu was about 75 percent paleo and gluten-free dishes that were actually better than my original recipes,” Pitts said.
Among the items that regulars have been craving during the Urban pL8 hiatus, Lily’s Nut Burger tops the list. Served on a gluten-free bun with pico de gallo and spicy sour cream, the hefty, savory sandwich is a change from the common veggie burger.
“It’s different from anything I’ve ever seen, and it’s expensive to make,” Pitts said. “But every time we’e tried to take it off the menu, customers have gone on tirades.”
As far as the overall concept at Krog Street, Lloyd’s technology background comes into play, with a focus on mobile checkout as opposed to traditional point-of-sale checkout. Customers will also have the option to order online, pay ahead, and schedule a time for pickup.
“Our goal is to provide great service and convenience to our customers,” Lloyd said. “We want to get people in and out quickly so they can enjoy their food.”
“We simply want to serve sustainable local food,” Pitts said. “Some paleo, some gluten free, some just healthy New American. And we want people to be able walk up and see what we are preparing, so they know we are bringing in whole foods, with nothing processed or packaged.”
