9 December 2013

So what happened to Urban Food?

| Baldy
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I went there on Friday to see a sign that read “Closed until further notice.”

Does anybody know why it closed down and when it will be open again?

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Great to see the Canberra Times get onto this a week later. 😉

Can’t say I’m surprised. I went there once, I ordered 2 items from the breakfast menu and it cost me close to $20 .. I parted with the money before they lost my order and then stood around and chatted for 5 minutes before sorting it out for me.

I also poked around the ‘supermarket’ section as well and noted that a jar of pickles and some laundry detergent was priced around 50% more than any nearby supermarket. It was very, very unimpressive.

As soon as A. Baker opened up nearby it was really only a matter of time; great service there.

ah i never went there for lunch so i can’t judge there 🙂 brunch is my passion

Well I guess their breakfast was the weak spot. I went with the family for late lunch. Dad had a pie and chips, his girlfriend had a salad, I was feeling a little unwell so just juice but prices were normal and food was good.

It’s unfortunate. It’s always better to focus on what you do best.

BimboGeek said :

zorro29 said :

Who’d have thought bad food, incompetent service, terrible decor, lack of cleanliness, and extremely high prices weren’t a money-making combo??? In Canberra that generally guarantees you a long future of rorting people.

Good riddance. The place was woeful.

I didn’t notice any of those problems last time I was there. Granted, it wasn’t very inspiring or vegan friendly (failure to feed just one of us well means our entire group would be less likely to go back next time) but it was perfectly pleasant and everyone got what they wanted.

The last time I was there I ordered French Toast for me and my breakfast companion and a drink each (he had a smoothie and I had a milkshake)…It was just shy of $55.

The French toast was pretty much inedible. It was totally inconsistent and tasted dirty. The portion was woefully small as well and they were made with different bread types (mine was made with the crust of a fruit loaf I assume they found around the kitchen). It was artificial maple syrup to boot.

At $9 for a shake, I would expect that would be creamy and delicious…it was barely passable…and at $9, craziness.

Service and ambience were awful. We were both seriously displeased (and my companion is one of the most easygoing people around).

This is the same experience I had on the previous occasion I gave them a chance…wouldn’t return after that! Mess with my brunch and face my wrath.

zorro29 said :

Who’d have thought bad food, incompetent service, terrible decor, lack of cleanliness, and extremely high prices weren’t a money-making combo??? In Canberra that generally guarantees you a long future of rorting people.

Good riddance. The place was woeful.

I didn’t notice any of those problems last time I was there. Granted, it wasn’t very inspiring or vegan friendly (failure to feed just one of us well means our entire group would be less likely to go back next time) but it was perfectly pleasant and everyone got what they wanted.

Now watch it turn into a bar.

Who’d have thought bad food, incompetent service, terrible decor, lack of cleanliness, and extremely high prices weren’t a money-making combo??? In Canberra that generally guarantees you a long future of rorting people.

Good riddance. The place was woeful.

The reviews on Urbanspoon tell the story …

I’d say the rent was astronomical and the food not so gastronomical.

Took a look at the ASIC insolvency database for the ACT and a company called Urbanfoods (ACT) Pty Ltd went into liquidation on December 4. The notice indicates that at a company meeting, it was decided the business be wound up. If this is the company behind Urban Food, then there’s your answer.

Thanks everyone. There was a lot of discussion here at work about what had happened to it.

Owners divorced years ago, probably in trouble since then, terrible service, high prices and a misleading menu. I hope a better operator opens there soon. I don’t know anyone who has had positive things to say about the place

Drundgeon said :

Had a friend who worked there, they got told last week that they were out of job. Lost too much money, closed down for good. They’re probably selling it.

I suspect they were just too expensive. Might work fine for a bit of up market Saturday breakfast or planning for exotic dinner party, but not day to day stuff that it needed. Now that A Baker, the cinema and the grout place have opened with food options in the area – none of them particularly cheap but at least cheaper – why go to UF?

Holden Caulfield said :

Department of Health banhammer?

That’s Urban Bean.

Urban Food is the one in New Acton in the Colliers Building. The one that had its kitchen catch fire recently and before that was busted for selling ciggies without a tobacco licence for a couple of years.

Holden Caulfield4:04 pm 09 Dec 13

Department of Health banhammer?

Had a friend who worked there, they got told last week that they were out of job. Lost too much money, closed down for good. They’re probably selling it.

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