The Spot Cafe – Upland

This place is really good! They had a groupon recently, so my friend and I decided to get one and share. My friend ordered our lunch through Unilocal!And thought everything was good to go, but she received a phone call a little later saying they couldn’t use the groupon through that service. Either way we had to go IN to pick up our order, but okay, fine.
My friend got there to order and was informed only one portion of the groupon could be used at a time. So, okay, we get to go back! Then they informed my friend they went ahead and made the order, and proceeded to kind of lecture her on the process they have to go through and why it was handled the way it was. How about «thanks for your business! Please come again!»
At any rate, despite all of that rigamarole, the food here is quite spectacular. Very flavorful and fresh. We ordered the flank steak chimichurri salad, the TAG (Turkey, Apple, Goat Cheese) panini, and the grasshopper juice. It’s healthy without feeling and tasty healthy. The salad was amazing – the chimichurri had a great kick to it and was a nice touch to the salad. The panini was good, but needed a little extra something. Maybe some greens or a sauce, something to send it over the top in taste. It was a little flakey and dry otherwise. I did like that it was actually roasted turkey, not just deli meat! The juice was incredibly refreshing and tasty. I would definitely order that one again!
Since we have another groupon, we will totally be back. Hoping for a smoother process next time! But very good food!

I can’t say enough good things about this place. It’s a cute Lil spot (hence the name) for good, fresh food. We got the quinoa salad (my kids hate that I pronounce it wrong) a pepperoni pizza, and a veggie sandwich. All had great flavor, and tasted very fresh. The salad was my peronal fave, with delicious dressing and all fresh ingredients. The smoothies weren’t too shabby either. Good
, affordable, tasty, healthy food.

When we came here the first time we really loved the food. We ordered a pepperoni calzone and they let us know it would be a twenty min wait for that which we didn’t mind. We also ordered a chicken Caesar salad wrap with avocado.
The Cesar wrap had such a fresh almost citrusy flavor and it also had bacon which made for a nice contrast. When I saw the size I was a little worried it wouldn’t be enough food for me but the wrap was filling.
The wrap was supposed to come with «fruit salad» but really it was a small ramekin full of only diced apples, no other fruit. I don’t even like apples. I would have chose the other option of chips if I would have known.
The calzone was freshly made and fired and you could taste the freshness and good quality of the dough. It was delicious. The sauce on the side was so flavorful and once again tasted like quality ingredients.
The service we received was very nice and respectful during our first visit.
The reason for the three stars instead of four or five is because of our experience tonight when trying to place a to go order. After having trouble with the online system we called to try to place our order and they told us «sorry we don’t take phone to go orders. Go online.» I do not see why they wouldn’t be able to take a phone order. And after a frustrating experience of trying to order online we didn’t want to keep trying. We would have just came in but Knowing the wait for a calzone, it would be nice to be able call ahead instead of coming in to order. so we chose somewhere else tonight that does the simple service of taking a phone order.

I noticed most of the bad reviews had to do with service, phone orders and the like. I went there for the first time the other day and the service was just as good as anywhere else. I walked uo to the counter, ordered my food and it came in a reasonable time. Now lets talk about the food… IT WAS EXCELLENT. The prices are fair and very comparabke to any other place. The food though was what I was focused on. If you are even remotely into fitness you will immediately recognize the value in the menu items and the fact that you cant find this anywhere else. I had the turkey power meal. Turkey brown rice and sweet potatoes with avocado for 8 bucks, forget chipotle after lifting heavy ass weights for an hour this is the place to go. By the way the taste was great…

Turkey chili was delicious. Although it was more like a soup. The flavor was amazing though. The calzone was ok. The side of marinara was more pink than red. I would suggest keeping the sauce simple. But again it was ok. The pizza was so so. There could’ve been more sauce and the crust was a little bit too crispy. And by crispy, I mean burnt. But still, it was ok. All in all, I will be eating at or ordering from the spot again. A couple little tweaks and this place will be a «to die for» restaurant. And the delivery guy was really polite. A huge plus! I look forward to see how this place develops.

Food is always good, no matter what you order. The peach iced tea is my favorite.

The only reason I’m giving them 2 stars is because the food is amazing. The customer service is another story. Walked in the lady named Chelsea at the counter, a young Cambodian lady with long hair in a bun asked what we would like and we let her know we needed just a minute since we had legit just walked in and her response was «ok well I was just asking» with full attitude then She walks away then doesn’t come back. We were of course ready to order after all of 2 minutes and she decided to ignore us and proceeded to make juices then answer the phones with the gloves on and then re touch the veggies with that same glove. That’s gross and a health code violation. That’s the problem with hiring young entitled kids is they do not know customer service and she was incredibly rude. I will probably just stick to the Claremont location.

I saw the four stars and some good reviews so I thought why not. I think that they will not survive. Prices are on the high side and the quality is lacking. I have been a few times just because I thought maybe this was a fluke or lapse in their other wise great service. What I have found is a mostly deserted restaurant/​café. Even though there are few patrons I was not greeted. The service had always been slow.
But please don’t take my word go and visit them and make up your own mind.
Just don’t call ahead, they will not take your order over the phone. The lady said «Oh well if that app didn’t work please try the other app.» I still don’t understand why she couldn’t take my order over the phone. I ended up calling a Chinese food place ordering over the phone and picking it up.
Maybe I am wrong and they are killing it because it feels like The Spot didn’t need or want my $ 100 dollars. Nor any referrals to family or friends in the future.

Thank goodness for menu prior to order. It’s way too much to look at. The online app is a must if I are a regular too and so is wifi! Thank You! Pizza takes 15 mins to make. So be prepared.
Ordered the spicy chipotle but was told after order they have no spicy peppers. I’m like say wha??? And so it came with some green veggies on top which I thought was jalapeño. I Didn’t make a ruckus over it until I bit into it and thought @well doesn’t this taste just like Bell pepper?” I bit into more greens and yea it’s bell peppers. No peppers I forgot. Was so disappointed. Why wasn’t I told that before I ordered that they had no spicy peppers.
The other pizza brother the Works is pretty much all meat. Very good. Crust perfect. Better than the other joint in Claremont which I felt was too thin.
Juice here spot on. And ergo the Spot Café!

The Spot Café is located right by Chipotle and in the same plaza as the Smart n’ Final. They offer vegan/​vegetarian, and gluten free options.
My husband and I needed to get a few grocery items, but wanted to grab a bite to eat first. It was 8:30AM and I just really wanted a chicken wrap and my husband wanted a Quinoa Bowl. Actually, everything on their menu sounded good.
However, after we told the lady our order, she informed us that wraps and quinoa would not be ready until 10AM. (darn it. oh well). Both of us ended up order the Cilantro Chicken Salad and I also got an Orange Clockwork Smoothie (banana, strawberry, non-​fat yogurt, and orange juice) and my husband got a diet coke. Our total came out to approximately $ 25.
The salad consisted of a scoop of chicken salad with baby greens, cucumbers, red onion, tomatoes, pepperchini and olives. The cilantro dressing is served on the side. I love cilantro and is why I ordered this salad. On paper, it sounded delicious! (at another restaurant, I always order their chicken-​lime-​cilantro salad. my favorite salad!)
The salads are served on a plate. I wish they were in a bowl because it’s easier to eat, plus stuff does end up on the table. The dressing however was underwhelming and so thick that it was more like a paste. I could not taste any cilantro at all. The chicken salad had a bit of a kick to it. They chopped the cucumber and tomato in very small pieces. Maybe whole cherry tomato would have been nice to add more flavor and juiciness since the salad was so dry. I asked my husband how he liked the salad and said we could have made a better tasting salad at home. Everything was very bland and he also did not care for the dressing. Healthy food can taste good with lot of flavor and this totally fell flat.
I was also a bit disappointed in my smoothie. Although it tasted fine, they didn’t fill my cup up all the way (only about 80% full).
Overall, we were disappointed and were still hungry afterwards and ended up eating some snacks when we got home.
We’ll still give them another shot though (I still want a wrap and my husband wants to try their pizza). Updated review? To be determined.
³⁹⁄₁₀₀ Reviews for 2016

Honestly it’s more like 3.5÷3.78.
I’ve frequented the Claremont location three times and the Upland one twice. To be frank, I like the Claremont one more. I don’t resonate with those that think the Claremont one is uppity or has mediocre service. I have only been greeted by nice people, I suppose. Additionally, I never eat in. I like my food to go because I like my own salads that I make at home
The first time I came was Friday night and the people who were working were less than happy to serve us, but then I came on a Tuesday afternoon and I had really great service.
Every time that I come to the Spot I have ordered the same thing: eggplant hummus pizza with zaatar dressing on the side. For some reason I feel like it tastes much different at this location then at the Claremont Spot. The zaatar they have on the side is much, much more mustard tasting than it is at the other Claremont Spot.
I can’t put my finger on exactly but I don’t like it nearly as much. Also they charge more for extra toppings and substitutions where as the current location is lot more liberal in that sense.
Look at my pictures between the two restaurants for further clarification.
If I didn’t frequent the gym nearby I would probably stick to the Claremont location. It is small and you may have to wait a while for your food, but if you call and ahead it’s not a big problem.

I placed an order for a juice cleanse the night before. The next morning, I had to wait 5 minutes before I was greeted. Then, I found out that they didn’t even make my juice. So I had to wait an additional 15 – 20 minutes. Not happy as I was on a tight schedule. I would understand if it was busy. But there were about 4 customers already sitting down eating. Don’t know if its always like this but at the claremont location I had to wait an absurd anount of time as well.
Also, just a heads up that their juices are not made with organic produce. Apples, celery, cucumber, kale, and spinach, which are in most of their juices, are among the «dirty dozen” — meaning they are the most heavily sprayed with pesticides.
The thing that drives me the most crazy, howvever, is the abundance of plastic used. I swear, I cringe everytime I see my food come in a plastic container. I understand that plastic is more cost efficient and easier to clean up, but as a place that promotes clean eating and a healthy lifestyle, they should prioritize minimizing their use of plastic and huge pizza boxes for a tiny pizza. Small things like that really do matter, at least to me.

Great little café in Upland with tons of food options. Went for breakfast, so just had a breakfast bagel with turkey and medium roast coffee. All delicious! Prices are good! All items are pretty much under 10 bucks and the quality is great.
Service is mediocre. No one seemed very happy. No smiles. However, they took the order as needed and delivered promptly.
Biggest complaint: outlets! It’s a café but I couldn’t find any place to plug in my laptop which cut my visit short.

Fast deliver. Ordered and received within 30 minutes on a Friday late evening. The food is good. The pizza may need a little more zest but it’s good. Will order again.
4÷11÷2015 my second time ordering. It took longer but I’m still not disappointed in the food. I love this place and I’m glad they deliver. They are all so nice from staff to delivery person. Love this place.

It’s so refreshing to have a healthy and artsy place like this in the area.
Food: I’ve been here twice, once for breakfast when I had a caramel latte and oatmeal. They let you choose what toppings to include in your oatmeal, i think they give you three choices. I chose strawberries, almonds and bananas. The oatmeal is not sweetened whatsoever and is a bit dry, so i would highly recommend adding honey or another sweetener to give it more flavor. The latte was wonderful! (They use Klatch coffee!)
I also used a groupon here that included two healthy individual sized pizzas and two drinks up to $ 6. We both selected ‘the works’ healthy pizza, what makes it healthy is that instead of bread, the pizza is served on a tortilla. I was somewhat hesitant about this, but i was pleasantly surprised the toppings where delicious and the tortilla gave it a thin crust feel. The only drawback to having a tortilla crust is that the toppings are much too heavy for the super thin tortilla to bear so each slice needs extra care when handling. (If this is the price we pay for fewer calorie consumption, i am ok with it.) We also split a full refreshing spinach and kale salad. The serving sizes were more than enough, we didn’t finish any of our meal, we each took home half a pizza and salad, enough for another meal.
I also ordered a freshly made and delicious green phantom juice. My friend had a double mango beer that ‘hit the spot.’ (pun intended)
Other things to note:
They have free wifi aka great study/​work spot.
Outdoor seating is available.
When we left the line was almost out the door, so there may be a bit of a wait, but keep in mind everything is fresh and not made until you order it.

4 out of 5 stars. Friendly staff, clean store and a surprising menu: It’s a juice bar and pizzeria oasis.
An urban eatery you would more likely find in San Francisco or Hollywood. The indi pizzas are large on a wafer crust with IE staples like pepperoni and sausage but with healthy options, too. Try the eaggplant and humus with black bean (a surprisingly tasty treat) from the vegetarian options. There are vegan options for the ultra socially conscious as well.
The salad options are a delight. Try the antioxidant for a filling but meat free option with real blue cheese crumble. To wash it all down I suggest a blood orange tea (it’s different) or a peach tea on ice (for those who fear change).
I will be back.

If you are looking for healthy options and great food try it out.
I had a grilled chicken salad that it was great and my wife had Cilantro Chicken Salad. She loved it!
It has several gluten free and Vegan options.
Cool atmosphere also.

Try it out– so many options! The staff was so friendly and had great recommendations. This is close to my work so I plan to go back again soon to try the salads and wraps.
I had the chick-​a-​bowl… it was good. Very filling. Definitely needed a little bit more spice for my taste– next time I’ll ask for my pico de gallo. But overall, good!

Needed a quick smoothie for breakfast on-​the-​go and Unilocal didn’t steer me wrong.
Ordered a regular Granola Bar protein shake. Hubby got the large Grizzly Bear protein shake. Both of us are happy! Delicious, filling and mostly healthy, it definitely hit the spot. *See what I did there? :-)
In addition to smoothies and shakes, they also have acai bowls and options for grub, including pizza cooked in their wood-​burning oven. I don’t live in this area but will definitely keep them in mind whenever visiting.
⁵⁄₁₀₀ — 2016 Unilocal 100 Challenge

The Spot came recommended to me by Rosario who is a fan from the original location in Claremont. She and her colleagues @ U of La Verne spent many countless hours doing homework or preparing research both before and after class.
This is my second time at the new location in Upland and I really do like the fact that everything on the menu is prepared using the finest ingredients ownership has to offer to a consumer looking for a healthy meal. Menu offers a full detail with tiny icons signifying GF gluten free, V veggie and Vegan. The options are endless and staff is very attentive to your questions.
Appetizer: Vegan
Bruschetta nicely topped with fresh cuts of tomato, sweet red onions, cilantro, basil, seasoned lightly and served chilled.
Meal: Veggie
I’m a fan of Paninis and it felt appropriate to settle for «the spot on Panini» nicely named after the business. Toasted to perfection and loaded with fresh mozzarella, basil pesto (made in-​house), more basil, diced tomato. All Paninis come with your choice of bagged chips or seasonal fruit.
Meal: Vegan
A small made to order pizza using high gluten flour less the starch and wheat bran with your ultimate wood fire burning open brick oven. Our toppings included vegan parmesan, minced poblano peppers, oversized square pineapple chunks on a bed of in-​house marinara sauce. Add a few crushed red peppers and sriracha sauce :)
Beverages:
We took advantage of courtesy citrus water (self serve).
Breakfast, Lunch/​Dinner servings with a full coffee bar, fresh juices made to order, smoothies, protein shakes, shakes for the kiddos, organic teas, cold brew coffee, espresso shots both hot and cold.
Juice cleanse options starting from 1 day to 4 week cleanse.
I have my eye set on a Kiley Kauai smoothie with pineapple, banana, strawberry, guava juice and pineapple sherbet on my next visit.
Located at north/​east corner of Foothill and Mountain on a very large property. Indoor and outdoor seating is available.
They also cater to large events and you can also place orders online.
Keeping it real :)