Dean Waziry did not open Urban Fraîche simply to serve dinner.
He wanted to build community.
“I’m proud of the food, of course, but I’m even more proud of the people,” said Waziry of his Phoenix restaurant.
“We’ve built a team that feels like family, and we’ve met guests who have become part of that family, too. When people trust us with their birthdays, anniversaries and special nights, that means everything.”
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Celebrating its one-year anniversary, Urban Fraîche at 111 E. Camelback Road serves farm-to-table, Egyptian-influenced Mediterranean dishes that change daily.
The Cairo-born Waziry, who also serves as executive chef, focuses on wild-caught seafood, meat raised without antibiotics, organic produce when available, and dishes prepared without seed oils or processed sugar.
Guests have visited for entrées like braised curry goat, lamb shoulder, beef Wellington, lobster ravioli, foie gras, rice pudding and baklava. Birthday celebrations center around Urban Fraîche’s replica of King Tut’s throne, complete with jewelry, complementary birthday bubbles and occasional belly dancers.
“Phoenix diners want more than a good meal,” Waziry said. “They want flavor, culture, warmth and something they can remember. They want to feel like they have stepped into another world for a little while, without leaving the city.”
The restaurant is also an extension of Waziry’s broader Urban Fraîche lifestyle concept, which includes the nearby Urban Fraîche Lifestyle Center at 1016 E. Camelback Road.
The 10,000-square-foot destination offers furniture, antiques, art, jewelry, oils, herbs and natural goods sourced from around the world. The lifestyle center also houses a living nursery, hair salon and massage spa.
“We started with clean food and better ingredients, but the vision has grown,” Waziry said. “Urban Fraîche is about how people eat, gather, celebrate and care for themselves. I want guests to leave inspired, not just full.”
For Waziry, the real measure of Urban Fraîche’s first year isn’t a spreadsheet metric — it’s the way guests have formed a connection that goes beyond what’s on the plate. One recent moment drove it home. On a packed Saturday night, he met a woman who flew in from San Francisco for her birthday. Her husband asked where she’d go if she could eat anywhere in the world. She picked Urban Fraîche.
“That stayed with me,” Waziry said. “When someone gets on a plane to experience your food, your space and your team, it means they felt something real. It reminds me that this is not just about a reservation. It is about passion, care and the memories people take with them.”
As Urban Fraîche enters its second year, Waziry aims to grow the team, expand the brand’s reach, and help guests rethink what healthy dining can feel like.
“We want to keep creating memories, but we also want to keep inspiring change,” Waziry said. “If we can help people move away from harmful ingredients and still give them beautiful food, celebration, and joy, then we are doing something meaningful. Urban Fraîche is about showing people that a better life can begin with one beautiful meal.”
