California Pizza Kitchen Opens in Downtown Indianapolis

California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. (CPK), home to the Original BBQ Chicken Pizza and other innovative hearth-baked pizzas, made-to-order pastas, creative salads, appetizers, soups, sandwiches and desserts, opened a full-service restaurant in downtown Indianapolis today.

The new 6,000 square-foot restaurant is on Level 1 in the center of Circle Centre Mall, conveniently located on the corner of Maryland and Illinois St. The restaurant seats 215 guests and includes outdoor patio seating. Hours of operation will be Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Guests can dine in or place a take-out order by ordering online at www.cpk.com, from their iPhone app or by calling [phone].

Grand opening plans include a Charity Day to benefit Simon Youth Foundation. As part of CPK's tradition of giving back to the communities in which it operates, the new CPK restaurant will donate 100% of all dine-in pizza sales during regular business hours on Tuesday, August 16, to Simon Youth Foundation. Simon Youth Foundation supports two major initiatives: Simon Youth Academies, which are alternative schools that serve high school students who have or are at risk of dropping out of school, and Simon Youth Scholarships. There are 23 Simon Youth Academies operating in 13 states, and more than 8,000 students have graduated from the schools since 1998.

The menu will feature all of the popular favorites along with the newest menu additions including:

• Mediterranean Focaccia – Added to the Small Cravings menu. Herb cheese focaccia served with Mediterranean Olive Oil and Parmesan.
• Crispy Mac ‘N’ Cheese – Added to the Small Cravings menu. Our classic mac ‘n’ cheese lightly fried with panko, served on creamy cheese sauce.
• Dynamite Shrimp appetizer – Lightly fried shrimp tossed in spicy sweet chili sauce with scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
• Artichoke & Broccoli Soup – A blend of artichoke hearts, broccoli, Romano, Cheddar and Parmesan. Garnished with homemade croutons.
• Caramelized Peach Salad – Field greens, spinach, warm caramelized peaches, dried cranberries, red onion, toasted pecans and gorgonzola tossed in white balsamic vinaigrette.
• Roasted Vegetable Salad -- Roasted artichoke hearts, asparagus, Japanese eggplant, red & yellow peppers, corn and sun-dried tomatoes, served warm over Romaine lettuce, tossed in homemade Dijon balsamic vinaigrette and topped with fresh avocado.
• Habanero Carnitas Pizza – Slow-roasted pulled pork, red onions, cilantro pesto, Mozzarella and queso quesadilla cheese with SPICY habanero salsa.
• Carnitas Tacos – Slow-roasted pork, homemade avocado salsa verde, red onions, cilantro, romaine and shredded Napa cabbage served with tortilla chips and roasted tomato salsa.
• Strawberry Shortcake -- fresh strawberries on a shortcake biscuit with homemade whipped cream and candied lemon zest.

The new restaurant will also feature an extensive beverage menu from its full bar, including the CPK Margarita and popular favorites such as Cranberry Mint Cooler and Cherry Lime Sparkler.

About California Pizza Kitchen

California Pizza Kitchen, Inc., founded in 1985, is a leading casual dining chain featuring an imaginative line of hearth-baked pizzas, including the original BBQ Chicken Pizza, and a broad selection of distinctive pastas, salads, appetizers, soups, sandwiches and desserts. CPK premium pizzas are also available to sports and entertainment fans at three Southern California venues including Dodger Stadium, Angel Stadium of Anaheim and STAPLES Center. Also included in the Company's portfolio of concepts is LA Food Show Grill & Bar, which is located in Manhattan Beach, California. The Company also has a licensing arrangement with Nestle USA to manufacture and distribute a line of California Pizza Kitchen premium frozen products. For more details, visit www.cpk.com.