Family-owned hospitality group Urban Family Concepts recently celebrated significant milestones at its three downtown Plano restaurants. June brought the first anniversary of Urban Seafood Company. The chef-drive restaurant boasts fare largely inspired by New England dishes. It has quickly found its niche in the Plano restaurant scene since opening last summer.
Also celebrating a big birthday was Urban Rio Cantina and Grill, which first opened 10 years ago. Its debut followed that of Urban Crust Wood-Fired Pizza, which set up shop 13 years ago in 2009.
Urban Family Concepts co-founder Bonnie Shea says what was used to be saloons have now been transformed into chef-driven restaurants, hoppin’ bars, retail and apartments, helping to nurture a true live, work and play environment
“I believe downtown Plano is the heart of Plano,” she says. “We have a culture that has created a multi-generational charm down here and we are connecting generations of families and new communities of people who can come together and walk and reminisce on the cobblestone streets.”
Bonnie and her husband Nathan Shea, along with world master chef and partner, Salvatore Gisellu and wife Jeanne-Marie, developed the restaurant concepts that transformed the neighborhood. Nathan says they didn’t intend for each restaurant to open in June—it just ended up working out that way.
To mark their anniversaries, all three restaurants offered drink specials on their respective anniversaries.
“It’s been a strange but also exciting time to open a new concept this past year but also see our older ones shape and form and truly grow into themselves,” Nathan says. “We love to serve this community and beyond. We are incredibly grateful to our loyal guests and look forward to always catering to new ones as well,”
