Best of Flagstaff 2025
Written by Gail G. Collins
Some people seem to fly from success to success. In reality, their achievements are the combination of dedication, hard work, risk and purpose. It is more impressive to perform such feats at a young age, relying more on instinct than experience. Such is the rapid, remarkable resume of Christa Freeman.
Freeman opened Juice Pub & Eatery at age 22 while attending classes at NAU, and two years later, opened Urban Pine Eatery. The recent college graduate earned wins for Best Juicery and New Restaurant simultaneously.
She admits the learning curve was scary starting from the ground up. “But people have been so great. The place is popping always. It’s outdoing what I thought!”
The enthusiastic entrepreneur of two eateries in historic downtown Flagstaff confessed that no one in the family has experience in the food industry beyond a former familial franchise investment. Like other students, Freeman gathered her know-how working front of the house positions at Juice Pub and more. She was the ideal candidate to take over the reins.
Read more: Fresh, fast and Flagstaff’s favorite: Freeman’s eateries claim 2 Best of Flag awardsAfter owning the juicery for a year, the honing began, first adding more breakfast options, like eggs, bacon, bagels and tacos, the latter two proving popular. Attention is given to allergies with prep on separate machines and anything can be created gluten-free. Next, opening up the interior space and refitting it with new tables and comfy chairs built a more engaging atmosphere, encouraging customers to linger.
Juice Pub uses products from Single Speed Coffee Roasters, and specialty coffees are a hit. Freeman noted drip coffee has taken off, serving Wake Up and Kiss Me blend with free refills.
Smoothies, Juice Farmacy choices and shots offer health in glass. All veggies and fruit are cold-pressed with a centrifugal force extractor, effective for maximizing nutritional benefits. Healthy Habit is close to Freeman’s heart and a best-selling juice, containing beet, carrot, orange, apple, celery, lemon, ginger and turmeric. Top shots include the ginger—which can aid conditions from nausea to joint soreness—plus apple and lemon, and the turmeric shot adds orange and pepper for sunshine and some bite.
“Juice Pub is the well-oiled machine,” Freeman said with a satisfied sigh, “and Urban Pine is my baby, still in motion and so amazing. I am not a chef, but many items are family recipes. I listened to what people wanted in town.”
The classic menu of pizzas and salads and subs is a winner. Item choices run the gamut of standards and trends. The house creation salads come in two sizes, and the favorite is the Superfood Boost. It builds a bed of spinach, topping it with avocado, black beans, corn, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, corn nuts, tomato, feta and parmesan, drizzled with cilantro lime vinaigrette.
The flatbread pizzas run from simple, a Tuscan Sunrise—a margherite with fresh basil—to wild, the Buffalo Bliss with alfredo, chicken and buffalo drizzle. Customers, though, rave about Sweet Heat, pairing up pepperoni with jalapeño, chili flakes and honey drizzle.
“We like drizzles,” Freeman joked. “People love something extra on their food or to dip.”
When Urban Pine opened in February, it served a traditional meatball sub, but its success spurred expansion to include the Herbivore, Chicken Parm and more. Their signature knots are hand-tied to order, spiced with cinnamon or garlic plus marinara for dipping. As for sweets, the banana pudding is unapologetically, old-fashioned comfort food. Made once a week when the shop first opened, Freeman can’t keep up with demand now.
Housed in the previous Pita Pit space, Urban Pine Eatery is designed to bring people together with the welcome of warm wood in the long bar and wall-mounted cutting boards. In the limited kitchen area, everything is cooked on display. The shop seats 18, but spills out onto a dog-friendly patio. To extend their reach and free up seats, Urban Pine delivers food to Mountaintop Tap Room, Hops on Birch and Drinking Horn Meadery, benefitting guests in all locations.
Freeman believes her successes are grounded in customer service. “We teach employees to help people feel welcome. Their experience is as important as the food made with healthy, natural ingredients. Our favorite feedback is about our smiles and greetings. Thanks for giving us a try.” BestofFLG