California Pizza Kitchen Launches New Prototype Restaurant at Irvine Spectrum in Irvine, Calif.

LOS ANGELES & IRVINE, Calif. -- California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. (Nasdaq:CPKI):

--Enhanced Decor and Full Bar Elevate CPK's Casual Dining Experience

--Grand Opening Event Will Benefit Children's Hospital of Orange County

California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. (Nasdaq:CPKI), home to the Original BBQ Chicken Pizza and other innovative hearth-baked pizzas, made-to-order pastas, creative salads, soups, sandwiches and desserts, will introduce a new prototype restaurant in Irvine, Calif., on Tuesday, August 3, 2004. The prototype, which is also the first new restaurant opening in 2004, will incorporate warm colors, rich textures and a full bar to create an even stronger appeal to today's diners.

Building upon its legacy of community support, the opening will benefit Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) through a donation of 100 percent of pizza sales on Monday, August 9.

The new restaurant is approximately 5,700 square-feet and is located at Irvine Spectrum, one of Southern California's most popular shopping, dining and entertainment destinations. Irvine Spectrum is located at the intersection of the 405 and 5 freeways in Orange County. Hours of operation are 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

New to the restaurant are fully redesigned menus complete with five new menu items making their debut just weeks before the grand opening. Guests now have the choice to order chicken or shrimp lettuce wraps; the creatively designed White Pizza using five different types of cheese; the Waldorf Salad, complete with crisp Granny Smith apples and candied walnuts; and a delicious slice of White Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake served on berry puree.

Also, an extensive beverage menu will premiere at the Irvine location with more than 40 specialty drinks, including CPK's original California Cosmo, and extensive lists of martinis, margueritas, cocktails and after-dinner drinks.

"We are constantly looking for ways to enhance the dining experience at our restaurants," said Larry Flax, co-founder and co-CEO of California Pizza Kitchen. "We're thrilled that our new restaurant is in the Irvine Spectrum, which is already a huge draw for area families, business people and tourists seeking the best that Southern California has to offer. The new California Pizza Kitchen will fit in perfectly with the rest of the center's upscale outlets," added Rick Rosenfield, co-founder and co-CEO of California Pizza Kitchen.

California Pizza Kitchen is the leader in California-style cuisine and is widely known for its innovative menu items. California Pizza Kitchen's original creations are available nationwide at its 146 full-service restaurants, 23 CPK ASAP locations and in the freezer cases of grocery stores. California Pizza Kitchen provides a range of creative California dishes, from the signature California-style, hearth-baked pizzas to creative salads, pastas, soups and sandwiches. Children who dine at California Pizza Kitchen choose from an extensive menu, recently named "The Best Kids Menu in America" by Restaurant Hospitality Magazine.

California Pizza Kitchen can be found on the World Wide Web at www.cpk.com.