EXHIBIT 99.1

  California Pizza Kitchen Reports Preliminary First Quarter Results

    Comparable Restaurant Sales Increase 4.7%; Earnings Guidance
Increases to $0.19-$0.20 per Diluted Share Before Additional
Compensation Expense due to Accelerated Restricted Stock Vesting

    LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 9, 2007--California Pizza
Kitchen, Inc. (Nasdaq:CPKI) announced today that revenues increased
15.2% to $149.4 million for the first quarter ended April 1, 2007
versus $129.7 million in the first quarter of 2006. Comparable
restaurant sales increased approximately 4.7% compared to 6.4% in the
first quarter a year ago. The Company estimates that unfavorable
weather during the period negatively impacted comparable restaurant
sales by 0.4% and resulted in approximately $300,000 in lost revenues.

    For the period, the Company incurred $600,000, or $0.02 per
diluted share, of additional compensation expense related to
accelerated restricted stock vesting. This relates to 10,000 shares of
restricted stock granted to each of the Company's co-Chief Executive
Officers pursuant to the terms of their April 2005 employment
agreements. The additional compensation expense was triggered in the
first quarter by the Company's stock price maintaining a $35.00
average for 30 days.

    During its February 15, 2007 conference call, the Company
forecasted a comparable restaurant sales increase of 3.0% to 4.0% and
first quarter 2007 earnings in the range of $0.17-$0.19 per diluted
share. Based upon first quarter 2007 revenues and comparable
restaurant sales results, management now expects earnings of
$0.19-$0.20 per diluted share excluding additional compensation
expense related to accelerated restricted stock vesting and between
$0.17-$0.18 per diluted share including the additional compensation
expense.

    In the first quarter of 2007, the Company added two new full
service restaurants in Austin, Texas and San Francisco, California as
well as two CPK/ASAP restaurants in Anaheim, California and Kailua,
Hawaii. The Company's franchise partner, WDI Corporation, also opened
its second full service restaurant in Japan.

    The Company intends to release its first quarter earnings on May
10, 2007 at approximately 4:00 pm ET with a conference call to follow
on the same day at approximately 5:00 pm ET. A webcast of the
conference call can be accessed at www.cpk.com.

    California Pizza Kitchen, Inc., founded in 1985, is a leading
casual dining chain. The Company's full service restaurants feature an
imaginative line of hearth-baked pizzas, including the original BBQ
Chicken Pizza, and a broad selection of distinctive pastas, salads,
soups, appetizers and sandwiches. The average guest check is
approximately $13.23. As of April 9, 2007 the Company operates,
licenses or franchises 212 restaurants, of which 181 are company-owned
and 31 operate under franchise or license agreements. The Company also
has a licensing agreement with Kraft Pizza Company, which manufactures
and distributes a line of California Pizza Kitchen premium frozen
pizzas.

    California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. can be found on the internet at
www.cpk.com.

    This release includes certain "forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements include projections of earnings, revenue or
other financial items, statements of the plans, strategies and
objectives of management for future operations, statements concerning
proposed new products or developments, statements regarding future
economic conditions or performance, statements of belief and
statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing.
Forward-looking statements may include the words "may," "will,"
"estimate," "intend," "continue," "believe," "expect," "anticipate"
and similar words.

    Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not
guarantees of future performance and, therefore, undue reliance should
not be placed on them. Our actual results may and will likely differ
materially from the expectations referred to herein. Among the key
factors that may have a direct bearing on our operating results,
performance and financial condition are changing consumer preferences
and demands, the execution of our expansion strategy, the continued
availability of qualified employees and our management team, the
maintenance of reasonable food and supply costs, our relationships
with our distributors and numerous other matters discussed in the
Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
California Pizza Kitchen undertakes no obligation to update or alter
its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.

    CONTACT: California Pizza Kitchen, Inc.
             Sarah Grover, 310-342-5000 (media)
             Sue Collyns, 310-342-5000 (investors)