We demonstrate a new process for fabricating embedded co-planar electrodes which combines top-down with bottom-up approaches to nanofabrication. The co-planarity of the electrodes with the substrate surface is achieved by deposition of a dielectric filling layer around a set of lithographically defined metallic electrodes. In order to prevent adhesion of the dielectric to the pre-defined electrodes, an adhesion inhibiting layer, based on a self-assembled monolayer, is formed specifically on the electrode surface prior to deposition of the dielectric. For monolayers with an acid functional group, this adhesion inhibitor yields almost complete non-adhesion of the dielectric filling layer.