Central Market Cafe

You may be surprised but the Central Market Cafe has great food and surprisingly good value. I ordered the pork belly bahn mi which was a daily special and I must say it was tremendously delicious. The pork was tender and well flavoured, and the sandwich was filled with fresh vegetables that complement it well. I also enjoyed the sweet potato fries that came with it as they were fresh and still had a bit of a crisp to them. I also tried some of the Rustic pizza which I preferred over Mod Pizza. The toppings were fresh and the crust was the perfect texture. Overall I would recommend eating at Central Market when grocery shopping or not.

The best place in the world! Everything about central market is great! Amazing food! The best live music in Texas!

The central market Café is on the right hand side of Central market as you walk in. There’s basically a restaurant that serves food, and right next to it there is coffee, tea, smoothies, and gelato. The food there is excellent, and everything is very fresh. The central market burger, and the salmon salad Are the best. There’s a lot of outdoor seating when the weather is good and sometimes there is live music as well.

Friday evening filled with live Latin music and dancing. The food was fresh and delicious. The portion sizes are larger than expected considering the reasonable price. The pizza was $10-$12. I thought it be a small flatbread but it was a medium sized pizza! Nice 😊

I had the pizza with green tea and it really was out of this world good. Also, the salad and soup bar omg smell so good. There's live music Thursday thru Saturday too! The best part is that the ingredients support the local economy because almost everything is locally sourced.

The café opens at 7am, one hour before the store opens. Check it out if you’re looking for great food, friendly staff, and reasonable prices like $2 for a bagel w cream cheese!

Great grocery chain with new and interesting foods. Fresh fruits and meats. Also a deck for music, playground, and a restaurant.

Consistently good! They have a set of seasonal specials that they change up several times a year, and those are always the best, because they’re very original and inventive compared to their standard menu.

Great food! Had the chicken ranch pizza...yummy! Will continue to go back. I've had the chicken wrap and a burger with sweet potato fries. Always good.

Tyler Fang

You may be surprised but the Central Market Cafe has great food and surprisingly good value. I ordered the pork belly bahn mi which was a daily special and I must say it was tremendously delicious. The pork was tender and well flavoured, and the sandwich was filled with fresh vegetables that complement it well. I also enjoyed the sweet potato fries that came with it as they were fresh and still had a bit of a crisp to them. I also tried some of the Rustic pizza which I preferred over Mod Pizza. The toppings were fresh and the crust was the perfect texture. Overall I would recommend eating at Central Market when grocery shopping or not.

Diego Borges

The best place in the world! Everything about central market is great! Amazing food! The best live music in Texas!

Steve Takata

The central market Café is on the right hand side of Central market as you walk in. There’s basically a restaurant that serves food, and right next to it there is coffee, tea, smoothies, and gelato. The food there is excellent, and everything is very fresh. The central market burger, and the salmon salad Are the best. There’s a lot of outdoor seating when the weather is good and sometimes there is live music as well.

Tammye Farmer-Holloman

Friday evening filled with live Latin music and dancing. The food was fresh and delicious. The portion sizes are larger than expected considering the reasonable price. The pizza was $10-$12. I thought it be a small flatbread but it was a medium sized pizza! Nice 😊

Christian Tschoepe

I had the pizza with green tea and it really was out of this world good. Also, the salad and soup bar omg smell so good. There's live music Thursday thru Saturday too! The best part is that the ingredients support the local economy because almost everything is locally sourced.

Deb Paris

The café opens at 7am, one hour before the store opens. Check it out if you’re looking for great food, friendly staff, and reasonable prices like $2 for a bagel w cream cheese!

Robert S

Great grocery chain with new and interesting foods. Fresh fruits and meats. Also a deck for music, playground, and a restaurant.

Anika T

Consistently good! They have a set of seasonal specials that they change up several times a year, and those are always the best, because they’re very original and inventive compared to their standard menu.

Always a good spot for coffee, breakfast, lunch etc. good free wifi too.

This is absolutely my #1 coffee spot to go to! The coffee always tastes amazing and just the way I like it. The staff is some of the most sweetest people ever. I started coming here regularly about two weeks ago and they already remember my name. When they are out of something I like, they are quick to give recommendations and alternatives. I tell all of my friends about this place. I've been looking for a regular coffee spot and I've definitely found it! Come for the vibes and coffee that won't break your bank account.

Anne Beckett

I went to the music show, Hog Branch, and the photo depicts just one of the dancers grooving to the best. Their shoes are great!

Stefano Dalla Gasperina

I am surprised to see negative reviews for this place! For me it’s a to go place for a fun (and affordable) weekend lunch or dinner. Should try their breakfast tacos or beef salad! Enjoy the music during weekends!

jana madi

This is absolutely my #1 coffee spot to go to! The coffee always tastes amazing and just the way I like it. The staff is some of the most sweetest people ever. I started coming here regularly about two weeks ago and they already remember my name. When they are out of something I like, they are quick to give recommendations and alternatives. I tell all of my friends about this place. I've been looking for a regular coffee spot and I've definitely found it! Come for the vibes and coffee that won't break your bank account.

This is how Austin does things. Live music at a grocery store, of course, that's one reason we are the love music capital of the world. The case has a nice park and playground and if you go the right days live music. The food is good at the cafe or you can go into the store and buy sushi or salad bar, get drinks, dessert, etc. And if you need to pick up groceries you can do that as well.

Great location. Food is very good but service takes a bit. Be prepared to wait about 25 minutes during lunch. Also check your order for integrity. My turkey sub was great but was missing my tomatoes.

I spend quite a lot of time there, mainly because I go to a couple meetups that gather there. It's a good space for meeting people, because they have plenty of seating for large groups, and because you have access to both the cafe and the grocery store. The cafe has excellent veggie burgers. They're savory and satisfying, and they come with a choice of sides which includes some pretty decent french fries. They also have some interesting specials available, and if I'm super hungry, I can always supplement my meal with one of the free rolls that come with the meals. I have a few complaints. The place gets pretty crowded, and the crowds are not always handled super well. I feel like I spend as much time waiting for employees to notice they're blocking traffic while chatting as I do for strollers. Also, it feels like they can't decide if they want customers to bus tables themselves (which I'm perfectly happy to do), or have employees do it, and they wind up with a poor compromise where one employee is struggling to keep up with the entire place, while customers are left with a few spots which are ambiguously appropriate for leaving trays and dishes. All in all, I recommend it, more as a meeting place than a restaurant.

Counter food for shoppers or passers by. Live music is often a feature of the affordable sandwich Cafe. More seating outside than inside. Parking your car is the greatest challenge at this popular spot!

The playground is great for kids and there's quite a bit of shade and space. The food is okay but not great and a little expensive for what you get. They try to make it fancier than what it is. The portions are good and some of it usually ends up in the garbage because you really don't want it as a left over.

I call it the lemon pizza, but it's actually ham, fancy cheeses and veggies. Perfect for sharing with the girlfriend when she comes here to read and do homework for UT grad.

Had a hot fresh cappuccino in the cafe. Outdoor seating had a nice ambience. There's a playground for the kids next to cafe. Its a nice place to spend time on a evening with family. #HappyCafe

Brazilian Stud

I call it the lemon pizza, but it's actually ham, fancy cheeses and veggies. Perfect for sharing with the girlfriend when she comes here to read and do homework for UT grad.

Deepak

Had a hot fresh cappuccino in the cafe. Outdoor seating had a nice ambience. There's a playground for the kids next to cafe. Its a nice place to spend time on a evening with family. #HappyCafe

Well priced and not a bad place but the food is utterly flavorless. Don’t expect much from the Margarita Pizza.

I’ve been an avid supporter of CM since the North Lamar store opened around 35 years ago. My only real issue is the lack of adequate restroom facilities. I’ve only identified two men’s rooms, each quite small, with one urinal & one stall. The grocery staff also use those two rooms. I would estimate that 8 or 9 times out of 10 when I seek the facilities, they are taken up by the staff or closed altogether for cleaning. I had coffee in the café with a friend last Thursday. As we stood up, we both declared our intention to stop at the men’s room. I predicted that they would be unavailable . The first was closed for cleaning & the second was occupied by staff, with a waiting line. I am surprised that these facilities meet City code.

Coming back here after a long time. Things have definitely changed or my expectations have gone up. We ordered the grilled veggie sandwiches, veggie burger and the margherita pizza. They were all lackluster and seemed to have been hurriedly put together and It wasnt even a busy time. A margherita pizza with no basil? Fries more soggy than crisp? At least slice the veggies into reasonable size before grilling. C'mon guys, you can do better! Hoping this was a one-off

This used to be one of the best places in south Austin to get a delicious dinner, and their specials were absolutely amazing most of the time. It's too bad they allowed politics to destroy them. I really hate going in there and seeing all the masked faces, especially at this point, but what can you do? This place sucks now. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, unless you enjoy complaining to an uncaring staff.

The sandwich I was recommended by was the chicken philly. The fries are extremely bland and the sandwich itself was decent at best. Not sure if I'd pay 14.01 for another meal here. athe chicken cut I received in this particular sandwich was very tough and the amount of bread used on these sandwiches make it difficult to get to the good stuff. The cleanliness and appearance was good overall of the cafe, as was service. Maybe not quite worth the price in my opinion.

The cafe is okay. Pretty good food at fair prices. It does have a great playground for the kids. And of course, booze for the "adults". Because we all know, you can't be a hipster parent without a pint of some god awful IPA or a glass of red wine.

$9 veggie sandwich. (I am vegan, so no cheese or pesto for me). The Rosemary bread is a bit dry, but the veggies are delicious, although there were not many veggie pieces. Also, I wish they didnt use Single Use Plastic - I sat outside & ate my food & didn't need the plastic container- what a waste.

Misha Buckley

$9 veggie sandwich. (I am vegan, so no cheese or pesto for me). The Rosemary bread is a bit dry, but the veggies are delicious, although there were not many veggie pieces. Also, I wish they didnt use Single Use Plastic - I sat outside & ate my food & didn't need the plastic container- what a waste.

There of us ordered CM burger - all there were dry and lifeless. Neither of us finished it - and I hate to waste food… I liked the outdoor atmosphere but will stay away from cafe food.

Igor Okulist

There of us ordered CM burger - all there were dry and lifeless. Neither of us finished it - and I hate to waste food… I liked the outdoor atmosphere but will stay away from cafe food.

Charles Ball

I’ve been an avid supporter of CM since the North Lamar store opened around 35 years ago. My only real issue is the lack of adequate restroom facilities. I’ve only identified two men’s rooms, each quite small, with one urinal & one stall. The grocery staff also use those two rooms. I would estimate that 8 or 9 times out of 10 when I seek the facilities, they are taken up by the staff or closed altogether for cleaning. I had coffee in the café with a friend last Thursday. As we stood up, we both declared our intention to stop at the men’s room. I predicted that they would be unavailable . The first was closed for cleaning & the second was occupied by staff, with a waiting line. I am surprised that these facilities meet City code.

Food is bad prepared by people that hate their jobs. Grab a beverage and sit outside with your kids play but don't order any of the food from this Cafe.

While I enjoy the food at the cafe, I was very disappointed to see them use Skippy peanut butter in the smoothies. This makes me question the ingredients in the other foods they serve at the cafe.

The cafe menu is horrible. Only a couple of vegetarian and vegan options that too not healthy at all, considering a health food store. The vegetarian options they have is also not good at all, very bland and I tasteful. It used to be really good before the pandemic, but after the quality and variety of the food has gone down. I have gone many times thinking that it might improve, but alas….

I usually have good experiences at Central Market and their cafe but today was different. I decided to purchase a prepared meal and decided on the meatloaf. I picked one up and it felt lite. I picked up another and it felt heavier. I then decided to check the weights to see if I was correct. As it turns out, neither meal was up to the correct weight. One weighed .94 pounds and the other was 1.105 pounds. They are supposed to have a net weight of 1 pound and 3.75 ounces, which is about 1.23 pounds. When you figure in the weight of the container, it really makes it short.

Have come here since it opened w the kids when little to eat and play outside. All was good back then. Today I had the Asian salad with salmon to go. 30 minutes later...it has been eliminated from my body. Wash your salad and make sure everything is to temp. Also, the salmon was SO over cooked it was like a hockey puck.

Often times when I come here the service is slow and poor. The man with short brown hair behind cafe is always forgetting a drink or a pastry- or forgetting to tell coworker to make a smoothie. I waited 20 minutes for a smoothie here- no sorry because he forgot. Before that he forgot pastry and I waited 20 mins. Man behind the counter needs to get it together.

I was there yesterday. I ordered the fried halibut and fries and slaw. It took awhile and I did receive my order I was so unhappy and disappointed. On the plate wa s three small balls of fish maybe a table spoon of slaw. One of the pieces of cabbage was so large I got choked and spit out a huge chunk. I quickly gather my store purchases and left. Got home and checked my receipt and my bank account was change for a meal that I thought they had been taken off because I decided to get the fish not the grilled chicken sandwich. For the price I paid for the fish meal I expected better. I will no longer buy cooked meals from Central Market.

I’ve been to Central Market over the decades and have always loved it. But today I had a Pulled Pork Torta, which was awful. I went to return it and the person at the counter didn’t care why I didn’t like, didn’t apologize that I didn’t like, didn’t even say hi or look me in the eye. How sad.

Central Market Cafe. (Lamar) We ordered the salmon kale salad and hatch green chili cheese burger. The salad was too salty and the burger bun was soggy with grease. The french fries were cold and extremely greasy. $32.00 of disappointing food with flies buzzing around you. Save your money and go elsewhere. It seemed the Cafe was breaking in a new Chef because the food was awful. I want my money back! Lol!

Margarita pizza was underwhelming. Lacking any seasoning and was pretty undercooked🤢 would not order again.. French fries are good for the price but pizza is a no go.

Firts time here we tried cm burguers very good but we tried the pizza and to be honest that’s so nasty 🤮 that pizza make sick I got a lot intestinal pain after I eat that pizza 😞

I honestly would rather have one of their frozen pizzas from the grocery store freezer than this thing. Flat, low gluten crust. Raw onions. Might be ok for kids, but I would rather have Domino's than this thing.

So I came here today with my bros as we were checking out central market. I had ordered the "Cocoa Nut" and my older brother the "Supercharged." When we came out and tried the smoothie drinks, they were so mediocre! My drink I felt had >50% ice and tasted so bland, where as my brother's drink not everything was mixed! I would rather go to Juiceland or Jamba Juice for my drinks as they're much more flavorful and not watered down! And lastly, as much as I would not want to say this, I sadly would prefer Smoothie King (too common but tastes fine) over this place! Take some lessons in smoothie preparation from these places then open back up! 😠

Hope Christie

Margarita pizza was underwhelming. Lacking any seasoning and was pretty undercooked🤢 would not order again.. French fries are good for the price but pizza is a no go.

Ernesto Enmanuel

Firts time here we tried cm burguers very good but we tried the pizza and to be honest that’s so nasty 🤮 that pizza make sick I got a lot intestinal pain after I eat that pizza 😞

Toma Dimov

I honestly would rather have one of their frozen pizzas from the grocery store freezer than this thing. Flat, low gluten crust. Raw onions. Might be ok for kids, but I would rather have Domino's than this thing.

We’re longtime fans of Central Market in Dallas and Fort Worth, but this Austin café was a huge disappointment. I ordered a sandwich and was met with curt responses and no flexibility, which was fine but then I overheard staff in the back complaining about our order and even mocking my husband’s outfit when he picked up the food. Completely unprofessional and unwelcoming. We left feeling uncomfortable and disrespected, which is the opposite of the experience we’ve always had at other locations.

Loren Montgomery

We’re longtime fans of Central Market in Dallas and Fort Worth, but this Austin café was a huge disappointment. I ordered a sandwich and was met with curt responses and no flexibility, which was fine but then I overheard staff in the back complaining about our order and even mocking my husband’s outfit when he picked up the food. Completely unprofessional and unwelcoming. We left feeling uncomfortable and disrespected, which is the opposite of the experience we’ve always had at other locations.