Central Market Cafe

Location: Central, Southwest,
In/Outdoor: Both
Activity level: Low

Features: The Central Market Cafes are located within the two Central Market grocery stores, which are grocery stores so amazing they often serve as tourist destinations. The menu features breakfast, lunch, and dinner selections, all freshly prepared using fresh ingredients.

Cost for a family of four: Varies greatly; average probably $20-$30

Best for ages: 1 and up

The Experience: When we first visited the Westgate location, during a weekday lunch, the crowd was mostly nicely dressed business people, but there were a few families. The restaurant was very crowded and loud. We chose to eat outside on the patio, where we wouldn't bother people, but the noise level within was high enough that the kids probably wouldn't have stood out. The selections for adults are varied and include salad, soup, hamburgers, sandwiches, pasta, pizza, and weekly specialties. There is also a very affordably priced ($2-$3) kids' menu, with selections including cheese pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, and hot dogs. The food is ordered by standing in line and placing an order at the register. You are then given a number to place on a holder at your table, and the food is brought out to you 5 to 10 minutes later. The barbecue pork pizza I ordered from the weekly specialties menu was delicious. The crust was thin and crispy but chewy and the toppings were very flavorful. Our two-year-old ate three pieces of it. It was easily big enough to share. In fact, all the servings seemed to be very generous. We didn't like the kids' macaroni and cheese, however, which was made with a bland, almost onion-tasting cheese and shell noodles. We visited again on for a Saturday lunch and found the atmosphere much more serene. The girl working at the counter was glad to suggest a sandwich to me, a rosemary chicken sandwich which was delicious with wonderful homemade white French bread. The kids' grilled cheese sandwich and cheese pizza were very good. The employees were very friendly and helpful on both of our visits. The d้cor has a cool industrial/bare pipes theme. We found that there was a counter in Central Market next to the cafe entrance which sold gelato, an Italian ice cream made with milk instead of cream, and therefore containing less fat. There were lots of flavors to choose from, and the employees eagerly offered up samples. We ended up packing up half of our food to go so we would have room for this delicious treat for dessert.
Before you go: You might want to try to avoid the peak lunch hours on weekdays if you are going with your children. It would be a fun place to go if you were shopping in the area or about to shop at Central Market, to make the trip more special, or a destination in itself.

How to go cheaper: On Tuesdays from 5 – 9 pm kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entree.

Birthday Parties: Do it yourself.

Accessibility: Coming soon.

Fun Factor: 3/10
Yum Factor: 8/10
Value Factor: 8/10

The Lowdown: An affordable way to feed your kids while having a very enjoyable meal yourself.

Hours: Central location Sun-Thurs 7 am – 9 pm, Fri-Sat 7 am – 10 pm, Westgate location Mon-Sat 7 am – 10 pm, Sun 7 am – 9 pm

Website:

Address: 4001 North Lamar Blvd., Austin Map: Google Map Phone: (512) 206-1000
Address: 4477 South Lamar Blvd., Austin Map: Google Map Phone: (512) 899-4300