The food is okay. it's a great place to meet for lunch because it's convenient. Seating can be limited at lunch. Parking is always limited. But over all Central Market is a great place to eat at every once in a while. read more

If you're in the area and need groceries or a bite to eat this place is a great choice! This is my favorite place in Austin to shop for groceries. There is a cafe here as well. I love this grocery store. It has the real unique Austin vibe. read more

This review is about their breakfast, specifically their Migas and Breakfast tacos. They are very tasty, very reasonably priced, and worth getting up early for on a Saturday or Sunday or stopping by on the way to work. They stop serving breakfast at 1030 am on Weekdays and till 11am on Saturdays and Sundays. Plus, once you are done eating and if you have time, pick up a few items since you are at a grocery store anyway. read more

I wish I liked this place more. Not sure if it is the menu, the food, the crowds. Its average food and probably there are better options. We'll still likely go when we need something in the market. read more

Food did not seem fresh. We waited almost an hour for a hamburger and a cobb salad. The cob salad (when it finally arrived) appeard to have been made the day before. There was also this employee running around busting people for unpaid drink-refills. They need to put their effort into the food and service. Gave us the creeps. I had heard it was once a good place. We'll give it another try in the future. read more

Stay away on weekend Music nights, no tables. Too many super senior citizen groupies that are camping out from the rest home while drinking their water and enjoying the free music for a big night of the town. It's the only place that I had bus my own table. The Wait Staff must had been on a extended break, or a direct result of no tip pool. On to our meals consisting of one salad with a couple shrimp and another with two tiny pieces salmon that must have been under the heat lamp all day along with a small pizza and three fountain drinks for $51 . . . Ouch! read more

Took forever and food was cold when ready. Staff couldn't even be bothered. Ridiculous.

If you have ever been in the military or any regimented structure, you will feel at home with the menu options at Central Market. Try asking for breakfast potatoes as a side at 11am...and you shall receive a rude 'NO'. For that matter, try asking for any breakfast item beyond the breakfast hour and they will not make it happen. Personally, this is a big negative for me. If you cannot keep an all day menu going, you just ain't that good. As for the food, I am a vegetarian and I can probably find 2 things on the menu. Imagine that, being in Austin, giving a place your shopping loyalty, and getting slapped in the face for being vegetarian. They have an awful falafel dish where the falafels come uncooked and their veggie burger tastes like you bit into a piece of malleable rubber. The fries are very good but that's small potatoes (pun intended) compared to the other culinary horrors. Save your money if you are a vegetarian and eat someplace else. This place does not deserve your loyalty. read more

Good variety of food, love the pate selection! Wish they had a bigger dance floor for all the good dance bands they get in here! read more

I've eaten here twice, the first time was very good and my most recent dinner was super disappointing (Cuban with a side salad). The meat was dry, I chose to eat part of the sandwich then decided it wasn't worth the calorie intake. I shop here weekly for groceries, not sure I'll partake in their cafe in the future. read more

We were looking for a place for breakfast on Saturday that didn't have a huge line. After checking out 3 places we normally go to, we were about to resort to fast-food when we thought of Central Market. No line. lots of seating. Got probably the best omlette I've had anywhere in Austin. I like traditional French omlettes, where they brown the butter first, barely scramble the eggs, and this was like that. The egg had almost a slightly sweet quality which is the magic of the brown butter. I dinged them on 2 details, but I didn't. My other half ordered his with mozzarella I ordered mine with the white cheddar. We both got mozzarella. I also ordered my omlette with avocado. I expected it to be inside. Instead it was on the side of the plate. Couldn't figure out why. read more

I like the ambiance of the place, which is like a hybrid of Whole Foods and Sprouts. Make sure you walk around and they also have samples spread throughout the market. The food was pretty tasty as well! read more

We love eating at Central Market on Tuesday's after 5 because kids eat free!!! Plus they get to go play on the great playground, and we can pick up a few of our specialty items while here. I bumped off a star for consistency. There are times when it's great and times when it just is no good. The mac n cheese kids bowl used to be a good sized portion and it was always hot and fresh. Now it's served in a tiny bowl, and the majority of the time is cold or luke warm, the cheese should melt on top. I really enjoy their cobb salad, and the chicken plate with brocolli! The burgers are surprisingly great here. read more

Surprisingly impressed with the food. For an in-store cafe it was good and convenient. I guess my only complaint was that the person that took our order, left, and didnt bother to tell anyone what our order was, so we had to get buzzed back up to re-order. But at least here ya know where the food is coming from! read more

Shame on me for purchasing the $12 salad, shame on Central Market for not making it tasty...

There's nothing quite like a trip to Central Market to make you better appreciate Whole Foods. I think this applies to the market itself, but especially to the cafe. I highly recommend this place as a way to refresh the glow you feel at the big WFM. Otherwise, skip it. The food is, in my experience, slow and overpriced and not very good, which I think we can all agree is a bad combination. The bathrooms are icky. They'd be respectable for a rest stop in the middle of nowhere, but I expect something that doesn't ruin my appetite when I'm at an upscale market. Of course, ruining my appetite might have been doing me a favor, because the Cuban sandwich just didn't cut it. Perhaps in Cuba, beset as it is by the double whammy of Communism and the embargo, has to settle for crap mustard -- some sad Soviet concoction sent over in the late 80s. But we do not have to settle; yet inexplicably this Cuban was slathered in the worst kind of ballpark mustard. It would have been pretty tasty on a big fat frank or sausage, but it ruined the sandwich -- which already didn't have much to recommend it. I'll give them this: the fries were excellent. read more

Decent healthy food most of the time. My only complaint is that sometimes they make mistakes with the food orders. Especially at breakfast. I order certain items with breakfast tacos and sometimes they are totally omitted or the wrong item is added. The people putting the food together need to pay better attention. read more

Out of the two Central Markets-this one is my favorite (might be because I have had the most success with free samples here!) the wine/beer section is easy to navigate (over the north Lamar location); also, the festivals that are thrown in store are fun and usually have my trying out new things. I really really love the $4.00 snack lunches (chicken salad sandwich, fruit, caprese salad). read more

The food is pretty spot on, though I do miss the salmon burger they used to have. I'm excited that they are trying to take their beer offerings more seriously now. You can even have a growler filled there! The food takes a while to come out, but they have free wifi so it's not too rough. I'd recommend coming at off hours, mid-afternoonish, it's a lot more calm and quiet then. read more

I tried it last night with 3 of my kids. The food was terrible. We started with chips that come with guacamole, queso and salsa. The guacamole and queso were ok but the salsa was awful. Two kids got pizza, which was like cardboard and had terrible tasting sauce. Another son got the Mac and cheese. He took one bite and refused to eat another. I got the Cuban sandwich. Honestly it was one of the worst things I've tasted in as long as I can remember. We spent $50+ for inedible food, leaving with almost none of it touched. As my son said, we left feeling full, not of food but of regret. I'm amazed that people would eat here more than once. read more

Don't bother to go when they have a band playing. If you don't get there an hour early there's no place to sit. People look at you like you have two heads and act like you just shit your pants. Stay home. read more

So I have been waiting to do this review, to give the cafe another Chance. This is our 3rd time in a rom that th experience had been very poor. Cold soup, no taste to the meats, sandwiches very dry, tea over brewed, the list goes on! If it all possible, avoid the cafe. I would recommend doing salad bar and just getting soup from the actual store part, at least it its hot! read more

I finally had to break down and do a review here. I won't give this place another chance (I've said that before although now I really mean it)! After at least 10 meals here my food was not hot at least 80% of the time. This is also mostly during times when they are not too busy, say 3p.m. So if you try and get something that you want cold (like salad) or you prefer your food to be a bit warmer than room temperature then enjoy :). It should also be stated that this time the food left my stomach feeling a little queasy for a couple hours so far after I ate. read more

Good food. Fresh and healthy. Decent portions and only slightly pricey.

If you don't think made-to-order food in a grocery store is worth your time, think again. This isn't just some prepared foods section off to the side of the produce aisle (although you can find that here too). Central Market's own cafe can rival many a good restaurant around town, in terms of quality, portions, and price. (I speak only of the Westgate location, as the one at North Lamar is not as good.) It's a full-on establishment of its own, and better than what Whole Foods provides in their store. There are chill vibes here: They have a stage next to the indoor seating area, which hosts live music here several nights a week and makes for a lively setting, though perhaps a little too loud. Best of all, there's a large menu. Even though the selection turned over substantially a couple years ago, it's arguable that the food got even better. I used to go here regularly, as in several times a week - and on at least one occasion, for both lunch and dinner on the same day. Though I'm not there as often now, I can still count on them to provide me a fulfilling meal every time I walk in. With a few items picked out that I absolutely love, it's an easy choice, as they have consistently delivered on deliciousness over the years. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner - it doesn't matter, there's something excellent to be had at any time of day. At breakfast, build your own omelet. These are some the best Austin has to offer, and there's a healthy selection of meat, cheese, and veggie fillings, such as chorizo and spinach. Or try their French toast, a couple of huge inch-thick slabs of bread soaked in a syrupy, creamy concoction that's like a dream. For lunch, try the pork torta, which has a healthy helping of tender, juicy pork and a black bean sauce that adds a nice touch; or the pork belly sandwich on sourdough (it also has bacon!), which is as greasy as it utterly satisfies the palate; or the chicken tandoori sandwich, with huge pieces of smoky chicken and a mind-numbing mango chutney. For dinner, try one of their build-your-own pasta bowls. I recommend it with basil pesto, grilled chicken, and roasted garlic; these are ingredients that belong together, especially here. They have rotating specials almost every day, a few of which are bound to be amazing (such as their massive calzones). And whatever you do, get a side of sweet potato fries. These are the best in the city. Really. As if the food isn't terrific already, they give you a ton of it in each order. Unless you're a big eater, you'll have leftovers for another winning meal. And it's a great price. You can grab almost anything I mentioned above for less than $10. The only downsides I've found are that the salads are occasionally wilted, the fries are sometimes served cold, and the counter service gets considerably worse when they're slammed. They have a bad habit of leaving only one person at the register when there are 20 people in line, as if that were a good idea. Once in a while they'll mess an order up, but unfortunately that's to be expected. Overall this is one of the best deals you'll find in ATX. For an inexpensive meal with plenty of food that I know won't let me down, it's Central Market's cafe every time. What else can one ask for? read more

Its like a fancy cafetria- I like it! I have really liked everything I have eatten, its a little pricey ( like most places in Austin) for something with this type of set up, but I belive its because the food is of better quality. I also like that there are no servers- I tend to have bad luck with service in this town and this elimiates possible issue. Its just quick, straighforward, good food. and wine and beer avaliable! read more

We really enjoyed this place for lunch - the service was great, as I ordered the Veggie burger without realizing that there was cheese mixed into the patty. I am lactose intolerant, and when I asked to switch my order they didn't even charge me the price difference! Very wide open, bright space. I would come again! read more

This is the nicest grocery store I have ever been to. We just moved from Atlanta and nothing there comes close. Huge selection of everything, super fresh, beautifully arranged, and reasonably priced...considering how high end the shopping experience is. All the employees were very friendly and helpful as well. So excited that this is my new grocery store! read more

my favorite food store... not too big like whole food market. CM is just the right size for u to get what you need to pack up healthy food in fridge and pantry! read more

One of my favorite places to sit around and have a beer and lunch... Food is always really good, and the deck outside is great, with live music on weekend afternoons... I love coming here. read more

Hey Chef Prepared. Lunches seem to be a lot better than Dinner Time. Pizzas are decent to great. But $10 for a really mediocre to sucky burger is unacceptable. First it's so over cooked and bland geez. The sweet potato fries were cold, I complained and got a replenishment of hot ones. The steak salad is also $10 is hit and miss. Save yourself the trouble for a burger go to Dan's not far away and eat for about half the price. read more

I have eaten here for breakfast four times in the past three months. I'm very disappointed in the way the eggs are served. Whether scrambled, fried, or an omelet the eggs are covered with brown crust. In my book they are burned. My friend Likes to go here for the French toast. She loves it. So, last week when we went I requested no brown on my eggs. They came covered brown. I gave them back it took them three attempts to cook the eggs correctly needless to say she had already finished her breakfast when I got mine. I would give it one star but since she likes The French toast and they did keep trying till they got the eggs right I gave them a two. read more

Bfast tacos would be so much better if they didn't always have cold shredded cheese on them. Cheese on tacos is much better when warm/melty. Maybe the problem is the lukewarm eggs. Salsa is good. read more

Buffalo ______ Wrap? Yup, "blank" just about sums it up. There was virtually no chicken in what was supposed to be a chicken wrap. I think in total, there was 1/2 a chicken strip in it. You know something is wrong when after your first three bites, you haven't hit any chicken. I dunno why I come back here for the cafe. I've also had the beef shwarma wrap that was equally bleh. (to not be completely negative, the veggie burger is decent). I ended up sending back the _____ wrap and they were supposed to bring me something else. 15min goes by and nothing has come to my table. WTF. I had to just straight up ask for my money back. Completely ridiculous. read more

My boyfriend and I go here all the time since it's down the street, and we are always happy with the food and atmosphere. We've tried a variety of things on the menu and everything satisfies. Our favorites have been the challah French toast, tandoori chicken sandwich, and any of the burgers that were being served during the Test Your Burger Boundaries week. It's unfortunate some of those were only served for a limited time, but will stay in my heart forever. The sweet potato fries are killer as well. Live music in the evenings is a plus too, of course. read more

Perched up in a precarious pocket, I have a bird's-eye-view of the cafe. Peering out picking up pieces of the populous positions. A pack of portentous women pick apart one of their own and gossip is hovering close. To my right, a plump passenger watches post-90s TV drama. Alone. Further North, past the vulchers a prickly haired man and his pocket-filled wife stare contently into the space. Peacefully. I wait for my sweet potato fries. Among the Haze, a band with the pretense of rock slowly morphs into blue grass. The ambiance amid the Central Market Cafe is as sweet as their potato fries. It's a great gathering of South Austin Hippies escaping the heat who let the light fall into darkness. A wide array of items to choose from be it beef shawarma or a Monterrey Jack burger. It runs the gamut of items to choose from. Truthfully though, I would rather them hone in on a smaller amount of recipes then give thousands of half-ass choices. That given, I do expect high quality Food from a company with limitless connections. They did indeed come through with the ingredients. Very fresh, crisp lettuce (a must on a good burger) accompanied by well charred juicy patty. The bread allthough was a bid to flimsy, not enough substance for my liking. It's companion of sweet potato fries were perfectly crispy, little flakes poke out of the side of the fry giving it a perfect crispness, and the sweetness was toned down on the fries. I found myself hitting the plate in search of another fry I had gulped them down so vivaciously. The line was quick and steady even though rather long and my food came out promptly. The garb of the southern Austin coterie, as most know, is very laid back so don't feel the need to dress up. Hawaiian shirts are abundant in this cafe. Cleanliness, an item looked over often in restaurants, is obviously taken seriously around here. You don't get any foreign smells or unidentifiable spots anywhere. Every one here is having a pleasant time relaxing releasing the tension from the day with some good music and food. read more

Wow! Really surprised at the number of low reviews. We do not come here often since we live quite some distance away but we have never disliked the food or service here. Just yesterday I was with my son and his girl friend and I had the Asian Chicken Salad. It was a little on the salty side but the salad ingredients were great. My son had the Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich and he reported that it tasted even better than it looked. His girl friend had the Bacon Cheeseburger and was deemed "delicious." The food was fresh and quickly prepared. We are all fans of the CMC. read more

Gross food tonight. Soggy bland tacos and a hamburger that tasted like liver even lame fries. Not our first below par experience here.

Ate there on Thursday 5/21/15. It was bbq night, and in addition they had a band playing "Nuevo Tango Chamber Music". The brisket was dry, not very good. Most bbq in Austin is good, this was not. The brisket had a lot of fat on it and was dry so it's not just that it was lean meat. It was fatty and dry. Nuevo Tango Chamber music" is ridiculous, it was horrible. It's not just that Nuevo Tango Chamber music is not a thing, and it's not, it's that the band was bad. It sounded like they were just there to practice, not play. They were out of sync and off key as if the hadn't practiced in a while. It's the store management's fault for hiring them, for having bad taste, and bad food. I looked for a manager to complain but did not see one, had to leave anyway, I could not stand any more of the Nuevo Tango Chamber music. read more

I think Central Market has what it takes to make their cafe top notch, but they choose to cheap out instead. You want to believe that they use the good organic and natural products, but I have a sneaking suspicion that they do not. I mean CM doesn't even put out their brand of organic ketchup, they use high fructose ketchup instead. I find that the staff are friendly and helpful and the live music is great. Thanks for the few good fountain drinks, but the toxic drinks have got to go. read more