Delightful place with a great vibe, very trendy design and open stall style concept. My understanding is that all the employees are refugees from the different countries which they offer culinary experience from. I sat on the patio and enjoyed the sunlight and fresh air. I personally went with the Vegan Plate which consist of rice, black beans, plantain, and veggies. I loved everything about it. I'll be coming back to try the other counters. read more

See all

Juan is very rude, even to his employees. What I witnessed yesterday was horrible...Hearing him say "f**k me" and roll his eyes when our party walked was too much. I've heard him say it before when people walked in but to have it happen when we make sure to tip well and support their mission. The way he harshly berated one of his employees while she stayed calm and very professional broke my heart to see. The owner should be ashamed of Juan's behavior and give him a much needed permanent break since he hates the customers, employees, and his job so much. So I can't in good conscience eat there ever again read more

Don't even know where to start! I've been in Memphis for almost 4 years, and finally tried Global Cafe's food. I wish I had come years before! Their specials (Ceviche and Cerveza Wednesday and Torta Thursday) are the way to go. Their Margs are 2.95 and SO good during these specials. The Torta was huge. And the ceviche was fresh. I can't wait to go back! read more

Global Café - Chicken Torta and Ceviche - Cafes Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Let me say, mango margs! But really, great food, quick, and the staff is amazing. Can't wait to go back. read more

If you love authentic foods and have an appreciation for cultures, you must try Global Café in Crosstown! I love Global Café because it brings together foodies from various cultures and from all different walks of life. If you want an enriching cultural experience, and want the closest taste to "home", visit Chef Maria at Global Café Memphis. Chef Maria makes the best empanadas . #SOMOS901 read more

Global Café - Chef Maria @Global Café - Cafes Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Delicious food that doesn't make you feel heavy or tired afterwards because it's actually healthy! I'm normally not a fan of chicken at all unless it is battered and deep fried, but their chicken was so juicy and packed with flavor. The veggies were smoky and the tzatziki pulled it all together. It was a large gyro for sure, took me forever to finish it. It felt like the filling was never ending. But if you're not hungry, you must at least try one of their specialty cocktails. They are s t r o n g and dangerous. They are so delicious that you think you're just having a tropical drink until you try to stand up. That huge watermelon drink was $12 and took 3 of us to finish it and we all felt it. Cheapest specialty drinks in memphis for sure, and honestly my favorite. You get a large amount of alcohol but you don't taste it because the real fruit they put in masks it all. I feel like I'm at the beach when I drink here. 10/10 recommend! read more

Global Café - Chicken kebab gyro - Cafes Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

As a disclaimer, I've been lucky to live in a bunch of places with easy access to lots of authentic, ethnic food! So comparing the food at Global Cafe to that, but it may not be a fair comparison since there are fewer options in Memphis! Situated in the Crosstown Concource, Global Cafe is such a great concept! With super affordable prices and a rotating menu featuring food from around the world, it's a fun spot to check out. The chefs are all friendly and it has a casual vibe where you just go and order the food directly from each station. My friends and I came and decided to share dishes from each station. We had the: -Empanadas (chicken, beef, and potatoes and cheese): we universally liked the empanadas the most! In particular the beef and potatoes and cheese ones, which featured well-textured, crispy shells and well-seasoned and moist insides. -Stuffed Cheese Potato Bread: you don't have to order the soup to have the bread! It was nice and soft, but we didn't love something in the potato that was on the bottom half of the bread. The top of the bread was really yummy though -Mixed Grilled Vegetables with Tzatziki Sauce: lots of nicely grilled-vegetables, with probably the best rice of our three entree dishes. Some of the vegetables had a bit too much garlic for me, but was generally tasty -Chicken Shawarma: the chicken was a little dry, but was well-seasoned and the vegetables in this dish were delicious. It did have our least favorite rice of the three entree dishes, but the pita was nice! -Asado Negro Beef in Black Adobo Sauce with Rice and Fried Plantain: the sauce was too salty for me and the beef was really dry (though I usually feel this way about Asado Beef). The plantains added a nice touch, and the rice helped get rid of some of the saltiness The dishes didn't blow my mind, but Global Cafe is a nice spot with a wonderful mission! Would love to come back for the next menu switch, or for more of those tasty empanadas! read more

Global Café - Our feast! Empanadas, Stuffed Cheese Potato Bread, Mixed Grilled Vegetables with Tzatziki Sauce, Chicken Shawarma, and Asado Negro Beef - Cafes Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Honestly I can say this place is so amazing, but that would be a understatement I ask the cashier for a recommendation and I didn't regret it was so good. Thank you Sky for providing me with excellent service !!!! There was no wait and my food came out 2 mins later after my drink was made what more could you ask for !!!!!!!! Highly recommend !!!!!! read more

Global Café - Kuku Paka and juan's marg. - Cafes Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Fantastic food selection! The Kuku Paka is memorable! Love the service and the environment was clean and fun for a group. I will be back! Highly recommended! read more

I really enjoyed my meals from here. The Thursday special was a great buy. It came with a torta which was huge! I like that fact that they hollowed out the bread since it was so big. It also came with a free dessert and I was able to add a horchata for .95! On another occasion I ordered the fried chicken with mashed potatoes. It was full of flavors! The mashed potatoes did not taste like the traditional ones, but still very tasty. They also offer free delivery if you are within a certain distance. I would try more from them. read more

See all

My friend and I picked up some food here to go. I let her take the lead because I'm pretty traditional in my food choices. I just ordered exactly what she ordered, which was the dama and margarita. The dama was a little too different for me. It was spicy and had a lot of flavor. But not necessarily something I'd select. My friend swears by it though. So for those with diverse palates, go for it. Now. That margarita was a whole vibe. I didn't drink any of it until I got home. It was stroooonng! It was so very good and I'd totally recommend it. read more

Global Café - Cafes Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

This place is wonderful however... they have changed their systems & no longer offer ordering via QR code at the tables. I loved this about ordering... take a seat, place my own order & food is right out correctly. Great Sunday brunch, but today... the QR codes are gone due to a new system. I had to place my order at the counter.... No big deal... I even asked about the burrito I ordered being vegetarian. I received a different item than I ordered. What I received was loaded with chorizo. I took it back to the lady at the counter who assured me the "chorizo" was egg. I had to take her to the menu to the item I ordered & question every ingredient... if this is egg where is the jalepeño? Where is the avocado? Where is the tomato? Finally she realized I received the wrong item. I need a new brunch place? Any suggestions? read more

Would not accept a perfectly valid gift card. Who is pocketing money from gift cards and turning them away no problem? Feels like a grift to me. read more

The Thursday lunch special carnitas torta is as good or better than any I've had and I've had lots coming from Southern California. The pan was fresh with a slight crisp. The carnitas was moist and tasty. The beans and other additions were perfect. The salsa verde has a nice little kick with a lots of flavor. I was so stoked to find this place on a cross country trip. It was like I was back home eating at a Mexican bakery. Loved every bite. read more

I wanted to like this place, but food was mediocre at best. Food came out half frozen (didn't leave in fryer long enough I guess) and it took over 30 minutes to get everything we ordered. My husband got the spicy Kenyan chicken and the chicken was extremely gritty and flavorless. Definitely not worth the price. read more

I ordered the falafel with hummus. I thought the consistency of both were great. I just wish there was a little more flavor in both, maybe some salt in the falafel, and some salt and paprika in the hummus. However, the true star of the show was Juan's MangoRITA. This summer drink was absolutely incredible. The presentation was immaculate. And the cocktail was top notch in flavor. The margarita itself was very strong, which paired especially well with bites of the mango. Going back and forth between sips of the margarita and bites of the mango was wonderfully fun. It has never taken me 30+ mins to consume one margarita. And I'm not mad about it. The drink was truly an experience. read more

Global Café - Cafes Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

What a wonderful place from top to bottom! As you've probably read in other reviews, the concept of hosting three immigrant/refuge chefs in a safe and entrepreneurial space is incredibly awesome, but even more I love that the place is intentional about telling their stories in words and pictures. I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the people whose food I got to enjoy. The stories matter, so please continue to tell them and give them a voice beyond their I incredible food. On that note, the food is just that - incredible. There are usually three cuisine options (currently Sudanese, Syrian, and Venezuelan) with tons of entree options under each. You can't go wrong. We got the beef kabob sandwich (Syrian), and it was fantastic. However, there were so many other choices that looked good that we wanted to try as well. This is a definite must! The prices are a tad on the higher end, but the cause is worth it and the food is superb. read more

Many people recomend here！It was great！！ Unfortunately, we couldn't eat inside. I hate Covid.............! read more

Global Café - Cafes Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

I hate writing reviews like this, because I love the concept of Global Cafe so much but I really didn't enjoy the experience. Global Cafe calls itself an "international food hall" on its website. But it's really small. On a busy Saturday, it was hectic and tight and cramped. Unlike most food halls I've been to, you don't make your purchase at the food stand you order from, but instead walk over a check out area. The problem with this is that there wasn't really room to get over from the food stand we ordered from to get to the cash register to pay! We ended up splitting up and paying in two separate installments because we had two trays and it there was no where to set them down by the register. I was worried I was going to spill my okra and beef stew, because I had to wind past so many people to get from the stand to the checkout. It just isn't a good layout for this concept. I could see if you made it more like a traditional cafeteria (with a counter all the way around for trays), but the space available here really didn't work with this concept for me at all. To be honest, if I hadn't been with other people, I might have just left rather than dealing with the process. All that said, I do love the concept, which hosts three "immigrant/refugee food entrepreneurs." Right now, they have Syrian, Sudanese, and Venezuelan dishes available, and you can read bios of the "food entrepreneurs" on the tables when you sit. We tried dishes from the Sudanese and Syrian menus, and the food was mostly okay. From the Syrian menu, we tried bamia (okra with stewed beef) with rice, which was okay (a warm dish on a chilly day, but not anything I'll crave again); the mixed vegetables with tzatziki sauce (okay, pretty standard); one each of the spinach and cheese pies with tabouleh (the pies weren't great, but the tabouleh was tasty); and fasoliyyeh (seared green beans with beef), which was okay as well. From the Sudanese menu, we tried the soup of the day (roasted vegetable), which was very standard vegetable soup, and the ground beef sambusas, which were easily the hit at the table. For the most part, I found the food just all right. All that being said, we were there on a really busy day. And I might have had a totally different experience had there not been an event going on that day at Crosstown Concourse. But I also didn't love the food. So I can't say that I really want to go back to try it out on a less busy day or an off hour. I really love the concept of highlighting international cuisines that Americans aren't as familiar with. I just didn't think the space or layout or the fact that you have to pay in separate area was great. And the food wasn't great on this occasion either. Maybe if they had a larger space with more room for the cooks to move around (because their space seemed really small as well), this concept would work a little better? read more

See all

Such a cool place! Stopped in for a drink and will be back for dinner very soon. Amazing nightly specials. Excellent margaritas and everyone was so nice and helpful. Do yourself a favor and have the mangorita! Also found out they're adding Sunday brunch service. read more

Global Café - Mangorita - Cafes Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Ordered the chicken shawarma and the asado bowl with chicken. The chicken shawarma had a lot of flavor. Definitely had enough for leftovers,very generous with the chicken. I think the chicken shawarma could've used more sauce to put with the rice but overall it's a safe meal to try if you're undecided on what to get. The asado bowl wasn't my favorite, I don't really care for black beans but I'll eat them. It was like a big appetizer bowl to me. Probably should be served with some chips. It just had way more black beans than I wanted, but again there's more than enough for left overs so I just made another meal out of the beans. The service wasn't bad, probably worth ordering ahead since it seems made to order and there is a bit of a wait. But you get a number & can go browse around the concourse if needed. I like that everything tastes fresh, wish there were more options on the menu though read more

See all

THIS PLACE IS INCREDIBLE! First time here at global cafe tonight, and I'll be back time and time again. The manager was taking care of people in line the second we walked in, mind you I was in a group of 7. We ordered, and by the time we sat down our food was at our table, hot and ready to eat. I had chicken shawarma, and the portion size was huge for only $14! I'm a runner (25+ miles a week, and I eat like a tank, I could not finish my meal! Completely blown away by my experience here, to the point of which I'm writing this review, and I never write reviews! read more

Vegan plate, hibiscus tea, and something random. I love the FRESH veggies and thoughtful preparation that goes into the food. You're in for a treat. Try something new. read more

This is a fantastic place to eat your food at the service is great it's awesome you guys have to check them out

I love this place and have been on multiple occasions, once bringing Aa loved one with me and I love Global Cafe. From the Vegan Plate to the Burritos I don't think you can really go wrong. Service is always great and I truly enjoy seeing the meals being made! read more

The food is amazing!! Go get food here. Quality of food, tastiness, price ... all great AND THEN GET A MANGORITA!! Oh is this drink good!!! Juan uses a whole mango "flower" per drink. Bring your friends! This drink is serious. read more

See all

The fried chicken was PHENOMENAL! The tacos were OK! The ceviche was very good! The margarita was yummy!!!! read more

See all

Definitely one of my favorite food places in Memphis. Juan is the best & is super kind. The vibe is great (mostly outdoor seating, some indoor) and food is great. They have these special days (taco tuesday, ceviche wednesday, and tortas thursday) in which I love going to. Taco Tuesdays are great and a lot of my friends favorite. Ceviche Wednesdays are my personal favorite. Tortas Thursday aren't my favorite - personally don't like beans as much & it was real messy (don't like the carnitas). Margaritas are super well priced on these days. LOVE the hibiscus tea & will always get it. read more

See all

This place is awesome. Love the variety, love the mission. My go tos are always the chicken shawarma and the sambusa. JUAN'S MARGARITA THOUGH???? I don't know his secret, but it's so yummy and so strong. I love this place! read more

We've been multiple times to this restaurant. The food is fantastic. Every time we've been. The service is incredibly friendly. It is solid and consistent. read more

Global Café - Cafes Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

YUMMY! I grabbed some lunch here on my way to meeting the other day. I was in a rush and Global Café was the perfect choice. I was in and out quickly with some seriously delicious food in my belly. I will say that the ordering process confused me but I asked a nice man at the bar for directions and made it happen. There are several stations to choose from with different options. I choose a Beef Thurka Noodle Soup. First of all, it was huge and less than $8.00. I took half with me. And, it was beautiful, flavorful and satisfying on a very cold, winter day. Can't wait to go back and try more. I paid at the bar then wound up sitting there as it was crowded. The bar was comfortable enough for me to read my book and the bartender was certainly friendly. He served as the official greeter to all entering and performed his job with authentic joy! I'm excited about adding Global Cafe to my routine! read more

Global Café - Beef Thurka Noodle Soup - Cafes Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Amazing lunch! I had Juan's asado bowl. It was amazing the black beans are delicious. We needed a day out of the house and it was awesome to walk around the concourse and decided to give Global Cafe a try and we were not disappointed at all. I highly recommend giving them a try and tons of places to eat lunch social distanced of course inside. read more

Global Café - Cafes Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

A friend recommended this place so I decided to visit. The food is mediocre (While I was waiting for my food, I heard some of the other customers complaining as well). Service, was lousy. Do not recommend this place. read more

Loved it! I got the kids cheese qusedia and let me tell you it was delicious 10/10. The service was great gor it in less than 20 minutes.

What an amazing place that goes beyond just offering food, but relays the story of immigrant/refugees. The chefs and staff are welcoming and make you feel comfortable,even if you may not be totally familiar with the cuisine. The beef sambusas are amazing and the chicken shawarma always hits the spot. Serving up Sudanese, Nepalese and Syrian cuisines, Global Cafe will deliver a food experience not offered anywhere else in Memphis. read more

Global Café - Cafes Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Agree with Kumar I was really in the mood for Shawarma -and this place had great ratings so I stopped in Not Shawarma , just pan cooked over oily chicken and veggies Chicken white meat not dry because sitting in oil - need to do better or change description of food - real Shawarma is cooked on a vertical spit. And over oily food is heavy and not appetizing. Hope the concept works or other food is better than what I tried. read more

I had a wonderful experience at Global Cafe and loved the food I ordered! The place is set up like a small food court/market with three stations (Syrian, Sudanese, Nepalese) and you order from each station. The menu is listed above each station and one of the first things I noticed is that the prices are awesome! I ordered the Soup of the Day from the Sudanese station which turned out to be a peanut spinach vegetable soup that comes with a potato cheese bread. The bread roll was warmed up and served with the GIANT bowl of soup and came out to $7. I could've split my soup portion into at least 2 meals which is amazing. After you get your food, you pay at the bar counter, which offers many drinks and bar seating as well. The entire concept of this restaurant is exceptional and I would go back as often as I could if I lived in the Memphis area. Interior is simple, clean, and easy set up. Really love this place! read more

Hubby brought me lunch since I was stuck in the office. I ordered the Dama with Rous and it is ah--mazing! I could barely stop eating it long enough to take a picture! We love to try international cuisines and will absolutely be back for more! read more

Lost track of how many times I've been here since they've opened! Amazing international food! If you're looking for something different this is definitely the place to go! The flavors won't disappoint! Below are pictures of the Chicken Kabob, Chicken Chow Mein, and Chicken Shawarma! Yummy!! They also let you sample if you're not sure what you want. read more

See all

An update. They're still knocking it out of the park. More offerings, frequent specials over the past year. Some old favorites are gone during the pandemic but still excellent cuisine and value. read more

See all