This is a great healthy spot in downtown Gainesville right near the North parking deck. I went with a big group of family and we all got something different. The menu was pretty confusing for some of us- the menu online was hard to load (it kept moving) and I think there could be an easier way to present the info. I couldn’t decide if it was a Tex-Mex style bowl place, or a salad bar- I think it’s both, which is great, but also confusing. Service was very nice and portions were good. The environment was comfortable and I would like to come back. The food was fresh and pretty simple, nothing crazy.
Centro GVL Eatery
Excerpts
This is a great healthy spot in downtown Gainesville right near the North parking deck. I went with a big group of family and we all got something different. The menu was pretty confusing for some of us- the menu online was hard to load (it kept moving) and I think there could be an easier way to present the info. I couldn’t decide if it was a Tex-Mex style bowl place, or a salad bar- I think it’s both, which is great, but also confusing. Service was very nice and portions were good. The environment was comfortable and I would like to come back. The food was fresh and pretty simple, nothing crazy.
First visit was last month and for some reason, the outside looks like an art gallery. Maybe that’s just me, HA! They have salads, wraps and warm bowls. A variety of proteins and toppings to choose from. Vegan friendly, which is my fave! Build your own bowl. Wild rice, romaine lettuce, black and pinto beans. Tofu for the protein (cooked fresh and was delectable!). 4 toppings are included. I chose chickpeas, cucumbers, beets and cabbage. Bought 2 additional - edamame and black olives. Chipotle dressing (it’s vegan!). This bowl was perfect! You can they use fresh ingredients that are high quality. I love with places have vegan options that they take the time to make delicious. Tofu said it was seasoned, but it was way better than I thought it would be. I will definitely be back. Super chill vibe, decently quiet and great customer service! They have feee wifi if you want to work while here or use it just because. Same owners as Consuelo, which is a few doors down. If you have not be en there yet, run now to dine in! 2nd visit - I was super excited because the first went soooo well! I knew immediately my tofu would be burnt. The guy cooked it at too high a temperature. Tofu is simple and I’m assuming it was pre-seasoned. The dish was still good but it was definitely noticeable. Only notable thing was a group of women were playing some type of game and were pretty loud this visit. No issue as it was a gorgeous day and we ate outside. That would have been a bit annoying to me if dining inside.
First visit was last month and for some reason, the outside looks like an art gallery. Maybe that’s just me, HA! They have salads, wraps and warm bowls. A variety of proteins and toppings to choose from. Vegan friendly, which is my fave! Build your own bowl. Wild rice, romaine lettuce, black and pinto beans. Tofu for the protein (cooked fresh and was delectable!). 4 toppings are included. I chose chickpeas, cucumbers, beets and cabbage. Bought 2 additional - edamame and black olives. Chipotle dressing (it’s vegan!). This bowl was perfect! You can they use fresh ingredients that are high quality. I love with places have vegan options that they take the time to make delicious. Tofu said it was seasoned, but it was way better than I thought it would be. I will definitely be back. Super chill vibe, decently quiet and great customer service! They have feee wifi if you want to work while here or use it just because. Same owners as Consuelo, which is a few doors down. If you have not be en there yet, run now to dine in! 2nd visit - I was super excited because the first went soooo well! I knew immediately my tofu would be burnt. The guy cooked it at too high a temperature. Tofu is simple and I’m assuming it was pre-seasoned. The dish was still good but it was definitely noticeable. Only notable thing was a group of women were playing some type of game and were pretty loud this visit. No issue as it was a gorgeous day and we ate outside. That would have been a bit annoying to me if dining inside.
I read the excellent reviews and was looking forward to this place but was severely disappointed. The food is extraordinarily average and overpriced for what it is. Basically everything is from a bag or a pouch with what seems to be near zero effort. The only thing that was freshly prepared was my few chunks of tofu that while fresh had little flavor and was a pretty skimpy portion considering it’s the protein of the bowl. The broccoli was served raw. The toppings are boring and were all the kind of things you can get at any genetic salad bar. The place is cute, the service was better than average but the food was just so dang underwhelming.