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Café Medina
Categories: Restaurants American (Traditional) Restaurants Middle Eastern American (Traditional), Middle Eastern [Edit]
9 E 17th St(between 5th Ave & Broadway)
New York, NY 10003
Neighborhoods: Union Square, Flatiron
(212) 242-2777
- Nearest Transit:
-
14 St - Union Sq (N, Q, R)
Union Sq - 14 St (L)
14 St - Union Sq (4, 5, 6, 6X)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 7 am - 8 pm
Fri 7 am - 7 pm
Sat 8 am - 6 pm
Sun 9 am - 5 pm
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Puja L. said: "Yelp can be so funny sometimes. You go to a 4-5 star rated restaurant, and are supremely underwhelmed...and then you wander into this place, despite its mediocre reviews, and get some food that really makes you happy. My husband is…" read more »
104 reviews for Café Medina
Review Highlights
"I recommend the Pumpkin Corn Bisque."
(in 19 reviews)
"I however love love love the soups."
(in 44 reviews)
"Great lunch place at Union Square."
(in 8 reviews)
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104 reviews in English
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Review from Eric H.
New York, NY
2/3/2012
Good food all around, but definitely try the soup.
Café Medina offers pastries, soups, salads, sandwiches and more with a Middle Eastern touch. It's a narrow place, however, and when you walk in you'll be bombarded with people waiting on undefined lines for each station. To say it's hectic in there during lunch hour would be an understatement. But get past the craziness for some good food and delicious soup.
Their soup might be the best in this area. I do have to say I enjoy Hale & Hearty's soups, but Café Medina's soups are better and cheaper for some sizes. You can sample each of the soups (my kind of place), and I ended up getting the Pumpkin Corn Bisque. It was thick, rich, loaded with corn and had a ton of flavor. The soup also has cilantro, and as a cilantro-convert, I enjoyed the nice contrast in flavors provided by the herb. The soup also comes with different types of bread, like garlic and onion bread, and I believe you can take more than one piece. The only thing with this soup is it's so heavy and rich so a small may be enough.
I also tried their fried tilapia sandwich (chipotle mayo, lettuce, red onion, cherry tomato) which was also good. It tasted like a fish sandwich you'd get at a seafood restaurant. I wouldn't necessarily consider it anything unique, but the fish is nicely breaded and fried, it has clean and fresh toppings, and is an all around solid sandwich.
I'm definitely going back to Café Medina, even if I have to knock some people over to get to the soup line.
Review with pics: http://can-i-try.com/2... -
Review from Gracie G.
Hoboken, NJ
1/24/2012
This place is really busy at the lunch rush and really small and crowded. But their food is really good. I had a BLTA here in the summer that I still remember. That's a good BLTA.
They also have a formidable selection of sandiwches, paninis, salads, soups, a la carte, and pastries. It's a one stop shop for all your cravings. It's also Mediterranean-ish which I love.
If it was larger and had more (comfortable) seating, it'd be 5 stars. -
Review from Mark B.
New York, NY
1/15/2012
4.5 for the food. 2 for the service. Overall, 3.
The sandwiches are pretty delicious, and the soup is fantastic. It's true, the pumpkin corn bisque is really good, though a bit too much after you get into it.
However, the service is generally rather slow and those working at the counter aren't very friendly. -
Review from Jane K.
A few more visits and a different strategy have raised this little deli into fan-favorite status for lunchtime in Union Square. Sure, it's still busy and cramped - but they really just are incredibly ambitious in their offerings so it's packed wall to wall with either food or people. With space sectioned like this, people lose in the square footage dept. But with food this good, who really cares?
What truly won me over was their soup selection. They offer a variety of about 10 different concoction, all homemade, fresh and interesting - plus plenty of vegan options if you're into that sort of thing. My favorite: Thai red curry chicken soup. DANG! That stuff is seasoned with sweet and spicy crack, I swear. Throw in green beans and juicy chicken pieces and you'll be licking the lid.
Their salad/appetizer bar is small but high quality. The chicken swarma placed on top of a bed of greens hits the spot.
I'm sticking to the soups and salad bar from now on, but for those two things they sure know how to serve up a satisfying - and healthy - midday meal.Listed in: Transformative: Review Updates, Union Square: What's There?, Deli Love in NYC, NYC: Lunch in Union Square, Juice Heads
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/5/2011
In the city on hyper drive, most of the time I'm used to being rushed, pushed, and sometimes… Read more »
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Review from Jodi T.
Manhattan, NY
2/2/2012
The food is of good quality; it just won't be what you ordered. Not only was I delivered the wrong food, but once I received my "correct" order, it wasn't the way I had ordered it.
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Review from Alan R.
Manhattan, NY
2/1/2012
Amazing sandwiches and an awesome selection of soups. They are right around the corner from where I work and I go here maybe 3-4 times a week! Delicious egg sandwiches too!
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Review from Pargeet B.
Manhattan, NY
1/9/2012
Love this place for a delicious soupy lunch. I sample so many everytime I go and they are always yummy in my tummy. Very filling, free bread - $5/6 for the soups.
I've tried a few of the sandwiches but they are not to my liking! -
Review from Peter D.
11/20/2011 2 Check-ins Here
We've recently moved to a new office that is down the street from this joint. It's going to become a staple because they stock all sorts of choices when it comes to the three S's of lunch: salads, soups and sandwiches.
Salads:
OK, so I haven't had a salad yet, because I'm me. While it's true that CK didn't really like the salad she got, she admitted she chose poor ingredients. And let's face it: nobody likes CK.
Sandwiches:
They have a huge board of what they call "Designer Sandwiches," that can be quite overwhelming and has an unpleasant glare reflecting off of it, all of which led me to panic one time and get the "Poached Chicken Pesto" option. Which sounds delicious, but this sandwich no pesto on it. Perhaps they are confusing pesto and mayo.
That said, it was still sizable, fresh and tasty. Needed a bit of hot sauce, but doesn't everything? I'm looking forward to discovering what other sandwiches are misnamed, but still excellent.
Soups:
This is where Medina wins me over. First of all, you can taste as many as you want. And they don't even care, because they know one taste is all you need, and then you're buying at least one of these delicious things.
Secondly, the Yemenian Chicken is DOPE.
Thirdly, they have like 5 different kinds of bread that you can grab to eat with your soup for free. Do you want to offend people with your breath after eating it? You can get an onion roll AND a piece of garlic bread. Both of them! NOBODY will want to talk to you after this.
Medina's soups are looking like a strong contender for my most-eaten meal this winter. -
Review from annie t.
11/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
3 words : Pumpkin Corn Bisque
No seriously. You'll thank me later. I'm giving all 5 stars to this soup.
Also had sandwiches, which didn't disappoint.
Man I need this place near my job. Perfect lunch spotListed in: Unforgettable food, Will be back!
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Review from Julie K.
New York, NY
11/13/2011
I first came to Medina over a year ago and vowed never to go back based on a mediocre pre-made sandwich I had. A coworker of mine swore by Medina and I judged his food taste. It turns out he was advocating the soups, so I decide to give it a try last Wednesday.
I had a sample of the fennel vegetable bouillabaisse and realized something I had to admit: I was wrong. The soup WAS delicious. I ended up getting the sweet potato chipotle, which is basically like being wrapped in fleece on a cool autumn day, but in a bowl.
I went back the next day and had the chicken noodle with farfalle. It was pretty oily, so I don't recommend that unless you like eating spoonfuls of oil or want an immediate ance breakout. -
Review from Jordan D.
Astoria, Queens, NY
11/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
one the recommendation of a few coworkers, I decided to give Medina a shot for lunch the other day.
First off, Medina is like a war zone come noon-1pm. Upon stepping inside, I was unsure what line to jump on, where to go for soups, sandwiches, salads, etc. I eventually climb over 10 or so people and finally make it to the end of the soup line. I grab my soup and take one step towards the sandwich line and some 2x4 hispanic dude from from kitchen blindsides me. Then it turned into a movie - my small barley & beef soup wobbling through the air, going towards the cold drink case; me, thinking "wow I'm gonna feel sorry for the sap that gets drenched in soup if it hits them or hits the floor and splatters all over the place" - well, after the resulting thud, miraculously the my soup survived, although some the older women who almost got hit with it looked like she shit her pants.
After my crusade, I make it back to work to feast on my breaded tilapia sandwich on sourdough and my aforementioned barley & beef soup. Both were out of this world! The tilapia was breaded perfectly and the chipotole mayo, pearl onions, lettuce and tomato complimented it perfectly! The soup was equally delicious as well.
Would I come here again during the lunch rush? Probably not. I'm not a fan of getting blindside tackled by staff from the kitchen. But prior to and after the lunch rush? Count me in. -
Review from Natalie B.
New York, NY
12/23/2011
My company just moved offices from Financial District to the Union Square area (or Silicon Alley). Feeling blessed by all the daily lunch options, I must admit that Medina trumps all in the area for a delicious, grab-n-go lunch. Their soups are fantastic and WAY better priced than Hale & Hearty next door. Though small, their buffet section offers some very tasty, ethnic dishes. And their salads and sandwiches, both of which I have yet to try, look incredible too. All in all, a great find on 17th Street.
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Review from Sandy B.
Brooklyn, NY
11/11/2011
Never in my life have I been inspired to rate a place on Yelp. Until Cafe Medina, which I found on Yelp. Pay it forward.
Union Square is not short on good places to grab lunch, but I I wanted something simple with soul, and I found it at Cafe Medina.
They have salads, soups, and a hot buffet bar. I went right for the soups in the back. I had only planned on tasting 2, but the man behind the counter just kept pouring tastes for me to make sure I left with the right soup. I didn't have to ask. They just kept coming, and every single flavor was outstanding.
As if that wasn't good enough, soup comes with your choice of breads. I had a garlic Parmesan toast and an onion roll, but they also had others (fresh bagel chips were noticed but not consumed. Next time.)
I cannot wait for the next time I'm in Union Square at lunch time. -
Review from Terry B.
Montclair, NJ
12/19/2011
gets crowded in the small space but great salad, soup and sandwich selections! Delicious and bang for the buck. Except for the hectic-ness, it's a great lunch spot when you feel like eating good soup or healthy/delicious.
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Review from Erica J.
12/6/2011
Cafe Medina is a cramped Lunch spot below street level with some of the best soup in the city. Forget the Hale and Hearty next door and walk to the back of Medina where you can sample any of the many soups offered daily. So far I've tried the white sweet potato poblano, rosemary zucchini, curried chickpea escarole, and the red lentil. All of them were amazing and with so many vegetarian and vegan options available you'll have plenty to choose from. The hot and cold food bars are small but creative with salads like escarole papaya and curried quinoa with butternut squash. There is a salad station and handmade sandwiches as well but the soup,..the soup really wins.
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Review from Serena M.
Chicago, IL
8/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Thanks to the boy's Yelp find, this has become my go-to lunch spot. Ask to sample their soups before deciding on one. I usually get a medium-sized cup (including bread, ask for onion), which comes to the best $5 lunch.
Their yogurt smoothies make a wonderful breakfast or snack! -
Review from Jason P.
New York, NY
7/13/2011
Simply put, this place rocks. The soups are among the best in the entire city. Tomato Bread, African Chicken Peanut, Indian Veggie Mulligatawny soup are a few of my favorites - but all the soups - hot or cold - are incredible. The panini sandwiches are good, and the salads have a bevy of different toppings - but the real gem is the hot/cold self-serve bar.
In most NYC delis - the hot/cold self-serve bar is an afterthought filled with questionable items. At Medina - the choices are equally flavorful and health conscious. Just today - the spinach/feta meatloaf, fresh root vegetables and spicy corn cake (not loaded with disgusting cream/butter/fat) were amazing. Really, exceptional food and soups.
For a quick take out lunch - you really can't do better in what is a very saturated food area (Chopped is across the street among other destination eateries). And while you're at it - bring home a quart of soup or two for you and your loved one(s). -
Review from Sarah M.
Brooklyn, NY
4/17/2011
The soup, good lordy, the soup!
Pumpkin corn bisque, Iranian meatball, tomato - all D E L I C I O U S!
I haven't tried anything else because seriously when the soup is this good and there are always new varieties to try why even bother?
Oh yeah and you get free bread too, it's always pretty damn hard but it sops up the ambrosial soup so damn well.
In closing, I love soup. -
Review from Neal U.
Jersey City, NJ
7/20/2011
Some of the best sandwiches in the neighborhood and an amazing steam table. Great buffet options that are above and beyond your neighborhood deli.
But the best part is how quick the lunch turnover is. Even if there is a long line, you're still getting your freshly made sandwich/salad ASAP. Awesome. -
Review from Rebecca h.
Brooklyn, NY
5/23/2011
best soup ever!
I could eat soup everyday if it's from this place.
White chili chicken is the best, but everything is worth trying.
Only negative is that it's hard to move around in there, it's like driving through the Lincoln tunnel on a Friday evening. -
Review from Abby L.
Manhattan, NY
11/9/2011
I would give this place 5 stars just based on their soups. They are amazing, fresh and have a great selection of exotic flavors as well as the usuals (like chicken noodle). Every day there is a different selection, so they keep it interesting!
Their sandwiches are also great! The grilled cheese - the best I've ever had!
This is my go-to lunch spot, especially if I can't decide what to eat (they have a bit of everything so something always sounds yummy). It's a bit small (only have a few tables) and can get cramped/chaotic during the lunch rush, but totally worth it. -
Review from Andy S.
New York, NY
6/23/2011
Good Fresh food, value is ok, but normal for the area.
Have repeated many times. -
Review from Gdawg S.
Marina, CA
10/25/2011
This place was great!! A small cafe with tons of choices! Sweet potato soup was delicious! :) Thanks to another Yelper I found it and enjoyed a sweet time with my sister.
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Review from Rilly E.
New York, NY
10/24/2011
Judging by how packed it was at 1:30 PM, this place seems like a solid lunch go-to for the business crowd. I had a Moroccan lentil vegetable soup that was spiced with cumin. Tasted fresh and was packed with lentils and chunks of vegetables that were all identifiable (yes, I find it oddly important to be able to visually identify what it is I eat). Slightly expensive for soup (a small was about $4.50), but par for the course for Manhattan. Beats Hale and Hearty for sure, which is a few doors down.
The free roll they give you may break a molar or two if you try to eat it as is. But, if you soak pieces of it into the soup, it becomes edible and actually not bad tasting.
The guy at the soup counter wasn't that friendly, but he also didn't give me any attitude about trying several of the soups (which filled me up a little. It's one of those places where you can make a meal out of the free samples). -
Review from Jessica K.
Brooklyn, NY
9/29/2011
Ridiculously tasty soup. Friendly soup guy. High prices. Healthy lunch.
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Review from Kristin B.
New York, NY
11/15/2011
highly affordable (finally!) lunch spot where the menu goes on for days. can't really beat that in union square.
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Review from Jess R.
Saddle River, NJ
1/31/2011
This review really is all about the soup. I'm sure I'll try some of Cafe Medina's other food when the weather outside is less frightful but right now I'm there for the soup. I just love that they will give you a taste of every soup they offer. I'm often torn between two or three because all are amazing. They do lentil variations especially well. And their limited hot and cold salad bar options are good too, from what I've tasted. Oh and free bread with the soup.
Honestly I can't go for more than a few days without craving their soup. Best ever. Hands down. -
Review from Scott S.
West Granby, CT
12/6/2011
Great lunch stop half a block from Union Square. We stopped on a Saturday after walking new High Line and visiting Rubin Museum. The soup bar is huge. We tried the Yelp, highly recommended pumpkin corn soup (we too recommend it) and the African chicken (also fantastic). The sandwich selection is quite varied. We split a Cuban that was more than enough for two. We'll be back the next time we are near Union Square.
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Review from Amanda K.
Queens, NY
9/5/2011
Yummy soup... crazy long lunch line and confusion. Eat off-peak.
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Review from Shannon P.
Brooklyn, NY
9/8/2011
I work in the area and come to this place a lot, mostly for coffee in the morning, as they brew great flavored coffee that is a 1/3 of the price of Starbucks. For lunch, they have great soups that hit the spot in the winter. Try the pumpkin corn bisque, sooo good. My only gripe is sometimes the staff is a bit rude, especially the cashiers. I come in all the time and they always seem to have a bit of attitude.
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Review from Jess L.
10/17/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Perfect location. Bummer of a spot.
The most notable thing was the burnt smell that ultimately saturated my clothes.
Coffee and cappuccino are decent but not even at a Starbucks level - not sure what that really says about the place, then.
Nice staff. I just won't stick around if I happen upon this place again. -
Review from Laura S.
New York, NY
5/4/2011
The soup here is amazing. Especially the tomato soup with the bread.
That said, vegetarians should be really careful when they order from here. I have ordered hummus from them twice, once on a salad and once in a sandwich. The first time they sent tuna and the second time chicken salad instead of the hummus. I've never had that happen anywhere else-obviously someone preparing food there can't identify hummus. If they're making that mistake, it makes me nervous about what else is going on in the food preparation since that's pretty basic. -
Review from Dustymarie N.
Manhattan, NY
11/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
The best soup & salad I have ever had. I was hanging in union square for a fun chilled out Sunday and I ran into this place. Yelp gave it four stars so i figured I should try it. It is small and intimate. The staff is so helpful and feel free to ask questions about specific diet (Especially gluten free)! I had the garden vegetable soup, best ever.. I don't know how they turned a typical veggie soup into bowl licking worthy, but they did! The make your own salad was perfect for vegetarians or meat eaters. I had everything from palm of hearts, butter nut squash, goat cheese and artichoke hearts, etc. The variety of dressings is huge and yummy. My boyfriend got the pumpkin corn soup, he did not stop talking about it. His smoked turkey sandwich was huge and came home for dinner too! Everything comes with cute bread rolls. AWESOME LUNCH PLACE.
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Review from S T.
New York, NY
11/23/2010
Best soups evaarrr. Reasonable prices for a often "healthy" (depending which soup you get) lunch! I'm hitting this place up like it's my job. MONDAY-FRIDAY. Some days I take a break from it, but I just end up missing the soup. I get a medium which comes with a piece of bread, and is under $6 total. I'm saving tremendously on lunches now, and don't feel like i'm sacrificing flavor or my figure. wee. I also feel less guilty when I splurge at intermix during my lunch break :O
The funny part is, I usually hate soup. So there you go. It gets a whopping 4 stars for the soup alone. The soup counter guys (I think one of them is actually the owner) are very friendly and fast. They're more than willing to give you samples of every flavor.
Have a go' -
Review from M A.
Manhattan, NY
3/21/2011
A fantastic lunch spot with great soup selection, which I'm extremely grateful for in this cold, cold weather. The first time I went, I got the pumpkin corn bisque and my friend got the vegetarian chili and it was love at first taste.
Cafe Medina usually has a mix of everyday staples and new soup flavors. There have been some misses with the new flavors but usually you can't go wrong with the choices. And you can always ask to taste one of the new flavors before ordering.
Once it's summer (for real), I'll probably try their sandwiches and salad but for now I'm content with the soup. And you would be too if you come to check out the place. -
Review from Juriy Z.
Brooklyn, NY
11/18/2010
I've been lunching at this place for a couple of years and can definitely say that Medina has the best soups I've ever had. Their selection is different every day, and ranges from lobster bisque and chicken apricot to french onion and asian hot and sour soups. The flavors are always fantastic.
"Designer sandwiches" are pretty good as well -- interesting combinations and always fresh ingredients.
On the downside, the place is often packed at peak hours to such point that it's hard to move through to the cashier. Avoid going there from 1pm-3pm for the best experience. -
Review from G. S.
New York, NY
11/18/2011
I am lucky enough to work two blocks from Medina and so get my lunch from them at least once a week. Best, most affordable soup in the neighborhood (and perhaps Manhattan), hands down! Every soup I get from them is better than the last (their pumpkin corn bisque is the embodiment of "autumn" as far as I'm concerned. If you're in the neighborhood (or even if you're not) stop in. You will NOT be sorry!
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Review from Elizabeth L.
New York, NY
6/15/2010
So the few times that I've actually made a point of going during lunch hour, I haven't been THAT impressed by the salad bar. It's $3.95 for 1/2 a pound, which is pretty much the same price as Whole Foods, and Whole Foods has more of a selection.
With that said, the soups are interesting. My favorite is the pumpkin corn, which is a little thicker than I'd like, but it's hearty and flavorful and delicious so I won't complain. I'm skeptical of the Vietnamese pho, but there's always something new and interesting at the soup station, so go check it out!
I would pass on the Mexican flan. it's not great. -
Review from Courtney Allison B.
Atlanta, GA
11/19/2010
Their soups are so good.
My fav is the pumpkin one that they have seasonally.
Definitely recommended for a lunch on a cold winter or fall day. -
Review from Dr. Brian B.
Manhattan, NY
2/21/2011
If you like soup, you NEED to try this place.
If you do not like soup, you NEED to try this place.
They have a large section of gourmet soups. The flavors are very creative, and even though you may not have though to put some of those ingredients together, you will always be in for a pleasant surprise.
Trust me, I'm a doctor.
