Microsoft Cafe

Sad face. Secret best place to eat in Reno will no longer be open to the public as of 1÷18÷16. Halfway thinking of getting a job at MSFT just so I can eat here.

I can’t even describe how insanely happy I was to be introduced to this place. Everything about it is up my alley. Organic, sustainable, locally sourced, eco friendly fare. Upscale, yet in a cafeteria setting with cafeteria prices. I ordered a burger with curly fries and it was under $ 7. Where in town can you possibly find this kind of deal? Did I mention it was delicious? It was. Like right up there with all the great burgers we know and love in Reno with one major difference. The meat is way better quality than most of the places in town use. I don’t know how they do it for those prices but I can’t wait to go back and try EVERYTHING. They also make specialty coffees and have fruit infused water for you to refill your bottles with.
Go check them out. but only you. Don’t take your friends, I don’t want to battle a crowd…

Finding a new place for a tasty and affordable lunch is always fun, though there are two kinds of «new». There’s the paint-​is-​still-​drying new with lots of buzz, and then there’s the new-​to-​you, unknown until you happen past it or catch a word-​of-​mouth tip. I’ve had the good fortune to enjoy and write about both sorts, but the Microsoft Café takes the cake for hiding in plain sight.
Located within the Microsoft Licensing office building, the café is open to the public and worth a visit if you’re in the neighborhood. There’s a full-​service coffee bar provided by a well-​known Seattle company, a slushee machine, fountain and bottled drinks, as well as free water infused with fruits and vegetables. My wife and I usually stick to water with meals, but combinations including mango/​pineapple, cucumber/​peach, apple/​celery, and orange/​papaya really dressed up the ol’ H2O.
The «Health Bar» sports a variety of natural and organic proteins, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains at 50 cents an ounce. Though the usual salad suspects are present under the sneeze guard, other items such as Brussels sprouts, quinoa, squash and ceviche join a wide variety of dressing and garnish options to keep things interesting. I lost track of the tasty combination my wife selected for her plate, but the price was certainly attractive ($ 2).
We split a small serving of the day’s soup (gumbo, $ 2.90) and a slice of fresh-​baked cornbread ($ 1.55). For all I know the gumbo was out of a bag, but it did have plenty of Andouille sausage and that particular file flavor and consistency. It went well with the cornbread, though the latter could have done without the thin slice of cheddar on top. After baking and cooling, it was more like a piece of plastic than cheese. It peeled off easy enough.
The flip-​side of the salad bar is a selection of deli ingredients; a decent array of meats, veg, cheese, breads, and condiments for building your own sandwich. My wife skipped the assembly line when she saw a beef and cheddar wrap just waiting to be placed on a self-​service panini press ($ 6.95). Good call on her part, as that tortilla was stuffed full of smoked roast beef, cheese, fresh greens and onion. Although a really large array of sauces and other enhancements were available, the wrap didn’t need any help in the flavor department.
There are separate stations where food is cooked to order, including stir-​fry, burgers, hot sandwiches, and daily specials. This day’s Chef’s Special was a plate of Mediterranean greatest hits, including chicken shish-​kebabs, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, cucumber yogurt, hummus, and soft flatbread ($ 6.95). The special surprised me, being we were dining in a corporate lunchroom with low expectations. The seasonings were pretty solid, the chicken wasn’t dried out, and the tabbouleh had fresh mint. The bread, hummus, and yogurt were average but played their part.
The ghanoush, though, lacked the tahini and creamier consistency of the popular Lebanese dip. It was more of a mushy vegetable stew with a lot of black olives. I’ve experienced something similar to this once before – prepared from an Iranian recipe – but without the abundance of olives. Still, the flavors and seasoning were good enough that I ignored the mushiness and ate most of it.
Hot and cold breakfast items round out the menu, and all the weekly specials are listed online. I’ll admit it was a little weird walking into an office building and asking an employee, «Which way to the Microsoft food thing,» but the result was a decent meal at a really decent price. Plus, there’s a free video game station where you can let off some steam before continuing your day.

Do I really want you to know my secret hot spot?! This place beats Whole Foods hands down! Not only will you find all organic and locally grown foods when available, there is an eclectic salad bar, panini grill, fresh baked pizza bar, Specialty Salad Bar, amazing Entrées, and a fantastic grill with ribeye, salmon, marinated chicken and sometimes Ahi! You can also get half-​portions at $ 3 or so, enough to feed an average person.
They serve breakfast everyday, and have Starbucks and smoothies. You can also subscribe to their daily meal blast, so you know what’s being served.

This is a café that is open to the public at Microsoft Licensing in Reno, NV. The café is actually operated by a vendor, Guckenheimer Enterprises that specializes in operating corporate dining facilities in several states. I’ve been eating at this one just about every work day for several years and enjoy the quality, selection, and value. As far as institutional dining, this place is tops (I’ve had my share from military, state, and other corporate locations). Tip: avoid the noisy crowds and lines by arriving at about 12:50 PM for lunch.

Hit this place frequently as i ditch the cafeteria at work & head to Microsoft (dont need to be an employee). Great thing is you can order ½ portions — yup ½ the price too! Food is top quality & well priced

Why go into an employee cafeteria, especially if you don’t work there? Because I’m always up for an adventure, the reviews piqued my curiosity, and it’s open to the public. Hubby and I ventured here for breakfast, and we entered an open rectangular space that invites one to partake of choices of infused water, made to order omelets, hand made sandwiches, wood oven pizzas, salad bar, make your own smoothie bar, and specialty coffees made from Starbucks coffees. The prices are amazing, and the customer service is friendly. It’s clean and modern, with plenty of seating.
The food choices are healthy and sustainable, made fresh daily, and served in recyclable (and probably compost-​able) packaging. The hubby got an omelet, I had the ‘special’ breakfast chimichanga, and we shared some French toast. My chimichanga had egg, potatoes, and bacon, wrapped in a flour tortilla, topped with a hot salsa verde (which added a nice kick), and was accompanied by avocado slices. It was very tasty, and had a nice crunch. The French toast was also delicious, though I could have gone for some orange zest, for an added touch. We tried it with their Walden Farm syrup, a zero calorie alternative that seemed to taste no differently from your typical table syrup that might have high fructose corn syrup (no thank-​you).
For my drink, I got the ‘seasonal’ sugar-​free brown sugar latte with soy milk. The temp was perfect and the first couple of sips were super sweet, but the rest of the drink was to my liking.
There were a handful of televisions about the dining area, and we caught some of the previously recorded sessions of the winter Olympics while conversing our thoughts of our meal. There’s also a calendar at the entrance of the cafeteria, where one can see the special of the day.
After we finished, we cleared our table. And then we hung out in the lounge, and hubby played the XBox One while I sat and skimmed over the daily paper. It just might be a hidden gem, certainly worth the treasure hunt, and maybe more worthy kept a secret.

This isn’t your run-​of-​the mill cafeteria food let me tell you! This café is much, much more!!! I don’t even really want to tell people because it’s such a great little secret.
Open to the public for breakfast & lunch, it’s quick & inexpensive. With parking, and ample seating, you can get take it to go, or eat in. It’s clean, quick and the people are very friendly.
They have a make your own salad, soup, and sandwich bar. Made to order salad of the day, Healthy Choices, and a Make-​to-​order Grill. The entrees are quite filling and delicious. They even have a Panini bar & Pizza bar! Smoothies & Starbucks Coffee!
The menu changes daily, and you can even come by for breakfast!
This is a sample of just one day’s menu choices:
BREAKFAST SPECIAL
Buttermilk Biscuits & Country Gravy with Cage Free Eggs, Two Country Sausages and Crispy Hash Browns
3.50
SOUPS ~ STEWS ~ CHILIS
Broth Chicken and Noodles or Chef’s Choice
2.70÷3.50
ENTREE FEATURE
Hickory Wood Smoked Tri Tip Steak with Country Coleslaw Salad, Baked Beans & Buttermilk Biscuits, Butter & Honey
6.95
LUNCHEON BROILER SPECIAL
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich, Macaroni & Cheese, Kitchen Coleslaw
6.35
HEALTHY CHOICE
Flakey Phillo Spanikopita Triangle baked Fresh and served with Cucumber Goat Cheese & Tomato Salad
Cal 495, Fat 15g, Sod 700mg, Carbs 12g, Fib 4g, Pro 16g
6.65

Mostly for Arvato and Microsoft employees to grab a bite, but it’s open for the public too! IT’S delicious AND worth every dollar for the amazing quality. Organic options, broiler entrees, and ethnic options. This would be the best deal for a steak or hamburger or pad thai in town if it were a full on operating restaurant chain.

Fresh organic food, different menu every day, very pleasant staff, huge portions. The food tastes like grandma’s home made meals.
You can also get half a portion for $ 3, which will be a satisfying meal to most people. You can also order healthy dinner take outs on Tue and Thu (example — buffalo meatloaf with salad).
You really have to try it to believe how good the value is.
Don’t bring a girlfriend or a boyfriend for a date as this is not a romantic place.
Local businesses visit MS café and have a feature lunch for few bucks. I had Sushi Pier and Café de Thai. Fun and cheap way to try different restaurants.
They do take outs, they have desserts, coffee, salad bar, healthy options, pizza, soups, home made chips, fresh fruit. You WILL find something for yourself.
LOVE THIS PLACE SO MUCH!!!