Memphis Coffee, Beggen, Luxembourg

I visited Memphis Coffee, before Christmas vacations – but as I got some spare time to put my notes in order, it makes it on my blog only now, unfortunately.

The restaurant – or, better, the diner – is located in Beggen, part of a mall structure on the main road, so not directly on the street and with easy parking in front. It is open all day and indeed it was one of the occasion we wanted to have lunch a bit later (4 pm 🙂 ) but we had no clear ideas where to go.

We went for a mozzarella stick starter, I continued with a huge burger while hubby had a meat patty sandwich, and we concluded sharing another huge ice cream dessert.

Below you will have the pictures of our lunch and then some comments related to the location and the food.

  
  

Things I loved about Memphis Coffee:

Great location: it was only for the big windows overlooking a very grey sky that we understood to be still in Luxembourg. Even if the restaurant is part of a franchising, the interior design is lovely, details selected with care, funny and totally different compared to what you have seen so far in the city.
Good quality/price: you can see you are not in a Michelin-star restaurant. While the starter was an average frozen product, my burger was not that bad and same the dessert – only too much cream for me and not much ice-cream. It is definitely the place to visit when you are on budget but you want to have a night out. It is not like going to Clairefontaine – for sure – but it is not even McDonald’s.
Effective service: our waiters were smiling, fast and always available.

Things I liked a bit less about Memphis Coffee:

– As per above: the quality of the food is linked with the price. Frozen products like onions rings and mozzarella sticks were not memorable.
Cleanness: we arrived during the afternoon and the restaurant, except two tables of teenagers, was empty. Indeed there were still some tables with empty and dirty dishes to be cleaned up while waiters were chatting at the counter. It is not a good image for a client – one of these dirty table was next to us, there when we arrived, and there when we left.

In conclusion: Memphis Coffee was reviewed extensively by my fellow bloggers before me, so I don’t have much to add. I love the place – really, you have to go, even for a milkshake – and, while the food experience is definitely not gastronomic, I did not find it that bad either. At least I was not served a burger that pretends to be gourmet but indeed is absolutely normal for 25 euro as some place in Kirchberg 🙂 Here you pay what you get – even a bit less, considering the environment – and you have big portions. Skip the snacks – definitely not good – and take a burger or sandwich with some dessert. Perfect post hangover recovery place or for a budget-friendly meeting with mates.

Great tapas on a budget: El Companero, Luxembourg

El Companero was one of the first place I visited when I arrived in Luxembourg. The restaurant at that time was still located near rue du Cure and having dining and dancing space in the same, large room. I have so many confusing memories related to those nights and actually I was not a fan when they moved in the Ilot Gastronomique, as I think the kind of restaurant El Companero is was not and will not be the same of others in that part of the city.

But I am still visiting the place and I also partied there my birthday some years ago. Actually I consider it an nice place, where you want to go for a quick and easygoing dinner and if you don’t want to splurge for the classic three-courses Luxembourgish menu. You can either have food at the restaurant on the first floor or on the cocktail bar basement – definitely the best if you are coming too early or too late.
My personal recommendations: Go Tapas and Caipirina (or Sangria) like a pro 🙂

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The tapas mixed platter is hugeeeee. The quality is fair enough (nothing haute cuisine) but will fill you up before a night out. Tropical cocktails (if you plan not to drink too much) and Sangria (if you share a pitcher with your companions) are the right drink choices and the best in the area. If you wish to upgrade your dinner, add a mixed Jamon and Queso (ham and cheese) platter.

Note also that if you are vegetarian or vegan, they have numerous choices for your appetite –  not extremely healthy, as most of the food is deep fried, but still.
Personally, I am not a fan of the main courses here – above all if you want to cut your bill – but they could be an option for some.

I also tend to recommend El Companero if you are a large group and want to have fun, as the atmosphere is definitely not formal and you can just move downstairs for a dance after dinner!