Ginevra Cafe

This was my first time going to a Somali restaurant and I immediately fell in love. The people were nice and friendly and the portions were a good bang for the buck. The food was so good I was crying tears of joy as I ate it everything was seasoned and flavorful. On a whim I tried the ginger tea, it sent my tastebuds on a wonderful flavorful journey. I walked out of the restaurant full, and angry. Angry that I hadn't tried this place before and that the rest of Columbus doesn't know about this lovely place. My friend and I were talk about this place weeks later it was so good.

Well, I'm a fan of goat meat. And this is a new restaurant on Grubhub, so I ordered. The online menu lists the goat shank as falafel, so I kept my fingers crossed. But yes, it was goat after all. I appreciated that the goat didn't come with bones inside the bites; this meat, you cut off the leg bone. The meat was done to perfection and I found myself gnawing the bone after the meat was gone.Mine came with a huge portion of rice and a spicy, flavorful broth, a small salad and an even spicier sauce in a tiny container that didn't need to be bigger. Avoid it if you can't stand heat -- I dumped it on my salad and was glad I did. While my meal was delicious, the rice flavored with wonderful spices I can't identify, I ordered mine with corn meal, not rice. So a swing and a miss there. The online menu is very limited, but if the rest of the offerings are as good as this, why expand it? The limited choices and the mix-up on the order are the only reasons I'm giving this restaurant three stars instead of four. I'll order again.

I was too busy for a lunch break the other day, but my colleague went out and got Ginevra's and made the entire cubicle row smell of fragrant saffron to the point that I couldn't stand it. I had to go and pick up dinner!I ordered the chicken suqaar, which is served with a side salad, a side of lentil soup, and a bottle of water. I also ordered a sambusa, a piece of halwa, and a soda. Of course, I had the joy of meeting the owner Ginevra, who had to have a bit of fun at my expense -- he told me my total was $89! I laughed, and asked if it was because I was white, which he found hilarious. I asked if he could give me a better price, and he said yes, let's do $15 instead. I said I could do $15 for all of that food!It was more than enough to make three meals out of -- plenty for my boyfriend and I to have a hearty dinner plus just enough for me to have for lunch the next day. I ate the sambusa on the way home. It was easily the best sambusa I have had (if not the best savory parcel I've ever had, and I am a huge fan of samosas): it was big, it was full, it was flaky and it was spicy. The chicken suqaar was delicious, though I could have used a little more heat. Next time I will be sure to ask for more spice! There will definitely be a next time. I am certain that I will be going back to Ginevra's and recommending it to my friends!

Columbus is home to the second largest Somali population in the U.S., and I went here the other day and ordered the Osso buco, and got a bag of kac kac and halwa. Unfortunately, by the time I got there (around 7 on Sunday), they were out of lamb.With osso buco, you get several pieces of tender beef, some soft potatoes and large carrot chunks. You also get a few fresh vegetables on the side. It came with a huge container of delicious rice (seasoned with saffron, I think). This was at about 11 bucks, which is a pretty good value. This dish wasn't anything super special, but it was good and substantive.The bag of kac kac, which are soft, tasty Somali-style biscuits/cookies/donuts, was 2 dollars, and the bag of halwa, a sticky, gooey, fruity-tasting treat - similar to Chinese niangao (sticky rice cake) or Turkish delight - was 1 dollar.The kac kac were very delicious, and the halwa, although a small piece, was phenomenal. The osso buco was pretty good and tender, and I liked the rice a lot.All of this also came with a nice banana on top.Although I got take-out, the actual restaurant was nice, and they have a bookshelf full of interesting books about community empowerment (among other things - I saw a book about cardinals) right by the front door. Great atmosphere, and a friendly and helpful staff.If you live in Columbus and have been wondering where to find Somalian food, come here, and then come back to Morse road for more.Morse road is a treasure trove of ethnic food, and it's a shame to look past it.OVERALL: Great food, Lots of rice, Tasty, Cheap. Somali Food, nice atmosphere.

We LOVE this restaurant! So many yummy foods -- some of them really spicy hot. My husband likes the hottest, but I stick to the medium. The staff is so very nice, particularly the owner, Jamal (sp?). Yesterday was our third visit. Each time we are there he stops what he's doing to chat and offer suggestions, always adding a little extra (try this!). We had to tell him to make sure to charge us for the extras. The modestly priced meals, which include entree, also include soup, salad, rice (or one of a couple other choices), bottled water and fruit. We also bought 10 Samosas ($1 each, SO GOOD!). We have so far each had 2 meals and have at least another meal each left, and 6 more Samosas. Give it a try.

This restaurant is amazing. The lentil soup, goat and lamb family style dining is the way to go. The portions are huge and the meat melts in your mouth. The staff is friendly, courteous and helpful. Found it by accident while looking for the African Paradise Restaurant. Wish I had accidents like this every day. Prices are surprisingly low. We will be back.

This is one of the best restaurants in Columbus that I have visited. I love going to them. The food is so good! It's always fresh and seasoned well.

What a fantastic place. The owner, Ginvera, is was so hospitable.I went to lunch here yesterday with some clients and co-workers. We told Ginvera, "Just feed us what your family would like to eat, and keep it under $12 per person."What a feast. Goat, lamb, chicken, fish, rice, spaghetti, injera, Somali chai... everything was delicious, and we felt like we were dining at Ginvera's home.I thank God for the Somali community and for the way immigrants have saved the Northland corridor. Have lunch or dinner at Ginvera, and thank him warmly for being a part of something really good.

shitty restaurant. wouldn't recommend it. small portions and the staff are disrespectful

It was our first time having Somali/Mediterranean food, and overall we were pleasantly surprised. Every meal is served with what we believe was Chickpea Zucchini Soup before the meal and a banana after the meal. For our main course, we had a variety of chicken, lamb, and steak and either basmati rice or spaghetti, all of which were seasoned and cooked nicely. This was definitely a unique experience, and we are glad to have been able to try it.