A Global Take on Local Food
Articles - Business Feature

by: Allison AbdelnourIMG_0339

If you have not had the opportunity to drive up Hwy 24 through Buena Vista lately, you might be somewhat surprised the next time you do by a building you inevitably will see on the west side of the road. At first sight of the cheerful and eclectic building it’s hard to imagine that the place had once been the scene of a gas station. Built 60 years ago by BV old-timer, Jake Foreman, the current very colorful iteration of this structure now houses the Global Garage consignment shop as well as the newly opened Global Café.  Owner Cristina Canazares remarks, “He stops in and loves what we did with it.  Many of his grand daughters are customers/consignors of ours.”

When you first walk in the door of the Global Café, you immediately are taken by how fresh and open the room feels. Tables full of cheerful friends are gathered to chat while enjoying wine, lattes, and delicious entrées. One lookIMG_0325 at the menu and your mouth begins to water. Of the cuisine, Executive Chef Andrea Bartone says “Really it's California Cuisine which basically means using the freshest, seasonal ingredients (sourced locally when possible) to create healthy fare that incorporates Global Cuisine with French cooking techniques.”

With a considerable resume that includes culinary school at Baltimore International College, Andrea got her_MG_9292 start in Napa Valley as a catering chef and was the Executive Chef of Franciscan Estates (now called Icon Estates) for six years and encompassed six different winery estates (Franciscan, Mt. Veeder, Ravenswood, Veramonte, Estancia & Quintessa).  She was also the Hospitality Manager at Ravenswood Winery in Sonoma for two years and worked as the Exec Chef at the Fritz Alpine Bistro in Keystone for three years.GlobalMenu

With a resume like that, one can expect great things! Breakfast, lunch or dinner, treats all of your senses to an endless amount of savory delights. Andrea’s favorite dish is the shoulder tenderloin of beef and the seafood linguine, but you can’t go wrong with anything you try.

“So, how did the concept of café mixed with consignment shop come into being?” you might ask. Cristina Canazares, one of the co-owners of Global Garage said, “Cullen (the other co-owner) hates to go shopping with the girls, he is always looking for a place to hang out. Then we thought, hey shop and eat or hang out. The guys will earn tons of "make the momma happy points,” ‘Honey, go shop and I will hang here and have an Iced Mocha and surf the web.’” The Global Café mantra: “gourmet food without gourmet prices, healthy food and healthy portions.”

You can visit their website at www.globalgarage.org, for more information. Their hours are 10am – 9pm so if you are traveling through BV and need a place for a great bite to eat, give it a whirl.


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