BRIEFS Sulfonated mesoposous carbons efficiently catalyze the glycosylation of various monosaccharides with alkyl alcohols. Display omitted •Sulfonated mesoporous carbons exhibit high catalytic performances in the glycosylation of glucose with fatty alcohols.•Mesoporous channel improved the glycosylation rate of carbohydrates, thus limiting the side formation of humins.•Limiting the formation of humins concomitantly limit the deactivation rate of the catalyst which was successfully recycled.•Sulfonated mesoporous carbons was found applicable from different carbohydrates and different alkyl alcohols.•Space time yields of the Fischer glycosylation reactions are in line with the industrial requirements of the field. Herein we investigated the catalytic performances of sulfonated mesoporous carbons in the glycosylation of carbohydrates with alkyl alcohols. Catalytic performances were compared to common solid acid catalysts previously reported for this reaction. Under optimized conditions, the targeted alkyl glycosides were obtained in 85% yield, together with a turn over frequency and a space time yield higher than those of the best heterogeneous catalysts reported so far in such reaction. Furthermore, the presence of mesoporous channels significantly lowered the deactivation rate of the catalyst in comparison to a non-porous sulfonated carbon.