Yum! Love, love, love this place. When I worked downtown I would go there for lunch. Great sandwiches, salads, soup is awesome. Highly recommend it. read more

Oh. My. Goodness. This place was so freaking amazing. This has to have been one of the best restaurants I have been to in RVA yet. It's a cute little "hole in the wall" type restaurant and the quality of the food was incredible. When we first got there we were greeted by a very friendly waitress. There was lovely music playing in the background and we arrived kind of late so there were only a couple of other groups of people there. We were seated and given a menu with about 10 different entrees to choose from, which I really like because I'm pretty indecisive. I ordered the mediterranean short stacks, which was an entree that came with 2 perfectly pan seared crab cake shaped piles of heavenly goodness that had scallops, shrimp, and crab in them. They were perfect and made with very fresh ingredients and drizzled with the most perfect lemon-dill aioli and they were served with potatoes and green beans. SO much AMAZING food. My boyfriend got the meatloaf entree which was also heavenly. I especially enjoyed this cabbage side dish that came with his entree that tasted like it was cooked in red wine. The only things that I was disappointed about were: 1. My phone died so I didn't get to take a picture of the beautifully presented food. 2. That I didn't come here sooner! All in all, this place was downright amazing. It's a little pricey but you definitely get your money's worth, the chefs really know what they are doing and they use high quality ingredients. I recommend this to anyone who is looking for an absolutely delicious sit down meal with entrees to choose from that are European-esque and kind of upscale. Perfect for a romantic and somewhat fancy date! read more

I went here for brunch and I just wasn't thrilled. My friend and I were the only people in here and it took 40 minutes for our food to come out. I ordered a Diet Coke and was given the can, which tells me no free refills. My eggs benedict was pretty bland, but not terrible. I just wasn't wowed by this place at all. My friend got the benedict that has the crab and shrimp, she said it was alright but could use some more flavoring. All in all, I don't think I'd return. read more

Cafe Rustika - Benedict and a side of bacon. - German Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

We walked in around 9:30 on a Friday evening and we were seated right away, there was only one waitress working and she was very nice. For drinks we ordered a beer and a glass of wine and for dinner we shared the mesclun salad and the Non Nuotare Piu (pan seared salmon with parsnip cream sauce and fried shallots over smashed potatoes and asparagus). While we waited we saw our waitress walking around and helping others and I started to wonder when we would get our drinks- we had driven through a very bad storm that afternoon and I really wanted a glass of wine to take the edge off. Eventually, the waitress looked over and realized she had forgotten our drinks- she apologized and was very nice about it. Our salad was good, the dressing was nice and light. However, I wasn't crazy about our entree- I found the sauce to be a little too heavy and the potatoes didn't taste great to me either. The bread we were served also wasn't very good. Since I was really hungry I still managed to eat half the entree and a couple pieces of bread. I don't live in Richmond, nor do I visit very often, but I would give this place another try if I find myself in the area again. read more

What a joy! We drove to Richmond to see the Awaken exhibit at VFAM and went to Cafe Rustika on the recommendation of a friend. What a great friend! This place is all about the schnitzel. Husband got the one with lemon sauce and I got the Jagger schnitzel. SO yum! Because I really wanted the German Mac and Cheese, we ordered the entree and ate part of it there and brought the rest home. It was decadent. I think the sleeper on the menu is the fried potatoes on the sides menu. They were like angel wings. Crispy in the outside but light and fluffy on the inside. Sauerkraut was excellent...I'd skip the potato salad and red cabbage, but I'm used to the kind my mother in law made. Still tasty, but not like her's. Wish they had more selection on the beers, but I understand more is coming. They have a nice basic selection of German favorites. I would definitely return...I'd even make the hour and a half drive again just to eat here. The service was excellent and a shout out to the chef's Mom who makes the bread. I wish we could pick some up for Christmas Eve. They were outstanding. read more

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The food was really amazing and the atmosphere was great. Small place especially now since social distancing so seating is first come basis. The schnitzel was moist and not dried out. Freshly prepared, you can hear chef in back pounding it to make thin. read more

I've been to Cafe Rustica twice, both on Friday nights around 7 pm. Like any restaurant this is the peak time for seating and you will be waiting at least 45 - 60 minutes to be seated - so set expectations appropriately. There isn't much to do other than stand in the doorway, but the hostess was good about recognizing us immediately and bringing us drink menus. The atmosphere is very cozy with booths (crafted from old doors - nice touch!) lining one wall, the other side has a bar that runs the length of the restaurant. A few small tables are by the front window. The food is a highlight here, described as European Comfort Food; where else can you get a Rinsrouladen (German dish consisting of pork cutlets rolled around a pickle with mustard and topped with a delicious sauce) in Richmond? They also have a wonderful leg of lamb, pork schnitzel, and various other warm and inviting dishes. We also started our meal with a savory (not sweet) cheesecake served with crackers, absolutely delicious. For dessert I highly recommend the grilled poundcake with lemon filling and strawberries - very unique and so good we had it again on the second visit. I do have to subtract 1 star for the service. Both times we experienced very long waits between courses and infrequent checks for more water, no follow-up on how our food was, etc. It seemed like staff was inadequate both times. We noticed another table with bread served, and asked our waiter if we could have some. His reply ("Oh, you want bread?) was hilarious only in retrospect, aggravating at the time. If you have the patience to see beyond these small inconveniences be prepared to be wowed by truly unique food and a nice cozy dining experience. read more

We made our first - but definitely not only - visit to this wonderful restaurant last night. It was a rainy, miserable night outside, but inside it was warm, friendly and comfortable. The restaurant is very small, so make reservations if you can. As for the food - outstanding. I had the spinach salad, my wife had a delicious salad as well. They were fresh with crisp, clean tastes. The main course for both of us was schweinschnitzel. It had a panko breading and it was amazing. The portion was huge, the meat was tender - for me it was a 10+. The side of spätzle was different than we have had before - I think it was pan fried to a bit of a crunch. It was unique and delicious. We also shared awn almond & bleu cheese risotto that had a wonderful flavor. There was no room left for dessert, but there were several tempting possibilities. Service was friendly and just attentive enough without being intrusive. Be prepared for a meal that takes 90 minutes or more for ordering to check. If you want food fast, this is probably not the place for you. But, if you want a great meal, prepared carefully - not with a stopwatch - then give this place a try. read more

Been there several times now. Enjoyed the German beer on tap, German food as well. Mike makes the place fun and makes you want to be there. Keep up the good service and food! read more

Excellent schnitzel, spaetzel, cabbage, and beer at a reasonable price; what's not to like? Dive bar comfortable feel with good eats. Recommended... read more

As others have said this is not a strictly German restaurant but the dishes are inspired by both German and Spanish cuisine. (Note. It is not some sort of German-Spanish fusion restaurant) Other European cuisine is represented as well. The food is fresh, well put together comfort food with a European charm. I had the (something in german) pot roast. It was served in an iron skillet dish with a nice sour cream based gravy, roasted diced potatoes with bacon, and a mix of zucchini and squash. Nothing elaborate just delicious warm food. To sum it up, Cafe Rustica is a wonderful restaurant where the food and the atmosphere are reflections of one another. read more

This place is wonderful. Friendly staff, fantastic food with generous portions, great beer/wine menu. One of our "happy places"!

Well...we were there for over 45 min after ordering food that we never received. Never saw any food come out of the kitchen but for to go orders. I don't doubt the food was good. But the wait was horrible. After a 35 min wait fir a table then 45 min for food...we gave up. read more

You might not think much of this place just walking by, but it's a hidden gem! Small place but amazing food!!! Everything is so fresh and tasty, and beautifully presented. The hummus platter comes with delicious house made bread, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, feta....must try this! Ballerina Salad is delish, and Mediterranean Short Stack (salad with two seafood/crab cakes) is to die for!!!! read more

Cafe Rustika - Mediterranean Short Stack- must try!!!!! - German Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I love this place--great for a reasonably priced lunch. The portion sizes are reasonable for what you pay. I'm a huge fan of their grilled cheese. My only gripe is that one time I ordered the sandwich and it was served with blue cheese even though the menu didn't list it as an ingredient. Not enough to keep me from coming back, though. Service is good and the atmosphere is cozy. Arrive early if you want a table for lunch! read more

Classic German food like I remember when living there. Small rustic place with very friendly and helpful staff. Food and drink menu were authentic. Speciality is Schnitzel. Black Forest cake was delightful. Looking forward to a return visit. read more

Stopped by for dinner and the Schnitzel and potato salad were outstanding! Crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside---on par with schnitzel houses in Germany. After we ordered, we could hear the chef freshly pounding the schnitzel in the kitchen. Prices were reasonable and the waiter was as friendly as they come! Plus German beer! We are already planning a 2 hr drive from dc to eat here again. read more

This place is a really good lunch destination ... but only if you've got about an hour to kill. Service is quick but the food delivery is slow. But, when it does arrive, it is worth the wait. I've never had a bad dish here and I doubt I ever will. As long as you're happy to wait a while (in excess of 30 minutes) for your meal, you won't leave disappointed. read more

I felt like I was in an episode of the twilight zone. Sat there for 45 minutes and only saw 2 plates of food brought out from the kitchen. When the waitress was asked how much longer our food would take her response was there are 2 tables ahead of you (a table of 6 and a table of 4). If you do the math we would have been having breakfast there. It's a shame because the 2 plates of food that were brought out looked good. read more

Sam, John, Nicole, Noah and the entire Rustica Family made our Richmond, VA wedding more special than we could have ever imagined. Having had many memorable and delectable dining experiences in this cozy, stylish and friendly restaurant, we knew that we would not be disappointed serving our rehearsal dinner here at Cafe Rustica. The dishes were divine.. obviously prepared with love and attention to every detail. The service was warm and casual, yet professional and prompt. We are delighted to share such great memories with the Yelp community. Do not hesitate to come and enjoy a meal here. Everything on the creative menu is splendid. Thank You, Cafe Rustica!! read more

Best German food in the United States hands down. This is the closest authentic German food you can get without actually traveling to Germany. read more

Cafe Rustika - German Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

We enjoyed a delicious German dinner on January 9. We ordered Jagerschnitzel with a variety of sides. The meat was delicious with a light bread crumb coating and a creamy gravy with mushrooms. Each side was authentic German fare.The prices were good and the server was attentive. The restaurant is small and there's not a lot of atmosphere, but we will come back! read more

Über impressive!!! A small downtown RVA restaurant that seems rather unassuming! With a bathroom upstairs and dark lighting, the food will bring you straight to your German roots and remind you of grandma's cooking. It's easily worth the stop. Das ist gut!!! read more

Café Rustica sits beside Hollywood Cemetery Apparel, and I never paid any attention to it. But one day after climbing Main Street (it was the summer, and the 84 wasn't running from MCV -_-;) I saw it- and made sure to put it on my list of food places to try out. I loved the look of the restaurant, and the staff was really nice. Our waiter took the time to explain anything we had questions about and also let us know that a lot of the food was freshly cooked in the morning by a chef's mom. I chose the Grilled Fromage, which was a little more tangy than what I was used to, but still tasty. I also got the Potage du Jour (I don't remember specifically what it was) and it was pretty good, but I wouldn't order it again. Because the waiter accidentally messed up one of our orders, he didn't charge us for that entrée. I thought that was very kind of him to do that. I think it could be likely that I'd return to Café Rustica. read more

Best German food I've ever had. And I lived in Germany for 3 years! Ok, maybe I was a toddler then, but do yourself a favor and go. Schnitzel, spaetzle, red cabbage all amazing. Great German beers too! Big portions, great staff, you can tell they take pride in their food. We lingered and never felt rushed. Left with boxes because dessert was a must. read more

Another diamond in the rough. On a Sunday night, looking for dinner, and hoping to avoid a bar, we found Cafe Rustica. Very surprising again that for 7:30 pm, the restaurant was about 1/3 the way full. We knew, by way of their website, that they had a $15 three course dinner. As I said, we arrived and were seated in a booth. The restaurant was very cozy and had a very old world home type feel to it. We opted for respective glasses of wine. Fyi, it appeared they only offer wine and beer. The menu consisted of 2 choices for the first and second courses with one choice of dessert. I started with the cabbage and chorizo soup, while the girl ordered the salad (which I do not remember at all). The soup was fantastic - hearty but light, salty yet smooth. We both ordered the chicken which turned out to be 1/2 a whole chicken. It was cooked great - very juicy and tender. The herb rub was something like oregano, garlic, basil etc. The other option was a risotto with Gorgonzola. While I might have ordered this if I were in the mood for a blue cheese, I was looking for something a bit more familiar. The dessert was called a blueberry cheesecake. It was a very thin light cheese cake with a graham cracker crust. There was a general lack of blueberry flavor but it was made up for with the chocolate sauce. Very delicious and a great end to the meal. I will definitely be back. read more

This place BLOWS!!!! It was empty when we arrived!! Basically this place is for snooty people what want to pay for overpriced food to feel that they have truly experienced an gastronomic orgasm!!! not!!!! I couldn't get pass the fact that the guy told us when we arrived!!! That they went serving dinner yet at 4pm but offered a short menu of snooty appetizers and pickled veggies!!!!! Really.......seacrest out!!!!!. read more

Awesome lunch. There were 6 adults and 2 two kids. The waitress was nice and food was great. The food took longer than expected for lunch, but well worth it. Not a single complaint from our party. We had crab cakes, pizza, tomato and black bean soup, house salad, fried pork sandwich. Would go again if in Richmond. read more

We went for lunch on a friday, the place is small so we felt lucky to grab a table. They seemed to be doing a lot with local foods as all of their specials featured hanover tomatoes. My quiche was a little bit smaller than I'd have liked, but the gazpacho was delicious. Very reasonably priced too. read more

Every now and then you come across a meal that is a revelation - a perfect combination of color, flavor, and texture - and the Mediterranean Shortcakes this evening was all of that and more. Cafe Rustica was a wonderful discovery just a few blocks walk from my hotel in Richmond. I recommend it highly. I wish there were more than 5 stars. read more

The atmosphere is very minimal in a great way. Food was amazing.... I had the Pastrami Panini and let's talk about the bread. Homemade everyday. read more

HEADS UP! This isn't a "German" restaurant! I almost didn't go here because it's classified as "German" (nothing against German cuisine, it's just a fave) but later learned is incorrectly classified. It's definitely kinda-Euro (almost all the wines on the wine list are from various parts of Europe) but I'd say the food was just delicious, seasonal, fresh food. We started with the cheese plate which was awesome. Served with reduced maple gastrique, olives, and another jam of some sort...very delicious. And so inexpensive! Great toasty bread that came with the cheese plate too. The value was incredible (maybe because we were eating in Richmond and not DC). We shared a European Rose which was delicious and inexpensive (the whole wine menu was really inexpensive). We then shared two apps for our meal. The special salad was sooo delicious and simple...greens with canteloupe and toasted almonds and an incredibly delicious dressing. This, along with the cheese plate, was the highlight of the meal. We also shared the mussels, which were pretty good but were a little undercooked (better than overcooked I suppose). The atmosphere was cozy and warm and we were thrilled to have found it! Highly recommend and would most definitely come back if I'm in the area again. read more

Young adults beware: this restaurant doesn't want you here. The food is good, but the service is decidedly not! The waitress was quite rude to my fiancee and me. She left the table abruptly after listing the specials. My mouth was literally open, and I was about to order when she turned around without a word to us. There was no, "Excuse me a moment," or any other polite nicety. She turned to converse with other patrons and then ask the table behind us for their order. It was a long time before she came back to take our orders. Throughout our entire visit, she never smiled at us, never asked us how we were doing, and never asked how the food was. She made us feel very unwelcome in the restaurant. All the other customers seemed to be over 50 years old, and the waitress was warm and friendly towards all of them. My fiancee and I are in our early 30's, and she was incredibly cold and rude towards us. Young adults beware: this restaurant apparently doesn't want you here. read more

This is one of my go to places for Sunday brunch. Quaint little place, friendly service and great food. French toast is a must (comes with potatoes). Also try the chicken panini, which comes with an incredible potato salad (even though i'm not a fan of potato salad). If you into quiche, try their special quiche with brie. If you have room for dessert, get the chocolate mousse, which comes in a gold cup that looks like the holy grail. read more

My job allows me to eat around the world pretty regularly and I must admit this is such a unique gem that I had to leave a review. Quite and relaxed atmosphere, wonderful lunch prices and everything done to perfection. I had the short stack after seeing it was a popular choice around me and it was absolutely wonderful. I will be back read more

Worth the trip, would absolutely visit again!!! Quaint little spot with limited seating so unless arriving when open, definitely reserve a table. Waitress was friendly and attentive, and the food was absolutely delicious!!! read more

Very unique menu. Small but interesting and comfortable decor centered around a bar seating area. I ordered something i ain't never had: salmon hash. Served on a sizzling black flat iron, it includes two well done sunny side eggs and a slice of baguette. Very well executed in a big man-sized portion. Next time i will substitute beef or pork and rye toast, just cause i like that more. My friends ordered a french dip and soup and salads, all of which looked great. Price is very reasonable. I will return! read more

Oh man! Homemade spaetzle? Really? I've never seen that in a German restaurant in this country, but there they are. And they're good! So are the homemade bratwurst and homemade brotchen. We had lunch but we'll be back for dinner. Soon. read more

EXCELLENT in every way except for seating, a little too cozy, but forgot about that when the food arrived! This is the real deal when it comes to German food. Service and food was outstanding, reservations are not a bad idea since the restaurant is very small. I can't wait to go back! read more

I'd give it two stars, but their cozy atmosphere, friendly wait staff, and the Mediterranean Short Stack saved it a star. I went with a penne bolognese special and wasn't too overly impressed with it. Our food took nearly 45 minutes to arrive at the table from the time we ordered, too. The wine list is extensive, although I didn't dabble in it. This definitely isn't a place I'd go out of my way to visit, but it was in close proximity to the concert we were seeing later in the evening, and decided to give it a shot. The concert began at 7, and we were sat at 5:45. Needless to say, we didn't get to the concert on time. read more