I didn't realize how much I loved Greek cuisine until visiting Stella's! It was everything and more. I had the shrimp and roasted potatoes. The potatoes were to die for! They had a hint of lemon that took them over the edge. The shrimp was seasoned to perfection. The overall aesthetic of the restaurant was very clean and crisp. It's dimly lit which creates an intimate ambiance. read more

What an outstanding discovery! For an out-of-towner, stopping by Richmond and looking for a spot that had great reviews, good food for lunch, and easy parking, I couldn't help but wonder, how could this place be as good as the reviewers said, when it is in the middle of a residential area?? Well, the reviewers were spot on. We walk in, without a reservation, only to sit at the bar but i have NO complaints. The fresh bread, their own EVOO, friendly bartender, excellent classical Greek comfort food, and great value (compared to Washington, D.C. area prices). The moussakka had a silky-smooth mashed potato top layer. The lamb gyro is a must-try. read more

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Bluf: high prices. Good food & ambiance. Food (2/5): The prices have increased in the past year. The sampler, PIKELIA, also seemed to have different food in it. The green beans with marinara sauce was not there last time, and the plate doesn't need it. Cheapens the dish. I dont believe we got the kreatopita in it, though it was supposed to be in the sampler; we weren't told they didn't have it when ordered. I would have liked if they told me ahead of time so I'd order something else. Especially at $28. I also wish it had 2 of each vs 1 of some. If its a sampler, it should be able to split with at least 2 people, but you cannot split this anymore. The filet mignon was small but good. The New York strip was good but the potatoes were dry and inedible. The pasta #5 looked like a mess. People said the moussaka was good. Service (5/5): people hustlin' and bustlin', assisting customers, and boxing your food for you. They usually don't split checks because they're so busy, but our server was able to split our table (8 people) into 6 checks. It was so nice of him to do! We called ina reservation around 8pm and were seated by 9:15pm. Great service. Ambiance (5/5): clay pots with backlighting on the ceiling. Jason and the Argonauts playing on the wall. Silver stamped ceiling tiles. Mood lighting. Parking (5/5): free street parking. It's in a neighborhood, so there's plenty of street parking around the area. read more

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Went to Stella's for an anniversary dinner. Although it was a Tuesday, this place was packed. The atmosphere was beautiful on the interior. There is a large shared table towards the middle for patrons who don't mind a communal dining experience. Due to the large amount of people, the restaurant was a little loud. There was also greek classic movie being projected on the wall. The tables were really close to accommodate a large crowd, so the experience didn't feel quite "intimate". The cocktails were amazing. I got the Olympic and my partner a Stella. Stella offers bread made in house. It was basic but nice paired with the table olive oil. We ordered a variety of appetizers. The grilled octopus, rack of lamb, calamari, and scallops. The grilled octopus was slightly disappointing. It just tasted burnt. I travel extensively, and grilled octopus is my go-to. The octopus at Stella's tasted almost like lighter fluid/bitter. The octopus was tender and not chewy, which was a plus. The calamari (not to be confused with the Stella Special Calamari) was very basic. You do get a lot of calamari. Just calamari battered, fried, and served. No real personality. Now the saving grace with the Scallops and Rack of lamb. Both were tender and seasoned well. I dream about the scallops and lamb! I would go back to Stella's, but not on a frequent basis. The price adds up quickly. This is a good spot for a special occasion. Not if you're looking for a quiet, intimate location, though read more

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Soo happy to have stumbled upon this spot. The entire Stella's owned street that consists of a restaurant, boutique, and grocery is just adorable. The food was delicious and service was excellent. I highly recommend the No.5 pasta and artichoke moussaka. read more

Authentic Greek food. Huge helpings for many dishes, but not ours. Don't bother with the skimpy bread and olive oil before dinner. What is usually gratis is $10 here for 3 small slices of what tasted like Wonder Bread with a saucer of oil. Not flavorful or good. Our meal of lamb chops and phyllo pillows with tzatziki sauce was delicious. The baclava was dry and a few days old. Altogether a high and low meal that was pricey for what we got. I'd go back but would be more discriminating with my order. read more

I've been to Stella's a few times now and it's an absolute Richmond classic. You can't go wrong with anything you get, according to my family and friends. There are not extensive vegan options, but there are some! The Yia Yia skillet is my go to...and it's big & filling. The dolmades (without tzatziki) are delicious too. It can be tough to get a reservation, but absolutely worth planning for it! You won't be disappointed. read more

Stella's - Vegan yia yia skillet - Mediterranean Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

best restaurant in Richmond. We ordered the lamb lollypops and saganaki both are amazing. Wonderful layers of flavor and perfectly cooked. The decor and music makes you feel like you're in Greece. The service is always top notch with being attentive and upbeat. They really care about details and creat a warm atmosphere. Highly recommend this place! read more

The service was good, the issue was that the gyro meat was bland, my husband and I had to add so much salt, did they forget to season it, also the baklava was off, I love Greek food and I was expecting great things, but it was a big fail, I won't come again. read more

Stella's never disappoints. Atmosphere is always festive and pleasant. Waitstaff very friendly and knowledgeable. We enjoyed the Stella's calamari and dolmades. Calamari was perfectly cooked and the sauce it's served in is fantastic. My only downside to the meal was the dolmades. I knew they would be cold but it was so hard almost close to frozen. So for me it was not my favorite. We also got the leg of lamb and the rockfish. Both meals were very tasty. Lamb was cooked all the way through with no pink. Which tended to be a little dry and tough but the sauce that came with it made it. The Rockfish dinner was perfectly cooked. Definitely would eat that again. read more

I was extremely impressed by the service, ambiance and food. My drink came out and was fabulous. We had the lamb and potato appetizer and shared the chicken plate for dinner. After being blown away by both we decided to get dessert and boy am I glad we did. The baklava was delicious and so was the ice cream paired with it. We were lucky enough to get a table at the communal table walking in at 8:30pm. I did not realize how much of a fight it is to get a decent reservation time on a normal basis. I was inspired thinking back on this meal and thus I booked our yearly anniversary in 1.5 months to celebrate here next time. Can't go wrong here. read more

Stella's - BALKLAVA WITH ICE CREAM - Mediterranean Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Mousakka is my favorite. and it was very flavorful and satisfying here. The fried smelts were a first time try, it was ok but glad to test them out, the sauce that came with it was complimentary to the fishy critters OHMYgoodness the Lamb Frites were a nice surprise and so comfortably filling. Will be back! read more

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The decor? Love it. The menu? Super. The staff? Perfect. Can't be beat!! You should eat there often. read more

Excellent service and the food is always top notch. A constant favorite for out of town guest.

I'm not sure where to begin, Stella's exceeded my expectations. The service was outstanding, from the moment we walked in until we left the restaurant. They were very, very busy but the host still greeted us kindly and sat us at the communal table. Our server was top notch and made the experience that much more enjoyable. When leaving we were told good night by staff and given smiles on our way out the door. The restaurant itself is beautifully decorated inside. It was loud but the ambiance and music made it very calming and cozy regardless. Now the best part, the food/drinks! I ordered a whiskey drink (I cannot remember the name) but similar to an old fashioned. It was well balanced and definitely allowed the whiskey to shine through. 4/5 We started with the grilled octopus and it was delicious. The vinaigrette it was served with complemented it perfectly. 5/5 Finally the star of the night, the braised lamb shank. Cooked to perfection and the sauce *chefs kiss*. The noodles were surprisingly one of my favorite parts of the dish. Great portion and can be split between two people if paired with appetizers. 5/5 I will definitely be back! Highly recommend. read more

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Went to Stella's around the new year to celebrate. We showed up without a reservation, which I don't necessarily recommend, but we were seated wigging thirty minutes which I felt was totally fair for the time of year, time of day, and popularity of the restaurant. They have a gift shop next door so we were still able to wait and sip a cocktail if we wanted, surrounded by beautiful gifts and ambiance. We were seated at the community table which still had ample space for everyone. It's a warm and inviting space, but it's pretty loud. We ordered some cocktails and the tiropita and spanakopita as starters. They came out so hot and delicious. The tzatziki was incredible. The cocktails were tasty and so pretty. We both ordered moussaka as an entree. It is so fluffy and delicious. The béchamel was perfection. I can't wait for my next order! We will definitely be back. As a bonus our server was so thoughtful and warm and made the experience just that much more special. read more

Still delicious. Still my favorite spot in RVA. We tried a bunch of new things (we come so rarely nowadays, we usually stick with the same thing)...but know this: if Stella's has something on special, you should get it. They don't do anything wrong. Peach salad with figs and feta was delicious...halibut with shrimp and saffron risotto was delicious...the Stella's calamari is unlike any I've had before because it is NOT FRIED. Please don't change, Stella's. I've been loving you for a decade, celebrated a number of birthdays with you, and had my first date with my husband in your corner booth. read more

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Wegot the catch of the day, Greek salad, and hummus. Everything was delicious and the staff was super friendly. there is a reason this is a Richmond institution. read more

Stella's - Mediterranean Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Great friendly service and food. Large servings. Tasty Mediterranean fare. Had plenty to take home, too. read more

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My dear daughter and I went to Stella's late on a Tuesday afternoon. We were in Richmond for the day on a college visit and I wanted to get in a good lunch. Of course I went right to Yelp to see what is good in town. Stella's is in a residential neighborhood with a cute storefront and a gorgeous interior. Stella's has some of the best Greek food I have had in a long time. We started out with spanakopita. Wow. Light, crispy, flakey perfectly cooked with a lovely fresh spinach with morsels of feta and a bit of red pepper. And it comes with a tzatziki sauce that makes you want to lick the plate and so you don't miss a drop. I got the Cypriot salad with lamb and my DD got the artichoke moussaka. The salad included baby arugula, shaved fennel with pistachios and roasted white grapes and grilled halloumi. I added the lamb. All the veggies were perfect. Pistachio vinaigrette topped it off wonderfully. The lamb was thinly sliced and perfectly seasoned. The only disappointing part of the dish was the halloumi. It was over done and a bit hard to cut. Otherwise a perfect dish. The artichoke moussaka was divine. The bottom was a layer of potato with cheese and cream and artichokes layered to the top. The top layer of cheese was light and nicely browned. We ended with Greek coffee. It is similar to Turkish coffee but not as strong or thick. We got it with light sugar and it was a lovely after meal drink. All the pics were after we had already dug in, so pardon the partial portions. We both loved the food and atmosphere. We can't wait to go back next time we are in Richmond. read more

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I was over the moon when we were able to get a table at Stella's for a last minute dinner before leaving Richmond. This place came highly recommended by friends and wow am I glad we listened. Everything we ordered was incredible. For mezze, we ordered octopus, flaming cheese, zucchini fritters, and a classic Greek salad. All were outstanding but if I had to choose 2, I would say my top were zucchini fritters and octopus. For entrees, we ordered Stella's filet mignon, Braised lamb shank No. 5 pasta, and the rockfish special. The filet was perfectly cooked and the sauce was decadent and delicious. The No. 5 pasta is perfect for sharing with a group, it was so flavorful and we had lots of leftover which tasted better the next day. My husband said the rockfish was one of the best he's ever had. It came with a delicious orzo mixed with spinach and mushroom. There was nothing that we tried that we didn't love. I would place the same order again and again. Can't wait to come back to Stella's. The service and our waiter Kona were also amazing! read more

All the Greek dishes are wonderful! My sister got a side of beet salad and it was enough for 3 people & it was delicious! The take out food from the store is vey good, but not as good an experience as dining I ! read more

Food and drinks were delicious. Got seated in the corner, which was really unfortunate because of the bench/chair corner-combo. Considering it was lunch and there were entire sections unseated, I feel like they could've not used the corner spot, but everything tasted delicious and we will definitely be back. read more

I have been going to Stella's for many years starting back in the late 80's. For years it was my absolute favorite place to have dinner! While they have some amazing food, the dish that I have always gotten was definitely lacking in the normal quality. In addition, the Avgolemeno soup was not even close to what it was before. The Dolmas were hard and appeared to be out of a can, nothing like the soft homemade delicious ones that Stella made. The service was fine. It is crowded and loud, so not the best for having conversations. Drinks are overpriced along with many of the dishes. It's just not the same experience that it was for so many years. My husband's pasta was amazing, so I'm not saying that our dinner was bad, but overall my last few experiences have not been nearly as wonderful as they were in the past. I am less likely to be back any time soon. read more

An excellent gem in this neighborhood, certainly a destination in and of itself. The vibe of the restaurant is very elegant, and the service and menu are upscale. I've tried many items on the menu, but I typically order whatever the server recommends. Highly recommend reservations or getting their at opening for a bar seat. read more

Went to Stella's last Friday for lunch.. it never disappoints...but go with friends so you can order multiple meals to share. There is so much on their menu, but the portions are so big that you can only order one... the octopus appetizer is AMAZING! my friend, who had never had octopus told me she wanted to order it. Well, I almost fell off my seat, but was so happy that she loved it also. the fresh bread, and olive oil is so good perfect to go with your whole meal. For my lunch I ordered the KREATOPITA SPICED GROUND BEEF, A BLEND OF GRATED CHEESE & BECHAMEL, WRAPPED IN PHYLLO, SERVED WITH TZATZIKI so good and good the next day! My friend ordered the PAN SEARED SALMON SERVED WITH SPANAKORIZO That's was sooo good ! And for dessert we ordered Baklava .. it was a CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT WITH SALTED CARAMEL GELATO... to be honest, I was disappointed there was no traditional baklava, and if it wasn't for the gelato, this baklava was very dry. The wines were great with everything we ordered! I can't wait to go again read more

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Stella's is on everyone's RVA restaurant bucket list and I now know why!!! It was hard to get a reservation but I managed to snatch a spot for dinner on a weekday. Despite a little hiccup with our orders, my entire party was truly impressed by the quality of their food! -We started with a mushroom saganaki which featured very flavorful mushroom with gooey cheese. The flame on top of the cheese definitely brought a wow factor. The accompanying pita bread was pretty soft too! -The grilled octopus pieces were wayyy larger than expected but it was cooked so nicely that it was tender throughout with great seasoning. -The Cypriot salad was a nice surprise as well! Very much enjoy the slightly sweet grilled grapes in the setting of a savory mixture involving Arugula, shaved fennel, halloumi cheese, pistachios. -The spanakopita was very crispy and had a good generous amount of spinach/cheese filling. It was surprisingly filling especially with their tzatziki. -I'd highly recommend the chocolate walnut baklava as every bit was filled with crispy phyllo with lots of crunchy walnut and a hint of chocolate sauce. Paired it with the sea salted cgelato with honey and halva and it turned out fantastic! Unfortunately our waiter forgot 2 of our orders but we definitely had enough food. He was extremely apologetic about it so dessert was on the house. While the environment was super cute with lots of fairy lights and accented candles, it was a little hard to see inside and the wait for our food was a little longer than expected. I knew I was gonna enjoy the food but taste definitely exceeded my expectations! read more

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while the food was great and my first bartender was very good, the service here was just awful... several servers giving snide comments and giving off pretentious vibes... bartenders bragging about how they were out of ingredients to make espresso martinis so they wouldn't have to make them for patrons... this place should not be on the chase sapphire reserve list. read more

Food was incredible, even the bread was to die for. Our waitress was lovely. We were sat at the community table where we still felt like we could enjoy ourselves and the people around us. The inside is beautiful, with great drinks, staff, and clean all around. 10/10, I can't wait to return read more

Stella's - Mediterranean Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I believe, she is one of the best restaurants in the US. Food, dim lit ambiance, atmosphere and customer service *chef's kiss*. Walked in on a Fri night with no resi, but was able to get a seat for 2 at the communal table. Huge table in the middle as if we had our own space. We got water seconds later and our waiter came by about 10 mins after. It gave us time to look over the menu and enjoy the decor. We ordered shrimp Santorini, NY strip and their Satorini cocktail for 2. The drink was strong and tasty. It comes in a 16 oz bottle and serves at least 4 glasses. The food! I really enjoyed each dish. The shrimps were huge and the flavors of the tomato sauce with the feta, I truly felt comfort while eating it. Almost a perfect bite each time. Not salty just flavorful. NY strip was grilled and charred medium rare with compound butter served on top. It tasted amazing. Very fulfilling. I feel I got what my husband paid for . Yes we are paying to eat, but sometimes you also have to pay for the experience too. This has 1st or 2nd date supremacy written all over it. Thank you Stella's for an amazing date night out with the hubs. Cheers read more

Stella's - Shrimp Santorini - Mediterranean Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Rustic neighborhood restaurant on Lafayette st. Incredibly popular place that needs advanced reservations. They offer small plates as well as full entrees of Greek fare with a modern twist. We ordered mushroom saganaki, grilled octopus, taramasalata, lamb gyro, with some Greek coffee and dessert (forgot the name) .... Not done with review, wanted to post pictures read more

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There is a reason this place has reservations booked months in advance... BUT, don't let that keep you away. They allow walk ins to sit at the bar and their community table. We showed up at 6 on a Tuesday night, and there happened to be a cancellation so we were seated immediately. This restaurant is beautiful and truly a dining experience. Drinks: We did the Santorini for 2. I was thrown off when they brought it out in essentially a plastic water bottle, but it did not disappoint. The drink was not too sweet and plenty strong! Appetizers: we started with the octopus and the special, which was 6 baked oysters with spinach, cheese, and breadcrumbs. The octopus was light and fresh. The consistency was great, and it had a nice charred flavor to it. The oysters were a DELICACY. They were a little on the sweeter side, but absolutely delicious. Main course: we split the moussaka and the Cypriot salad. We were underwhelmed when we saw what the moussaka looked like, but one bite and we thickly took back our judgements. The flavors were out of this world--highly recommend. The salad was also incredible and a generous portion. If you like halloumi and pistachios, you'll love this salad. Can't wait to come back to Stella's! read more

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Perfect service , the waitress was a professional. We enjoyed the sea bass and roasted chicken . To die for if your a local and haven't been quit wasting time . I love the decor and elevated aesthetic. Oh and they got weihenstapher ( spell check me ) the oldest beer in the world . You can't beat that read more

Stella's is the best restaurant in Richmond. It is an experience you do not want to miss! My partner and I have been to the restaurant many times for special occasions such as birthday, new job, and closing in our home. I hope to continue to have wonderful memories in my life associated with a celebratory dinner at Stella's. First thing to note about this place is the portion size - they are large. My three suggestions to navigate this are 1. come with a group of friends/family to share plates with (then you can taste more delicious food) 2. focus on ordering small plates to share till you are full 3. arrive very very hungry. We tend to only order small plates - Saganaki and a dip plate (Hummus, Tabouli, and Tzatziki). After just these two items we are always very full. We only ordered an entree to share when it was a table of four of us and we still had a bunch to take home. Their cocktails are fruitful and tasteful. The Saint Sophia is the perfect drink for warm days. The Santorini bottle (cocktail for two) is delicious and a great value. I highly recommend these two drinks. This would be a great place just to sit at the bar and have drinks. Stella's is very popular and has small amount of seating. If you want to get seated without a reservation come early when they open and you should be able to sit at the bar or common table. We have done this every time and there has been little to no wait. Reservations are booked weeks in advance. Their staff is amazing! Professional, friendly and helpful. I have seen the same staff members every time I come. They small yet mighty. Enjoy your Stella's experience. Cheers! read more

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My boyfriend and I decided to go to Stella's for takeout after a movie date. The service was wonderful and the atmosphere was amazing as always. We sat at the bar and had a drink while we waited for our takeout order of meatballs, a classic Greek salad, and the rockfish special. I've never had a negative experience at Stella's. There is a reason that it is one of the top restaurants in Richmond. I always forget about it as a recommendation when my parents come to visit, but I will definitely be taking them to Stella's next time. When we got home, our food was perfectly packaged, even the side of marinara my bf had to have for his meatballs. Everything was absolutely delicious, especially the risotto that came with the rockfish special. read more

Wow wow wow. We love a good Mediterranean joint and this place is great. One of the best. Wow oops I said that already. Ok so we opened with bread and olive oil. The bread is sooo good you can make a meal out of it. We then had hummus and pita and these meatball things. Both are ridiculous. The meatball is a mixture of beef and lamb. Incredible flavor and great The Greek salad is a great classic Greek salad. The no5pasta is crazy different. Cinnamon and nutmeg. Really on pasta? But it works so much. And it's huge servings. This place is amazing. We will be back. read more

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I'll start by saying something my husband and I say too much when discussing Stella's- "we had our wedding reception here"-that in it of itself should show how we feel about Stella's. If we have the ability to go on a date night Stella's is almost always my choice or one of their grocery locations. I always get one of the fish specials which is incredible. One of the draws of Stella's is it's intimate setting. It's perfect for a date night. Ambient lighting, Greek films playing as you dine. It's lovely. Somehow the tight seating does not impact the experience. My personal recommendation is to have dinner and drinks here and then cross the street to the grocery location for dessert and a coffee. read more

I'm going to keep this review short and sweet. I have nothing but good things to say about Stella's. My husband and I enjoy it every time we come in. The ambience is phenomenal and the waiters are extremely knowledgeable. The food is incredible (make sure you get the Feta Phyllo and Octopus). Can't say enough good things! read more

The family behind Stella's has been making Greek food for the people of Richmond since 1956. Over the years, they've expanded with two markets in RVA, a boutique shop and a restaurant in Charleston. After a weekend trip to RVA, Stella's takes the cake for best meal. Here's why: 1) Food: The menu is aggressively large with a wide range of options from appetizers like hummus to full on meals like bone-in New York strip. It's helpful to know what to order and your server can guide you. Here's what we ordered that were outstanding- 1) Roasted beets- the best we've ever had, 2) Saganaki, 3) Pikelia 24- perfect for a sampling of items and 4) Pastichio- this was too sweet for my housemates, but I savored every bite. 2) Drinks: It's a small, yet mighty cocktail list. I ordered the mulled wine and it was delicious. 3) Space: Going during the pandemic, the inside has tables spread out at a safe distance and they even turned the boutique next door (they own it) into an additional dining space. They have sidewalk seating out with a pop-up tent covering and plenty of heaters keeping you very warm. 4) Service: It was exceptional from the host to the server to the owner. They make you feel like family and are attentive. One of the best dining experiences you'll have in RVA! read more

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Truly cannot say enough good things about this place- from the sweet and accommodating hostess to the knowledgeable and sharp server. Every single dish we got was amazing and the portions are the perfect size to share! Will 100% go out of my way to travel back to VA just for Stella's. read more