Latest Reviews
-
Small place with a large heart. Dont let the rustic looks of this place or its small size fool you. You can always have a good quality meal at Cafe Ru…
Shawn
Cafe Rustica
-
Great evening, great food. We needed a restaurant UR and VCU graduation weekend. Our usual haunts were booked, so we started searching the Web and stu…
Therockkwells
Cafe Rustica
-
Aweful food and service. I must say this restaurant is overated and Richmond once again dissapointed with it's sub standard diners...…
Sriram.tanik
Cafe Rustica
About
Cafe Rustica serves European and German. Incorrect or missing information? Make a report, or claim the restaurant if you own it!Details
Feature List
wifiReviews
Leave a Review
You must be logged in to post a comment.
10 Reviews on “Cafe Rustica”
Just had the best dinner at cafe Rustica…my risotto was to die for…complimented w a really nice organic merlot…all four if us in our party could not have been happier…wish I live closer to eat there more often. Prices also so reasonable!!!!!
Amazing food. If you’re fortunate enough to be within walking distance for lunch, do yourself a favor and head on over. Even if it’s a little pricier than the average lunch venue, it is well worth the investment to sample their dishes. Most of their ingredients are locally sourced and incredibly fresh and good quality. I have sampled almost every item on the lunch menu (and dinner too) so I am confident in saying there isn’t a bad dish on the menu.The food has a bit of a German influence to most of the dishes which certainly makes a nice change from the average venue. There’s a good selection of beers, amazing food (surprise, surprise) and friendly staff. As long as you’re willing to wait a little (it can take a while to be delivered) and enjoy your time there, it cannot be recommended enough.
Good food- HORRIBLE SERVICE. I’ve eaten at Cafe Rustica twice. The first time I went to dine in for lunch. We placed our orders almost as soon as we sat down. There were maybe 6 other people there, most of them already eating. We waited for 55 minutes to get our food and eventually had to ask our server to box it to go so we wouldn’t be late returning to work. There was absolutely no reason it should have taken that long — we all ordered salads and it wasn’t busy.The second time, we ordered take out. We called at 1:30 and they said it would be ready in 45 minutes. At 1:15 we went to pick it up. The server didn’t even address us until we’d been standing there for 10 minutes — there was only one server for the entire busy rush hour who was performing all duties. When he finally addressed us, we found out that whoever took our order on the phone never even entered it. We had to wait another 20 minutes without so much as an apology.Their food is good but there are so many great places nearby where you don’t have to deal with such horrible service. I will not be returning to Cafe Rustica again.
Embarrassing owner activity. DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY!! This place has fallen way below adequate standards. I ordered the grilled salmon (that I can cook at home with ease), and it was presented so opaque and dry that it was just NOT worth eating. I sent it back, and the owner (Sam George, who was cooking as confirmed by our server), made a repeat 12 sized portion salmon and had the audacity to put the SAME side dishes that I had on the original plate. This was such an affront that I couldnt believe it. What kind of a chef sends recycled food after screwing up a dish? I have to say that I am disappointed and sad at the clear death of a restaurant that started with a chance to have integrity. This place is nothing but a sad joke- unfortunately, at $76 for 1 app, 2 entrees, and 2 glasses of the cheapest wine they had, the customer turns out to be that joke.
Total disappointment. I was first introduced to Cafe Rustica at lunchtime by an associate from Richmond Ballet, and it was a very pleasant experience. I suggested a friend and I dine there prior to going to the Ballet last week. It was A TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT AND EMBARASSMENT. We arrived at 5:00 PM, and I advised the waiter we needed to be out by 6:15. We ordered. She just wanted (and I forgot the name) but it was just a cheese appetizer with a few foo-foo named olives. It arrived 50 minutes later. I ordered the Arugula salad. 20 minutes later the waiter informed me they were out of arugula and would substitute the greens. Fine. Salad arrived at 5:40. By the way, there was only one other couple in the restaurant. Waiter arrives to inform me that they were out of the sweet potato mash for the special salmon plate (that was a regular item on the menu). Great. He offered polenta, noodles, or regular mashed potatoes…I opted for some grilled zuccini. 6:00 my piece of salmon with some ragu-looking crap drizzled over it and grilled zuccini arrived. I gulped it down, we were out of there by 6:15. Waiter was VERY prompt in giving me the bill, before the food had even arrived. Smart thing. I paid. I even tipped. It wasn’t his fault, but it was a disgusting experience, and a sad representation of a restaurant. The waiter, evidently, ‘comped’ the glass of wine for my lady friend…and we even got the delight of hearing the lady behind the counter giving the waiter a ‘not so quiet’ dressing down for doing so. How sad. I really was wanting this to be a regular spot for me and my friends…but it was so disgusting it had prompted me to write my first ever negative review of a restaurant. It was that bad. My recommendation? BON VOYAGE on your trip to find a downtown restaurant—enjoy the trip as you drive PAST this establishment.
Bad service, OK food. Horrible service, disengaged wait staff that seemed annoyed when we asked for anything — wine list, salt & pepper, silverware (requirement, right?).Food was just OK.I will definitely not return based on the poor service.
Excellent food at an excellent price. Authentic Eurpean cuisine. Very good and inexpensive wine list.