Ipanema Cafe LLC
| Address: | 917 W Grace St, Richmond, VA 23220, USA |
| Phone: | +1 804-213-0190 |
| Site: | ipanemaveg.com |
| Rating: | 4.4 |
| Working: | 11AM–2AM 11AM–2AM 11AM–2AM 11AM–2AM 11AM–2AM 5:30PM–2AM 5:30PM–2AM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 10
PA
Pamela Daniel
My husband was trying out being a vegan, so I found this place because the reviews were good. If you are not a hipster this place seems a little intimidating at first. It is in the middle of college town.The entrance is small if you blink you will miss it, it is kinda like walking into an underground cave. A true hole in the wall... but dont walk out. The only menu is at the front door so you you dont feel like you have the comfort of ordering at your leisure. This kinda put my husband off, so we didnt eat dinner there but we did come back for dessert which was really good. I hope to go back for dinner even though his short lived stint as a vegan is over. All but 2 desserts were vegan, the pecan cake which was vegan was amazing.. moist.. he was very happy. I was scared the vegan dessert was gonna leave me disappointed so I went for the brownie ala mode. I was disappointed. I expected something a little more.. for their creative food wonder to be imprinted on my old favorite. It was a huge portion of ice cream and less brownie than I desired. And the brownie tasted a little burnt, which Id the only reason I didnt give them 5 stars. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. The ambiance unique and eclectic. It kinda reminds you of the snuggling duckling in tangled but in a total good way.
EL
Elias Velez
Such a gem tucked in Richmond, VA. Everything we had was amazing. Appetizers: 1. The House Salad with Carrot and Ginger dressing is reminiscent of the Japanese style salads at high end sushi bars. 2. The foccacia bread has 2 side of dips, one marinara and one garlic oil. The gluten free bread side order was a nice option for those who requires it. 3. Eggplant Kalamati Sausage is such a pleasant surprise. 4. The fresh veg. pie was delish with blend of seasonal veggies. Entrees: 1. Gouda sandwich with sweet potato fries and salad hit the spot albeit the fries too oily and needs to be frozen then fried on high. 2. Salt Cod was great with potato and dino kale. 3. Okra was ok. The mushroom and fried cornbread were tasty though. Dessert: 1. Vegan vanilla/raspberry cake was stunning. Chicago has many vegan bakery but this trumps them all. 2. Mexican chocolate pie (Gluten Free) was phenomenal!!! Our waitress was so helpful and attentive. She also suggested to add vanilla ice cream in both dairy and soy options to the desserts to make it more cost effective. It was a bit out of our path but "SO WORTH IT!"
A
A Private User
I used to visit Ipanema quite often, mostly just to get drinks because I never thought much of the food. The menu is so hit or miss its not even worth trying new things- find something good and stick to it. I used to like the polenta fries, but decided to get focaccia one night instead. It was absolutely the most awful bread I have ever tasted. I had to endure looks of pity from my fellow diners throughout the night. As for the service, basically dont come here unless you know someone who works here. The bartenders and the servers and inattentive, and usually talking to friends at another table. I came with friends for drinks a few weeks ago. Last call was called and we were finishing up our drinks. The bouncer apparently didnt think we were doing it fast enough because he came over and ripped our glasses out of our hands. The rest of the bar area and restaurant was nearly full. No one else was being hurried or pressured to leave. Ive never been treated so rudely by a restaurant employee anywhere, especially Richmond, which is usually pretty laid back. I will not be going back again!
A
A Private User
I was leery of trying this restaurant at first based on its appearance from the outside. I am so glad I eventually did! It is one of my favorite restaurants not only in Richmond, but anywhere. The atmosphere is always laid back and the wait staff is always helpful, but never overbearing. I am vegetarian, but have eaten here with people who are not and everyone always has a great meal and rave reviews. I have yet to taste something bad at Ipanema. Also, their desserts (and Im not a huge dessert person) are amazing. Many are vegan/organic, but some are not. Also, I see reviews that the restaurant is smoky, but Ipanema doesnt allow smoking until 11pm so Ive never had a problem. I highly recommend Ipanema!
A
A Private User
From the outside, we werent sure it was open but our experience at this restaurant really lived up to the hype. We both absolutely loved what we ordered - bbq seitan and a burrito. Dessert of a brownie was delicious too. We eat more than our share of burritos and brownies, but these really tasty. Service could not have been better either, and I usually have something to complain about. Sure, it would have been nice to have a paper menu to read over but reading the chalk board when we walked in was not that big of a problem. Wish we had a restaurant we enjoyed this much in the DC area.
NA
Nathaniel Faulhaber
I had the Pasta Roulade here, once. It was amazing. The sauce, pasta, "cheese," and green beans (crisp and fresh) all maintained their own distinct textures and flavors, yet perfectly complemented each other. I opted for the soy cheese, which I usually dont like very much, but whatever they used was almost as good as the real thing. The texture of the pasta was very, very good-- on par with any Ive ever had, even though I used to live in Italy. I would love to eat here, again, but its a bit out of my way, unfortunately.
WI
William Testerman
Pro: Variety and taste of food, even children and carnivores were pleased. Beer and spirit selection are good. Be careful with menu as nightly menu will vary from whats online. Neutral: Atmosphere, groups of four or less are fine but large groups will find it cramped. Exterior is dominated by a large tattoo parlor upstairs so its somewhat difficult to find from the street. Con: Speed of service. Appetizers and drinks came quickly, entrees took over 40 minutes. Somewhat pricey given its location next to VCU.
BE
Ben Tuck
Drink options are limited but the specialty drinks are pretty good... try the Hemingway. Food is limited also but you understand that if youre going to this vegetarian place anyway. There are no menus theres just a chalk board at the door telling you whats available. Staff seemed friendly and eager to answer questions about what was being offered. The grilled cheese with smoked gouda was really good and surprised this meat eater who stumbled upon this restaurant with his wife and some friends.
A
A Private User
Its been a few years since I have been to Ipanema. But my wife and I first went there thinking it would be Brazilian food (think lots of meat), but it turned out to be a vegan restaurant! And, I can say, this was one of my favorite places to eat in all of Richmond. Amazing! Dont let the nondescript building entrance fool you, these are some creative and talented chefs...two thumbs way, way up!
TA
Tatyana Fadeeva
I had the jackfruit BBQ and my friend had the faux meatballs. I cant remember the name. The only con is the "meat" balls were a bit dry. But I did try them and had to put it down and ask the waitress if it was meat because it tasted so real! The meals are ginormous and prices are so cheap for the amount! I already planned my next visit before we even left. Their beer selection is nice too.
