Dinamo

Although I’m normally dubious about ordering seafood for takeaway, we decided to try it regardless since we love Edo Squid. To our surprise, everything was spectacular! The mussels in the white broth was the perfect mixture of garlic and other spices. They provided thick pieces of crunchy bread which we used to soak up the broth. We also got the polenta sausage– again, amazing-​, mozzarella salad and the beet salad. Everything was delicious and we (my husband, father and I) finished everything without a single left-​over. Highly recommend!

So I’ve been in Richmond for 4 years. About to move out of state for a job in 3 weeks and I’m so upset I just discovered this place now. Hands down, best food in Richmond. Small place, but really great service and friendly staff. My wife and I sat at the bar, and ended up talking to the owner who was working. She was super awesome to the max. We got the lentil salad, which was phenomenal (the lettuce and tomatoes were very fresh) aswell as the chicken liver appetizer. Then my wife got the Tagliatelle bolognese which was to die for. I got the shrimp and calamari squid ink fettuccine which was incredible. Definitely coming back to this place at least one more time, probably twice before we move in a few weeks.

I was too busy having a great time with my favorite oldest daughter where she surprised me with dinner here and The Lion King a few blocks from here at The Altria Theatre. I mention this because I usually take pictures! Also next time you are going to the theatre, great before place to eat!
One of the specials Sat. Night was branzino, a firm white, delicate flavored fish. It was served whole with seasonings so great, we ate skin and all. This was served with a crispy salad. We also enjoyed a well seasoned and fried soft shell crab, and a white cheese pizza with seasonal ramps. Though too full for dessert, I was given a tiramisu which I ate the next day, and it was as good as Mama zu’s which is my fav. I understand the restaurants are connected, so it could be the same. Nice to know they are opened for lunch too. Can’t wait to go back. BTW, I watched plates being served around me, can’t wait to go back and try the mussels, pasta with greens.
Side nite, loved my champagne and the name, T’amo. I love you too!

Dinamo’s food is fabulous. Think old school classic Italian. We had an 8:30 reservation tonight-​party of two. When we arrived (on time) there wasn’t a table available. Small space-​packed Saturday night. There isn’t a wait area. The bar was full and there was a table for four waiting at the other end of the restaurant so we stood by the front door. The hostess was very apologetic and kept us posted. She asked if we wanted a drink while we waited and after about 10 minutes brought over a plate of steaming hot white pizza squares (complementary) because we had to wait. We were very appreciative of this as we were very hungry. So about 15 minutes later a table for two opened up. We shared a bottle of wine $ 20 Italian red table wine. Since we had the pizza we skipped an app and each got a mixed green salad. Was cold and crisp with black olives, cucumbers, carrots, grape tomatoes. Poured our own olive oil and red vinegar. Bread was good with a crunchy crust. They were out of some specials by then but not the ones we wanted. Hubs got the brisket in red gravy with polenta which he LOVED and I got the ricotta gnocchi in bolonagse sauce –awesome. He got coffee which he said was great-​they don’t have decaf which bummed me out, but we shared a dessert-​espresso chocolate cake with a scoop of caramel gelato-​fabulous!
Loved Dinamo-​we will definitely return-​it was worth the wait!

I live in New York, but make it down to Richmond 3 or 4 times a year for work. Dinamo is always one of the first places I visit. I love their pizza and pastas (especially the gnocchi). It’s just such a comfortably, honest place to eat. And the owners are great people. Very down to earth. And the wine flow freely. That does not hurt either.

Excellent quality here. It’s like eating at my favorite place in little Italy in NYC. I’m so happy Richmond has this gem of a restaurant. Love the open kitchen and the quality of everything here is first rate. The food is consistently excellent. I try to get here as often as I can. The pizzas freshly made are excellent as well. Friendly owners as well they always come over to say hello to me as I dine there. A gem !!!

Came here with my friend for the first time and I LOVED IT. Being besties since high school, when we go out to eat, we automatically assume that we are going to share everything we order. Maybe she doesn’t assume this, but I do. We were both sick, and neither one of us had ever had mazo ball soup before, so we got one to share. The broth was piping hot, and the mazo balls were so good. The soup was really simple and rustic with sliced carrots, but it was the perfect soup for my sore throat. We also got a white pizza with mushrooms which was thin, crispy, cheesy and garlicky. Obviously us being sick didn’t affect our appetite because we also ordered the squid ink pasta with mussels in red sauce. I have never had squid ink pasta before but it was AMAZING with the perfectly seasoned sauce and the perfectly cooked mussels. Whenever I order mussels, there are always some little guys who haven’t completely opened up or don’t open up at all, and I always have to pick through them and chuck them to the side. All the mussels here were beautiful, perfectly cooked and were all open. We were both impressed that the cooks had taken the time to take out all the bad ones which probably took a lot of time when plating them. The food isn’t presumptuous here. It’s is all really rustic and simple but it is ALL DELICIOUS, perfectly seasoned, and comes out piping hot. PS the bread is killer. Super fresh, chewy and fun to dunk in olive oil and salt. I asked for seconds and my friend I probably killed half a loaf and sopped up a ¼ of a bottle of olive oil. We made fun of the girls behind us who ordered salads and hadn’t touched their bread, as we finished off our bread and longed for theirs. Their loss. If you’re craving some crazy good, authentic Italian food, this place is a must try!

My friend and I were looking for a new lunch place in the VCU area, and I kept noticing Dinamo. After reviewing the lunch menu, we decided to give it a try.
First impressions– a small place. Although there is a sign on the sidewalk and the restaurant does have a sign, I feel like I might have driven right by it if it wasn’t programmed in my GPS. I would say groups up to 4 would have a comfortable meal, but past that might be a logistical problem. The décor is welcoming.
The waitress was attentive and friendly. She made several suggestions from each category for us. We decided to go with the matzoh ball soup, the mussels in squid ink with red sauce, and a white pizza with mushrooms. This was way too much food for the two of us. It would’ve easily fed three.
The soup was piping hot. It had a homey feeling that warmed you up from the inside. A real comfort food. I have never tried matzoh ball soup, but this was delish! The waitress also brought us some bread for the table that we dipped in olive oil. The thing that made the bread so good was that it was the perfect amount of chewy. Seriously, the bread was so good. Was it homemade or from sub rosa?
Both the mussels and pizza were huge. The pasta was cooked to perfect al dente. Not one single mussel was closed or gritty tasting. Impressive culinary technique that made simple, fresh food shine. The white pizza was cheesy and tasted like toasted parmesan. Yummy!
Like I said, our entrees were huge and from the looks of the sandwiches and salads being served around us, so were the other meals. Still, I would order a couple of things again because I am already looking forward to my leftovers! ;-)

I really like this place! I’ve always noticed this place while walking around campus but when I went in I was really impressed! They offer squid ink seafood pasta which to me is very uncommon so of course I had to get it! It was delicious, the noodles were al dente, and the muscles were flavorful. The place was pretty empty when I was there, only a few people. The service was alright. Quiet atmosphere. The large mirrors that decorate the place are beautiful. I would come again for a bug lunch or dinner! I’m glad this place is so close to campus, usually all of the seafood places are downtown or a bit of a drive away.

Small, intimate, friendly. Wonderful food, a great time. Looking forward to going back!

Ate at their sister restaurant last weekend and it was lackluster. Heard great things about Dinamo and gave it a try for lunch. It was amazing! Our server was great and everyone there was attentive. The portions were huge. My dish came with mussels and they didn’t hesitate to substitute for clams when I asked. The turkey sandwich was no ordinary sandwich. We can’t wait to return!

I have been coming to this beautiful restaurant for years now. I can’t believe it has taken me so long to write a review. I’m embarrassed. I can’t say enough glowing things about this perfect little spot, but I can name a few things that I tell everyone about it.
#1. It’s so beautiful! From the floors, to the custom plaster walls, to the impeccably-​chosen artful espresso machine, I feel like a classier person just walking in.
#2. The service is the best in town! It seems as though the staff is from Heaven. Everyone is timely and friendly and I want to stay all night. As you may know, this is rare in Richmond. I think the owners are paying attention to all facets of this restaurant. As a former server myself, I appreciate the subtle nuances of great service.
#3. The food is made with pure love. I can safely say I now love squid ink pasta and borscht. Who knew? All of the pasta and sausage is made in house and I can’t help but order way too much so I can eat it again the next day. I have to make myself go there less than I want to because I should probably pay bills. But life would be much better if I could spend every meal at Dinamo.
Do yourself a favor and stop in for lunch or dinner.

This is my new favorite restaurant in Richmond. The cappuccino is the best. All espresso here should be so good. The pesto gnocchi was very good. It’s hard to find a pesto pasta dish anywhere so I was very happy to have it here. Service is good. Not a long wait.

Omg our new favorite Italian restaurant in Richmond! As soon as you step into this unassuming hideaway your olfactory senses are kicked into high gear with smells that make you feel as though you’ve been transported to Italy. Garlic, red wine, homemade pasta, seafood, and absolutely deliciousness permeates the air and lulls you into a food March. Caprese, homemade bread pillows, olive oil, smoked whitefish salad on crostini, gnocchi pesto, soft shell crab appetizer, and broccoli/​provolone sausage over white beans, grilled onions, and polenta! My husband said it was Fkin delicious! The pesto was so fresh and mouthwatering, absolute heaven! Maya the owner is super chill and so friendly along with the staff it felt like I was in my Italian grandmothers kitchen hanging with old friends! If you’re a stuck up annoying snob please steer clear so there’s room for those of us looking for a secluded getaway!

Would definitely recommend this place, although some things were better than others. My girlfriend and I got the mussels (red), a pizza, and the squid ink pasta with calamari and shrimp. First of all, the portions were LARGE and we definitely could have gotten by with just two items. The pizza dough was very crunchy and the cheese wasn’t very good, so I would cut that. The mussels were awesome. They gave us a ton and both the broth and the mussels were very good. The pasta was also pretty good, but I wish they had warned us that the pasta would be in the same sauce/​broth as the mussels — it is very good, but got old after a while. I think I would have enjoyed the meal much more if the items had more varied flavor. I had an americano after the meal and it was quite good.
Our server was nice and I enjoyed the interior of the restaurant.

Dinamo [Dee-nah-moh]…one of the best restaurants in RVA.
Food portion is large AND quality is exquisite. Our server was very kind and efficient, and the food/​drinks came out with perfect timing.
You will definitely need to call and make a rsvp on weekends. It is a great place to come with your friends and family!
Will be back again! Thank you :)

Dinamo is great… Very satisfying true to form Italian food that always leave the eater with that healthy satisfied full feeling. Also damn that espresso is so Gud!

Bread was very good and they brought out butter after I requested it. As a picky vegetarian, I couldn’t find anything I wanted to order, so I asked my waitress if they could make a creamy pasta. They made a delicious gnocchi dish. Warning! My friend got the red pizza and it was spicy – not what was expected but still really good.
After we finished eating, they didn’t rush is out and We sat for another 45 or so minutes just talking. Love this restaurant!!!

Dinamo’s menu is almost identical (albeit smaller) to Edo’s and Mamma Zu, but I’ll choose this spot every time. Just like its sister restaurants, dishes are fresh, flavorful, hearty, and gigantically portioned. But what I like more about Dinamo is the space, which is certainly smaller, but feels more like a NYC transplant than a sibling of two Richmond institutions. Its not tough to get a seat on a weekday night, but on the weekend, call ahead for a reservation. And a little bonus, this place takes credit cards.

Dinamo is in the family with Edo’s Squid and Mamma Zu’s so if you are a fan of their style of food you will like Dinamo. Like each of the other restaurants there is a different feel to this one. Kind of reminds me of an old diner with a lot of charm. Very cute bar that holds about 6 people and a view of the cooks. It is also smaller than the others but does take reservations which I recommend on the weekends. Not yet as busy as the other restaurants. Some may like or dislike that their menu is pretty small but it is seasonal. They have 2 – 3 each of anti pastas, salads, pizza, seafood dishes, pasta and protein. They do have a bigger list of desserts though.
They also take credit card.
Recommended, although may not go as often as the others due to smaller menu.