Ipanema Cafe

This place is so great. I work pretty close to here and end up eating at Ipanema for lunch a lot. The staff are all super sweet and the food selection is great. Not 5 stars because sometimes I think the food can be a little «off.» For the most part though it is a solid place to take your vegan and vegetarian friends! I end up there for a drink on their outside porch which is fantastic. Can be crowded with students but it’s not a problem. Pretty obsessed with their yucca fries. Also really happy, a few of us had been asking the bar tender if they had mezcal and they now have multiple options! Too funny.

ok so i did not lick the plate but I finished my husbands pickled onions from the potato cake appetizer yes I was hungry but the flavor combination was perfect
our main dish or entrees were just as good
Shepard’s pie and. the vegan Haitian dish. the flavors were perfect
I finished half my meal so I could enjoy dessert. I was not disappointed. I had the vegan maple pie it was perfect. It was firm more like a tart so it was very easy to handle when I picked it up and eat it out of hand. why waste time using a fork
we also ordered the BBQ jackfruit sandwich to go which I was planning to have on Saturday for lunch. for some reasons my carnivore spouse eat it before I had a chance he said it was good, nice and chewy. this place is a must stop when we come to Richmond. the prices are reasonable. we spent 65 dollars for 3 entrees, 1 appetizer, 3 desserts (I ordered cake to go)
and coffee. great deal

Nice place. Ipenema has a laid back feel that makes everything else better. I was there for dinner and beers before a show at the Altria and the veggie shepard’s pie was excellent. They have a great selection of tap beers, I was pretty excited to get some hard-​to-​find Boulevard, and a nice selection of wines. Sat at the bar and the staff is great — picked their brains on other Richmond places. I’ll be back whenever I’m in town for shows.

Lovely vegetarian and vegan menu, Caribbean coconut stew, crispy yucca and even fish for those that want it. Service was perfect. Great choice of beers and wines.

Great vegetarian restaurant. As an appetizer, we tried the potatoes. They had a nice texture and were very flavorful. For dinner, I had the grilled cheese with smoked Gouda and thyme. My girlfriend tried the shepherd’s pie. The grilled cheese comes with a house salad with a light vinaigrette.
Service was quick. The food is fresh and the ambiance is unique– the restaurant is located in a dark, dimly lit basement.
I would return again next time I visit Richmond.

The pear and olive oil cake is hands-​down the best cake I’ve ever had. (I feel terrible saying that because my mom makes a bangin’ apple cake, but it’s true.) I recommend getting a pot of tea with your meal — it’s a good deal because they refilli it often, and hot tea goes great with dessert. I love that there’s a nearby parking lot and that it’s so close to Strange Matter, one of my favorite music venues. Plus Weird Al ate here when he was in Richmond, so you know you’re in good company.

Ipanema Café is great, but sometimes I wonder why is it called that? Like, is it an ode to the Girl from Ipanema? Is it about Gilberto and Getz making music to the sandy beaches of Rio de Janeiro?
To set the mood:
Ipanema Café is a dark, borderline dingy mini-​enclave tucked into the fringes of the VCU undergrad campus, located a few stores down from some of the popular local music venues. No melodious Brazilian sax. No soft croons about a mysterious loveless girl who caught your eye.
But don’t let that deter you! This place is a refreshingly cool basement getaway with great vegetarian and vegan food.
There is no meat served here, and the vegan offerings are clearly marked. They specialize in animal-​friendly food, and that’s what’s nice about it. You get options! (tip: the menu is on the chalkboard when you walk in)
My favorites about Ipanema Café are: the patio area for conversations on summer nights, dessert, sweet potato fries, student budget-​friendly beer selection, generous portions, and the vegan Reuben.
Come!

Come on Wednesday night if you can for karaōke but they start late but it’s good for Yal singers out there wantin to get erybody to dance. It’s live!

Why have I been putting off yet another review? Ipanema is a cool spot with some great vegan fare. Everything I’ve tried here is great!
The interior is very dimly lit and they’re always playing some cool music. There’s a bar in the front and the only menu is a huge chalkboard on the wall — which is more sanitary I guess. I remember my first time coming here I ran into my professor who was sitting at the bar — and upon seeing one of his students seemed to be mortified. No surprise that cool professors frequent this place!
The tofu caesar salad is amazing. The first time I tried it I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The way they prepare their grilled tofu is especially impressive as it has a great meaty flavor and texture. I generally don’t get too excited about eating salads (does anybody?) but I find myself craving this one! It’s both tasty and satisfying. Yes, I’m talking about a salad.
Ipanema has some of the best vegan desserts I’ve ever had. My friends and I sampled some of the cakes and pies and although I don’t remember exactly what we got, they were all delicious. It takes so much self control to not order a dessert when I go here, as I have a huge sweet tooth!
I’m very excited since I’ll be living just around the corner from Ipanema this upcoming year, so I can become a skin-​filled sack of vegan desserts and grilled tofu.

We loved it. Two vegetarians in Richmond for the day. This was the top listing on Unilocal and it looked like a winner. Coconut stew was fab. Spinach radicchio salad was yum. And the strawberry peach pie was dreamy. Will def go back there when in town.

The Grilled tofu sandwich is the best one I ever had. It doesn’t taste like tofu at all. Its delicious and it comes with sweet potato fries and salad it is a winning meal under $ 10. I have been craving it ever since I had it and I am probably going to get again this week. Forget everything on the menu. JUST GET THE GRILLED TOFU SANDWICH. ITS WORTH IT.

I’m usually not one to be a ‘food critic’ but honestly the Food was horrible. My sandwich had no flavor. Fries were greasy. Not to mention how the water cups looked dirty. And I wouldn’t be surprised if I got food poisoning.

The staff is very friendly! The food was delicious. I was just visiting the area, but if I’m ever in the area, I will be SURE to visit Ipanema’s café! I recommend it for all vegetarians/​vegans. I had the BBQ sandwich and I adored it:)

Absolutely the best place to go for LUNCH during the SUMMER – particularly if you are a vegetarian or you have a lunch companion who is a vegetarian. Highly recommend for an easy-​going weekday lunch.

This place was definitely a great experience for myself & friends! Our waiter Valerie was awesome!!! The menu & environment played a huge part in making the experience a memorable one. If you’re vegan, vegetarian, or just want to try something different, I recommend this place to you. Good eats, good vibes!

We are currently based out of Williamsburg, VA and constantly struggling to find good places to eat out on a vegan diet. The first time we were at Ipanema came on a day-​trip to Richmond, and we were admittedly a bit annoyed by what we perceived to be slow service in the face of a mounting crowd. After a long wait for a seat, however, we were glad we stuck around.
The way they prepared the tofu, especially, was what had us back there the next day. And this past weekend, it was why we spontaneously decided to drive an hour there and an hour back through rain/​snow for dinner.
We love the Caesar salad (double up on the tofu), and I have not tried a sandwich I don’t like. Add in beer options starting at $ 2 and we’ll keep driving an hour each way for dinner.
For vegans in the area, we also enjoyed lunch at Fresca On Addison.

Full and content. Food was great and service was attentive. Had a tofu burger that was not huge, a good thing, and a small salad with sweet potato fries. All were small portions by American standards which meant no waste. Was happy about that. Burger was yummy all around. Ginger carrot dressing was delish. Had a vanilla chocolate cake that was super moist and the perfect end to a pleasant meal.

Went here for lunch. Food was very good. I thought the sweet potatoes fries were a little on the greasy side. All in all good place to eat for vegans and vegetarians.

Great place to hangout and eat. The menu has variety of sandwiches and entrees. There is also a bar. The staff is friendly. Price is good.

Found this place on Unilocal.Not too genuine in customer service but the good was pretty good. The salad was good and my BF loved the apple pie. If we are ever in the area again we will check it out…

Ipanema Café is one of the few vegan/​vegetarian-​only (except for one fish dish) restaurants in Richmond. The ambience was very cute and quaint, but the Jamaican Curry I had wasn’t my favorite – I think I didn’t like the squash and papaya combination. I’d love to go back and try some more food one day, though, as their menu seems very creative.

Oh, how I love this place. Tucked away, dark, and secluded, Ipanema is a great place to have a late night dinner and some drinks. Every time I come here, I’m blown away by the offerings both in their amazing vegan food and their beers on tap. The staff is always friendly and attentive and well versed in their knowledge of the menu and drinks.
I’m going to keep this review short because this place speaks for itself. It’s a must visit if you are even remotely in the area.

Hangout for aggressive low lives and the bar staff had no real knowledge of making good drinks. Didn’t know where the cachaça was nor were they able to successfully make a caipirinha. The atmosphere is cramped and uncomfortable not to mention saturated in a uniquely mutated musk and beard sweat.
If you can find your way thru the thick clouds of smug you might be able to enjoy a karaōke night if you’re not assaulted by drunk bros for singing the wrong song. Definately not a pleasant environment and there are cigarette butts everywhere and possibly real human Butt-​shit in the sink which also is host to a number of different species of bugs and bacteria.

«Cause I can’t sit oh I cant talk
«I gotta leave this town and run to you
«curse these nights that speak your name
«I gotta leave this town and come to you»
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Trust me. This is the Real Deal Holyfield! This is Money Mayweather! This is *insert dominate HOF pugilist with preceding nickname here.
Quick Review™
It’s relatively hard to find: the basement of a building where the street level is a tattoo parlour.
It has delicious vegan cuisine at a ridiculously low price in a Gothic ambiance.
Sweet service from hipster staff.
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Here is what I inhaled:
Gouda sandwich meal 7.95 $ (with Fries + salad)
Crème 5 $
Cheesecake 5 $
The sandwich meal was outstanding and I would have again. Pricepoint is very low in comparison to other vegetarian/​vegan cafés in major cities. The crème was so good it made me want to move to Richmond so I can have it bi-​weekly. The cheesecake was A-​OK.
Pro Tip: Get the fucking crème!
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The waiter was sweet, attentive, responsive, and patient with a goofy Bostonian and skeptic Las Vegan who stumbling in off the street without a clue about the menu or what they particularly wanted. She was knowledgeable about what was being offered on the chalkboard menu that clearly changes frequently.
Pro Tip: Hours are limited; make an effort to go when it’s open.
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Rating: Four-​stars, «Yay! I’m a fan.»

One of the best restaurant meals I have ever had
I first heard of Ipanema Café through Nacho Tacho week. It was one of two or three restaurants that offered a vegetarian taco. Because I’m not a big fan of fake meat or chorizo, I didn’t choose Ipanema, which offered a vegan chorizo taco. This would turn out to be a huge mistake as I didn’t really my enjoy my vegetarian tacos at Don’t Look Back (full review here:
.
To add insult to injury, my uncle texted me the next day to say how awesome the chorizo tacos at Ipanema were. Still, I was too lazy to travel all the way over to Ipanema just for a taco.
But this past weekend, I finally tasted what I’ve been missing out on.
First off, you don’t get menus here at Ipanema: it’s written a chalkboard near the entrance, which forces you to make a decision rather than diddle-​daddling. I ordered the chicken-​fried tempeh without even knowing what tempeh was and actually confusing it for seitan, but everything in the description, especially the apple-​butter biscuit sounded so good that I couldn’t pass it up. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life: like the falafel at Mesopotamia Delicatessen, the fried tempeh wasn’t heavy and was just right; it even had the exact texture of a chicken-​fried steak (Although now I think about it, it was kind of bland, but the sides more than made up for/​complemented it). The stewed greens and dirty rice were perfectly flavored, and last but not least, the apple-​butter biscuit was so soft (but not mushy) and good that it literally melted in my mouth.
I also tried the stuffed jalapeño peppers, mushroom stroganoff, and pumpkin pie. All of which were also very tasty and well-​seasoned i.e. not too salty or not too sweet (I wish I had more words to describe the flavors, but when something simply tastes good-​how else can you describe it?) My sister described the stroganoff as warm and comforting. To which my uncle added, «homey.» With a pot of chamomile tea to tie it all together, my meal was definitely all of the above. I think it’s safe to say I won’t look pass Ipanema Café again.

I love this restaurant, it’s a staple date night spot with delicious food and great service. The Caesar Salad probably has some of the best tasting tofu I’ve ever eaten, the BBQ jackfruit is creative and yummy, and the rotating selection of vegan cakes are moist and delicious. The entrée’s can occasionally be a bit expensive, but I usually like what I try and it’s nice that they have new items on a regular basis. The waitresses have always been quick and friendly and I don’t think I’ve had a single item come out incorrectly in at least a dozen meals.
As Grace street transforms into a college kid food court with mall restaurants and Walmarts, it’s nice that there are still a few awesome local businesses fighting the good fight and offering a real Richmond experience.

Okay, so this restaurant was suggested to me over a month ago and I finally found my way to Grace street to try it out. I was a little skeptical initially from the entrance, but once I was inside I started to come around. If you don’t know where this place is, it’s a little hard to find. The sign is kind of small and it’s under a tattoo parlor. But now I know that it’s across the street from Insomnia Cookies… which is the best kind of landmark. Once inside, you have to stop at the chalkboard menu. It’s the only menu. Luckily for us, we were there when it wasn’t crowded, but I can see how that area can get a little cramped if it’s busy. The vibe is very laid back and quiet. There’s no hustle or bustle. The waitstaff doesn’t rush you to order. It’s a very relaxing experience. The inside is little dark. But I guess it doesn’t matter if there is no menu to read.
I went with my boyfriend who is a carnivore, and he actually enjoyed it. After reading the reviews for the tofu sandwich I opted to try that. I wasn’t disappointed. It was everything everyone else said it was. Yummy. I can’t say that I was a big fan of the sweet potato fries. We split a caeser salad with tofu. That was really good as well. My bf had the mushroom stroganoff which I sampled as well. I liked it a lot and can see myself ordering that in the future. He also ordered the artichokes. I wish they were a little crispier, but the taste was really very good. We opted not to get dessert that bc as I stated earlier, Insomnia Cookies is right across the street… my addiction would not let me have anything else.
Overall, I like the place. I will definitely go back. Hopefully, it won’t take me another month to get there.

Uh-​freaking-​mazing food.
I love when restaurants use jack fruit. And vegan crème brûlée? Yes, please! I had not had crème brûlée in probably 10 years!
Bought like way too much food just to try everything. Split a bottle of wine with my friend for a reasonable price.
Three of us sat at the bar & had a great time. The atmosphere was so calm yet not boring.

Jon Taffer walked into Ipanema and screamed, «Keep it open!»
Ipanema is a MUST for any vegans spending time in Richmond. Or anyone with taste buds spending time in Richmond.
They have a great tofu sandwich. Caramelized onion greatness! The tofu itself has a wonderful grilled taste to it.
But the main highlight is dessert. My wife and I enjoyed an almond cake with chocolate icing. That frosting reminded me of the Duncan Hines on my childhood birthday cakes in the best way. Oh, it was wonderful. The real topper was the vegan vanilla ice cream served with it. Possibly the best ice cream (vegan or otherwise) I have ever had. It had a nice salty taste with its sweetness. That might not sound appetizing but try it.
I might have to make the two-​plus hour schlep to Richmond on a regular basis thanks to Ipanema!

My first time here. I’ve heard many great things about this place and it didn’t disappoint. The menu didn’t have a huge selection but a lot of vegan options, which was lovely:)
I’ve had Tofu Caesar Salad and Eggplant with Kalamata Sausage and Coconut Crème Brulee. All three were vegan and delicious.
Would definitely come back here when I am in Richmond again.

This is every vegetarians’ dream come true! Very hipster feel to it and it is uniquely located near campus… sort of like a basement feel to it. However you can sit outside as well and enjoy the streets.
I ordered the tofu burger and it was good! The sweet potato fries were fantastic as well :)

Get the tofu sandwich. Between the smoky flavors, the extra chewy texture of the tofu and the perfectly carmelized onions, you won’t be sorry. I had a few other items on the menu which were good too, but this was by far the star of the dinner menu.
But most important thing, if you are vegan: don’t miss the huge selection of vegan desserts from WPA. On our first trip to Ipanema, we split an almond cake with chocolate frosting that was quite possibly the best cake I’ve ever had. I decided to splurge and get it ala mode because why not? Turns out the soy ice cream is homemade by WPA Bakery too, and it is crazy delicious. I think it’s the salt that brings out the vanilla flavor. Second night, we split a warm slice of blueberry pie with the ice cream again because we had to have the ice cream again. Nothing one note about these desserts, they are heavenly, and a perfect way to finish your meal at Ipanema.
The servers are all very friendly and the place has a cool easy going vibe. Don’t miss this little Richmond bar which is quite a gem for vegetarians and vegans alike. It’s open in the evenings only, so you can do Harrison Street café for brunch and hit this spot later for dinner or a late night snack.

Two of us split a tofu Caesar (great!), fried eggplant-​roasted red pepper rolls (nom vegan fried food!), and pushed our limit to scarf down an order of tempeh enchiladas (just eh). I discovered my passionate love of ginger beer, and we tried the local draught beer as well. Great vibe, great crowd. Only criticisms — enchiladas could have been warmer, bathroom was stinky, and unfortunately one of the waitresses (not ours) was stinky too. Sacrifice you make for going to a hippy joint.