
About Cafe Rustika
Cozy, laid-back cafe serving European comfort fare & wines in a storefront with dark-wood decor.
What People Are Saying
from Google & Yelp"Wonderful experience at this restaurant with pleasant staff, fun atmosphere, delicious food and quality beer. We had no issues with wait time perhaps b/c we were having such a late dinner (815pm). Having read the reviews about wait time online, I called to inquire and was told there were currently two seats at bar. Luckily seats were still there when we arrived; we were a short walk (Linden Row Inn) and headed right over. Even at that hour restaurant was still full. We ate at the bar which had comfortable seats and foot rail. They were out of bratwurst at that late hour so I ordered the sauerbraten which was tender and delicious. All sides were top notch: sauerkraut was warm and yummy, skillet fried potatoes golden, potato salad with bacon. My husband enjoyed the Schnitzel Cordon Bleu, nicely prepared. Both entrees had generous portions and we took home leftovers as well as dessert to go. Quality beers to choose from and instead of going with a standard preference of Bitburger went with Hacker Pschorr Dunkel. VERY impressed that when discussing choices with bartender, she let my husband try a small sample of that beer first. We enjoyed the decorations and the small intimate atmosphere of the restaurant. With the small restaurant size, I can understand seating is at a premium and there would be a wait at prime dinner times. If we had had to wait, I think it would have been worth it for the amazing food and overall experience!"
"This place is super small inside. Make a reservation if you want to go here. The food is ok but nothing to rave about. The menu is limited, and they do not allow you to make substitutions. I did observe they had bratwurst just laying out on a tray on top of a bend in the kitchen. I'm pretty sure if the health inspector walked into the establishment, they would've received a food violation. I would not revisit this restaurant."
"Delicious authentic German with good vibes and friendly service. The place is small, so expect a wait on the weekends especially, but it's worth the wait for sure. There's nowhere else in town even close for this style of food."
"The experience was a complete and utter failure from start to finish. Waiting over an hour and 20 minutes for food is unacceptable by any standard. The delay was excessive, unjustified, and showed a complete disregard for customers’ time and plans. For $95, the value was nonexistent. When the food finally arrived—at a point where we no longer even had time to eat—it was cold and bland, making the entire ordeal feel even more insulting. What should have been a highlight of the evening instead became a pathetic test of patience that ended with us leaving hungry just to make a show we had planned our night around. To add insult to injury, when we explained we had to leave, the response at the end was completely unapologetic—no remorse, no accountability—just a casual “hope you can come back and try us again!” as if the evening hadn’t already been ruined. That level of indifference perfectly sums up the experience. As someone who is German, I was genuinely excited going in. That excitement quickly turned into deep disappointment. If this is the standard being upheld, it’s no wonder the end result was so underwhelming. The meal was lifeless, joyless, and utterly forgettable—bordering on putrid given the wait. I am honestly shocked this happened in Richmond, VA. I’m even more shocked that this place is still open and somehow buoyed by positive reviews, which feel completely disconnected from reality. This restaurant is a disgrace to German cuisine and does a disservice to anyone expecting competence, authenticity, or basic professionalism. This place is a letdown in every sense. I strongly recommend not going back and would advise anyone considering it to take their money literally anywhere else."
"The service was incredible. The people are so nice. The restaurant is very small and expect to wait for a table. They take your number and they call you when the table is ready they had a wife variety of schnitzel prepared and you could have a Lotta different kinds of proteins, I think maybe I ordered the wrong proteins because I found it a little chewy. I have the veal the sauce wasn’t really really good and the sides were incredible. I do think maybe our waitress was a little experience and wasn’t very much help. I would definitely go again, and if you have a schnitzel craving, this is definitely the place to go. Incredible beers selection from Germany from dark to light I think the sides and the dessert were my highlights."
"Fantastic people and a fantastic atmosphere. What a refreshing place. People make you feel welcome and wonderful food"
Hours
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