Ipanema Café

If you’re vegan or vegetarian, you’ll love this place. If you're into places with a gritty, college vibe, you’ll love it even more. And if you’re not into any of those, you’ll still like it. My wife and I ordered the tofu wings wings for an appetizer, and they were delicious. Nice and spicy, but not too spicy. I got the Caesar wrap with vegan Mac and cheese for an entre. Both good, but would have benefited from a bit more seasoning, which is why I gave the food four stars instead of five. Overall, it was a wonderful experience.

Excellent creative vegetarian/vegan food in a discreet little restaurant in the basement. We enjoyed the beet salad and BBQ jackfruit burger. Both were flavorful and filling. The environment of the restaurant seemed a little dark and grubby though.

Super cute place! Stopped by here with my family while in town and we were looking for a place that would accommodate our vegan eating preferences and stumbled across this gem. So many great delicious vegan options, attentive service, cozy environment! We will definitely be back next time we’re in Richmond. Highly recommend!

The inside is a typical dive bar so maybe at night its awesome but during the day sitting inside did not feel like a fun option. Luckily they had some cute seating outside. They didn’t have coffee (they got some after we sat there for about 30 minute) which feels significant because how does a brunch place not have coffee? The place wasn’t as clean as I’d prefer a restaurant to be hence the 3 stars. The food was yummy. We also got mimosas that were inexpensive and delicious. If I was strictly vegan I’d def come back. But it wasn’t good enough or clean enough to get a revisit from me. Service was nice though.

We were in Richmond just for one night and wanted a quick vegetarian dinner. The food far exceeded our expectations and we were so impressed. We ordered the Messe Board and Black Bean Burger and every element was so well balanced and extremely delicious. Must try for vegetarians!

This restaurant is an absolute gem. The entire menu is vegan. The cozy atmosphere and excellent wait staff made eating this amazing food even better. The lasagna, "chicken" and waffles, fried tofu, cauliflower wings, and "cheese"cake were some of the best restaurant food I've had in a long time!

Really cute vegan restaurant! I really enjoyed the avacado toast, it's super creamy! They also have a good hummus platter to share with the table. The folks that got sandwiches seemed to enjoy them. I tried some of the Mac n cheese and it was really good! Definitely recommend if you're looking for a vegan restaurant in Richmond.

Cool underground atmosphere at night. Helpful staff, and very accommodating for vegan and gluten free needs. The food is a bit expensive and tastes good. Pictured is the sweet potato fries, the okonomiyaki-style vegetable pancake (I would recommend this), and an oyster-mushroom steak (would not recommend this). Extra tidbit: Ipanema is the name of a neighborhood in Rio, and the restaurant bears the name because the owner liked the song "Girl from Ipanema"

If you’re vegan or vegetarian, you’ll love this place. If you're into places with a gritty, college vibe, you’ll love it even more. And if you’re not into any of those, you’ll still like it. My wife and I ordered the tofu wings wings for an appetizer, and they were delicious. Nice and spicy, but not too spicy. I got the Caesar wrap with vegan Mac and cheese for an entre. Both good, but would have benefited from a bit more seasoning, which is why I gave the food four stars instead of five. Overall, it was a wonderful experience.

Excellent creative vegetarian/vegan food in a discreet little restaurant in the basement. We enjoyed the beet salad and BBQ jackfruit burger. Both were flavorful and filling. The environment of the restaurant seemed a little dark and grubby though.

Super cute place! Stopped by here with my family while in town and we were looking for a place that would accommodate our vegan eating preferences and stumbled across this gem. So many great delicious vegan options, attentive service, cozy environment! We will definitely be back next time we’re in Richmond. Highly recommend!

The inside is a typical dive bar so maybe at night its awesome but during the day sitting inside did not feel like a fun option. Luckily they had some cute seating outside. They didn’t have coffee (they got some after we sat there for about 30 minute) which feels significant because how does a brunch place not have coffee? The place wasn’t as clean as I’d prefer a restaurant to be hence the 3 stars. The food was yummy. We also got mimosas that were inexpensive and delicious. If I was strictly vegan I’d def come back. But it wasn’t good enough or clean enough to get a revisit from me. Service was nice though.

We were in Richmond just for one night and wanted a quick vegetarian dinner. The food far exceeded our expectations and we were so impressed. We ordered the Messe Board and Black Bean Burger and every element was so well balanced and extremely delicious. Must try for vegetarians!

This restaurant is an absolute gem. The entire menu is vegan. The cozy atmosphere and excellent wait staff made eating this amazing food even better. The lasagna, "chicken" and waffles, fried tofu, cauliflower wings, and "cheese"cake were some of the best restaurant food I've had in a long time!

Really cute vegan restaurant! I really enjoyed the avacado toast, it's super creamy! They also have a good hummus platter to share with the table. The folks that got sandwiches seemed to enjoy them. I tried some of the Mac n cheese and it was really good! Definitely recommend if you're looking for a vegan restaurant in Richmond.

Cool underground atmosphere at night. Helpful staff, and very accommodating for vegan and gluten free needs. The food is a bit expensive and tastes good. Pictured is the sweet potato fries, the okonomiyaki-style vegetable pancake (I would recommend this), and an oyster-mushroom steak (would not recommend this). Extra tidbit: Ipanema is the name of a neighborhood in Rio, and the restaurant bears the name because the owner liked the song "Girl from Ipanema"

This is the perfect little spot for vegans ! They have so many options and quite a lovely vibe inside ! They weren't too busy for a Friday night but I enjoyed the time spent ! The food tasted really good. I got some sort of Caesar wrap and the tofu tasted so close to grilled chicken my tastebuds were in shock ! The service was fairly quick and honest when their kitchen had gone on a break so they gave us an estimated time frame for when food would be made. No complaints what-so-ever.

The food was honestly really bad and the bathrooms didn't have sinks in them, the sinks were outside. The best parts about the burgers were the bun.

I heard this place used to be great and wanted to give it a shot since it was fully vegan. It is a basement place and reminded me of college, but nicer with the Edison bulbs. Upon going on a Sunday night we were seated right away and there was another party there. We were greeted right away and the tables are so tight against the booth that it was a little hard to get in. We should have walked out when we were told they were out of all of their four specials, cauliflower, and only had three of their sides. My dining companion said the last time he had a good meal was 2021, but had such fond memories. We ordered the Cesar wrap with fries and the reuben with mac and cheese. It took over 25 minutes for our food to get to us and again the other party already had food and was a party of three. The portions were not only small, but they were both cold and overcooked. My tofu in the wrap was burnt on every side like they had forgotten about it each time and the wrap itself was tiny. The fries were overly greasy and their aioli was so watery. My companion's Ruben was flavorless and his mac and cheese was cold. The cheese was not melted and it was like it was sitting out before being served. Service was horrible, we didn't get checked on and by the time we were beyond ready to leave, we finally got our water refilled. Upon leaving we saw the back and front of house sitting on the patio saying how they were just here to do their jobs and get paid. I get working in the service industry is tough, but this is clearly a place that does not care. Times are tough in the service industry, but please put this place out of its misery. No one wants to be here and it clearly shows.

Disappointing Dinner. Upon arrival, the entrance to the restaurant was flooded with water. To address the situation, a folding chair was placed at the entry for visitors to step on to avoid the flooding. That was not ideal, but not the issue with this restaurant. However, this would make it nearly impossible with any individual with a physical impairment to access the only entry point for guests. After being seated very quickly, my table was informed the there were several unavailable menu items. Again, understandable although the restaurant literally just opened for dinner service. This should have been a tip-off about the lack of freshly made food, but I didn't pickup on that yet. The only menu items available seemed to be premade frozen food (beyond burgers and similar). There was one special item, a black bean burrito which is what I selected in hopes of getting a fresh and healthy meal. The black bean burrito was not good and had almost no black beans. It was so spicy that I could not eat much of it anyway. The waitress should have shared that this was a spicy dish, but seemed to have no interest is actually communicating with my table. I did enjoy the vegan wings appetizer. Didn't taste fresh, but was a yummy bar food style option. Another tip-off that this restaurant was struggling with the basics was that even ice seemed to be too difficult to provide to customers. The drinks my table received were not cold and served with a sprinkle of ice. If a restaurant cannot even get ice right, the there is a major problem with daily operations. Sorry to leave this negative review, but I wanted to share my experiences in hopes of helping others make wise choices. Ipanema was once a cherished and respected restaurant, it is not that anymore.

Awesome little vegan spot! I've never been here before, but it seems like it'd be a popular little basement bar with the college town. In terms of the food menu, pretty much everything was either vegan optional or gluten free optional, so very inclusive to dietary restrictions! My friend and I got very similar options (cowboy tacos and cowboy burrito), and were both pleased with our picks. Cowboy Burrito - 4/5 - Pleasant flavor and heat. Good size for the price. I'm not familiar with a lot of meat substitutes, but the "beef" was quite tasty. My only complaint was that I wish it was simply wetter or had a creamy element to add some contrast to the drier bean/rice/beef mixture on the inside, as the crema and pico were pretty minimal and there was nothing else to account for the lack of guac/avocado/sour cream/cheese innards. Cowboy Tacos - I didn't try these personally, but my friend expressed that although delicious, there was not enough filling in each of the tacos.

This is my first visit to Richmond and I was so happy to find an all vegan business. Ipanema is pretty small inside with a very long bar and a decent amount of table seating. I went for dinner on a Thursday night and the restaurant was not very filled up. They do have live music on the weekends and I imagine it would be more crowded then. I split the Cowboy Tacos and Reuben with my husband. Being from Texas, I have high expectations for tacos. These tacos were ok, but I would not order them again. The flour tortilla was not toasted at all and tasted like a normal grocery store tortilla. The filling was also a little scant for the size of the tortilla. The filling did taste great, I just think there should be more of it. The tacos were served with a side of exactly 4 tortilla chips and pico. I have never seen a side portion size that small before. I almost wish there was not a side included if all that could be put on the plate is 4 tortilla chips. The Reuben sandwich was not your typical Reuben. There was one hefty slab of tempeh instead of deli slices of protein. The tempeh was well flavored and I liked it, it was just unusual to not have a Reuben with deli slices in it. The bread was not toasted at all. I really think that you should not serve a Reuben without toasted bread. That was very disappointing to me. The dressing was served on the side which I also thought was peculiar. It tasted great and I dipped the sandwich in it, I am just used to it being on the bread already. The fries served with the sandwich were much softer than I prefer. I enjoy crispy fries and these were limp. Flavor-wise they had great seasoning, I just feel they needed more time in the fryer. Overall I really enjoyed visiting this vegan business and am happy it exists. I would try some different entrees if I visit again since they do not lean towards crisping up their tortillas, bread, or French fries.

Excellent menu full of vegan options. Our server was perfect, and the food was delicious. The atmosphere is romantic and charming. Tea candles come out at 5:30. I must say, though, we found it pricy for the portions . Yes, there is a correlation between more expensive food arriving in smaller amounts... however. In my humble opinion, the food does not quite rise to the level of "fanciness" deserving of tiny yet expensive portions. The garnish (sauerkraut & cheeze) on my tempeh Ruben was difficult to locate, to the point I thought it was missing altogether until I opened the sandwich and really searched. It's not recognizable from the outside as an upscale restaurant; it IS a romantic (yes) but rugged basement establishment, w exposed brick walls and wooden ceiling beams, and a large bar. It feels cozy and casual, which is why $78 (before tip) for two people surprised us. Yes: vegan friendly

Excellent food , excellent staff, overall excellent experience and not at all what I had expected. When you walk in you think it might be closed and when you walk in the bar is straight ahead and booth seating to the right. Street/pay parking may be needed. This place is a awesome gem of a vegan/vegetarian restaurant. I ordered the cowboy tacos which came with pico and tortilla chips and I can't say how much I loved these. My husband ordered the Ruben with fries and a side of ranch and he liked it but did like my tacos better.

Sigh. I was soooo excited to bring my vegan friend to Ipanema and their menu was so promising. The first time I came to Ipanema, a few weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon, my 2 friends and I walked in and stood at the front (where it says to wait to be seated) for about 10 mins without anyone acknowledging us. It was a little busy but not packed. Finally after some time I went up to a server who had come behind the bar to ask how long the wait was. He was obviously very flustered and said he was the only one working, he could seat us in maybe 15 mins but wouldn't take our order for probably 45 mins. We ended up leaving. I understand how stressful it is to be working alone but wish he would've at least acknowledged us when we came in. This time, my friends and I came in on a Friday night. It was pretty packed. We waited at the front for a few minutes before a server came and let us know she'd wipe down a table for us to sit at. Service was definitely slow, and for a Friday night, I get it. We ordered the tofu wings before the server went "Wait, let me check on something." She went to the back and came back a few minutes later to inform us they were out of breading... meaning we couldn't order any of the battered fried items (which several menu items were - including the tofu wings and the "chicken" and waffles entree my friend was going to get). We ended up getting the truffle fries for an app. I ordered the reuben with a side of mac and cheese. Both my friends got lasagna. The truffle fries were good, it's kinda hard to mess those up, except the vegan cheese they put on it wasn't really melted at all and was mostly sitting at the bottom of the plate, not on top? That was odd. The sauce they came with was very good. My tempeh reuben was... OVERPOWERINGLY mustardy. I basically couldn't taste anything but the very strong mustard seed taste. The thousand island, sauerkraut, and tempeh were completely drowned out by this flavor. It was so disappointing because I'd been very excited about it. The mac and cheese had a wonderful texture but a sweet flavor that wasn't great. When I added salt and pepper it helped a lot though. I tried a bite of my friends lasagna and it was actually quite good. They both also said the garlic bread it came with was great. That being said we all agreed that $9 for the small truffle fries app and $22 for the lasagna were really overpriced. The price of my reuben, which included my side, was $15 which was very reasonable. After our orders were taken the service got progressively worse. We had to wait ages to ask for boxes... then after receiving the boxes we sat at our table for an eternity while our server was on her phone near the bar. Eventually we were able to flag her down for our check but we were waiting a very long time.

It was good! The outside seating area is nice if you don't Like the dark ambient inside. Food was mainly good too, didn't like the Reuben sandwich but it was a personal preference. Would 100% go again

The entrance should have alerted us to turn around. Needs to be swept and cleaned and the folding chair removed and maybe some plants? It looked abandoned from the entrance. The inside was dark and looked clean but again nothing welcoming and we should have walked out but being vegan, options do not abound. I ordered the tofu and truffle fries. Tofu was not fresh. It tasted like battered frozen tofu fried in dirty stale oil. I peeled off the batter but it wasn't much better. The fried were soggy and greasy. My husband's black bean burger was ok. The chai tea tasted like a cheap bagged tea and not the traditional brewed spices I'm used to. All they have to do is visit an Indian or Ethiopian store to learn how to make spice tea. Not a good experience if you're used to freshly prepared foods with fresh ingredients. My suggestion would be make just a few things and make them from scratch and make them good.

My companion and I were seated in the booth closest to the kitchen. As we were enjoying the hummus plate and waiting for our entrees, she noticed a medium-sized cockroach moving around in the booth right behind me. We alerted our server and told her we were leaving. As she stepped away to alert the manager, another roach crawled up the wall of our booth. Absolutely disgusting. We left immediately.

The food is okay. I'm vegan so I love that it's entirely vegan and the flavors of our main entrees were great. However, the small touches made it feel off. Our Reuben's bread should have been toasted or pan fried better. Same goes for our cowboy tacos. The sides left a bit to be desired. We received literally 4 tortilla chips. Service was pretty good. We never went long without someone checking in on us. The ambiance was the real winner in my mind. Very chill and absorbing music. I also loved the decor and booth seating

I hate to give a bad review but.. The service was good, I guess. They didn't have 2 of the 4 specials, no soup du jour, and no desserts. I went with a friend that is vegan and I love trying new places but I am not vegan. I ordered the hummus plate and truffle fries. The beet hummus was ok, the regular hummus was good and the truffle fries tasted like regular fries with shredded cheese on top and dill sprinkled. The restaurant is in a basement and the ambience dark and lacking. The food photos on their instagram page didn't look like anything I saw coming out of the kitchen. I was just very disappointed and will not return.

Me and my friends have been coming here for years and never had an issue but tonight the karaoke host was meaner than ever to my group of friends and everybody else in the establishment. I spoke to numerous people about how he was making everyone uncomfortable with his rude comments. This isn't acceptable and someone must have a word regarding the rude comments he said to people- as I can assure that is driving people away from the business, especially when everyone was compliant and respectful to begin with and he was cruel and bitter. Don't spoil a safe space!!

I used to really love this place, the food was so good, a nice menu with wonderful vegan choices, and delicious desserts. Tonight I was so disappointed & wasn't even sure to leave a review because at least there are vegan options. But...this is not the same restaurant I used to know. Maybe they lost their chef, who knows. The only thing that was delicious were the tofu buffalo wings (not pictured). The first thing I noticed was the menu here has gotten really small & it only has burgers, salads & sandwiches, no nice entree's like they used to offer. I tried the vegan chicken salad made with tempeh & it was blah. It had grapes & dill in it, like traditional chicken salad, but I swear it had curry powder or something similar in it. You can tell by the pic here, the Mac & cheese was....well...not good at all! The cheese wasn't melty & it also tasted like curry powder. I feel like the flavor profiles of the dishes were all over the place & I wish this was the same experience with delicious food I've had in the past. Anyone know what's going on with this place?!

Fantastic vegan, vegetarian, & gluten free fare! Brunch was perfectly prepared, beautifully presented, & delicious. Small dining facility & bar, basement level. Service was prompt.

The food and owner are really amazing! The atmosphere is very relaxed. You have a new customer for ever.

Came to finally try something new & i'm highly pleased. Thus Bruschetta Pasta is to par!! I am glad to try something new & it be just as delicious. Not only did they add corona's to the drink menu they have exceeded my taste buds with this amazing Entree.. Waiters & Bartender have been excellent Prices are fair still in love with the coziness indoors Drinks are great Food quality is still Great

I wanted to like this place because I can appreciate any dive, but I wouldn't recommend going here for dinner. I ordered the beyond burger and I'm not sure how they prepare it, but the consistency ended up being mush on a bun. Since there was a cocktail menu, I thought it'd be safe to order one but ended up with an old fashioned that wasn't stirred at all and was warm. Someone else in our group had a bug in his cocktail. Completely understand stuff like that can happen, but our waiter didn't check on us throughout the meal so ended up with empty water glasses as well. I'd go here again for a beer and maybe an app, but I wouldn't recommend for a dinner. Hopefully I just went on an off night.

Delicious vegetarian take on a Reuben Sandwich and Cesar salad! We were going to split to save money and the kitchen did it for us without asking which was very considerate of them!

Ipamaa Cafe completely surprised the crap out of me....For being one who loves meat and is not quiet into or apart of the vegan or vegetarian community, I thank you for pulling me in! I ordered the the BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich w/ sweet potato fries, and my girlfriend got the Beyond Burger w/ vegan Mac and Cheese We also loved their Vegan PB Chocolate Pie Being able to get out of my comfort zone and give this place a try and end up loving it, is what it's all about when trying/discovering new places. I invite you all who might be like me and shy away from these spots thinking their too healthy and nasty, to try it out. Any one who is skeptical.........listen up, try this place out, be spontaneous, enjoy it, and you can thank me later (;

Absolutely try this place. We stopped by to get takeout on our way to New York. The ambiance was very quaint and cozy. Their Truffle Fries are some of the best I've had. The Cowboy Tacos were straight GAS! Ate the food too fast and didn't take pictures. The service was very friendly and hip. Can't wait to go back again.

The service was good but the overall ambiance was a little odd. I went with a group of five and we all ordered different items on the menu. None of us were impressed with our meals and it was a little pricy.

My boo and I came on a Sunday around 1pm, and they were still serving brunch. I arrived craving the Reuben sandwhich I saw on the website, but you know that's ok, and I ordered the vegan BLT instead. Sandwich was delicious, tofu scramble was ok. The avocado in the sandwich was amaaazing. My favorite part I think. My only complaint was I ordered hot tea, and I got one tea bag in hot water, no sugar, no spoon (I found a knife and sugar on an extra table). No options for refills...I guess?? They only had one waiter that day, poor guy. I made sure to tip him well.

Our server Brianna was amazing and had great recommendations about the menu. To start my friend and I ordered the tofu wings and followed with the Jackfruit BBQ Sandwich with a side of Mac and cheese. The wings are a must order and the sandwich was amazing however the Mac and cheese was a bit underwhelming. The drinks took a minute to hit the table and the glass sizes and content were not the same, even though it was the same drink. Overall our experience was good and we plan to come back, especially for the Reuben! Thank you!

So unimpressed by this place. It took over an hour to get our food (1 fried cauliflower and 1 tofu stir fry). I sat outside and had to go in to ask the servers to check on the food we ordered. When I went inside, two of the servers were hanging out at the bar, having a good laugh, not running around serving tables like I thought they would be. The server had also offered us both ranch and Buffalo sauce with the cauliflower, then charged us for it after she didn't say it was extra. When we got the check, I asked if this additional charge was listed on the menu? She said, yes, the additional charge was listed. It wasn't. Not to mention that I ask for hot sauce with the tofu stir fry (Asian style) and she brings a new still sealed and wrapped Frank's Hot Sauce. I guess it is important to mention the quality of the food, which was lackluster. I could have made these food items at home and shorter time at better quality. I had high expectations for this place based on a friend's recommendation. However, I do not recommend you waste your time here.

I honestly hate to write this, but wow. Ipanema is no more. This used to be a favorite for my vegetarian wife and me, but the food tonight was borderline inedible. The service was also almost absent. To top it off, the restaurant reeked of sewage. Such a sad day, Ipanema was once a true Richmond institution.

Several times I have checked their social media to make sure they are open, driven all the way to this restaurant, found parking, paid for parking, and then been greeted by a locked door with no explanation. If they are having labor issues, that's understandable, but the complete lack of communication and consideration for their customers is what gets a 1 star rating from me. From looking at the recent reviews here, it sounds like I'm not the only one.

A below-ground spot with a little outdoor patio as well. The menu is vegetarian and seasonal. I went with a Pad Thai, which is the sort of thing that's easy to find but not so easy to find vegetarian. It came with a lovely presentation and fresh spring vegetables as advertised. The marinated tofu had a strong enough flavor, but the sauce was a little weak. A peach non-alcoholic cocktail I added was a nice balance of sweet and bitter; it seemed like many people were here for the drinks as well. The crispy chickpeas were actually more seeds than chickpeas, with some light chili powder; nothing wrong with seeds though. I think Yelp has this one about right.

Quaint vegan super friendly spot delicious food, nice atmosphere, right by the main strip brought my dogs along, the staff welcomed them with a lot of pets thanks two thumbs up!

We reserved a table on a Tuesday evening and they were very accommodating with our reservation which was great. The restaurant location is pretty small and unique, as it is kind of underground - but has a nice patio and a few booths indoors. We ordered the arancini, summer rolls, buffalo cauiflower tacos, and black bean burgers to share. Our favorites were the arancini and tacos - super flavorful. The arancini were cheesy, creamy, and crispy on the outside served with a fresh pesto, and the cauli tacos were deliciously crunchy with the fresh slaw and avocado crema on top. Our black bean burger came with a side of mac & cheeze (vegan!) which was also really creamy and subtly spiced. Overall we had a lovely time and would recommend for vegetarians/vegans and carnivores alike!

The bean Caesar salad with the grilled tofu is amazing. The service was cozy and accommodating. I look forward to visiting again soon.

Service was fast and sweet. The cafe aesthetic is so cool, I was amazed. The food was delicious nonetheless, even my non vegan boyfriend loved it.

Woooow. This food! The food is so flavorful, and fresh! It came out quickly. Our waiter was attentive and friendly. My family ordered the cowboy tacos, the Buffalo cauliflower tacos, and the hummus plate. The cowboy tacos were our fave. Very well seasoned. I might dream about them! Our one "ick" is the very, very tiny restroom. It's difficult to maneuver with a little one in tow. The sink is located outside of the toilet, which is a bit awkward. It's clear that they're working with what they have, so I didn't want to doc a star when the rest of our visit was so great! Just something to be aware of if you plan a visit.

We've tried to come here three times.. not sure if we're just insanely unlucky but all three times, they've been inexplicably closed during business hours. Once my sister even placed an order online for pick up to find they were closed when she showed up. No post on socials, no sign on the door, nothing. Menu looks good but we've given up :(

I really struggled with this one because I wanted to rate it higher but just can't. Service and food were both high quality and well prepared. Cowboy tacos rock! Here are my gripes: 1. You are a restaurant in Richmond VA, fix your A/C. 2. A third of your menu, including all seasonal selections should not be "unavailable". 3. It's just plain weird that the sink for your restroom is in a regular hallway, not in the restroom itself.

We went this evening as a group of five. It took over an hour and a half for our food to come out, and there was only a few others in the restaurant. The main entrées were relatively good, including the cauliflower tacos, and the black bean burger, and the Reuben, however the sides were disastrous. The tortilla were so stale that you could barely bite into them and the pico was sour and seem to have been sitting out for quite a few days. The mac & cheese was cold, and the fries needed a lot more time in the fryer. Even avocado on the side as a request was not considered. Just all mediocre and to top it off the place was dirty. A simple wipe down of the floor and walls could do them a service, especially when seating guests next to where patrons wash their hands.

I took my husband here for the very first time and he loved it! Great vibes and great food! The Mac and cheese was very flavorful and we both loved the vegan Buffalo sauce that came with the fried cauliflower. I didn't really like the mashed sweet potatoes so next time I will replace it with fries but overall a really great meal you don't have to feel bad about afterwards!

This is not the same restaurant that it was years ago. Perhaps it was sold during the pandemic? I can no longer recommend. The menu and food quality are not what they were before. Everything was very bland. We did have a friendly server and good service, but I can no longer recommend this restaurant. We will not return.

Sooooooo this place is easy to miss when you're driving by. When I entered I felt like I was walking into a real life game of Dungeons and Dragons, no BS. The bartender was gothy and I almost left. Then he spoke to me and was cool AF. We chatted and I suddenly was like dungeon restaurants can be cool. I ordered the vegan Caesar wrap with fries.... SO. FREAKING. GOOD. They are under new ownership and thinking of adding Rootz cheese. I saw egg plant bacon on the menu, so I will def be back through. No pics cause I was on my lunch break, but go. It's worth it!

I always have a great experience here. The staff is super helpful, friendly, & knowledgeable about the menu. I love the sweet potato fries here. During dinnertime, they put out little candles on the tables which I think is such a cute touch. The menu changes every now & then, so be sure to check online to see if they have a specific dish/entree. So far, I've enjoyed everything that I've tried from here. Their special last night was the Sweet Nothin' Burrito which I absolutely loved. It was hard to believe that it was vegetarian! Very flavorful and yummy. I would recommend this place to anyone even if you are not vegan/vegetarian. :~)

It is easily missed from the street because the restaurant is in the basement, but the food is unforgettable. Thee u features only vegan and vegetarian fare. The menu is also seasonal and the food is really well made and showcases the flavors of quality vegetables. However, one criticism I have is that they frequently run out of items in the menu- for example one day they were out of tofu so you have a limited choice when it comes to food. However- for us veggies, having an entire menu to choose from is a rarity and thus the menu (even missing parts) is still extensive compared to what you would find elsewhere in a traditional restaurant. Love and would definitely come back!

Delicious! We went before a play at the Altria which is close. Our group had the Kale Salad with pears, tofu and almonds, the Patty Melt with truffle fries and Cowboy burrito. Kudos all around! We happily ate every bit. Tasty, good sized portions and great service. Don't let the basement location throw you off. A real culinary find.

Had fried cauliflower with Buffalo sauce and their vegan ranch (which I learned was made with the water used to soak chickpeas) and it was delicious. This was my first time back since the 90's Its great to see it still chugging along!!

LOVE!!!!! ipanema is so yummy and everyone there is so nice. their food is delicious and the vibe is great!!

Love the artwork in this place! They have a cocktail menu but the bartender/mixologist is only available in the evenings to prepare them :( I ordered the bbq jackfruit with sweet potato fries... very good. I'm not sure how I feel about the bun (super thick but I guess it's to absorb all of the sauce). I had their pumpkin crumb cake.... yum! The waiter was kind enough to give us a huge complimentary bowl of soy vanilla ice cream (it wasn't good at all but he was so nice to give it to us for free). When I'm Richmond we will be sure to stop in again.

The service and food were great. I ordered the fried cauliflower and the wild mushroom risotto- DO IT! So good. The cafe was great about cleanliness and social distancing. The owner Seth was extremely gracious, kind and super professional. The whole vibe was great. Highly recommend! Vegetarian or not, this is the spot! Go support this business!!!!!!!!

The staff and the food are equally great- that's VERY rare. The people were as kind and inviting as ive experienced since being back in the country. They attended to my wife and I quickly and courteously, explained everything and didn't treat us badly for not knowing how the restaurant works, sat us at a small table but came and moved us to a nice corner booth when one became available without us even asking. The waitstaff and host were two really nice guys and that can't be overstated. As a slowly transitioning plant based eater this level of customer service and inviting attitude has been hard to find. I've been to places where everyone was overly posh and above it all and it felt snobbish, and places that were inattentive and rude when you didn't know how the ordering process went or had any questions at all, and even some where you came in and seated yourself, had to find the spot elsewhere in the place to order and a separate spot to pay but no one tells you any of that- all while simply trying to find plant based meals in the 7 cities smh! So when you meet folks as nice as these were - you open your review with a solid paragraph about it! So now the details; small dining room with a full bar. Very causal, very laid back, located downstairs in an old brick building very "speak easy style". Sits right on the street walk up style but low key and you'll miss it if you're not paying close attention. Some parking right beside the building and if not it's all over on the street but you have to pay to park unless you go up a block and park there. The menu is set and written on a chalkboard beside the front door to consider before being seated. It's not long so it's easy to look over and make a choice before being seated and laid back enough to not feel rushed in doing so. Both my wife and myself chose the bbq jackfruit sandwich with sweet potato fries and fresh slaw. It was fantastic. Sweet, tangy, spicy and delicious. The slaw was fresh and crisp and brought balance to the plate. I also had the Korean bbq tempeh with rice and pickled cucumber. Also delicious! I really enjoy the texture of tempeh and it was prepared well. The sauce was spicy and the recipe was well prepared. The pickled cucumber tasted fresh. It was overly tangy or bitter. It has a fresh mellow pickled flavor that was perfect to cool off the spice of the tempeh. All in all the meal was great and made better by the staff. When in RVA and you want a casual, delicious clean meal at VERY affordable prices (3 entrees for $36!) GO TO IMPANEMA!