Stella’s

To say Stella’s is my favorite restaurant in Richmond is putting it mildly. If there was a Stella’s cult, I’d join it. Not only is the food so, so, so tasty, but the story of the woman behind it is incredible.

Stella Dikos was born in Nazi-occupied Greece in 1942. She started learning to cook as a teenager, and it became a life-long passion. Following an arranged marriage to Stavros Dikos, the two emigrated to the United States. Stavros opened the iconic Village Cafe in 1956, and Stella’s cooked food, and incorporated some Greek classics into the menu. In 1983, the first Stella’s opened on Harrison Street, and then a second one opened on Main in 1998. The Stella’s we all know has been open on Lafayette Street since 2011. Its menu is full of authentic, hearty Greek dishes, made with love. You can taste the love. Just last year, Stella passed away. It was a loss for the entire city. That said, her wonderful recipes live on at this family-owned RVA gem.

Its Lafayette Street location gives off such a neighborhood joint vibe. Classic Greek cars sit outside the restaurant, while string lights illuminate the cafe-style outdoor seating. The inside is full of character, with old family photos on the wall, and terracotta pottery decorates several shelves. In addition to regular tables, there is a long, communal table where you can sit and eat next to strangers. I opted for the bar since it was just me.

I started with bread and olive oil while I looked over the menu. The bread was thick and fluffy and the oil was flavorful. To start, I got the green of the day, which was spinach sautéed with garlic, olive oil, and lemon. I also got one of their specials, beer-battered squash blossoms stuffed with ricotta and feta cheese sitting atop arugula and drizzled with Cretan honey. I love ordering vegetable sides at nice restaurants, mostly because I don’t usually eat enough greens and if I’m gonna get them in, they might as well be made well! Other appetizers I highly recommend are the spanakopita, the grilled octopus, and the dolmades (stuffed grape leaves).

Choosing an entree is always a challenge here. If you’re looking for something hearty, the pastichio is fantastic. Spiced ground beef and fat egg noodles are baked with bechamel sauce and topped with grated cheese and cinnamon. It’s to die for. You can also grab it to take home from any Stella’s Grocery. The No. 5 Pasta is also popular, spaghetti baked with feta cheese and marinara or meat sauce. If you want a meat-focused entree, lamb is a great bet—can’t go wrong with the roasted leg of lamb. Stella’s also does fish incredibly well. I’ve had the pan-seared salmon, served with spanakorizo (spinach rice) and a house-made ladolemono sauce made from lemon and olive oil. They always have a roasted whole fish of the day, which looks incredible as well.

If you’ve left room for dessert (you have to leave room for dessert!), they have some tasty options. I ordered the house-made salted caramel gelato, topped with sesame-chocolate halva and drizzled with Cretan honey. Oh man, was this satisfying on a hot Friday evening. Don’t let the small dish it comes in fool you, this gelato is dense. The salted caramel flavor is there, but not overpowering and the cold Cretan honey takes on a nice, thick consistency. Halva is one of my all-time favorite treats, it’s a Middle Eastern sweet made from tahini and nuts. It was crumbled atop the gelato and was very tasty. With my dessert, I had a Greek coffee which is brewed using coffee that’s been ground into a fine powder. You can get it at whatever level of sweetness you prefer. If you like Turkish coffee, it’s the same thing.

Every time I solo dine at Stella’s, I don’t feel awkward. It has such a welcoming vibe, everyone who works there in friendly in a natural, genuine way. And the food is always amazing. If you can’t make it out to the restaurant, there are several Stella’s Groceries scattered throughout the city offering takeaway entrees, international grocery items, and coffee

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