One of my favorite Richmond events is the Greek Festival, my only destination for really great, really authentic specialties like spanikopita, tiropita and moussaka. Until now. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still go to the festival for the wonderful food, atmosphere and people watching, but now, I’ve found a place to satisfy my appetite for Greek year round. How have I not discovered Stella’s before now? It could be the fact that this reincarnation of the Richmond-famous restaurant (originally established in 1983) just opened in July or it could be the tucked away location on a mostly residential street in the near West End. Whatever the excuse, my taste buds are thankful for the holiday luncheon, hosted by the marketing firm, 93 Octane, that finally brought me there. The party started with appetizers of tiropita, a blend of feta wrapped in phylo, and the saganaki, a flaming plate of kefalograviera cheese. I refrained myself from gobbling every morsel and licking the plate in front of my fellow guests, but barely. I’m glad I saved room for the main course and dessert, though. The magical meal continued with a lunch special, an eggplant casserole with a warm and creamy filling of eggplant, feta and leeks topped with more of that crunchy, delicate phylo and accompanied by their classic Greek salad with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and more feta. Have I mentioned how much I love feta? Since this plate was all mine, I had no problem eating every crumb. And of course, no Greek meal is complete without the honey and nut filled goodness of some homemade baklava. Stella’s version takes it up a notch with the addition of dried apricots, and the touch of tart in all that gooey sweetness made it the best baklava I’ve ever had. My lunch companions’ meals – from the Constantine sandwich with zucchini fritters to the aromatic souvlaki pita – received high praise as well, and the place was packed with happy diners including at least one local celebrity. This little jewel clearly doesn’t need to be in the middle of Richmond’s restaurant corridor…their outstanding Greek cuisine and casually elegant ambiance will keep its customers coming back for more.
Stella’s
1012 Lafayette Street
Richmond, VA 23221
(804) 358-2011
Carla Murray is Assistant Director of Marketing & PR for Maymont. She is a Richmond native and a Virginia Commonwealth University graduate. She lives in New Kent with her husband, two daughters, a dog, a cat and a turtle. Some of her favorite activities include letterboxing, long walks, Cirque du Soleil shows, wine tastings, reading novels, and spending time with family and friends.
