Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Mela Cafe

    4.4 (8 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Order Mela Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    Mela Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    MELA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Mela Cafe

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Mela cafe menu
    Barbara I.

    Trust the process. As of yet it's not fully decorated or promoted but WOW the food is de-lic-ious !!!! We will be returning. The owners are super friendly and accommodating and take great pride in their food. You def need to give them a try

    Beef noodle soup (spicy or regular)

    See all

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Yul B.
    49
    4
    0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of T L.
    0
    2
    0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Mela Cafe

    You might also consider

    Cheng Du Chinese Restaurant

    Cheng Du Chinese Restaurant

    3.7
    (296 reviews)
    13.2 mi
    $$

    We ordered egg rolls, wonton soup, Braised Beef Brisket in Casserole and Hot Spicy Pork ribs. We…read morehave never had the braised beef brisket in casserole before, but have had the hot spicy pork ribs before. We also ordered for delivery which we rarely have ever do. In the order instructions, I asked for the Chinese mustard and duck sauce for the eggrolls, and that was not included in the order. The wonton soup was greasy. The hot spicy pork ribs were tasty and tender. I would only wonder why it has to have so much of the seasoning spices on them to bury it. We were disappointed with the brisket dish. It was plentiful but the seasonings were not our favorite. Also got the fried rice this time where we usually get the white rice. Not a fan of their fried rice. The biggest difficulty I had with the order was that the delivery service which used DoorDash took over an hour to get to us after the order was picked up for delivery. As I'm watching the delivery online in the app, which is a nice service in DoorDash, it did not look like he was coming to us first, and probably dropped two or three orders before us. And then it didn't look like he knew where he was going. Later in the app, I saw that there was a comment that my address was a difficult one to find which I don't understand because it's an apartment in a very central place in town.

    Last year while in the area around lunchtime I stopped in here for lunch, but they weren't open…read more So, recently while nearby around dinnertime I decided to give them another try. Walking in, it was completely empty, no customers. By the time I left, several tables were sat and they had a steady stream of carry-out/delivery pickups. The service was very spotty, as they only had two people working the dining room and so many people went without someone checking them in, I waited about 15 mins for my check and those delivery drivers formed a line waiting for their pickups. I tried their spicy cucumber salad and their three pepper beef, but I sub'd out the beef for chicken instead. The cucumbers were decent, they had a nice spice to them and the vegetable itself was fresh. The three pepper chicken came out on a sizzling platter (a fajita platter with aluminum foil on it) and looked pretty good. My first few bites had the great flavor of wok hei, which I love! But I quickly noticed there was no other flavor other than some sort of pickled pepper flavor, which is very odd in Chinese food. The chicken texture was great, but the entire dish was swimming in vegetal oil, it wasn't dry spiced and wok'd. Overall, this visit was only slightly better than the first, only because they were open this time. But I most definitely wouldn't return. I absolutely love and seek out authentic Chinese foods (Szechuan, Hunan, etc) when I travel and those this place offers many authentic style dishes, they seem a little too "Americanized."

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Tibetan lamb (Chinese New Year Special)
    Tibetan lamb (Chinese New Year Special)
    Patio

    See all

    Patio
    Peter Chang

    Peter Chang

    3.7
    (377 reviews)
    9.1 mi
    $$

    The takeout site for this place (a different website than most Peter Chang locations) states that…read moreif you order from the wrong location, you're out of luck. So check carefully. This one is in Richmond proper. The menus are generally similar but a little bit different at each. I got a cabbage dish that you often see at these restaurants as well as a kung pao tofu that I don't recall ordering before. Their interpretation of the tofu was distinctive, with a zingy flavor redolent of cooking wine and asparagus as well as the more typical bell peppers and peanuts. The cabbage is uncommonly delicious the way they prepare it. The price was kind of high for two takeout vegetable dishes, but the quality was about what I'd hoped.

    Peter Chang's has been around for quite a while, and it's still one of my favorite places to get…read moreChinese food, especially to dine in. The Scotts Addition space is warm and inviting, and was not crowded when we dropped in on a Thursday evening. Our food was quite good; the only complaint is that they brought everything out at once rather than appetizers first. Appetizers: The pork fried dumplings are tender and flavorful. Not too doughy, and accompanied by two dipping sauces. The fish rolls were excellent. Light, crispy, with a savory fish filling. So satisfying. For entrees we got dry fried shredded chicken (so tasty and unique), shredded duck, and three pepper beef. The chicken was the star - crispy strip of chicken delicately seasoned. The duck dish was good, but probably not the best way to order duck. The three pepper beef was spicy and fragrant. We left full and happy and will pop in again next time we have a yen for Chinese.

    Photos
    Peter Chang
    Lunch Specials!!
-Curry Chicken
-Hunan Beef 
-Chicken with Spicy Garlic Sauce
    Lunch Specials!! -Curry Chicken -Hunan Beef -Chicken with Spicy Garlic Sauce
    Top: Szechuan Double Cooked Pork 
Middle: Beef Chowfun 
Bottom: Kung Pao Tofu

    See all

    Top: Szechuan Double Cooked Pork Middle: Beef Chowfun Bottom: Kung Pao Tofu
    Fat Dragon Chinese Kitchen and Bar

    Fat Dragon Chinese Kitchen and Bar

    4.2
    (758 reviews)
    8.9 mi
    $$

    As a self-proclaimed foodie and someone who runs their own food business, I'll admit my standards…read moreare high. To me, a great presentation and a beautiful atmosphere are wonderful, but at the end of the day? Nothing can replace pure, authentic flavor. ​Well, Fat Dragon in Virginia absolutely blew me away. ​From the second we walked in, the experience was seamless. We had a party of eight with no reservation, and they sat us immediately. The ambiance was great, the portions were incredibly generous, and the staff was friendly, attentive, and completely on top of their game. Drinks arrived fast, and the entire meal flowed beautifully without a single hitch. ​But let's get to the real highlight of the night: the Tsingtao beer-battered mushrooms. ​Oh my goodness, they were out of this world! Perfectly fried and crispy on the outside, incredibly juicy on the inside, and dusted with a spicy Sichuan cloud that made them completely irresistible. They were so good that even my father--who isn't a mushroom lover at all--couldn't stop eating them! ​For my main course, I had the Fei Lone steak, and it was absolutely sublime. Tender, perfectly prepared, and packed with flavor. ​If you appreciate amazing service, a great vibe, and food that actually delivers on taste, do yourself a favor and check out Fat Dragon. I'll definitely be thinking about those mushrooms for a long time!

    We arrived on a Thursday around 8 pm. The parking here is street parking, which is hit-or-miss. We…read moreparked within a half-block, so it was not a long trek. The entryway is interesting and provides some shelter from the rain, allowing you to manage your umbrella before entering. We were seated within seconds, and our server, Liza, came by very promptly with some water for our table. I felt slightly anxious at first, being that we were in a cozy two-top amongst the fray, but it subsided quickly because everyone was respectful and reasonably quiet. We ordered the veggie spring rolls to start, and I had the Chinatown Ramen, and my partner had the Chicken Fried Noodles. The appetizer was hot, savory, and spicy with the duck sauce and hot mustard mixture. If you like milder sauce, do not mix it. The entrees came out within five or so minutes of the appetizers, which seemed quick for a busy night. The ramen was spicy, hot, and filling. I was only able to finish about half. We will be enjoying those leftovers tonight. My partner said that her noodles and chicken were well-seasoned and delicious, too. Looking around the restaurant, it is clear that they support the local LGBTQ+ community, and it is even labeled as a Safe Space on the beautifully manicured, makeshift chalkboard/menu/posting board. The clientele and staff alike seemed warm and kind, based solely on limited interactions and observation on my part. If you are looking for a traditional American-Chinese food restaurant (think buffet-style items), this is likely not the place for you. There were no mishaps or snafus with our orders. Liza performed her duties well, and I can surely recommend this restaurant to anyone who doesn't mind a mix of Japanese and Chinese cuisine.

    Photos
    Ambiance and bar area
    Ambiance and bar area
    Crispy calamari
    Crispy calamari
    Fat Dragon Tofu

    See all

    Fat Dragon Tofu
    Li's Garden

    Li's Garden

    3.4
    (33 reviews)
    4.9 mi
    $

    I was in the area, far from my usual go-to Chinese spot, and decided to give Li's Garden a try…read moreafter reading some mixed reviews online. It seemed like people either loved it or didn't like it at all. I usually keep it simple with Chinese takeout chicken fried rice and chicken lo mein because those are hard to mess up, and I'm not too picky when it comes to those two dishes. I ordered both today, and honestly, I was shocked, neither had any flavor, they did not taste good at all. My friend asked for a shrimp egg roll, and while she said it tasted good, it only had one shrimp in it. I spent nearly $50 and left really disappointed. To be fair, I did call right when they opened at 11 AM, and I'm pretty sure I was the first order of the day. Maybe that had something to do with the lack of flavor like they hadn't gotten into their rhythm yet. The food was ready in 15 minutes, as promised, so the service was quick. I might give them another shot and try something different next time to see if it was just a timing or menu choice issue.

    This is undoubtedly the worst "Chinese food" I have ever had. The egg rolls were rubbery. The…read moreGeneral Tso chicken was horrible. Not sure if the chicken was actually chicken. The rice seems like plastic. We will never patronize the business again. Health inspector should pay them a visit.

    Photos
    Chicken fried rice
    Chicken fried rice
    Chicken Lo mein
    Chicken Lo mein
    Spare ribs, burbling chicken, shrimp lomein, shrimp and lobster sauce and bbq ribs dinner platter

    See all

    Spare ribs, burbling chicken, shrimp lomein, shrimp and lobster sauce and bbq ribs dinner platter

    Mela Cafe - noodles - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...