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    The Wooden Spoon

    4.8 (162 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM

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    Services - The Wooden Spoon

    Allergy-friendly catering

    Catering

    Gluten-free catering

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    Organic catering

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    Paella de Mariscos
    Margaret E.

    Chef Yvette prepared two delicious authentic paellas for me this past weekend. The marisco paella was scrumptious and filled with delicious shrimp and mussels. The Domingo paella was for my guests who preferred chicken and pork. Everyone loved the paella and the delicious focaccia bread. Everything from start to finish was easy. I placed the order, indicated when I needed it, and the paella was delivered right on time. My compliments to the chef , and I give her my highest recommendation!

    Interior
    Julie J.

    Their bread was delicious!!!! Somehow crisp on outside and soft in the inside, with rosemary flavor! Also loved the honey eggplant tapa! Tasted like chips and it was SO crispy. The paella I really liked, even better than the ones I've tried in Spain, but if I were to come back I really want to try their other tapas!! Plus the interior was super cute, and it felt intimate. By the way if you want paella you need to reserve in advance, but if you walk in you can get their tapas!

    Jahmelia B.

    I had one of the best dining experiences of my life at The Wooden Spoon. This restaurant is located off Paterson near a few other small business. Although small this place is filled with charm. The restaurant has an enchanting warmth and coziness to it that just makes you feel at home. On Saturday nights they make Paella from 5-8 and it's delicious!! I had the pleasure of living in Spain for a few years and could taste the authenticity of my meal. Each bite took me to a sweet memory from many years ago. Oddly enough the owner had family members from the same region in Spain that I lived in. The staff enhanced made my already delicious dinner with their sincerity and great conversations. I chatted with them about my travels and learned about the story of the restaurant. Overall it was a great evening and I cannot wait to come back from breakfast. The employees said their pancakes are the best in RVA!! I cannot wait to taste them.

    Love this place!
    Maria T.

    You will flip over the pancakes in the Dad's Breakfast! They are some of the best I've ever had! Thick, fluffy discs of deliciousness! Lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar and with maple syrup and an incredible berry compote on the side!! Magical! (They have a secret that makes the pancakes so full of fluffiness, and they let me in on it... but you have to go try them first!) But that's not all folks, this breakfast also comes with two organic eggs, meaty bacon, or other protein choice, and house potatoes! They should really call this the Farmer's Breakfast, because we mom's love it too!! And don't forget to order a mimosa or a mom-mosa for brunch!! My previous reviews describe the other amazing menu choices at this shabby chic restaurant. We are becoming regulars here, because the service and food is always superb! I added a star because my last few visits have been perfect and Carlos, our server, is so personable and greets us by name! This is my new fav breakfast spot... I'm going to eat my way through their spectacular menu!!

    Mary A.

    Really enjoyed this restaurant. The eggplant was amazing. My only disappointment was that you have to order paella 24 hours in advance. I understand it but sometimes it's hard to know with a new restaurant what you want to order. We had a group of 6 and everyone enjoyed their

    Kathleen D.

    I stopped into the Wooden Spoon last month for lunch for the first time. All I can say is that it won't be my last visit. There was one server and one chef handling all diners and take-out orders. And they were hustling! We had to wait a pretty long time, but the little cafe has such a calming and welcoming vibe that we didn't mind much. I started with a latte, which was delicious. For my meal, I was a little startled by the $17 price tag but still opted for the Bocata Iberico sandwich. The description sounded too good to pass up. It arrived open-faced with Spanish ham and manchego cheese (love!) on crusty bread rubbed in olive oil. Oh my goodness. What an elegant sandwich. The salad it came with was also quite tasty. There are lots of other dishes I'd love to try, so I'll need to return sometime soon. Highly recommend this cafe.

    Patatas Bravas
    Sasha J.

    This place is very charming and serves quality food and wine. The menu is authentic and well thought out. The ingredients are definitely fresh. The downside is that the website is a little contradictory in that it reads "by reservation only" and right below enthusiastically states, "walkins welcome!" Turns out you need a reservation to order paella or other main entre, which I assume they have even though I didn't have access to the main course menu. You can only order tapas without a reservation. The tapas were just as I remembered them in Spain. However, they were expensive for what they were. A tortilla (potatoes, onions, and eggs) was $18 and a small bowl of patatas bravas (fried potatoes with mayo-based sauce) was $16. I would like to return in the future, with a reservation, to try the paella.

    Shrimp Ajillo
    Alexandra A.

    Finally got to try the Wooden Spoon after going to Spain for the first time. I've been missing paella so much. If you want good paella, check this place out. I also miss all the fresh seafood in Spain. The shrimp and the salmon were so good here. I love the garlic flavor of the shrimp. The presentation was lovely. I love the board the salmon came on and the zucchini as the side was to die for. I wish I got more!! Make sure to save room for the chocolate mousse... it's a MUST. I'm not usually a chocolate fan, but I could eat this whole thing by myself. The rosemary martini was an amazing cocktail. If you're drinking, you need to try it. Definitely recommend trying this restaurant!

    Seafood Mixti Paella
    Candice P.

    Husband and I wandered in here on a Wednesday evening when we were in Libbie area of RVA and looking for a happy hour/light dinner fare. The service was impeccable and the owner/chef is so sweet and invested in your experience. We had the zucchini carpaccio app which was delicious. We also enjoyed their house made focaccia with olive oil and house made aioli. Ended up ordering paella because it's what they are know for. We got the seafood and chicken mixed dish and it was very flavorful and filling. My only wish was for a few more shrimp in the paella because they were cooked perfectly! The handcrafted bar drinks are great as well! Would return with friends or for another happy hour!

    Seafood Paella.
    Reese S.

    You don't want to miss out on this little hidden gem!! I took my wife here for her birthday. We made reservations. Ordered our Seafood paella in advance for proper preparation. Yummy 10x!! The bread was sooo fresh and toasted just right, it came with olive oil/balsamic that was so fabulous. Dinner was spot on!! We ordered the blackberry mojito and blackberry and basil whiskey smash and they were awesome as well. They also have a great selection of wines. OMG!! Don't get me started on the dessert. Fruit cake infused with Rum and Bourbon with Chocolate sauce. This is definitely not your traditional fruit cake that your grandma bake for the holidays. It was superb! Moist and the fruit was sweet and this chocolate sauce paired well it. I recommend you order this dessert. The staff was exceptional, very personable, and super nice. The owner came out to speak with us. Did i mention its woman owed?! I highly recommend this little hidden gem. Don't miss out on this wonderful spot!!

    Menu
    LeAn H.

    Got to check this place out last month and it was DELICIOUS!!! Decided to check this place out during my lunch break with a coworker and have no regrets (I'm actually planning on coming here again today for another lunch date haha). It was nice outside and we got to sit outside and enjoy the weather with our lunch. There were plenty of seats inside the restaurant too and so many cute knick knacks hanging on the walls. Our cashier/server was Chris and he was fantastic. He was helpful with any questions that we had on the menu and made sure that we were taken care of (especially since we were the only people sitting outside). For starters, we decided on their Pork Belly Bites (small plate) to share. I liked the small side of salad that it came with too...very green and tasty! The pork belly sammiches were perfect portioned and a cute dish to share. I decided on their AWARD chicken salad sandwich and my coworker got their BLT & Avocado sandwich. The presentations of the sandwiches were fantastic! I like the additional grapes on the side (quite refreshing). The salad was eaten first to make sure that we eat our greens haha. My sandwich (chicken salad) was a fantastic choice! - I would recommend it for first timers. My coworker finished up her sandwich too...there was definitely nothing left on our plates haha. A great experience and I look forward to coming here again. Highly recommend reading Maria T's review - hers is more descriptive on her experience and she literally took the words right out of my mouth on their bakery and breakfast menu. Def a spot to check out for lunch!

    Spaghetti for my boys

    I'm so glad I found this place on a foodie FB page! All the reviews rave that if you want an authentic paella that you should come here and we agree! *Paella must be ordered in advance since it's not a fast dish to make, good things take time. It was so easy and simple to place the reservation; she has a quick template for you to follow on her website. Our server Luis was great and started us off with some fresh bread and dip, it was focaccia I believe. We all loved it, even my kids devoured it. We tried the mixta paella (seafood, chicken and vegetables) it was so delicious, I'm not a even huge fan of squid (my husband is) but I ended up eating them! And it's served with a homemade aioli that I wish I could put on everything. It was lemony and garlicky, just amazing. Tapas was beautifully prepared - which does not require a reservation - we tried the tortilla espanola, a Spanish potato and onion omelette (very filling, so save some room if you ordered paella which is comes at the end) served with an addictive homemade brava sauce! Not too spicy but it's got a kick to it. My in laws loved the patatas bravas. Chef Yvette even came out to check on us, told us a bit of her story and explained some of her sauces. You can just feel she radiates this joy and passion for what she does. The atmosphere is cozy and charming, music playing felt like we were actually in Spain. We felt bad because the Google menu has a glitch that mentioned chicken tenders and fries. Which we were planning on ordering for our kids, but Luis was so patient and attentive and Yvette went above and beyond, she whipped up some angel hair pasta for my boys to be able to eat, which was perfect because they love spaghetti If you're looking to support a local, small business come here. The quality of the food, the atmosphere and the staff are some of the best you'll find here in Richmond.

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    12 days ago

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    Yvette D.

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    6 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    Yvette D.

    Julie thank you so much! We look forward to seeing you again real soon

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    Thank You so much lovely! We appreciate you both!

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    3 years ago

    Chef Yvette prepared an amazing Mixta paella that we enjoyed for Thanksgiving dinner (along with delicious bread as well)!

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - The Wooden Spoon

    Do we need a reservation?

    Absolutely. The space is very small and they manage the tables carefully to ensure diners have a wonderful experience. Plus if you want to order paella you must do so 24 hours in advance. On occasion they may take walk-ins at the bar or spare tables… Read more

    We are looking for somewhere to stop on our way to Raleigh, is this a good place to stop if we will be traveling with dogs?

    We are a small restaurant, 25 seats, and we always welcome dogs with open hearts! Our patio has 4 tables 2 chairs each and a doggy bowl always full of fresh water

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - The Wooden Spoon

    Yvette and our waiter were personable, attentive, and shared interesting insights about Spanish food and wine.

    Mentioned in 24 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    My husband and I came here for date night recently. It was Chinese food and it was fantastic! The…read moreinstructor was funny and make it really easy for us. It was a lot of fun and not to mention came out delicious! We definitely will be back for another date night.

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