Garnett’s Café

Food = 3
Price = 3
Experience = 3
Cute small sandwich shop…

desserts are good but somewhat expensive. everything is a little pricey for what it is. still, the buttermilk pie is delicious! the desserts are made at WPA Bakery (same owner).
the pickles that accompany sandwiches are notable. these are good pickles! however, it is sad that you have to choose either pickles OR chips. or pay over a dollar more to get both. (but i want both for the regular price…)
this is a very sweet sandwich shop with an old fashioned feeling but modern day prices that seem a bit steep. is this shop down home or is it for affluent people? Answer: it’s down home for affluent people. i can make some of these sandwiches at home for a lot less money minus the excellent pickles. still, the atmosphere is very nice for meeting a friend on a sunny evening in the summer. you can’t beat the charm inside for when you have a visitor.

Lived in Richmond 28 years and this is still my favorite sandwich place! And the bread and spreads is amazing. Pickles are divine. Can’t wait to try date night!

Picked up lunch to go today and they were very busy, for good reason! We had the Croque Monsieur and the Cali Club with French Potato Salad and Black-​Eyed Pea Salad. Everything was completely delicious and the service on my to-​go order was excellent. Saw lots of tasty homemade desserts in there while picking up and need to get back to try some of those too! #yelpforgood

Garnett’s is the perfect place for a rainy day lunch, from the vintage décor on the walls to the amazing selection of sandwiches and pies they make. I’m not a sandwich person usually, but I’m always excited to eat here. I love the German because it combines sandwich staples like cheddar cheese and ham with interesting flavors like apple butter which compliment each other fantastically. Garnett’s is a gem hidden in the Fan, and I always love getting lunch here.

Short and simple: yes and yes. Just yes. This place is adorable, definitely customer service-​focused, and the food is absolutely amazing, which is everything you won’t in a local, neighborhood restaurant. The only advice I would give is the BLT could use a little more for the price. I got the croque florentine last time and will definitely be back to get it again!

Awesome little café/​Sandwich shop in Richmond. I was meeting my brother after work one night before a show at the National and wanted to get something for dinner that was light and fast since he had already eaten… This was perfect! I had a smoked salmon sandwich with potato salad and both were amazing and very reasonably priced.

Delicious, convenient, and quick is why we decided to do Garnetts for lunch. Tucked on the corner of meadow and park st it was easy to find and thankfully street parking wasnt a problem. We decided to do pick up since I am only allowed so much time during my break. Thankfully our order was done within 15 minutes of calling it in. I ordered the Cobb Salad which was big enough for two people and my co worked got the Point Guard. The dressing on the salad was delicious with a nice tangy kick to it. The sandwich was huge also, the best part was the bacon which they didnt skimp on and it was perfectly crunchy.
Overall this is one of my favorite lunch spot. With countless sandwhich options and amazing salads. Everything is basically under $ 10 & bonus its fresh and filling.

My 18yo daughter and I recently ate here on a Sunday afternoon. After a short wait (outside), we were seated at the bar. Service was so-​so, but the food was really good. We also got cake to go and enjoyed it as well. Will definitely be back.

Best sandwiches around. I’ve eaten here at least a dozen times in the past couple months because of their food. The ‘croque’ selections are flawless with the Mornay sauce and the desserts are ridiculous.
The first time I went there, my friend and I left extremely irritated because we couldn’t find a single thing wrong with the food. We had the bread, Apple and chutney app, our respective sandwiches, and then dessert. Not a single thing to criticize.
I go pretty often now as Garnett’s is my new favorite sandwich place. Elizabeth, Danielle, and Naomi are so sweet and kind. They really know what they’re doing and always go all out to make sure everything is alright with everyone they’re serving. I can’t see this restaurant going stale anytime soon.

Our favorite go-​to spot for lunch and dinner! The service is always as wonderful as the food.
Go for date night if you can swing it (6−9pm every night) 2 sandwiches and a bottle of wine for $ 30… Switch the wine for a pitch of beer and it’s only $ 28.

little café w a lot of personality. I got the blt w chips n it was pretty good, they have great bread but all in all it was an average meal. maybe coming back

A don’t miss little gem.
Ordered the Dutch Aunt. Grilled Gouda, bacon, tomato, and carmelized onions. Had some protestor salad as the side. A very tastes combination.
A wonderful selection of sandwiches.
Our waitress was excellent. Attentive and very friendly, not to mention prompt.
Don’t skip desert! A raspberry cake with raspberry icing was a wonderful desert selection.
The seating is limited and it quite. The atmosphere is relaxing as well.

Nice people… gluten free bread and dessert!!! We came specifically here from I64 after we saw the reviews. Good food and good prices.

Great little spot that was perfect for a group of 6 to stop and eat. The variety of sandwiches and salads offered was on point. The wait staff was very nice and super accommodating.

This place is perfect. I hesitate to write this review because I love the quiet intimacy of the place, but it truly is one of the most peaceful and pleasant lunches that I’ve ever had. The décor is so pleasant. It reminds me of some of the small cafes I went to when I was in Germany. The walls are decorated with rustic pictures and portraits, the tables seem like they came from your grandmother’s kitchen, and the location is perfectly situated in a cozy but not cramped atmosphere. My wife and I sat right by the window, and I loved looking out at the quiet streets of fan while waiting for my food. I ordered a special a steak and pimento cheese sandwich that was on special, and it was perfectly put together. Perhaps a bit too much cheese (if that’s even possible), but very tasty. My wife ordered a salad with a lemon basil vinaigrette that crushed it. She said it was delicious and fresh.
Our sever was very friendly, and she took some time to explain that my steak sandwich special was a VCU game day special, and they will have it again next time the Rams are home. Great to know!
They do have a bar (beer and wine only) with a happy hour (it is RVA after all), but I’m unsure if I would ever come there to grab a drink. It’s not that it seems off, but there are so many places to drink in RVA that I don’t really see the reason for having a bar. I can’t believe I’m criticizing a restaurant for having a bar haha, but I would like to see more tables instead.
Love love love this place. Come here and support them.

Great sandwich spot with very reasonable prices and a laid back atmosphere.
All of the sandwiches come on high quality bread — personally recommend the rye. The ham/​gouda/​apple sandwich is a particular favorite. The walnut and goat cheese salad is exactly what you’d expect and the potato salad is very much on point.
Been there a few times and nothing has blown the mind but have been very pleased every single time. Absolutely a go-​to spot for a quick, convenient meal.
Date night deal gets you a bottle of wine along with two meals for an absolute steal.

Great sandwiches for lunch. Not too filling. Great price. I would definitely come here again.

Excellent food, fresh and tasty. The tomato soup was some of the best I’ve tasted. Delicious vegan potato salad.

Great sandwich and soup. Also had blueberry/​buttermilk pie. Very yummy and all gluten free.

It’s more of a 4.5 stars, but close enough.
The weird: I did not know where the entrance was and accidentally almost tried to get into some person’s house by mistake. Whoops.
The good:
The prices! Very reasonable, esp. in the fan.
The food — very tasty with good variety. We got two apps, a cup of soup, and a cake slice, and we were very full and satisfied. All for $ 23.
The bad:
Long and confusing sandwich menu. They should do a «build your own» since a lot of the ingredients seem to repeat. I was staring at the menu long and hard before I almost gave up. Too many similar endless choices.
I guess the place could be cleaned more? Or maybe that’s just the old building being an old building?
Overall I would come here at least once if I were you. Cheap, tasty, worth it.

I’ve had lunch here many times over the years, and it is just an outstanding spot. My only true gripe is that the place is so small and it’s hard to get a table at regular high traffic hours.
For an appetizer, I always get the Breads and Spreads. It is a plate with small pieces of warm crostine and I get the Benedictine (which is a combination of cream cheese and cucumber) and roasted garlic and white bean spread, which is a garlic-​heavy hummus type thing. So good.
As far as sandwiches go, I can speak very highly for the Scuffletown chicken salad sandwich, which is a slightly sweet chicken salad on some really good ciabatta bread; the croque monsieur is the best I’ve had; grilled turkey and pepperoni, which is a great deli-​style sandwich on rye; and the Louisville Hot Brown, which is a decadent sandwich with a Southern twist on the aforementioned croquet (both have mornay sauce, also known as fancy gravy).
Finally, their cakes and pies are out of this world. My favorite was a piece of pie whose name I can’t recall, but was some kind of buttermilk filling topped with a chocolate ganache. It was incredibly rich and also one of the best pieces of pie I have ever had.
As an added bonus, they have a pretty solid happy hour, with $ 3 snacks that are great and a nice, though modest, local craft beer tap selection.

It is an amazing brunch place. Our bartender was polite and nice on a Sunday morning. The food was quick to come. We shared a salade nicoise and Gruyère with mushrooms and onions. Both were delicious, my favourite was the soup that came with the sandwich (a cup of black lentil with some herbal taste, very yummy). The grilled sandwich was a little too buttery, otherwise my experience overall was pretty good.

Very disappointed. Didn’t even get a chance to dine let alone have a glass of water. Walked in and waited a good 3 minutes before I was acknowledged. And there was only 2 patrons at the counter. The server/​cashier/​hostess didn’t say hello until I did and continued to wash glasses before inviting me to sit where I’d like. Service matters! Was really looking forward to dining here based upon on the reviews, but I won’t support a business where I don’t feel welcomed at.

The hubs and I visited this restaurant whilst we were in town for the UCI Championship bike races. We kinda randomly found this place when we found that the pizza joint we intended to go to had no dine-​in option. So glad we ended up at Garnett’s. I was surprised the restaurant was open for dinner, given that it mainly serves sandwiches, but the sandwiches we had were certainly dinner-​worthy. There was a wide variety of hot and cold sandwiches on the menu, plus some salads and other offerings. We tried the Nicoise sandwich, and the Croque Garnett. We had the french potato salad and cole slaw as sides (included w/​the sandwiches). The Nicoise had a very generous helping of tuna and other toppings and was served on a very nice, chewy ciabatta roll. The Croque was nicely toasted and doused in creamy sauce. The side salads were very fresh and flavorful. We caught a glimpse of the daily desserts going by to other diners so we had to try one. We got the coffee cake (coffee-​flavored layer cake, not the stuff you get for breakfast). It was obviously made from scratch and had the most luscious coffee-​flavor buttercream on top.
We really enjoyed our meal at this café. We came as the sun was setting on a September evening and the ambiance was spellbinding — something between nostalgic, haunting, cozy, and quaint. The décor and feel of the restaurant is really unique — it feels like the 3^rd generation hipster grandkids took over grandma’s kitchen. The café is tucked in a totally residential neighborhood, not something you see often in this age of strip malls and chain eateries. We felt the service was a little impersonal, but at least it wasn’t intrusive or overbearing.
If we get the chance to visit Richmond again, I would certainly return to Garnett’s.

I’ve lived in Richmond for 6 years now and Garnett’s is absolutely on the top of my list for favorite places to eat. If you’re in the mood for a very cozy and cute little hole in the wall, you can’t miss eating here.
What you should do is grab yourself a cup of coffee, and put in an order for the cheese plate. It has fresh cheeses with toasted bread and a strawberry purée. I always order this and pretty much eat the entire thing to myself because I can’t stop.
Their sandwiches are simple but with a lot of flavor. I always get one of the sandwich choices that come with the mornay sauce on top which is always creamy and take the sandwich to the next level. They also always have a generous amount of meat.
Lastly, you should order a piece of whatever homemade cake they have because they’re all to die for. You could honestly order anything here and be amazed. My mouth is watering just thinking about it all. Smh. Go here right now.

Awesome experience. I really liked the ambient inside the café. I ordered their smoked salmon sandwich which is really good. But the benedictine spread inside the sandwich was the best. We also tasted their peach pie and coconut banana pecan cake. Those made the day for me.
I would love to try their cheese plate appetizer next time. The café did not disappoint me as expected from the same owner of Ipanema Café.

$ 5.00 sammich week? Yes, please!
I was determined to get their smoked salmon sammich when I saw it on the menu in the sammich week ad. I love salmon, smoked salmon even more, and $ 5 tops it off.
The best part was that they allow you to get the $ 5 deal even for take out. I ordered 3 to take home for dinner, and since I didn’t know who wanted what, I got chips, potato salad, and coleslaw for each of the plates.
Lemme tell ya, they do NOT skimp on that salmon. Especially for $ 5. I was so full after this sammich, I was happily watching a movie on my belly afterwards.
The coleslaw wasn’t that good, but the potato salad and chips had positive feedback, so all in all, great food. Don’t know about the service because I haven’t sat and eaten, but I will certainky try another time.

Visited Garnetts with friends for sandwich week. Loved this place! Staff are friendly and accomodating. They had a special smoked salmon sandwich which was a great summer meal.
I also recommend the black pea salad if it’s on the menu!
I’ll definitely be back.

Cute little place in Richmond. Everything is tasty; you have to try the buttermilk pie if you get the chance!

As I have always driven by this place, passing it by on my bike, I knew I had to stop on in for a bite. Immediate went in after parking my bike outside and ordered California BLT to go (no patio seating but I was determined to eat outside across the street to Meadow Park to enjoy the weather).
The lady who took my order was super sweet and after I told her it was my first time here, she was nice enough to tell me about upcoming date nights to enjoy during the week.
After grabbing my meal to go and hopping across the street to enjoy my meal, I was pleasantly surprised at how fresh my Sammie was. The only downside is the potato salad was a tad too onion tasting for me personally (they used a great deal of purple onion) so next time I will skip that. Otherwise, I think I will bike here again next time for a lunch time meal!

This place is alright.
I’ve tried the Grilled Florentine and Bacon and Turkey Sandwich. Both were good, but not memorable. Each sandwich (around $ 8 each) were served with a slice (SLICE?!) of pickle on the side and your choice of side dish. Another thing I was disappointed about– in a mostly sandwich-​based menu restaurant, they didn’t offer fries or onion rings as a side dish. The closest you’ll get to that is by getting their chips.
Maybe it would’ve been better if the service was better, but I guess our server had more important things to do since she never once came to check up on our table.
Note: This place is TINY! There’s only about 10 tiny tables total in this restaurant so come with just one other person.

An incredibly cute spot! Great beers on tap every time I’ve gone, and their desserts are on POINT. Not to mention the apple butter they use in their sandwiches may very well have some sort of addictive drug in it because you find yourself thinking about it halfway through the week.
It is an unfortunately small size though, and if you go at a popular time, you likely won’t have a spot to sit.

Garnett’s Café is an awesome little (and I do mean LITTLE) place in the heart of the Fan district. If you love unconventional sandwich offerings, you have to give this place a try.
I live a little north of here, and this place’s convenience to Broad street is nice. Parking was surprisingly easy given that this is in a residential neighborhood, just parked along one of the side streets. The first thing that struck me was the size of the location: only seating for a total of about 25 people, with two four-​tops, five two-​tops, and seven seats at the bar. For a small group this is fine, though anything larger than that may need to place a to-​go order! Its small size is actually very fitting though, it contributes to its «neighborhood place» aura nicely.
I came here with my parents though we happened to get there at a good time to snag one of the four-​top tables. Our server greeted us promptly and was quick to bring us our drink order. Speaking of drinks, there’s quite a few unique offerings to choose from, including cream soda which you rarely find anywhere these days. The beers on tap are local brews and will appeal to the draft connoisseur in your group.
The menu is truly heaven for German/​French sandwich lovers, and there is quite a bit of variety here. Many of the offerings are served covered in Mornay sauce, which is absolutely amazing and I would highly recommend it. My parents were kind enough to allow me to sample their selections as well and they were equally delicious.
Two small caveats: the potato soup was a bit bland, so if I went again I would definitely opt for their awesome chips instead. Definitely go for those instead! Also, tried the cake and it wasn’t bad, though it didn’t have much flavor to it. Stick to the sandwiches!
I look forward to returning in the future and trying out some of their other offerings, preferably sooner rather than later!
Overall: 4.5 stars
— — — — — —
Pros:
— Delicious and unique sandwich menu items make this a great lunch spot for any occasion.
— Varied alcoholic and non-​alcoholic drink offerings offer something for everyone.
— Great and attentive service from friendly serving staff.
— Atmosphere is very inviting and smells great.
Cons:
— Soup and cake are a bit bland, probably good to give them a pass.
— Seating might be difficult depending on your timing, so hope for the best!