VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Years ago, three friends were bartending together in Virginia Beach and had the idea of going into business together. After marriages, kids, and years later the three came together again to open The Rustic Spoon.
“We wanted to do a breakfast, brunch, and lunch space. We knew the area needed something like that and along came Rustic Spoon,” said part-owner Ryan Hines.
They opened The Rustic Spoon in February 2020. One month before the country shut down due to COVID-19.
“Life throws curveballs at you all the time,” Hines said.
The restaurant had a tough time making ends meet at the beginning of the pandemic. That’s why they made the decision to go from a brunch, lunch spot to also a dinner spot; serving classics like meatloaf.
“Man, it was a crazy 2020, but when those doors finally opened up it was absolutely fantastic and surreal,” adds Hines.
When you walk inside, the feeling of “rustic” smacks you in the face, in a good way. It honestly looks like something out of an HGTV magazine.
That look is intentional, with family and friends putting in hours of work with their own two hands to make this place feel like home. The rustic look, the dark wood throughout, to the fireplace in the corner. A home away from home vibe, with food out of this world.
When asked about the overall feeling of the place, Hines said, “I had a mentor that said you’ve got to have three things in a restaurant. You’ve got to have good food, good service, and a killer atmosphere. Those are the three things I’ve tried to create here.”
On the menu, you have your traditional favorites, two eggs, pancakes, etc. Then, you have brunch items on the wild side. Carnitas hash is a big customer favorite, offering you breakfast taste with a touch of spice.
Scotch eggs, shrimp and grits cake, souffle pancakes what they call the spoon stack, stuffed (literally a loaf of bread stuffed) French toast.
If you like your brunch to come with a little booze they’ve got the classics there, too. However, want something off the beaten path? Try the sorbet mimosa.
It’s champagne with a scoop of sorbet creating a unique and refreshing brunch sidekick.
“I’m grateful and thankful for all the support we’ve had literally since day one,” said Hines.
Rustic Spoon puts an emphasis on the comfort they want you to feel when you walk in. Hoping you can become a regular and a part of the family.
“It’s our dream and I get goosebumps talking about it, this is all, this is family. That’s the one thing about this restaurant is, it’s family,” he said, adding that he’s ready to watch this place flourish. “I finally had the chance to build our dream together and that’s what we’ve presented here, the skies the limit we hope.”
The Rustic Spoon is located at 1658 Pleasure House Rd, Suite 101, in Virginia Beach.