By: Anne Ross Hope

Capital Waffle Shop’s menus and artwork on the walls.

“This is it?” I thought to myself upon walking up to Capitol Waffle Shop, a restaurant in downtown Richmond specializing in extravagant waffles. The outdoor dining seemed to be randomly plopped down dangerously close to the curb parallel to East Main Street, making me hesitant about the safety of the outdoor seating options. Therefore, my sister, parents, friend, and I chose to eat inside. The restaurant was so quaint that I was unsure of what to expect, but as I walked into the quiet and charming atmosphere, my uncertainty dwindled. 

The coffee shop setup was not what I had imagined for the restaurant, but the whimsical fairy lights, funny pictures on the walls, and warm buttery smell of waffles gave the shop a cozy and comforting feel. Being a Sunday evening, only one employee was working, and no other customers were in the store. Therefore, we took a great deal of time reviewing and pondering what we would order off the extensive menu. A combination of both dessert and savory waffles, such as The Martha Waffle, a “full size waffle topped with coffee cake, cinnamon toast crunch, craisins, caramel, powdered sugar and whipped cream,” The Country Breakfast Waffle, a “full size waffle topped with a quarter pound of fried chicken h

Capitol Waffle Shop’s ordering counter.

alf strips, scrambled egg, and sausage gravy,” and many more, left me indecisive. 

After ordering our food at the counter, we sat down at two out of the three tables inside the restaurant. A gnat was flying around our heads, making me question the credibility of the waffle shop. I typically associate bugs in a restaurant with low quality food and poor sanitation and service. After witnessing all of our meals come out at once in brown paper boxes within ten minutes of ordering, my doubts plenished.

Chicken and rice with a side of sour patch kids.

My sister Harper Hope (‘24) was pleasantly surprised by her meal. Usually disliking waffles, she was not fond of the idea of going to a restaurant that specializes in waffles, since she thought she would be opposed to everything on the menu. However, she was delighted to discover Capitol Waffle Shop serves more than just waffles. Her excitement was enhanced after realizing she could order chicken and rice with a side of Sour Patch Kids as her meal. Harper, who eats chicken and rice as a meal at least twice a week, stated the chicken and rice was “fabuloso.” 

“The Jensky Waffle”

Those of us that ordered waffles all agreed they were immaculate. The warm, crunchy, sweet waffle was phenomenal on its own, but the toppings added an extra element of extravagance. Furthermore, the maple syrup served on the side was chief to all syrups, as it added the perfect amount of sweetness to the waffles without overpowering them. 

My mother Wendy Hope ordered one of the restaurant’s signature dessert waffles, entitled The Jensky Waffle– a “full size waffle topped with strawberries, coffee cake, vanilla ice cream, balsamic reduction glaze, powdered sugar and whipped cream.” Wendy was pleasantly surprised to discover that the coffee cake was crumbled and topped onto the waffle rather than a slice just being dropped on. While Wendy was quite impressed by the waffles’ appearance and taste, she said she could have gone without the ice cream, because it added sogginess. 

Waffle with m&m’s, chocolate sauce, and powdered sugar.

My friend Casey McClendon ordered a waffle that consisted of m&m’s, chocolate syrup, and powdered sugar. Once she opened the brown paper box housing her waffle, I was second-guessing my order, because the m&m waffle looked so appetizing.

Longing to try chicken and waffles for some time, I was torn between ordering the chicken and waffles or a dessert waffle. After fifteen minutes of contemplation, I went to the counter and placed an order for chicken and waffles—in the end, I was not remotely disappointed. The combination of the crispy chicken along with the buttery waffle established a perfect sweet-to-savory ratio. It far exceeded my expectations of what chicken and waffles were like.

Visiting Capitol Waffle Shop was an enjoyable experience. The service was friendly, the wait was short, and the food was delicious. In the future I will definitely be visiting Capitol Waffle Shop again, but will be doing so in the evening. Yes, waffles are typically considered breakfast food, but who said you can’t have waffles for dinner?

All photos by Anne Ross Hope.