Welcome to Virginia Beach! Whether you’re staying at an Oceanfront hotel on the Boardwalk or you’ve rented a beach house in Sandbridge for your Virginia Beach family vacation, your seaside trip won’t be complete without some delicious meals. With dining options that range from casual beachside shacks to upscale waterfront restaurants, Virginia Beach offers something for every palate and preference. What local specialties should you try while visiting Coastal Virginia? What are our favorite spots as former Virginia Beach locals? What do we consider to be the best Virginia Beach restaurants? How do you choose from the amazing restaurants up and down the Boardwalk during your family trip to Virginia Beach? Here’s a (former) local’s guide to the best places to eat in Virginia Beach.
Signature Dishes in Virginia Beach
When we travel to a new place, we always love to eat local signature dishes. In Virginia Beach, a few local specialties immediately spring to mind: she crab soup, oysters, soft shell crab, and the orange crush.
She Crab Soup
This rich tasty soup will be familiar if you enjoy seafood bisque and includes Atlantic blue crab meat from female crabs. It also traditionally includes a small amount of dry sherry. The best Virginia Beach restaurants to order a cup of she crab soup at are Waterman’s Surfside Grille, Chix on the Beach, Rudee’s on the Inlet, Steinhilber’s, Rockafellers, Becca, and The Hunt Room.
Oysters
Oysters served both raw and Rockefeller are popular menu items at seafood restaurants in Virginia Beach. Check out this fresh appetizer at restaurants like Hot Tuna, Steinhilber’s, Rockafellers, Becca, Rudee’s on the Inlet, The Hunt Room,
Soft Shell Crab
When they’re in season, soft shell crab is a favorite among both locals and visitors in Virginia Beach. If you visit outside of soft shell crab season (usually May to September), crab dip and crab cakes are also popular and delicious menu items here. Rudee’s on the Inlet, Waterman’s Surfside Grille, and Commune are some of the best Virginia Beach restaurants to order soft shell crab. And Bay Local Eatery even serves a Bloody Mary topped with a fried soft shell crab.
Orange Crush
The orange crush is a signature Virginia Beach drink, perfect for a hot day at the beach. Many Virginia Beach Oceanfront restaurants offer a crush on their menu, but the orange crush from Waterman’s is the original. Other great options for crush cocktails can be found at The Shack on 8th, Chix Seaside Grill & Bar, Hot Tuna, Bay Local Eatery, and Rudee’s Cabana Bar.
Our Two Favorite Eats in Virginia Beach
When we moved away from Virginia Beach, there was a short list of restaurants we had to visit ‘one more time.’ And no trip back to Virginia Beach is complete if we don’t pop into these two spots: Lolly’s Creamery and Pungo Pizza.
Lolly’s Creamery
This local Virginia Beach ice cream shop has 3 locations. One is at the Oceanfront and another is in the nearby Vibe Creative District. Choose one of 7 classic flavors (Cookie Monster is Ryan’s favorite) or one from their rotating seasonal menu. They release a new small batch flavor just about every week, so there’s always something new to try at Lolly’s! Grabbing a cone here is one of the best things to do in Virginia Beach with kids
Pungo Pizza
This classic and casual family owned pizza restaurant is near Sandbridge Beach and a lot of local Pungo farms, so it was a frequent stop for us. Strawberry picking in Pungo? Spending a couple hours at the beach? Pumpkin picking day? If we drove out that way, we always stopped at Pungo Pizza. While it’s not a fancy or impressive place, we consider it one of the best restaurants in Virginia Beach. Their garlic knots are a must-order.
Must Eat Breakfast in Virginia Beach
The Bee & The Biscuit
This brunch spot is one of the few restaurants near Sandbridge Beach and it is a POPULAR spot, even during the off season! Go early and prepare to hang out in their lovely garden patio while you wait for a table. I love their Benedicts and their beautiful mason jar lattes. This popular and photogenic spot is one of the best restaurants Virginia Beach.
Pour Favor Coffee
This coffee shop offers a variety of seasonal flavors and serves coffee flights with hot or iced drinks of your choice. In addition to coffee, they have a selection of sandwiches and desserts.
Duck Donuts
This made-to-order donut shop started in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and quickly spread to Virginia Beach with multiple locations, including one at the Oceanfront. Stopping here is one of the best things to do in Virginia Beach with kids. My favorite donut is chocolate frosting and bacon, and I also love to order off the seasonal menu. But if you’re feeling extra adventurous, they even offer breakfast sandwiches served on a sliced donut!
Citrus
So many yummy menu items to choose from at this breakfast and lunch café: the fried chicken and waffles, French toast options, and blueberry pancakes. They even have a soft shell crab eggs Benedict!
Honorable Mention: Handsome Biscuit
This casual biscuit restaurant is located in Norfolk, Virginia, but the breakfast sandwiches are just too tasty not to mention among the best restaurants in Virginia Beach.
Best Restaurants Virginia Beach Edition
Here are our favorite dinner spots that we would recommend for your family trip to Virginia Beach or for a special night on during your Virginia Beach family vacation.
Waterman’s Surfside Grille
Waterman’s is our favorite Oceanfront Virginia Beach restaurant. We’ve attended multiple weddings and parties here in the Attic event space and we also celebrated our 11th anniversary here.
Chix on the Beach
We’ve also celebrated an anniversary here, and as it’s a sister restaurant to Waterman’s, we knew we wouldn’t be disappointed!
Steinhilber’s
This family owned restaurant is coming up on their 90th birthday! If you go on a nice evening, enjoy their outdoor seating and the views of the water. With seafood and steaks, there’s a variety of delicious choices. They even grow many of their own seasonal vegetables!
Cavalier Hotel Restaurants – Becca & The Hunt Room
While I have not eaten in the Cavalier’s restaurants, I attended an event there and the catering was excellent! Becca serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a beautiful bright dining room while The Hunt Room is a moody contrast with dark wood and leather, serving dinner and drinks.
Commune
Located in the Vibe Creative District, this farm-to-table restaurant is a great choice for breakfast or lunch.
FireBrew
Located not far from Sandbridge Beach, FireBrew offers a variety of delicious dishes, many of which are cooked in their 600+ degree open flame fire deck oven. Eat here when you’ve had enough of fried seafood and want something fresh and different!
Other Best Virginia Beach Restaurant Recommendations
Here are a handful of other Virginia Beach restaurants that come highly recommended by locals that I never had a chance to try. If you have time on your beach vacation, give them a try and see if they make your best restaurants Virginia Beach list.
Bay Local Eatery
The Shack on 8th
Bro Fish Tacos
Dough Boy’s Pizza
Hot Tuna
Esoteric
Orion’s Roof
Lager Heads
Rudee’s on the Inlet
Rockafeller’s
Three Ships Coffee
Fun Things To Do in Virginia Beach
You’re probably planning to spend a lot of your Virginia Beach vacation at the beach, but here are some other activities and fun things to do in Virginia Beach during your visit.
At the Oceanfront
Oceanfront Free Things To Do in Virginia Beach
Seasonal festivals and concerts on the boardwalk – If you’re already staying at the Oceanfront, most of the boardwalk’s seasonal events will be free. (If not, parking is usually $20.) The sand sculptures at the Neptune Festival are always a favorite.
Virginia Legends Walk
Naval Aviation Monument Park
Oceanfront Things To Do in Virginia Beach with Kids
Mini Golf – King Neptune’s, Jungle Golf, and Pirates Paradise
Atlantic Fun Park
Lost Planet amusement center
Escape Room
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Oceanfront Things To Do in Virginia Beach for Couples
Bike rental on the boardwalk
iFly Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach Search & Rescue Museum
Rudee Inlet Stand Up Paddle
Fisherman’s Wharf Marina
Things To Do Elsewhere in Virginia Beach
Free Things To Do in Virginia Beach
Murals in the Vibe Creative District
Mount Trashmore Park – Yes, it used to be a landfill, but now it’s a great place to take a walk, fly kites, or play on the playground.
Jerrassic Park – Metal dinosaurs near the Military Aviation Museum
Virginia Beach Farmer’s Market
Things To Do in Virginia Beach with Kids
Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center
The Adventure Park at Virginia Aquarium ropes course
Motor World
Ocean Breeze waterpark
Adventureworks Zipline
Seasonal – Strawberry picking, peach picking, pumpkin picking in Pungo
First Landing State Park
Cape Henry Lighthouse
Norfolk Botanical Gardens – in Norfolk, 30 minutes from the Oceanfront
Virginia Zoo – in Norfolk, 30 minutes from the Oceanfront
Find more Virginia blog posts:
4 Day History Lovers Virginia Road Trip
4 Day Hiking & Off-Roading Virginia Itinerary
Charlottesville 3 Day Itinerary
Lynchburg 3 Day Itinerary
Roanoke with Kids
Big Levels Off-Roading
3 Virginia Campgrounds
15 Things To Eat in Virginia Beach
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15 Things You Must Eat in Virginia Beach
