10 Great Restaurants in Virginia Beach

Terrapin Restaurant is a fine-dining eatery for those who care about the provenance of their plate. Chef Rodney Einhorn returned to his hometown in 2006 to realise his dream of opening a restaurant focused on fresh, local, and sustainable food. The result is Terrapin Restaurant, which sources its modern American menu from organic farmers and fisheries in and around Virginia.

Dishes rotate seasonally—you might see butternut squash from the nearby family farm in the fall. Yet the food is far from rustic. Savour raw oysters and caviar service to start, roasted chicken or ribeye as an entree, and a delectable tiramisu for dessert. Choose between the sophisticated dining room or outdoor terrace, all located just a few blocks from the oceanfront.

Love Song is a casual, European-style, fine-dining spot serving creative small plates that pack an almighty punch. You might encounter rockfish crudo with blood orange, gnudi with trout roe, or olive oil cake with buttermilk cream. The warm welcome you’ll get from Chef Mike Hill is as chilled out as its playlists.

Love Song specialises in natural and biodynamic wines. If cocktails are more your thing, try The Rudeboy, a party-time combo of rum, pineapple, and walnut bitters, or Subtle Tea, a gentler blend of chamomile scotch, lemon, and honey. If you want to continue the good vibes, head to nearby Neptune’s Park after, which often has live music.

Eurasia Café combines the elegance and artistry of a fine-dining menu with the comfort of your grandmother’s Americana cooking. Hidden behind a wine shop in the Linkhorn Shoppes strip mall not far from the ocean, its unassuming exterior conceals a quaint bistro with big ambitions. The modern American menu focuses on coastal cuisine, fresh seafood, and local produce but with global accents—think sautéed shrimp and gouda grits, coconut salmon poke, or shrimp and pork dumplings.

Eurasia Café also has an award-winning selection of bourbons, making it the natural choice for a classic old fashioned. If you’re not a whisky fan, the sommelier-curated wine list and craft cocktails will have you covered.

Bay Local Eatery is the passion project of husband and wife team Adrian and Whitney Colaprete, with coastal Southern-style dishes based on the seasonal availability of local ingredients. When you step inside, you’ll notice the eclectic selection of antiques that adorn the space, which Whitney scoured her hometown to find.

Two Bay Local Eatery locations are available, including this laid back spot in Linkhorn Shoppes, close to the waterfront. The menu features what the couple calls “fresh-ials.” These are seasonally changing, local dishes such as hand-picked crab meat in the summer and collard greens from local farms in the winter. Stop by for a hearty brunch—try the crab cake benedict, fried oysters, or shrimp po’ boy wrap.

Repeal Bourbon and Burgers is a stunning, award-winning burger restaurant with a long drink list that offers a speakeasy vibe, making you feel like you've stepped back into Prohibition times. This blowout spot is located a short stroll from the Virginia Beach Boardwalk—and with a menu that goes all out, you might need to walk it off after dinner.

Choose from the award-winning burgers, all handcrafted using locally sourced ingredients and homemade sauces. Try The Huntsman, an elk, boar, wagyu, and bison patty topped with cheddar cheese, bourbon aioli, Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce, and onion strings. Top things off with a build-your-own old fashioned or Manhattan, assembled from the impressive bourbon list.

Tautog’s Restaurant is an adorable seafood restaurant tucked along the Virginia Beach seafront that delivers an authentic coastal dining experience. It's situated inside a 1920s beach cottage called Winston’s Cottage and has a breezy atmosphere that harks back to the area’s maritime roots. On warm nights, ask to sit out on the porch and soak it all in.

Seafood and fish are the stars of the show. Begin with she-crab soup, crab nachos, and oysters topped with sundried tomatoes and Havarti cheese before moving on to stuffed flounder in a bag, sage and cornmeal-coated catfish, or tilapia au gratin. Top it off with a slice of key lime pie and an award-winning ginger ninja martini.

Orion’s Roof is an Asian-fusion rooftop restaurant with 360-degree views over the twinkling shores of Virginia Beach. Situated on the 23rd floor of the Marriott Resort VB Oceanfront, this rarefied restaurant opened underneath NOBU alum Chef Hirashi Araki, bringing together elements from his childhood with local ingredients and global flavours.

Take a seat at the swish bar or amid the outdoor, tree-strewn rooftop garden. The menu features Nikkei-style sushi—try the passionfruit hamachi roll or spicy lobster and shrimp roll—and a whimsical cocktail menu has creations like The Weekend Influencer, best enjoyed late. Don’t miss the kakigori, which is a traditional Japanese dessert of shaved ice with matcha green tea or sweet red bean.

Esoteric is a fine-dining restaurant with an environmental conscience, allowing you to delight in fresh herbal dishes and traditional tavern fare along with the stunning craft beers on tap. Located in the gritty Arts and Culture District near 17th Street, it’s the brainchild of husband and wife Tim and Kristina Chastain. The pair share a passion for craft beer and curated plates.

To understand Esoteric’s ethos, pull up a seat at the outdoor chef’s table in its garden. This green space is used to grow herbs, fruits, and vegetables and is also used by local businesses, such as the boutique floral business Roost. Keep an eye out for special garden events featuring Esoteric’s many collaborators.

1608 Crafthouse is an understated, Southern-style restaurant and bar that highlights local ingredients from the Chesapeake Bay region in an unpretentious, casual atmosphere. Although the decor is relaxed, the farm-to-table approach to sourcing means that each dish is crafted from the finest local ingredients.

You’ll spot Virginia Beach staples like shrimp and grits and raw oysters alongside souped-up comfort food like the “Big A$$ Pretzel” with cheese sauce and mustard and “Bread Puddin” for dessert. Craft beer aficionados will find lots to love about 1608 Crafthouse’s retro tap draft system, which promises to have at least 2 Hampton Road breweries on tap alongside other regional and national craft beers. They even have a Virginia-focused wine list for you to sample.

Blue Pete's Restaurant is a longtime local favourite offering delicious seafood and unique cocktails in a charming creekside setting. It's located a 20-minute drive from the Virginia Beach oceanfront in the historic Pungo area. It’s bursting with Southern hospitality and has occasional live music with outdoor tables overlooking the water.

Whether you come for dinner or weekend brunch, the seafood-focused menu encapsulates everything that Virginia Beach food is about. Feast on snow crab legs, blackened tuna bites, and the Mahi Imperial, mahi fish topped with crab cake and she-crab soup. Alongside the amusingly titled Witch of Pungo and Muddy Creek Crush, you’ll also find zodiac-themed cocktails on the drinks list so you can sip to your star sign.