Are you looking for the best restaurants in Virginia Beach? Well, this is the best place to start. Virginia Beach is known to have some of the best eats in all of Virginia and after spending your day at the beach you are sure to work up an appetite.
From Pungo to the Oceanfront you can find a variety of restaurants in Virginia Beach that will solve any craving you may have. You will find steak houses, sushi bars, breakfast and brunch spots, and of course seafood restaurants open year-round.
Most people visit Virginia Beach to enjoy the sandy shores and sunshine, but it has so much more to offer. There is a unique art scene at the oceanfront, and if you drive just 20 minutes away to Pungo you will find some of the best peanut and strawberry farms in the country.
If you are planning to visit, check out our list of the Best Oceanfront Hotels In Virginia Beach!
15 Best Restaurants in Virginia Beach you Must Try
Citrus Breakfast and Lunch
If you are on the looking for the best brunch in Virginia Beach you should start at Citrus. Since 2012 Citrus Breakfast and Lunch have been voted best brunch in Virginia Beach. With two locations one on Shore Dr and one in Little Neck there are no excuses to not try one of them out. Both locations have indoor and outdoor seating and you never need a reservation. Everything on their menu is made daily and from scratch.
They have daily specials plus a full breakfast and lunch menu. Citrus is one of the best restaurants in Virginia Beach for breakfast with their secret signature pancake batter and original citrus glaze on their sweet potato biscuits. Their homemade desserts change daily and are inspired by the season. If you are into bloody marys and mimosas for breakfast Citrus is the perfect place for you.
Make sure to check out some of the best Coffee Shops In Virginia Beach along with your breakfast!
Brother’s Pizza
If you are on the hunt for the best pizza in Virginia Beach then Brother’s pizza is defiantly a good place to start. Brothers Pizza has two locations in Kempsville and Great Neck and they serve some of the best pizza in Virginia. They make fresh dough, sauce, and bread daily and are open 7 days a week for both delivery and carry out.
Brothers pizza has much more than just pizza, they are also known for being the best burger in Virginia Beach. They were nominated for both their pizza and burgers in the Coastal Va Magazine in 2022. They offer specials every day of the week and big deals on Sunday for football.
The Back Deck
The Back Deck is just as it sounds, a charming southern wrap-around back deck on the Lynnhaven River. If you are looking for the best restaurant in Virginia Beach with a view, The Back Deck is perfect. They are open year-round and are famous for staying open during hurricanes. The sunset here alone makes The Back Deck one of the best restaurants in Virginia Beach.
Their menu offers homemade crab dip, flatbreads, the best fish tacos, and nachos. If you are lucky enough to experience Sunday brunch, go ahead and order yourself a personal pitcher of bloody marys or mimosas, they are only $5. They offer a full bar and kitchen with the cutest gift shop full of local artists and coastal souvenirs.
IL Giardino Ristorante
Next on the list is one of the best Italian restaurants in Virginia Beach. This locals favorite IL Giardino Ristorante is located on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront strip. All of the dishes are made from scratch and they use only the freshest ingredients. This is the perfect place for big groups and it is recommended to make a reservation during the summer months.
IL Giardino is known for its high-quality Italian dishes that include all the favorite kinds of pasta, seafood, steaks, and they have plenty of vegetarian options too. If you are looking for some delish dessert you cannot go wrong ordering anything from IL Giardino, they have a pastry chef in house that bakes the yummiest creations.
Becca Restaurant & Garden
The Becca is one of the best farm-to-table breakfast restaurants in Virginia Beach. Located inside the historic oceanfront Cavalier Hotel this restaurant has the loveliest outdoor garden. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and on Sunday they offer one of the best Sunday brunches in Virginia Beach. Reservations are not required, but make one just to make sure the wait times can be quite long on nice days.
Serving up fresh weekly specials and hosting a burger night on Mondays, The Becca has something for everyone in the family to love. Their Cavalier Benedict is a crowd favorite it is a classic egg benedict with local chesapeake bay lump crab cakes , tomatoes, spinach, and of coarse hollandaise sauce all on top of an english muffin. They make a creme brûlée with seasonal fruits and an ever changing drink menu makes it one of the best resturants in Virginia Beach.
Steinhilber’s Restaurant
If you are looking for fine dining in Virginia Beach, you need to head to Steinhilbers, or steinys as the locals call it. They have been a stable of Virginia Beach cuisine for over 80 years. They are located near the town center, tucked back into the quiet neighborhood of Thaila.
Steinhilber’s is famous for its fried shrimp appetizers, and fresh catch of the day specials. If seafood is not your jam, don’t worry they serve some of the best steaks in Virginia Beach. They offer indoor and outdoor seating, and do yourself a favor and make a reservation to sit outside in the garden, it is well worth it.
Chicho’s Pizza
With 5 locations in Chicho’s is easy to get to from anywhere in Virginia Beach. The original Chicho’s on 29th street was started by two local lifeguards with a dream to make the best pizzas in Virginia Beach. Since then they have expanded and many restaurants in Virginia Beach. They have 2 oceanfront locations, shore drive, Strawbridge, and the newest location in Little Neck.
All locations offer their famous spicy or regular pizzas for dine-in or carry out 7 days a week. Their menu offers a variety of crowd-pleasers like cheesy bread and Philly cheesesteaks. Most locations have daily specials and live music on the weekends.
Blue Petes
Blue Pete’s Restaurant is in the Pungo area of Virginia Beach and is a great place to unwind in a casual waterfront setting. Check out some of our favorite beaches in Virginia Beach and nearby!
Known as the local’s secret, Blue Pete’s has been around for over 40 years. They serve up the freshest seafood for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
If you are lucky enough to visit in the summer you can expect to hear some live music, or even attend one of their many annual events.
They are one of the most reasonably priced seafood restaurants in Virginia Beach. In the summer you can order yourself all you can eat blue crabs, most people end up staying until the kitchen runs out. The crab dip, crispy calamari, and she-crap soup are also popular items on the menu. Blue Pete’s is a pet and family-friendly restaurant and a perfect place to enjoy the simple life in Virginia Beach.
The Porch on Long Creek
The Porch on Long Creek in Virginia Beach is a perfect date night spot, with panoramic views of the water on Long Creek and the cutest interior. They are open for dinner every night of the week, and for Brunch on the weekend. You will want to try and make sure you plan your dinner at the right time so you can catch the sunset on the water here, not only is it magical but they offer a special golden hour food and drink menu.
You can expect to have some of the best sushi in Virginia Beach at The Porch, along with seafood entrees that are just as yummy as they are beautiful.
Make sure to order yourself some appetizers to share with the table here, they will not disappoint. Although sunset is the ideal time to head to The Porch, anytime is perfect to check out one of the best restaurants in Virginia Beach. Make sure to add this to your Weekend In Virginia Beach Itinerary!
Waterman’s Surfside Grille
Waterman’s Surfside Grille is home to the signature drink in Virginia Beach, the famous Orange Crush. If you are visiting Virginia Beach you have to order an orange crush and sit on the deck of Waterman’s looking out at the Atlantic Ocean. They even have had a special orange crushing machine they invented to make these delicious drinks faster.
They are open every day of the week with lunch and dinner options and open early on Sundays for some of the best brunch in Virginia Beach. The crab dip and crab cakes are the most popular option, but everything on the menu is made fresh daily, so you really cannot go wrong. Waterman’s has more than just seafood they also offer burgers, salads, and pasta. If you had to pick just one Virginia Beach restaurant to go to, make it Waterman’s its a tradition.
The Aberdeen Barn Steakhouse
If you are looking for the best steak restaurants in Virginia Beach then check out Aberdeen Barn. Located near Shore Drive, they have been a stable of the best Virginia Beach restaurants since 1966. They are open every day of the week except Wednesday and it is recommended to make a reservation for dinner because they fill up fast.
Dining at the Aberdeen Barn is an experience you will not soon forget. You can expect to find anything from a tomahawk steak to crab legs on the menu daily, with specials every week. They also offer a vast variety of sides that you can add to any entree. If you get there early you might be able to catch the amazing happy hour they offer.
Bay Local
If you are looking for some of the best cocktails in Virginia Beach then Bay Local is your place. They serve bloody marys and mimosas for brunch that comes with all the fixings. They are open for breakfast , brunch and dinner with two restaurants in Virginia Beach that only serve locally sourced seafood, meats, and fish.
The menu at Bay Local is always changing but they do have some local favorites they keep on year-round. Do yourself a favor and order the Ta-Chos, it is a fun mix of nachos but with tator tats instead of chips. They also serve delicious waffles, eggs benedicts, and breakfast burritos. You may want to get there early, the locals love this place.
Orion’s Roof
Orion’s Roof has one of the best rooftop restaurants in Virginia Beach. They are an Asian-fusion restaurant overlooking the Atlantic Ocean you will be dining at 183 feet in the air. The menu is full of fun and traditional sushi, seafood, and Asian street food.
They are open every day of the week for lunch, dinner, and late night drinks. If you can make it for lunch during the week you will not need to make a reservation, but any other time you should make a reservation early.
Taste
Taste, or formally known as Taste Unlimited, was started in the Hilltop area of Virginia Beach in 1973 and has been one of the best restaurants in Virginia Beach ever since. There are 5 different Taste locations all over Virginia Beach and each one bring the same specialty food market and upscale cafe. They make made to order sandwiches, salads, and soups using only locally sourced items.
You will find various events happening at the Shore Drive location all year round, from selling Christmas trees to summer farmers markets the experience of going to a Taste is second to none. One of the more popular events is the summer film festival, where you order your dinner and watch drive in style out on the lawn. So grab yourself a sandwich from Taste, and go hit the beach.
Doc Taylors
If you don’t look close enough you might miss this little breakfast restaurant in Virginia Beach. Doc Taylor’s is set in an old-time cottage and is a local favorite for breakfast and lunch. This is one of the most affordable restaurants in the Virginia Beach oceanfront. They make simple but delicious home-cooked favorites.
Doc Taylor’s is open all year round from Wednesday to Sunday and serve breakfast and lunch all day until 2pm. The catfish po-boy and the left side entrees are among the most popular, but anything here will remind you of your mommas cooking.
12 Best Beaches in Tennessee (And Nearby!)