Seafood! I would eat it in a boat. And with a goat. And in the rain. And on a train. Know what I’m saying? Superb seafood abounds along Virginia’s coast, but some of the very best preparations — both classic and modern — hail from Virginia Beach. It’s a liquid crossroads, with the Chesapeake Bay spilling into the Atlantic at its northwest corner, and a huge range of freshwater and saltwater creatures call it home — until they travel back to Richmond in either my cooler or my belly.
Food Getaways: Virginia Beach
Greet the Atlantic Ocean each morning and afternoon of your stay in Virginia Beach. (Photo courtesy: Cameron Davidson/Virginia Tourism Corp.)
You’ll find everything from sea-worn dives to fine-dining gems tucked away land-side. You can roll up to the Dockside restaurant and seafood market in flip-flops and yesterday’s shirt and fill a table with perfectly steamed shrimp, fresh Eastern Shore oysters, buttery Bay crabs and clams casino, then grab some fresh porgy fillets or any of the umpteen types of fish that they sell at the market, to fry for dinner. Bonus 1: They have a shockingly long wine list. Bonus 2: There’s a sparkling blue, seagull-dotted view across which the Lesner Bridge stretches its legs.
Food Getaways: Virginia Beach
Roll on up to Dockside for the freshest catch of the day. (Photo courtesy: Jason Lefton)
As for fine dining, chef Rodney Einhorn’s name usually crops up first. Terrapin isn’t on the water — it doesn’t need to be, because all you’ll be looking at is other people’s food until your own plates arrive in front of you. The restaurant and bar are decked out in black, white and chrome; kind of dark and intimate, like a secret. Certified sommelier Brian Williams greets you at the door and is available for a chat about special wines they can offer by the bottle or the glass, using the Coravin system to prevent opened bottles from oxidizing when you order the latter. The seasonal menu is driven by what local farms and fishermen grow and catch, such as sustainably caught rockfish with wild mushrooms and sweet potatoes, or tender-fried Pleasure House oysters dredged in local flour from Wade’s Mill atop organic butterhead lettuce.
Food Getaways: Virginia Beach
Local rockfish at Terrapin (Photo courtesy: Jason Lefton)
Other seaworthy highlights include Pasta e Pani’s brilliant, garlicky spaghettini Positano with clams, calamari and shrimp (for extra luxury, beg them to serve it over their house-made linguini); the Metropolitan Oyster Exchange’s cioppino and its scallops with scallion butter; and the Rudee Inlet lump crab cakes at Blue Seafood & Spirits.
Those less inclined to the sea diet have plenty to enjoy in Virginia Beach, too — besides the meaty triumphs found at Terrapin and the strands of carb-y heaven at Pasta e Pani, there are lunch classics at Taste Unlimited, fantastic Chinese at Peter Chang (a sister restaurant to the location in Short Pump), and delicacies like an escargot/bone marrow/baguette “ants on a log” at Eat. In the mornings, check Facebook to find out where mobile biz Three Ships Coffee will be and score a cup of so-good-it-should-have-a-wine-rating cold brew, pour-over coffee or espresso.
If the beach isn’t your typical destination in winter, consider making an exception; it’s the best time of the year to enjoy certain sea creatures like oysters, which usually spawn in the summer, and lobsters, whose shells get too soft in warmer waters. With that kind of succulence waiting for you, the drive is as quick as one-fish, two-fish.
To Do:
-Hit up the spring Virginia Arts Festival for brilliant international feats in the performing arts from around the world.
-In May, imbibe from over 125 taps at the Virginia Beer Festival, one of the most popular beer events in the mid-Atlantic.
-If the words “Indonesian volcanic island” pique your interest, visit the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, which also features a Chesapeake Bay Touch Pool and a zip line that runs above Owl Creek.
To Stay:
-Barclay Cottage Bed & Breakfast offers some spectacular amenities: bicycles, beach gear, homemade cookies and a nip of sherry in the evening. Located just a couple of blocks from the surf, Barclay’s the best bet for your summer home away from home.
-For a best-of-both-worlds experience, book a room at Beach Spa Bed & Breakfast. It combines the cozy charm of a beachy B&B with the luxury of a day spa, and offers facials and hot stone massage, hydro body massage elements, rainfall showers and jetted tubs.
