Virginia Beach locals love food, and with so many new dining options being added to our city every season, residents and guests alike have the opportunity to discover new flavors year-round. And because no two spots are the same, every day is a good day to try something new. Here’s a quick roundup of the newest Virginia Beach restaurants — each sure to please your palate.
New Oceanfront Restaurants
Frank and Patty’s
At chill new burger-and-dog joint Frank and Patty’s, treat yourself to a legendary Norfolk snap dog (known for the “snap” of the casing and explosion of flavor that follows and typically topped with spicy mustard, onions and chili), a handcrafted smash burger and a refreshing draft IPA or fruit-forward cocktail like the Bee’s Knees.
Milk & Honey Southern Inspired Kitchen
All many people need to hear is “mimosa tower” when seeking out a weekend locale, but lively newcomer Milk & Honey delivers far beyond a boozy morning with its rich, Southern-inspired brunch and dinner menus, including chicken and Biscoff waffles, creamy shrimp and grits, crispy salmon hash and sweet-potato bread pudding.
Nami Nori
Serving temaki — open-style sushi handrolls — by the sea just feels right. And casual but elegant Nami Nori is doing it well with fresh offerings like tuna poke with crispy shallots, coconut shrimp with green curry and lime, and fried oysters with green-garlic hollandaise. Add a level of indulgence to any roll with the addition of ikura, truffle or caviar.
Mi Vida
“¡Mi Vida!” — or “My life!” — you’ll exclaim when the culinary traditions of Mexico City with a modern twist hit your table at this cozy and intimate restaurant. With many small-plate options, you can tour the menu from green-pipián huevos rellenos, jalapeño and bacon croquetas, and cornbread with salsa roja to mole negro enchiladas and crab, shrimp and mango aguachile.
Get Lost Shave Ice
Hawaiian-style shave ice is the perfect cool-off treat after a day at the beach. Choose your own pairings or take Get Lost’s advice; whether you pick Mug Life (vanilla ice cream, cold-brew syrup, caramel drizzle and cinnamon-toast dusting) or Pitaya in Paradise (vanilla ice cream, dragonfruit, coconut syrup and a lime wedge), there are no bad ideas.
Beach Bum Sandwich Shop
Focused on local ingredients and fueling up the local surfers and water lovers from their Boardwalk-adjacent location, Beach Bum Sandwich Shop is an ideal place to fuel up on hearty sandwiches like the VB Club with garlic aioli, Fancy BLT (glazed pork belly makes it fancy), Reuben and beyond.
The Grill
Sophisticated and swanky D.C. favorite The Grill has made its way to the sea in Virginia Beach with a new-American roster of wood-fired seafood, steak and vegetarian dishes. The three-cheese crab fondue, pan-roasted red snapper and beef Wellington all get high praise.
2D Cafe&Eatery
Surrounded by two-dimensional black-and-white drawings, you’ll feel like a character in a comic book about delicious eats at this unique new Mediterranean cafe on the Boardwalk. Be sure to try the Turkish coffee, menemen (scrambled egs, feta, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, green peppers, sujuc sausage), beef kibbe and baklava.
Aslin Beer Company
This newcomer to the ViBe Creative District couldn’t be ViBe-ier with its beer garden, trivia nights and other events. With a solid core of Aslin Beer Company ales, sours, lagers and IPAs added to experimental offerings, there’s plenty to wet your whistle with and wash down sliders, pizza and barbecue amid the playful atmosphere.
New Inland Restaurants
Beignets & Brew
The quick-bite Beignets & Brew cafe will set you up with steaming-fresh, pillowy, New Orleans-style beignets and other pastry delights alongside specialty coffees like Nutella or honey-cinnamon-lavender lattes, smoothies, sundaes, Power Fizz energy drinks and more.
Project Seed Coffee
What started as a cold-brew delivery service has become a brick-and-mortar, Filipino-inspired coffee and pastries shop. Project Seed Coffee will expand your coffee horizons with tastes of purple yam, pistachio, salted egg (custard-like), plantain, sweetened corn and other eye-opening hot sips and icy gulps in its bright, plant-filled oasis.
Simply George
With a burger called “The Winner,” it’s safe to assume buzzy, casual spot Simply George is on to something. The Winner (beef patties, brisket and chuck tender, pulled pork, potato sticks, sweet-plantain sauce and Muenster cheese) gained fame as the people’s choice favorite at the 2025 CoVA Battle of the Burgers.
Tosa’s Mood & Food
Tosa’s menu is divided into two distinct but important parts. The Mood section offers cocktails, martinis, “fun size” beverages (something between a cocktail and a shot) and wine. The Food section serves up unfussy but craveable salads, flatbreads and sandwiches — including fried green tomato on brioche with Boursin cheese, onion and spinach.
Viva Pizzeria & Ristorante
Taste the old country at the authenticity-obsessed Viva Pizzeria & Ristorante. It’s hard to narrow down your choices from the range of handcrafted pizza, pasta, sandwiches and other traditional dishes, but the baked ziti, chicken marsala, garlic knots, stromboli and anything with meatballs get especially high marks.
The Veranda Trattoria
The homemade pasta at Veranda Trattoria is what most diners are writing home about. Lamb ragu, carbonara and tagliatelle with salmon in creamy lemon sauce are the hits, alongside comforting entrees like duck breast with apple-marmalade sauce and hearty cioppino that make this welcoming and homey Italian restaurant a local favorite.
Wang Jiang Lou
Traditional and fusion techniques and ingredients reign at upscale, family-style Wang Jiang Lou. Gather your favorite people for a table full of homemade dimsum dumplings, Sichuan wontons, Peking duck, Mongolian beef, barbecue pork and veggie options like garlic stir-fried pea greens and Yu Xiang eggplant.
New Pungo Restaurants
Sedona Taphouse
Virginia Beach finally gets an outpost of this beloved purveyor of Southwestern cuisine alongside a massive craft-beer menu composed of local brews, as well as those from around the country. The Sedona Taphouse food menu is fresh and locally produced whenever possible, from strawberry-beet salads to seared scallops, hand-cut filet mignon and more.
About Our Writer
Hannah Brown has been writing about travel for nearly 20 years, dedicating her career to exploring the diverse landscapes of the United States. From the rugged peaks of the West to the historical streets of the East Coast, she specializes in uncovering the unique stories that speak to American travelers.
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