Culinary

6 Places to Help You Stick to Your Diet on Vacation

Five colorful juice cups with black straws from Green Cat Juice Bar are lined up on a wooden table outside, with greenery and a lattice structure in the background.

With fresh seafood and abundant local agriculture in our backyards and so many places putting these ingredients to good use, healthy food in Virginia Beach is as good for you as it is just plain good. Here are some of our favorite food joints dishing out soul-satisfying grub that will help you stay on track with your diet while you’re on vacation in Virginia Beach.

Town Center Cold Pressed

A black plate with a waffle, syrup, and a pink flower; a bowl with fruits, granola, and a pink flower; napkins and utensils on a table.
A black plate with a waffle, syrup, and a pink flower; a bowl with fruits, granola, and a pink flower; napkins and utensils on a table.

@confused4_ever, Instagram

When spending the day at Town Center, start your day at Town Center Cold Pressed, whose locally-sourced menu is as tasty as it is good for you. With a huge selection of smoothie bowls, oatmeal bowls, and salad bowls, there is no shortage of options here. And, of course, don’t forget their delicious cold-pressed juices, protein shakes, superfood lattes, immunity shots, mylks, smoothies and more. For those who like a challenge, you can even purchase a day’s worth of juices for a cleanse – perfect to help you recover after a long night out at the Oceanfront.

The Green Cat Juice Bar

Two fruit-topped smoothie bowls on a wooden table, surrounded by potted plants and flowers on a rustic patio.
Two fruit-topped smoothie bowls on a wooden table, surrounded by potted plants and flowers on a rustic patio.

@thegreencatva, Instagram

The Green Cat Juice Bar is a great stop in the morning to get your day off on the right foot. With a selection of made-to-order juices like Gingerella, with ginger, pineapple, and wheatgrass, and Moon Mylk, with cashews, dates, alkaline water, cinnamon, vanilla, and Himalayan salt, everything here is a health nut’s dream. We’d definitely recommend their refreshing smoothie bowls, like the Acai Bowl with acai, blueberries, banana, almond milk, and agave, topped with dried coconut, raw oat, strawberry, banana, cacao nib, and freeze-dried berries.

Civil Libation

A bowl of pasta topped with chopped red pepper, green onions, and crumbled sausage. A glass of water and seasoning bottles are on the wooden table.
A bowl of pasta topped with chopped red pepper, green onions, and crumbled sausage. A glass of water and seasoning bottles are on the wooden table.

@plantbased_livingg, Instagram

While Civil Libation, a must-try cocktail joint, might not be the obvious choice for healthy eating, their tasty menu has some creative ways to help you stay on track with your diet goals. With delicious substitutes for meat and carbs, like pulled BBQ Jackfruit and spaghetti squash pasta, this is a great place to eat healthy without feeling like you’re eating healthy.

Commune

A white plate with a salad topped with cucumber slices, herbs, sesame seeds, and edible flowers, all on a creamy dressing.
A white plate with a salad topped with cucumber slices, herbs, sesame seeds, and edible flowers, all on a creamy dressing.

@aileen_zzzzz, Instagram

The best food is also the freshest food, and no one takes that sentiment to heart like Commune, located in the ViBe Creative District. With a flexible breakfast and lunch menu, each delectable dish is crafted solely with regional and local ingredients, from the bread to the meats and the cheeses.

Simple Eats

Two plates of food with tortillas on a wooden board, a dish with eggs and potatoes, and flowers in a vase on a table.
Two plates of food with tortillas on a wooden board, a dish with eggs and potatoes, and flowers in a vase on a table.

@t2_tasha, Instagram

In the Chesapeake Bay area, Simple Eats maintains a similar locally-sourced philosophy, with mouth-watering options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. With delicious ingredients that are as fresh as they get, both of these farm-to-table eateries are as good for the body as they are for the belly.

Fruitive

Two bowls of yogurt topped with granola, sliced bananas, strawberries, and chia seeds on a wooden table. Two pairs of sunglasses and two glasses of water are beside the bowls.
Two bowls of yogurt topped with granola, sliced bananas, strawberries, and chia seeds on a wooden table. Two pairs of sunglasses and two glasses of water are beside the bowls.

@reyesleandra, Instagram

Fruitive, located just a few miles from the boardwalk, makes getting your daily dose of vitamins and minerals as easy as it is delicious. Specializing in all things plant-based and organic, every option on their menu will satisfy even the healthiest of foodies, whether it’s with a post-run Wellness Warrior smoothie or “Liquid Meal,” as they’re called on the menu, or a hearty Avo Portobello Panini for lunch.

Cover photo: @thegreencatva, Instagram

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