While we’re always all about an evening our at our local restaurants, sometimes you just want a night in. Luckily, with some of our favorite local recipes, you can try your hand at creating some of these classic Virginia Beach flavors in the comfort of your own home. Whether you’re impressing your friends, or treating yourself, now you can have the tastes of Virginia Beach wherever you are.

 

The Botanist

 

Baladi Mediterannean Cafe

 

The Botanist Drink Baladi

The Botanist  is Baladi’s  summer spin-off on the classic Gin & Tonic.  It is a refreshing, effervescent, floral, yet earthy cocktail made with just a few simple ingredients.

 

The Botanist Recipe:

  • Infuse The Botanist Gin with organic cucumbers and mint. Slice the cucumbers into very thin sheets and layer it with mint leaves then submerge it into Gin. 
  • After 24 hours, strain the Gin, which is the perfect amount of time to take all the sweet cucumber and mint flavor without pulling any of the bitter flavors out. 
  • Blend with Elderflower Tonic  (made with no sugar, only organic agave nectar) and serve it in a glass over ice.

 

 

Southern Pride Pork Sandwich

 

The Shack on 8th

 

Southern Pride The Shack

The Southern Pride is a pulled Smithfield pork sandwich, created by Eric Aymer chef of Get Stuffed and The Food Shack, both located on The Shack's property. This hearty sandwich, served with Asian slaw and pickles, is the perfect compliment to the cold drinks and lawn games at The Shack.

 

Southern Pride Recipe:

  • Dry rub pork butt and let marinate for 48 hours
  • Smoke at 225 for 18 hours
  • Let rest and pull meat
  • Once pulled add 1 cup apple cider vinegar + 1/2 cup of your favorite rub
  • Place on freshly baked brioche bun
  • Serve with hand-cut fries

 

Orange Crush

 

Waterman’s Surfside Grille

 

Orange Crush Watermans

Waterman’s Original Orange Crush was the springboard for Waterman’s signature line of fresh-squeezed citrus cocktails, and the drink that created a cult-like following since Waterman’s first introduced this fresh-squeezed goodness to Virginia Beach nearly a decade ago. Each year, Waterman’s bartenders served nearly a half-million of the fresh-squeezed cocktails. To put it in perspective, if Waterman’s bartenders balanced them all along the rail of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, the cups would stretch end to end...and then some.

 

Waterman’s Original Orange Crush Recipe:  

  • 3 oz. fresh-squeezed orange
  • 1.5 oz. orange vodka
  • 1.5 oz. triple sec 
  • A splash of lemon-lime soda
  • Shake all ingredients together in a cocktail shaker or pour into another cup
  • Serve over crushed ice

 

Crab Imperial

 

Waterman’s Surfside Grille

 

Crab Imperial Watermans

Waterman’s fresh take on this seafood classic is the perfect compliment to your Virginia Beach vacation. While it’s hard to beat the ocean views supplied by Waterman’s, this dish will impress all your friends when you make it at home.

 

Crab Imperial Recipe:

  • 1lb fresh jumbo lump crab
  • 1/2 cup Duke's mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp Old Bay
  • 1 tsp finely chopped parsley
  • 1 egg (slightly beaten)
  • A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
  • Pre-heat oven to 350
  • Mix everything together, except the crab meat
  • Gently fold in the crab meat, being careful not to break it up
  • Pour mixture into small casserole dish
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until top is lightly browned and bubbling
  • Sprinkle some fresh parsley on top and serve with a lemon wedge

 

Cucumber Mule

 

Sage Kitchen

 

Cucumber Mule Sage Kitchen

Bringing one of Sage Kitchen’s core philosophies to life, this fresh-made sipper is a refreshing reinvigoration of the Moscow Mule. 

 

Cucumber Mule Recipe: 

  • Tito’s Handmade Vodka
  • Freshly-squeezed juices of lime, cucumber and ginger 
  • A splash of Tractor Beverage's organic Lemongrass soda
  • Serve in a copper cup over ice, with lime and cucumber wheels as garnish

 

Honey Sage Old Fashioned

 

Sage Kitchen

 

Honey Sage Old Fashioned Sage Kitchen

From garnish to last sip, this new Old Fashioned is all about the Old Dominion. Infused with history, we start with bourbon from Virginia’s oldest distillery, Bowman Brothers. Bringing a little Virginia Beach into the mix, house-made honey sage syrup crafted by Sage Kitchen perfectly complements the vanilla and warm spices of Bowman bourbon. 

 

Honey Sage Old Fashioned Recipe:

  • Bowman Brothers Bourbon
  • Homemade honey sage syrup 
  • Boozy Cherries 
  • Serve over a large ice cube, with a lemon peel and sprig of sage