Savor the Flavors of Spring in Virginia Beach

With longer days and warmer weather, the fresh, coastal flavors of Virginia Beach also seem to get tastier. Thanks to fertile local farmlands, abundant waterways — not to mention dozens of local chefs, purveyors and artisans harnessing the best of our bounty —t he spring and summer months are some of the best times of the year to celebrate our local palate.

Fresh Seafood

Virginia Beach loves its seafood. And how can you blame us? With the rich waters of both the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay, and the hundreds of inlets snaking through our coast, seafood abounds across area restaurants. The spring months are a great time to enjoy local seafood, including rockfish (striped bass), black sea bass, flounder, speckled trout and more.

Looking for the best seafood restaurants to eat in Virginia Beach this spring? Order Tautog’s Restaurant’s Stuffed Flounder in a Bag, filled with crab and shrimp stuffing and baked in parchment paper, or fill up with crab cakes at Ocean Eddie’s Seafood Restaurant. Savor local seafood on your own terms by visiting one of our seafood and farmers’ markets to pick your favorite catch.

Strawberries

You might be surprised to learn that in addition to bountiful bodies of water, Virginia Beach is also surrounded by more than 8,000 acres of farmland, providing us with just-picked produce—from apples and beets to peaches and pumpkins. And in the spring and summer months, it’s the strawberry who’s the belle of the ball, making strawberry picking a must-do activity and a sweet highlight for your spring bucket list in Virginia Beach.

Find strawberries in locally made jams, specialty coffees, oyster mignonettes and pies, and for a berry Virginia Beach experience, head to one of our You-Pick Farms to pick your own. At Cullipher Farm Market, you can pick two main strawberry varieties: Ruby June and Albion. Nearby, Henley Farms, run by three generations of the Henley family, provides another spot to enjoy hand-picked strawberries straight from the field.

She-Crab Soup

The spring months celebrate the region’s delicacy, and when it comes to spring dining in Virginia Beach, few dishes are as iconic as she-crab soup. The dish is so popular in fact that there’s a whole day dedicated to it. The Annual She-Crab Soup Festival comes to the Virginia Beach oceanfront in April, with area restaurants battling it out for the best recipe in town.

Grab a cup of this delicious dish at Margie & Ray’s Seafood, Crab & Raw Bar. A local staple since 1964, their she-crab soup has been voted the region’s best more than once. Oceanfront, Rudee’s on the Inlet Restaurant & Cabana Bar watch boats cruise by while devouring a bowl of Rudee’s Famous Homemade She-Crab Soup.

Craft Brews

Virginia Beach’s craft beer scene continues to grow, overflowing with a variety of flavors —from juicy IPAs and complex barrel-aged stouts to cheek-puckering sours and seasonal limited releases. If you’re looking for fun things to do in the spring in Virginia Beach, exploring the Virginia Beach Beer Trail is a tasty way to sample our local brewers’ offerings one pint at a time, while discovering new parts of town along the way.  

In the ViBe Creative District, toast to the season from Vibrant Shore Brewing Company’s second-floor mezzanine or hidden rooftop beer garden. Inland, Back Bay Brew House Farmhouse’s welcomes springtime with fun outdoor games and views of the farmhouse yard and blooming gardens. Oceanfront, enjoy Smartmouth Pilot House’s Seven Cities Lager, a crisp and light brew with subtle malty sweetness that serves as a refreshing treat after a bike ride or beach stroll.

Lynnhaven Oysters

Once coveted around the world and served to presidents and royalty for their size, brininess and gentle zing, legendary Lynnhaven oysters abound in Virginia Beach waters—making us a very lucky bunch. During the spring, find these oysters on menus served raw or steamed.

For the ultimate locavore experience, book a boat tour of an oyster farm and enjoy a unique Chef’s Table dining experience right on the Lynnhaven River—waders included. Please House Oyster Farm also supplies many of the area’s restaurants in search of the freshest local ingredients including Terrapin and Commune.

Soft-Shell Crabs

What’s a soft-shell crab, you ask? It’s a blue crab whose hard exterior shell has molted. Legend has it that they begin molting their shells after May’s first full moon, but you’ll likely start seeing soft-shell crabs on menus across town in mid-April through about September. That’s because the waters of the Chesapeake Bay begin to warm up during these months, giving us a short window during which to savor this delicious treat. It’s one of the most anticipated signs of spring dining along the coast.

Find soft-shell crab served a variety of ways across Virginia Beach restaurants. Inland, Coastal Grill serves soft-shell crabs lightly breaded and fried, then plated with house-made scallion butter, a true taste of the season. Save room for Bay Local Eatery’s Bloody Blue Bloody Mary, a limited-time special served with a deep-fried soft-shell crab on top.

Orange Crush

With warmer weather comes longer days spent by the beach, with a refreshing Virginia Beach beverage in hand. And there’s no more local refreshment than the Orange Crush. First originated by Waterman’s Surfside Grille, the freshly-squeezed OJ, triple sec and Sprite warm-weather libation can now be found at a variety of restaurants in town.

Try a Creamsicle Crush from Chix Seaside Grille and Bar, prepared with fresh squeezed OJ, Pinnacle Whipped vodka, triple sec and a splash of ginger ale. Sip on The Shack on 8th’s tropical Coconut Lime Crush, or keep it original with the house crushes from Tides Coastal Kitchen. Raise a glass to spring in Virginia Beach.