As a child I remember sun-streaked, sandy family vacations in Cape May and OCMD, summer after summer. Ever since my sister and I flew the coop, these trips have grown less frequent, but this year we decided to remedy that with a trip to Virginia Beach. I was in charge of our dining and drinking plans, so I took that opportunity to explore some really great VB spots—from hidden gems to beach classics.
Waterman’s
We have a tradition of making an Italian feast on the first night of each family vacation, so to launch ourselves into beach-eats on our second night we decided to check out a classic seafood spot on the boardwalk. Waterman’s has been a VB staple for more than 30 years and is a spot my parents remember from vacations past.
VB is known for its rich and creamy She Crab soup, so of course I had to get my hands on a bowl ASAP. Waterman’s version of this classic dish—intensely creamy with just enough spice—perfectly kicked off my week of delicious seafood treats. I also treated myself to their orange crush cocktail. Refreshing!
Tautog’s
Next on my must-try list was Tautog’s. Tucked away in a converted beach cottage, this place is a hidden treasure. Their sister restaurant Doc Taylor’s (located next door in a twin beach cottage) is open for breakfast and lunch, while Tautog’s opens for dinner only. Despite its unassuming location, Tautog’s was packed when we arrived for our 7:30 reservation. I grabbed a round of beers and we waited for our table outside in their cozy garden hideaway.
Once inside we were charmed by the intimate, comfortable feel of the converted cottage. I drooled over their specials but eventually decided on the tuna martinique—lime-marinated tuna with garlic, olive oil and onions. I ordered mine medium-rare and really enjoyed the fresh, clean preparation.This was easily my favorite spot based on the atmosphere, reasonable prices and incredibly tasty seafood.
Mojito Cafe
This tiny spot was a total surprise hit. We stumbled upon Mojito on a walk back to the car one night and knew we had to return for dinner and, of course, some mojitos. The whole place fit no more than 10 tables and a small bar, making it feel like we had discovered a tasty little secret. They specialize in Puerto Rican and Cuban fusion and the dining area was decked out in bright, tropical colors. So fun!
I convinced my family to try the conch fritter appetizer with me, and they were not disappointed. On a trip to the Bahamas a few years ago I couldn’t get enough of these fried wonders. Mojito’s version came pretty close to the Bahamian conch fritters I loved so much. The mojitos were well balanced and refreshing, and if you preferred a flavored mojito the options were endless.
Doc Taylor’s
Doc Taylor’s is owned by the same family as Tautog’s and the quality we experienced at dinner was evident here as well. They offer a huge breakfast selection, covering the classics and offering some new inventions as well.
I ordered the flatliner, a scramble of eggs, sausage, onions, peppers, hash browns and hot sauce. My favorite item on the menu has to be the Cadillac. For $199 you can get two breakfast specials and a bottle of Dom Perignon. What?! I might not be able to fit that into my breakfast budget, but it certainly made me chuckle. On the other end of the spectrum, you can get a $1.99 Bloody Mary. A bloody for less than $2? PERFECTION. It wasn’t the most spicy or interesting bloody I’ve tasted but it was a solid drink and again, it cost less than, well, most things.
Firebrew
We ventured outside the beach area for our final two stops. On our way to a local brewery we decided to stop at Firebrew, a bar on the outskirts of VB. The real attraction here are the self-service wine and beer stations. Management was super friendly and walked us through their offerings.
We had a blast going from station to station tasting anything and everything. I loved that the self-service wine stations displayed a basic taste profile for each variety as well as pricing for three different pours: a taste, half-glass and full-glass. They really made it easy to enjoy the experience by providing cards that we used to track each taste or glass. This allowed us to go at our own pace and pay all at once when we were ready to leave.
Beach Brewing Co.
I couldn’t leave VB without visiting a local brewery, so we set out to find just that. Right outside VB in a somewhat hidden warehouse location we found Beach Brewing Co. The tiny tasting room was empty when we arrived except for the bartender and a customer filling up a few growlers. We cozied up to the small bar and ordered a flight of the four beers they were currently pouring. I loved their seasonal offering, Sandshark Summer Ale, as well as the Riptide Altbier.
The beer was fantastic, as was the company. My boyfriend and I stayed for more than an hour sampling and chatting with our awesome bartender and a super cool regular who arrived just after us. We couldn’t leave without a souvenir, so we grabbed a growler for the road. I hope to return to VB soon, and I know this spot will be at the top of my list once again!
- Photography: Chelsea Sproul.
