By Justine Herving
Attention all foodies: this article will tell you all that you need to know about food in the Virginia Beach and Norfolk area!
Many of you know that it is hard to find food when you are going to class, working a part-time job or even trying to pay off those petty student loans. However, there are many places where you can eat some of the best food in the area, offering the best in Italian, American and even Mexican cuisine.
If you live in the Virginia Beach area, I am sure you have heard of someone raving about Hair of the Dog, a quiet little Texas-American restaurant that serves everything from seafood chowder to coconut-pineapple pancakes. Located by the Virginia Beach central library, next to the Applebee’s and right across from Chili’s on Virginia Beach Boulevard, their menu consists of different varieties and it is often hard to choose just one. Their open Texas-American atmosphere has you feeling as if you’ve been transported into a whole different place. They are best known for their waffle hamburger, yes you read right, their waffle hamburger. If you’re looking for a place to dine and be stuck with friends to talk for hours and hours, this would be the place for you and it’s only a few blocks down from Town Center.
Town Center has some of the most well-known restaurants in the Virginia Beach area. However, there is one restaurant that does not stick out in particular and it happens to be an upscale restaurant. It doesn’t catch your eye when you are driving by because it is right before The Cheesecake Factory: it is called Gordon Biersch. The restaurant serves everything from seafood to American style dishes. If you happen to be in Town Center, then this would be the place to go and enjoy a nice, quiet sanctuary full of food and excellent drinks.
If you are not feeling for American food, there is always the popular Plaza Azteca. Many of us have heard of this famous Mexican restaurant serving everything from enchiladas to their famous tacos. Of all the restaurants mentioned in this article, Plaza Azteca is the most affordable as you can order a kid’s meal, which includes the essentials; choice of chips and guacamole, beans and rice and your choice from any of the top favorite choices.
If you are more into the Oceanfront eating scene, my choice for you is Dough Boys. It’s an Italian restaurant mainly known for its delicious pizza. Dough Boys is located on the corner of 17th St. and Atlantic Avenue and its atmosphere brings a cool and collected vibe.
To top off the amazing restaurants, we have The Grilled Cheese Bistro, located in downtown Norfolk. The Grilled Cheese Bistro opened up only a few months ago and it is considered by many to be one of the top restaurants in Norfolk. You may have a hard time finding it, since it is hidden behind the performing arts studio right by the Tidewater Community College in Norfolk. The Grilled Cheese Bistro is sort-of exactly what you would expect; however this restaurant takes a whole new twist on what grilled cheese is. The choices include interesting twists such as the Johnny Appleseed: a grilled cheese with fresh apples soaked in orange juice and gooey cheese in the middle topped with salami. The restaurant has a city vibe with minimalist furniture that makes you feel as if you’re in New York City. I recommend this restaurant because it gears to those who are vegetarian as well those who eat meat.
I think that most of these restaurants mentioned throughout the article present a wide variety for taste palettes and also create for a whole different way of exploring these cities.
