For almost 35 years, the Beach Pub has been a Virginia Beach staple. The Beach Pub, located at 404 Laskin Road in Virginia Beach, first opened its doors in 1978. Buddy Barco and Harry Smithson were the first to open it. Many locals frequented the eatery, which provided breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A map near the entryway, which looks like a brilliant constellation chart and has hundreds of different colored pins to show where customers have traveled from all over the world, stands out like a colorful constellation chart. The Beach Pub is about five minutes from the beach, just far enough off the main route to escape the long lines of tourists that often form along the beachfront, but not too far away to be inconvenient. For the delectable crab omelet, come early on Sunday before the church crowd disperses.

• Website: beachpubvb.com
• Address: 1001 Laskin RdVirginia Beach, VA 23451
• Phone number: (757) 422-8817

In Harrisonburg, Virginia, the Little Grill Collective is a worker-owned cooperative restaurant. It first opened its doors in June 2003, in a facility that had previously served as a restaurant since the 1930s. The Downtown Dining Alliance and the United States Federation of Worker Cooperatives are both members. With boxes of old Trivial Pursuit cards on the tables, it's noted for its unique, eclectic, down-home atmosphere.

Unlike the Beach Pub, which excels at serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner classics in a family-friendly, traditional setting, Harrisonburg's Little Grill Collective celebrates its college town heritage and isn't hesitant to try new things. Employees at the Little Grill are also proprietors and have a role in menus, décor, and which live bands to book for their compact venue because they are a worker-owned collective. James Madison University students and Harrisonburg residents love the vegetarian and vegan-friendly breakfast menu. The ambience of Little Grill, which is open for breakfast and lunch, is a feast for the eyes: every inch is covered in a relic, demanding to tell its story. The Little Grill is a self-proclaimed hippie heaven that is definitely worth a visit.

• Website: lilgrill.com
• Address: 621 North Main Street, Harrisonburg, Rockingham, Virginia
• Email: info@lilgrill.com
  

Pungo Pizza and Ice Cream, located 20 minutes south of Sandbridge Beach in southern Virginia, claims to have "the best pizza south of New York City." Pungo Pizza has the advantage of a beautiful surroundings, surrounded by magnificent farms and horse ranches, and is always full. Pungo Pizza is the perfect place for a date night away from the hustle and bustle of Hampton Roads, or a quick pit break on the way home from the beach. The bacon cheeseburger pizza is fantastic if you're not afraid to try new stuff (although my personal favorite is anything topped with broccoli - another Pungo Pizza topping staple). The extensive menu features Italian classics as well as a large craft beer selection. The desserts are wonderful.

• Website: www.pungopizza.com
• Address: 1824 Princess Anne Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23456
• Phone number: (757) 721-4900

In 1904, at the St. Louis Exposition, Doumar is reported to have invented the first ice cream cone. Doumar launched a vending location on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront Boardwalk in that famed tourist city in 1913. Later, at Ocean View Amusement Park, he opened a new restaurant. After the stands were damaged by a hurricane in 1933, Abe's brother George constructed a new restaurant on Monticello Avenue in 1934. Doumar's Cones and BBQ is recognized for its barbecue, ice cream, and curb service, which includes carhop girls who accept orders from customers' vehicles.

Doumar's takes pride in hand-crafting creamy sweets, ice cream cones, North Carolina-style BBQ, limeades, and hamburgers from scratch. Come inside for a look at their juicy, delectable barbeque in the making, and don't forget to order one of their legendary limeades or orange freezes. Doumar's provides plenty to fulfill your sweet or savory appetites, whether you're dining in, ordering meals to go, or experiencing their real curb service.

• Website: www.doumars.com
• Address: 1919 Monticello AvenueNorfolk, VA 23517
• Phone number: 757.627.4163

Sydney Meers, a voodoo practitioner, artist, and James Beard nominated chef, offers a one-of-a-kind dining experience in Hampton Roads. Reservations are required for this 10-table diner, but they are well worth the effort (if you had to pay the Elizabeth Tunnel toll to come to Portsmouth, the restaurant will credit you $4 on your bill). The menu has delicacies like house-made 'pork o rama,' which is handmade sausage, sys'd PoNo shrimp and grits, and TheDumbwaiter's 'old original spicy etouffee' (jumbo shrimp with house made ham).

They were just selected one of Virginia's 12 top restaurants by thrillist out of Washington, D.C., and they just did the one item you need to try in each state, with the one thing to eat in Virginia being Stove's Pork O Rama, and that's amazing.

• Website: fishpigcafe.com
• Address: 2622 Detroit St, Portsmouth, VA 23707
• Phone number: +1 757-397-090

L'Oppossum has received a lot of positive feedback from critics and peers in the food world, and rightfully so. In their article, 10 Unmissable Restaurants in the American South, Matt and Ted Lee, led by another James Beard nominated chef, eloquently summarize the experience: "Imagine Liberace, Andy Warhol, and Nick Cave teamed on a college-town bar, and you have L'Opossum." This one-of-a-kind eatery, located minutes from Virginia Commonwealth University, is as much a viewing experience as it is an eating one. The walls are adorned with a variety of one-of-a-kind artworks that are illuminated by lovely, hanging lights of various types. The food is lighthearted but sophisticated, with unique twists on classic French dishes.

• Website: www.lopossum.com
• Address: 626 China Street Richmond, Va 23220
• Phone number: (804) 918-6028

The premier barbecue restaurant in Richmond is Alamo BBQ. It's in the center of Church Hill's historic district, just minutes from downtown. Alamo is known for its award-winning beef brisket and authentic Texas-style barbecue. It also serves a variety of southwest-inspired dishes like fish tacos and grilled burritos. Place your order at the window and enjoy your meal on the patio. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but I'd start with the half rack of ribs and two sides before going on to your significant other's BBQ platter. Be warned: you'll find yourself returning to historic Church Hill more frequently than you'd expect only to get another taste.

• Website: alamobbq.com
• Address: 2202 Jefferson Avenue, Richmond, VA 23223
• Phone number: 804-592-3138

They've always respected where their food comes from, being one of the earliest farm restaurants in the United States. Their mission is to nourish the community and the environment through a sustainable system, promote consumer education, serve the freshest food from their farm and local resources, and encourage earth to table cooking by using their fields as the chef's pantry. Every visitor's visit is focused on the cuisine and atmosphere. The food will change flavors, temps, and experiences as it progresses. At each dish, they try to surprise and satisfy the diner by paying close attention to the smallest details, resulting in a holistic experience that keeps the diner interested.

The arrival of fresh ingredients in the kitchen is regarded as a special celebration. You're eating produce that the farmer gathered that morning or afternoon when it was at its peak. They think that sourcing food that pleases the palate while also achieving their goal of supporting local growers and suppliers and highlighting the richness of their own farm allows them to create sophisticated food with unwavering integrity.

• Website: www.patowmackfarm.com
• Address: 42461 Lovettsville Road, Lovettsville, Virginia 20180
• Phone number: (540) 822-9017

Cheesetique began as an old-school cheese shop in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood in 2004. Cheesetique established a cheese-centric restaurant and wine bar in 2008 in order to become the kind of place where cheese and wine fans might congregate. In 2011, they launched our second site in Arlington's Shirlington neighborhood, which they lovingly enlarged in 2019.

Cheesetique is now known for its superb cheeses, food-friendly wines, and a diverse, cheese-centric cuisine. There's no better way to fulfill your cheesy fantasies than with six distinct grilled cheeses and four different mac & cheese alternatives.

• Website: www.cheesetique.com
• Address: 4024 Campbell Ave, Arlington, VA 22206
• Phone number: +1 703-933-8787

Waterman's, which is owned and run by the Standing family, has a long history dating back to the 1960s. The "Shake n' Burger & Beach Nut Gift Shop," a walk-up burger eatery and souvenir shop, was the original name of the structure.

Fresh seafood is available just where the "Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean!" Enjoy the Chesapeake Bay Lump Crabcakes directly on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The menu is extensive, and gluten-free alternatives are available. Waterman's is a Virginia Beach classic, so save it for a special occasion and make a reservation.

• Website: www.watermans.com
• Address: 415 Atlantic Avenue,Virginia Beach, VA 23451
• Phone number: 757-428-3644