Virginia Beach Attractions

     This mall opened on March 12 1999, this newest mall in downtown Norfolk is a premier upscale shopping center in Hampton Roads. It is located 3 blocks from Waterside, 2 blocks from Norfolk Scope Arena and next to the General Douglas MacArthur Memorial. There are over 150 shops and restaurants and an 18-screen theater surrounding a 70-foot atrium in this 3 level mall. In the winter months, they have now added an ice skating rink for everyone that is novice to advanced skaters. And also in the spring for one weekend, they have the Five Points Community Farmers Market to pick some great fresh fruit and vegetables,  For those who are caffeine dependent, there are two Starbucks, Nordstrom Espresso Bar, and a Grand Court Cappuccino Court. There is valet parking at $5 and two parking decks with nine elevators. Handicapped parking is available as well as RV parking. There are push-for-assistance boxes should you loose your keys or lock them in your vehicle. This is a great place to pass time if you like to shop or enjoy people watching and don’t mind the crowd and noise.

     MacArthur Center is open to walkers on Mon-Sat 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM and Sunday 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM The Mall Hours are Mon-Fri 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM and Sunday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM. For a list of stores with in the mall, you can see them online at http://www.shopmacarthur.com .

We all like our taco bell and our burritos, but that is not the only place you can get Mexican food in Virginia Beach. Plaza Azteca is one of many places you can find a great Mexican dining experience.

Serving up a full course of Mexican favorites like enchiladas, burritos, fajitas, chimichangas, and yes, they have tacos also. What makes this great is the quality of the food they serve and the atmosphere, the theme is of course Mexico. The first thing you notice about the restaurant is the fake palm trees, desert shrubbery, and Aztec inspired art, the décor just screams to be noticed as nothing other than Mexican. The effort they put into getting you into the culture I found is great, even if you find it to be just another restaurant, you have to appreciate they things they do to get your attention.

Like I said before, the quality of food is great, it tasted exactly as I expected it to taste. The restaurant is well maintained, and it looks the part of a Mexican restaurant.

I could go on describing more about what’s on the menu, but they went ahead and put that on their website for you to take a look at. So for more information on the menu, and other places you can find their restaurant other than in Virginia Beach, you can check out the website at http://www.plazaazteca.com. They are located at 1824 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23454.

Located, along with P.F. Chang’s, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, and BRAVO! Cucina Italiano, at Town Center Virginia Beach, California Pizza Kitchen is a delectable choice when you want pizza, but are looking for something a little more upscale.

If you’ve ever had one of California Pizza Kitchen’s frozen pizzas, available at your local grocery store, please know that the real thing is twice as nice. With outdoor seating for the summer and a spacious interior, CPK, as it is referred to on its website, is a great choice if you are feeling adventurous with your tastebuds.

While CPK serves soups, salads, and sandwiches, its specialty is, of course, pizza. Thirty-three different pizzas are listed on the menu, including such pizzeria norms as Margherita and Sicilian pizza, as well as unusual choices like Mango Tandoori Chicken pizza, with grilled Tandoori chicken, mango, mild onions, red peppers and mozzarella cheese on a spicy golden curry sauce and topped with fresh cilantro and sweet mango-chili sauce; or Carne Asada pizza, with grilled steak, fire-roasted chilies, onions, cilantro pesto, Monterey jack, and mozzarella cheeses, topped with fresh tomato salsa and cilantro, and served with tomatillo salsa.

My favorite pizza is the spicy Grilled Chipotle Chicken pizza, which includes fire-roasted chilies, chipotle sauce, mozzarella and enchilado cheeses, topped with roasted corn, black bean salsa, cilantro and a lime cream sauce.  CPK also offers vegetarian alternatives to many of the pizzas.

California Pizza Kitchen offers 9 very different desserts, including the classic Tiramisu, Chocolate Souffle Cake, and my favorite, Chocolate Banana Royale Cake, which is chocolate cake layered with banana cream, topped with chocolate mousse, and served with drizzles banana cream sauce and hot fudge.

CPK also has a call ahead wait list. Like other Town Center restaurants, it is important to make reservations or call ahead, especially on the weekends. Dress is casual.

California Pizza Kitchen
200 Central Park Avenue
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
(757) 456-2630
http://www.cpk.com

One of the oceanfront’s best kept secrets, Baker’s Crust, a bread market and restaurant located in The Shops at Hilltop, isn’t a frequent stop for most tourists, but it should be. A five minute drive from the oceanfront, this cozy restaurant is a Virginia Beach must-eat. My husband and I often find ourselves craving Baker’s Crust bread so badly that we will travel 30 minutes out of our way to buy a loaf to snack on.

My family has frequented the 21st Street Norfolk location, a popular spot for Old Dominion University students who live in the area, for over ten years. The homemade bread at Baker’s Crust is delivered daily, making it fresh and delicious. The downside, however, is that once the day’s bread stock has been sold, you cannot buy that type until the next morning, though it’s perfectly worth it to maintain Baker’s Crust’s reputation of quality.

Prices average about $10 per person for lunch, or $15 per person for dinner, including softdrinks. A casual bistro-esque environment, Baker’s Crust also offers mouthwatering desserts, with full cases of unusual sweets such as zucchini muffins and Cheesecake on a Stick arranged in gorgeous displays for your viewing and dining pleasure. My favorite dessert is the Crepe Jaimaca, which, at $8.59, is worth every penny of its flambéed bananas in rum and brown sugar, served with vanilla ice cream and topped with toasted coconut, chocolate sauce and whipped cream.

My favorite meal at Baker’s Crust is a chicken caesar salad with shoestring french fries and sliced French baguette dipped in an oil and spice mixture. If it’s late in the day and they are out of the French baguette, I go for the French epi, garlic parmesan baguette, or jalapeno cheddar loaf, which are my other favorites. In addition to those breads, they have 15 other choices. My husband often gets the Jersey Grinder, which is melted provolone, Genoa salami, capicola and sweet ham, lettuce, tomato, and onoin on a warm crusty baguette with oil and vinegar, for $8.59.

Other menu items include gourmet soups, salads and sandwiches, and grilled paninis and grinders. You receive 10% off for dine-in bread purchases.

Baker’s Crust is also available for catering. Check the website for more details.

Hours are Monday-Thursday 7:00AM-9:00PM, Friday 7:00AM-10PM, Saturday 8:00AM-10:00PM, Sunday 8:00AM-5:00PM. There are also 2 Baker’s Crust locations in Norfolk, 1 in Chesapeake, and 2 in Richmond. Hours at other locations vary.

704 Hilltop North Shopping Center
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451
(757)422-6703
http://www.bakerscrust.com

In the same price range as restaurants like Red Lobster, but offering original meals, exceptional service, and a breath-taking view of the Atlantic Ocean, Mahi Mah’s Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Saloon is a must-visit while vacationing in Virginia Beach.

Located in the Ramada on the Beach near Rudee’s Inlet, at Mahi Mah’s you can dine on fresh seafood and locally caught fresh fish; for non-seafood eaters like me, steak, prime rib, chicken, pasta, salads, a variety of desserts is available. Mahi Mah’s also offers a full ‘Rock and Roll’ sushi menu, with sushi available by the piece, as appetizers, in whole rolls, or as combo platters.

Lunch specials are available from 11:00AM-3:00PM, including 7 lunches for $7. 

Request to sit on the outdoor patio and enjoy local and regional bands providing live entertainment nearly every night from the 7th Street stage. Upcoming performances include Snackbar Jones, Days Difference, The Leftovers, Coolin Out, Crunch, Jesse Chong, and the Vinyl Headlights. Concerts are Sunday-Thursday 6:00-10:00PM and Friday-Saturday 7:00-11:00PM.

Mahi Mah’s has a selection of over 100 kinds of wine, and if you are on a budget every Wednesday wine is 50% off from 5:00-9:00PM.

You can make reservations online through the website via Open Table. If you are a local, you can sign up for the Local’s Card for special deals and discounts.

Inquire at (757) 491-3679 for information about holding a conference, banquet or event at Mahi Mah’s.

Hours are 7:00AM-2:00AM daily. Valet parking is available for a premium.

Mahi Mah’s Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Saloon
615 Atlantic Avenue
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
(757) 437-8030
http://www.mahimahs.com

Hot Tuna Bar & Grill, located on the Chesapeake Bay at the corner of Shore Drive and Great Neck Road, is a little bit club, a lotta bit restaurant, and one of the hottest nightspots in Virginia Beach.

With colorful, psychadelic tropical decor, a teal ceiling, and a lively dance floor, Hot Tuna delivers live music from local bands and DJs every weekend. In recent weekends, Carne, Happy Jack, DJ No Request, and DJ B’eazy performed, and every Wednesday night, Snackbar Jones performs.

The menu at Hot Tuna ranges from steak to seafood to pasta, but the house specialty is Yellowfin Tuna, which is always served medium rare because, as the menu says, “it’s a shame to overcook tuna!” The fish tacos are famous among locals.

While you’re there, try one of the local’s favorites like Fired Ahi - Yellowfin tuna, seared rare and toasted black with white sesame seeds and drizzled with wasabi mayo, sriracha and sweet soy for - or the Parmesan Seared Tuna, also Yellowfin tuna, pan-seared with parmesan, basil, butter, portabella mushrooms and served with mashed potatoes - either for $20.99.

Homemade desserts include Cappuccino Cheesecake, Flourless Chocolate Cake, Key Lime Pie, Carrot Cake, and seasonal desserts.

An extensive number of domestic and international wines and drinks are available, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet, Champagne, sparkling wine, dessert wine, and over 19 kinds of beer, including 5 on tap. They also serve a variety of creative mojitos, margaritas and signature cocktails. Hot Tuna’s Mojito Supremo, a blend of Bacardi, fresh mint, lime, and sugar, was voted by mojito by the local daily newspaper, The Virginian-Pilot.

If you are on a budget, dine earlier to order from the early-bird menu, available until 6:30PM daily. Discounted prices and drink specials also are available from 4:00-6:30PM.

Inquire about Hot Tuna’s private party room which can accomodate 15-60.

Hot Tuna is a non-smoking facility. Hours are Monday-Sunday 4:00PM-2:00AM.

2817 Shore Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
(757) 481-2888
http://www.hottunavb.com

If you’ve never heard of BRAVO! Cucina Italiana, now is the time to try it.  Located at Virginia Beach’s Town Center, BRAVO’s is nestled with The Funny Bone Comedy Club and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse directly across the street from the Armada Hoffler building’s free parking garage. 

While in the same price range Outback or Red Lobster, BRAVO!’s food quality is miles above everyday restaurants.  I usually get the filet mignon, which is an 8 oz. center-cut and comes with garlic mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables “del Giorno” for $24.99. Last time we went my husband enjoyed the lobster and shrimp ravioli, which is Maine lobster, Gulf shrimp, and fresh vegetables in a cream sauce for $16.99. 

The complimentary appetizer of fresh toasted bread and oil and spices dipping sauce is a signature taste that I crave between visits to BRAVO!’s. The menu items focus on authetic Italian, but the waitstaff is gladly willing to switch out fresh veggies for french fries for children and picky eaters like myself.

The Roman Ruins decor and soft lighting add a dash of romance, while the butch paper and crayons across many of the tables makes for a fun evening of scribbling doodles or writing love notes across the table. BRAVO! is also a nice place to make your family’s special celebration spot. Every time my brother, who is in the Army, comes home to Virginia, we go to BRAVO! to celebrate. For a birthday celebration last year, our waiter even sang ‘Happy Birthday’ in a loud, booming Italian tenor.

Serving lunch and dinner daily, BRAVO!’s hours are Sunday-Thursday 11:00AM-10:00PM & Friday-Saturday 11:00AM-11:00PM.

Dress at BRAVO!’s varies from casual to formal.

193 Central Park Avenue
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
757-416-6000
http://www.bravoitalian.com

Eating at family-owned Mini Italia New York Pizzeria, located in the shopping center on the corner of Baker and Newtown Rds. in Virginia Beach, will leave a smile on your face and a button undone on your pants to accomodate the delicious food.

The restaurant invites you to sit and eat with a hand-painted mural that covers two large walls. Italian-themed decor dots the restaurant, with grapes and a large ‘VINO’ (”wine”) sign covering a mantel. A flat-screen LCD television hangs on the wall, usually broadcasting sports games.

The service is supreme and the food even better. My family of six dines at Mini Italia on an almost weekly basis. We always get the same waitress, who remembers our names, drink and food orders, and is unfailingly polite and patient as we argue amongst ourselves with item on the menu is the best. The rest of the wait staff is equally friendly and helpful.

Mini Italia’s menu covers everything from pizza to pasta, hot and cold subs, salads, bread, and everything in between. Servings are large (enough to split or save half for lunch the next day) and the prices are much lower than any comparable quality restaurant. Everyone who eats there agrees that they have never had Italian food as good as Mini Italia’s before. It is so authentic, a friend who was born and raised in New York dines there when she misses New York style pizza.

Mini Italia offers dine-in, delivery and carry out. Cash, all major credit cards, and even Euros are accepted. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 10:30AM-11:00PM and Sunday 12:00PM-9:00PM.

665 Newtown Rd
Virginia Beach, VA 23462-1683
757-671-2200

If you’re in Virginia Beach and have a hankering for Chinese food, but are tired of the local buffet, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro is the place to go. A self-proclaimed ‘fine China bistro,’ Chang’s offers a variety of mouthwatering appetizers, entrees, and desserts, while encouraging a sharing, celebratory environment.  

Convenient parking is located in the free parking garage in the centerpiece of Virginia Beach Town Center, the Armada Hoffler building. Entering the restaurant is like entering a different world, with a darkened ambience and excited conversation drifting toward the high ceiling.Murals depicting ancient Chinese battles encircle dining area, and individually lit, intimate booths line the walls. Round tables are available for large parties, and Chang’s waiters are famously polite and knowledgeable.

The menu encompasses everything from vegetarian dishes, to duck, to more traditional Chinese dishes using chicken or beef. Either white or brown rice comes with every entrée, and Chang’s encourages each party to put all of the food in the middle of the table so that everyone may sample the dishes.

P.F. Chang’s is most famous for its unbeatable chicken lettuce wrap appetizer, a mix of freshly cooked chicken laid on a bed of puffed rice and served with chilled lettuce cups. If you dine at Chang’s, trying the lettuce wraps is a must!

Dress at Chang’s ranges from beach wear to semi-formal, and reservations are a must, as wait times on weekends and holidays can exceed 2 hours. Making reservations 2 or more days in advance will allow you to be seated within ten minutes of arriving.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
4551 Virginia Beach Blvd
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
(757) 473-9028