Virginia Beach has new spots for food and drinks and some fun new things to do this summer.
Two new breweries — Aslin Beer Co. and Voodoo Brewing Co. — have opened since last summer. Aslin Beer Co., with taprooms in Herndon and Alexandria, is opening just a block from the Virginia Beach Sports Center on Virginia Beach Boulevard. The grand opening is expected in two weeks. The craft brewery features an outdoor beer garden and tiki bar. Its kitchen, called IZZI, will serve all three meals and have pizza made from its own fermented dough.
Voodoo Brewing Co., a new gastropub, opened in January in the heart of Virginia Beach’s Town Center. The pub, modeled after a European beer hall, has craft beers, hand-crafted cocktails, and mocktails. The menu ranges from appetizers like corned beef and kraut egg rolls to mussels steeped in Voodoo citrus lager and pizzas with housemade sauces.
New on the restaurant scene is Sorella’s in The Artery area near the oceanfront. The modern Italian eatery on Laskin Road opened at the end of December. The restaurant makes its own pasta by hand every day. In addition to pizzas, you’ll find a full menu that ranges from linguine con Vongole (linguine with clams in white wine with pickled garlic and Calabrian chili) to a bone-in ribeye. Sommelier and assistant manager Antonia Ah You picks distinct Italian wines to complement every course.
Oh! Mochi has a new café near the town center. Think Korean corndogs covered in hot Cheetos and Japanese mochi in multiple flavors or boba tea. From 6 to 10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, you can try the Kung Food Kitchen Experiment at the Moxy Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel. It features a variety of spring rolls and specialty noodle dishes.
Things to Do
The South Building of the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center underwent a $28.9 million renovation and reopened in January. It has more than a dozen species, including North American river otters and sea nettle jellyfish. There are immersive exhibits and touch pools. It’s part of the museum’s standard admission and you get to it via an outdoor nature trail. The Mermaid Bay Café features grab-and-go foods. The museum also has a new, 45-minute boat tour, but it’s only open until the end of May. The Owls Creek Marsh Cruise takes people who are 6 and older to explore the marshes of Owl Creek and Lake Rudee.
The Kids Cove Playground at Virginia Beach’s Mount Trashmore Park, which has two man-made mountains, two lakes, and two playgrounds, underwent a $1.6 million renovation and is set to open in late summer. It will have new climbing and sliding equipment.
And if you love NoVA’s Lego store, you can check out the new Lego store on Central Park Avenue at Virginia Beach’s Town Center. The 3,170-square-foot shop that opened in November features a Pick & Build Wall where you can design custom creations.
Feature image courtesy Finn Partners
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