VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach Restaurant Week kicks off on January 16th!
Martha Davenport with the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association said that this year will be the biggest yet!
"We have a record amount of restaurants participating - we have 52," Davenport said.
Dozens of Virginia Beach restaurants will offer breakfast, lunch, or dinner deals. One of the restaurants on the list is the newly opened 501 Kitchen and Bar on Birdneck Road.
Parkerson and Braxton Hague are brothers. Parkerson is the general manager, and Braxton is the head chef at 501. They said they are ready to serve up some deliciousness for restaurant week.
"Our breakfast smash burgers, chicken biscuit sliders for lunch, will have pepperoni and hot honey flatbreads, a new wing flavor for people to try," Braxton said.
Their two-course brunch menu is $15, and a two-course lunch is $20. But the $35 three-course dinner may be the best deal. You have options like the rigatoni with bacon cream, the seared salmon, or the classic smash burger. Each is hearty with a sense of comfort.
No matter which restaurant you choose, there will be some new things this year surrounding restaurant week!
"We are doing a theme with a pineapple," Davenport said. "The pineapple is the symbol of hospitality, and we thought no better way than to introduce the first theme as the pineapple with restaurant week!"
So, you may see pineapple decor at your restaurant. Davenport said she's also challenging restaurants to incorporate pineapple into some dishes and drinks.
501 Kitchen and Bar is doing that and then some. Their drinks are top of the top. You can grab a pineapple mimosa or a pineapple cocktail. They are both so refreshing and take you to such a happy place. Speaking of happy places, let's talk dessert. 501 has created a pineapple bread pudding that will knock your socks off. You'll want seconds on this one.
The pineapple theme isn't the only new addition this year.
"We're partnering with select hotels to provide discount rates during restaurant week," Davenport said with excitement. "So, say for example, you're having the ho-hums after the holidays and don't know what to do. Well, why not create a little vacation around restaurant week?"
You can find a list of partnering hotels if you choose to make time for it by clicking here.
Davenport said making hotels available, creating a theme, and having the most restaurants participate is exciting after many struggled during the pandemic's peak. She said this is all about family. That's what 501 is about, too.
"The thing that makes this place unique is our family atmosphere," said Parkerson.
Davenport echoed his sentiments.
"A lot of these are family businesses. They've raised their families in restaurants, continue raising their families in restaurants, and have generations running the restaurants," she nodded and looked around at the 501 family business.
"So, come on out, support your local restaurants. They're here for you always, and just be a part of their family," Davenport smiled.
You can go to their website to learn about restaurant week and the participating restaurants, hotel deals, and prices.