A Taste of Virginia Beach’s Best She Crab Soup Restaurants
By Elizabeth Rose Engle of Wandering Rose Travels
Seafood fans delight here in blue crab country. This crustacean’s habitat stretches from Canada to South America, but she crab soup is unique to the American southeast.
2018 She Crab Soup Classic Winner, Passion, The Restaurant
There’s nothing like a cookoff to crown the best, and the East Coast She Crab Soup Classic, in Virginia Beach, boasts 10 years of tasting history.
Voted best by the people and critics, Passion The Restaurant reigns as the she crab 2018 winner. Established in Chesapeake’s Greenbrier area in 2008, this upscale eatery serves regional proteins and produce in small plates and meaty mains, complemented by wine and desserts.
Standout Soups
Fish & Slips Marina Raw Bar & Grill of Portsmouth and Virginia Beach’s Calypso Bar & Grill round out the top 2018 she crab soup contest winners.
Honorable mentions include Kelly’s Gingernut Pub (Cape Charles), Saltine (Norfolk) and Murphy’s Irish Pub and Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant of Virginia Beach.
Best She Crab Soup Restaurants
Then there are the restaurants that locals love and visitors venture to for a tasty, memorable experience.
Freemason Abbey Restaurant
This gem entered the East Coast She Crab Soup Classic Hall of Fame in 2017 after five first-place finishes. Located in a 144-year-old church, Freemason Abbey Restaurant has served downtown Norfolk for 28 years.
Margie and Ray’s
Head south to Sandbridge for seafood specials and all you can eat abundance. Family-run since its 1964 country store beginnings, Margie and Ray’s is a longtime local favorite.
What is She Crab Soup?
Similar to a bisque, creamy she crab soup is a beloved regional delicacy. Famed from Virginia to Georgia, it hails from Charleston, South Carolina.
She crab soup stars the blue crab, an Atlantic seafood staple. It traditionally features female (or “she”) crabs, with their eggs (known as “roe”) enhancing flavor and color.
Sherry and everyone’s take on herbs and spices make this soup special.
More Tide-to-Table Cuisine
The Atlantic, Chesapeake and other waterways provide a wealth of freshly caught and served seafood. Look for local crab, oysters, clams and fish. There are restaurants for all ages, tastes and budgets – from fine dining to delicious dives.
Virginia Beach Seafood
While tasty fish and shellfish are served all over Hampton Roads, you don’t have to go far from the Boardwalk to get it.
Restaurants on the Virginia Beach Boardwalk
- Tautog’s Restaurant: Historic cottage spot for daily dinner and late night eats
- Waterman’s Surfside Grille: Oceanfront home of the famous Orange Crush cocktail
- Rudee’s Restaurant & Cabana Bar: Marina and sunset views with outdoor glider tables
- Blue Seafood & Spirits: Chef-driven 2017 She Crab Soup Classic winner
Dig into more Virginia Beach dining: Restaurants in Virginal Beach and Virginia Beach Waterfront Dining
Don’t Miss The Upcoming Classic She Crab Soup Contest
The 11th Annual East Coast She-Crab Soup Classic cookoff dishes out 2019 honors on April 13 from 12 to 2:30 p.m. at Virginia Beach’s 24th Street Park. The event showcases 20 regional restaurants competing for People’s and Critic’s Choice Awards. Tickets are limited and typically sell out in advance.
