Salt, Virginia Beach

Even as newcomer on the Virginia Beach restaurant scene, Salt was making waves with its delicious seafood. Just a month after it opened in 2013, Salt took home the top prize at the Sensible Seafood Fest for its furikake seared ahi tuna—an appetizer with jumbo lump crab, crispy wontons, and sesame-scallion aioli.

Today, Executive Chef Justin Kealiinohomoku continues to work with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Conscientious seafood is the focus here; consider the oysters, which are harvested from the Lynnhaven River. After diners have enjoyed their briny flavor, Salt returns the used oyster shells to the river to re-seed the oyster beds instead of turning them into vests for its servers to wear. Oysters aside, guests can experience Salt's aquatic bounty by ordering such dishes as the cioppino, a rich platter of white fish, clams, mussels, shrimp, and crab.