Hi! Auntie Chelsea here. Nick and I started going to restaurants in alphabetical order since we were dating, and we are now on our third rotation. So, what this means is we started by going to a restaurant that started with the letter A, then the next time we went on a date we went to a restaurant that started with the letter B, and so on. It has been a great way to get to know the different restaurants in the area and it makes me, who does not really like to try new things, to get out of my comfort zone.
So, if you want to start incorporating this in to your date night routine, here are some examples of the ABC restaurants, so you have somewhere to start!
For the letter A we went to Ammos Authentic Greek Cuisine. Ammos is in Virginia Beach off Great Neck Road. It is tucked back in a corner, so make sure to have the GPS on when trying to get there. This place is delicious, but you have to go hungry. We loved the appetizer sampler which had taziki sauce, hummus, and pita. YUM! I, also, adore their dolmades, but those are definitely an acquired taste. One thing I really like about Greek food is there are not a lot of "basic" foods, so you have to try something new.
Things To Know If You Go
- There is almost always a Groupon available for Ammos.
- Tuesday night is Military Night where military get a discount. (I am not 100% about if Tuesday is military night, so double check before you go.)
- They sometimes have belly dancing nights, so check their Facebook. Good entertainment for kids and adults alike.
For the letter B we went to Brass Bell, which gets double points for alliteration! If you can't tell from the image, we went around Halloween and the decorations definitely added to the ambiance for us. Brass Bell is a little hole-in-the-wall off Independence Blvd. in Virginia Beach and from the looks on the outside, we didn't have high hopes walking in. However, the food was outstanding. We both got steak, which is what they are known for, and it was perfectly cooked. I cannot rave about this place enough.
Things To Know If You Go
- The Brass Bell is a bar scene. If you go, this may be a night for the babysitter.
- There are also pool tables and karaoke if you are feeling like making a night of it.
- Brass Bell is very affordable and has great drink prices as well!
For the letter C we went to Charlie's. As a Norfolk native I have been a few times before, but Nick hadn't and we hadn't been to their new location on Granby Street, right before the Granby Street bridge. One of the main features of Charlie's is their Blood Mary Bar that is in an old bathtub, it is a very cool aesthetic. This place is the best spot for brunch.
Things To Know If You Go
- I highly recommend Charlie's for brunch, but they are open for lunch as well.
- There are two Charlie's locations, both on Granby street, both scrumptious. However, the one closer to Ghent is smaller.
- Charlie's gets crowded during holidays, like Mother's Day.
If you want want to try out Alphabetical Restaurants for yourself here are some tips of the trade:
- We try to avoid chain restaurants. It just makes it feel more authentic.
- It does get expensive, so we only go once a month, maybe twice a month. It is a slow process, but definitely worth the experience.
- Some letters are especially hard to find, particularly Q and X. We have done Quaker Steak and Lube in Newport News for Q and Xenia in Harrisonburg for X. If you don't want to travel that far, we make exceptions for those and just find a restaurant with a Q or X in the name. Gateaux Bakery on Independence is good for X as well.
- We try not to repeat restaurants. So, if we find a restaurant we really like, we suggest that we take out of town guests to those or double dates, so we don't feel like we are cheating.
- We love Instagramming the experience. We always like to take a picture of the food, the name of the place, and ourselves there. Don't forget to use the hashtag #alphabeticalrestaurants
