Norfolk’s food comes from the Chesapeake Bay and from the naval population that has cycled through the port for over a century. Blue crab, oysters and rockfish are the staples, and the crab cake here is judged by how little is in it besides crab.
The city’s dining has improved markedly, with Ghent and the NEON district holding most of the newer independent restaurants. Downtown’s waterfront still leans toward the visitor trade.
The Chesapeake’s oyster industry has recovered substantially from its twentieth-century collapse, and Norfolk is a good place to taste the difference between growing regions side by side. Autumn is the best season for both crab and oysters.