Virginia Beach’s ViBe District

Seasoned by Salt Air, This Meal Celebrated the Very Best of Coastal Virginia’s Food and Art

It seemed serendipitous to host our first Virginia Beach dinner tucked away within The Alley, a collective of local artisans in the heart of the city’s ViBe Creative District. Under a summer-kissed coastal sky, the outdoor space was transformed into an elegant long table supper incorporating some of the best food and creativity this community has to offer.

The evening kicked off with cocktails outside of The Pink Dinghy, The Alley’s anchor restaurant. Expertly crafted by the Dinghy’s chef and owner, Stephanie Dietz, our signature ‘Makers Crush’ provided guests with a refreshing and colorful sip as they mingled – all while enjoying freshly shucked Lambert Shellfish oysters on the half shell and staying hydrated with Crunchy Hydration’s selection of alcohol-free beverages.

Guests then gathered outside of Three Ships Coffee for a panel discussion, led by local communicator and storyteller Valeria L. Palmertree, centered on the evolution of Virginia Beach’s makers community. The all-female panel – made up of Kate Pittman (Executive Director, ViBe Creative District), Kendall Chandler (Education Coordinator, MOCA), Stephanie Dietz (Owner & Chef, The Pink Dinghy), and Kim Higgins (Owner & Maker, Made Mod VB) – provided insights on Virginia Beach’s distinct culture, accomplishments and areas of opportunities. Each of the panelists reflected on the heightened role that connection and collaboration have played in growing this community and made a call for continued engagement.

Just as the panel ended and the sun set, guests gathered around a communal table framed by string lights and beautifully set with tableware from The Collection by Courtney Ingram and linens from Waterford Event Rentals. Gather Floral’s beautiful flower scapes lined the coastal-inspired table, perfectly paired with Jars of Dust’s ceramics. All servers donned elegant aprons handmade by North End Bag Co.

The evening’s menu, created by Virginia Beach’s beloved Chef Barry Smith, was both a reflection and a celebration of Southern Virginia at the end of summer. The five-course menu touted some of Chef Barry’s most cherished coastal Virginia flavors, including freshly picked bluefin crab, locally raised pork from Cartwright Family Farms, and a variety of produce grown just a few minutes away in the farming community of Pungo. Featured purveyors included Cromwell’s Produce, Wade’s Mill, Hubs Virginia Peanuts, and Bill Forest Seafood, as well as Pilgrim Bread, which provided the meal’s bread service with wood-fired baguettes. The red- and-white-wine pairings by Native Selections were provided and poured by our friends at The Pink Dinghy.

At the end of the night, in addition to a delicious meal and inspiring conversation, guests were able to take with them a bag of Three Ships single-origin coffee beans and a commemorative postcard of The Alley, hand-illustrated by Sarah G. Bartley, who also designed our menus and partner cards for the evening.

The magic could be felt in the warm coastal air as Virginia Beach joined us in celebrating community, creativity and collaboration.

Read more about this meal in the words of our collaborator and co-host, Valeria L. Palmertree here.