The Virginia Department of Health inspects Virginia Beach restaurants and posts reports online. Virginia does not score them. Health office: 757-518-2646.
Last checked Oct. 18, 2026. Facts on this page come from the Virginia Beach Health Department’s environmental health page and inspection records published by the Virginia Department of Health. This page explains how inspections work and where to read them; it does not rate any business.
Restaurants, school cafeterias, food trucks and other food businesses in Virginia Beach are inspected by the Virginia Beach Health Department’s Office of Environmental Health Services, part of the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). Every report is public. Read them on the state’s Virginia Beach restaurant inspections site, where you can search by business name or address.
Who to call
- Food safety complaints: Environmental Health, 757-518-2646, or in person 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays
- Appointments and general questions: Virginia Beach Health Department, 757-518-2700, option 3
- Food poisoning reports: VDH’s My Meal Detective online form
How inspections work in Virginia
- No scores and no grades. Virginia does not give a number or letter. A report lists what the inspector found, including any violations.
- Types of inspection. The state’s records label each visit, for example routine, follow-up, pre-opening or risk factor.
- The rules. Inspectors apply the state’s Food Regulations (12VAC5-421) (PDF).
- A report is one visit. It describes conditions on that day only. A follow-up visit after violations is routine and is not, by itself, a finding of a problem.
The local office’s food protection program also covers manager training, plan review for new or remodeled kitchens and enforcement, according to its environmental health page.
A recent week of inspections
VDH recorded 32 food inspections in Virginia Beach from Oct. 5 to Oct. 9, 2026, the most recent week in its records when we checked. They covered restaurants, coffee shops, a golf course grill, a mobile food truck and several school cafeterias.
Among the pre-opening inspections that week was a new Dutch Bros Coffee at 796 Lynnhaven Parkway, inspected Oct. 9, which is how new businesses show up in the records before they open. Read any report on the state inspection site.
How to read a report
- Search for the business by name or street.
- Open the most recent inspection and check its type and date.
- Read the violations listed and the inspector’s notes.
- Look back at earlier reports. One visit is a snapshot; a pattern across several visits tells you more.
If a business has responded to a report, VB Daily includes that response whenever we write about an inspection.
Food at events and markets
Vendors at festivals and other temporary events need a temporary food permit from the Virginia Beach Health Department; the yearly fee is $40, according to the special event requirements.
Pools, hotels and tattoo shops
The same Environmental Health office also regulates public swimming pools, hotels and other tourist establishments, hair, nail and tanning salons, and body art and piercing studios, and investigates environmental complaints, its page says. Complaints about any of them go to 757-518-2646, by phone or in person at the office between 8:15 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.
What this means for you
- There is no score to check; read the violations.
- Worried about a meal? See a doctor, then file a My Meal Detective report.
- Saw a problem in a kitchen? Call 757-518-2646.
Related: new businesses in Virginia Beach, farmers markets and who to call at City Hall.
Frequently asked questions
How do I look up a restaurant inspection in Virginia Beach?
Search the Virginia Department of Health’s online inspection site for Virginia Beach, linked from the Virginia Beach Health Department’s environmental health page. Each report lists the date, the inspection type and any violations.
Do Virginia Beach restaurants get a letter grade or score?
No. Virginia does not score restaurant inspections. Reports list the violations an inspector found, which you have to read to judge a visit.
Who inspects restaurants in Virginia Beach?
The Virginia Beach Health Department’s Office of Environmental Health Services, part of the Virginia Department of Health. Call 757-518-2646.
How do I report food poisoning in Virginia Beach?
See a doctor first, then file a report with the Virginia Department of Health’s My Meal Detective online form, or call Environmental Health at 757-518-2646.
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