The Town Center

I’ve been coming to Town Center for quite a number of years now. I remember when this was not here. By turning this area into a Town Center, it is a much nicer area to come to now. There are plenty of parking garages in this area as well. Town Center has many stores and restaurants in this area, along with hotels and housing, although I tend to go more for the restaurant side of things.
With a large option of restaurants here, you won’t go hungry. Some of the restaurants at Town Center include California Pizza Kitchen, Bravo!, Cheesecake Factory, Jason’s Deli, Village Inn and more. With this amount of restaurants in such a small area, there’s a restaurant for everyone, regardless of what type of food they like.
As for shopping, there are quite a few places for that as well. Across the boulevard from all the high rises lies Pembroke Mall. The mall is ever-​evolving with new places coming in. There’s definitely lots of options for your shopping needs. You’ll find some higher-​end shops on the ground floor of many of the high rises in this area as well.
One of my favorite spots in Town Center is the fountain. For me, it’s the centerpiece to Town Center. During the summer, they have had outside concerts and such right there at the fountain. Overall, this is a great meeting place as it’s right in the middle of that area. For other entertainment, there is also the Sandler Center for the Arts, which has events throughout the year as well.
Overall, Town Center is a great hub for Virginia Beach. You can find just about anything here. As a local, I love coming here. I’m sure tourists visiting the beach would also love to get away from the hustle and bustle of the oceanfront and get a more relaxed atmosphere here at Town Center. This place is definitely for everyone.

Thank you City Council and business partners for the vision that brought Town Center to Virginia Beach. It took dedication and perseverance to overcome opposition to what has become a wonderful economic engine.
Once upon a time, a nearly abandoned Pembroke Mall faced a block highlighted by the Virginia Beach Beacon building. That long forgotten stretch of Virginia Beach Boulevard is now a thriving city center.
Ever expanding urban housing has helped generate a constant stream of traffic for the plethora of restaurants and stores.
Speaking of stores, Town Center continues to experience new arrivals, many the first in Hampton Roads. Recent openings of stores such as West Elm and Anthropology have added to a full shopping experience.
The Sandler Center for Performing Arts provides the core for an ever increasing arts district. Recent announcements of a new phase included the welcome information that a smaller theater venue is to be included.
Town Center is spreading to the opposite sides of both Independence and Virginia Beach Boulevard. Deserted big box stores and parking lots are being converted into shops designed in the Town Center décor.
Pembroke Mall is morphing into an integral part of Town Center. We anxiously await the openings of Fresh Market and Nordstrom’s Rack. I’m sure there will be more to come.
Hopefully an extension of the Tide to Town Center will offer visitors to Norfolk easy access to Town Center shopping, strolling and dining.
We who call Virginia Beach home are proud of our urban center. May it grow and thrive for many years.

I like The Town Center, strictly for the food! The area has Bravos, California Pizza Kitchen, McCormick and Schmick’s, the Cheesecake Factory, PF Changs and more. While there are not many clothing shops, I think they can be a bit pricey for my taste. Parking on the street is so so and you have to feed a meter, but they have a free parking lot and garages that you can park in. If you’re looking for great food… The Town Center is a great place to visit. If you’re looking to shop for clothes and other merchandise, I say, head across the street to Pembrook mall.

It’s essentially a sort of outdoor mall. It seems to kind of have an identity crisis in that regard, because a lot of people try to call this a downtown area. Some OK restaurants and bars. Just OK. I’ve never been amazed at any of the places I’ve been to in here. It’s an attempt at a downtown area, but in my opinion is not at all. One mall does not constitute a downtown. Sorry folks.
The free parking is a nice aspect. I think if you are into malls and that sort of thing, then this would appeal to you. I think I have come here probably a total of five times since I moved to VB in 2014. Eh, just not my thing at all. Nothing really stands out in my mind on anything going on in here. Also except for Twist, and Sonoma, service has been the absolute worst in every single place I’ve tried here.
This spot is not for me. As I always do for malls, I’m giving this a 1 star.

Downtown VB, it will never be New york, but i guess they would rather have light rail instead. But its a fun place to hang out and have a beer

Great stores such as Lululemon and Dicks’ sporting goods with free parking lots, good restaurants such as Twist…

I keep wondering when our own Virginia Beach Town Center would reach the caliber of other Town Centers that I’ve visited while traveling. It’s sloOoOoOowly getting there! YNot Wednesdays are super fun in the summer with friends. Keagan’s and Red Star Tavern were the first to open and were the hot spots for years. It’s a bummer that Red Star Tavern and Guadalajara – which had the only dance floor – have closed for reasons that could’ve been avoided! But it has made room for lululemon athletica, for which I’m guilty of wearing outside the gym! Locally owned places like Sonoma, The Royal Chocolate and Zushi are awesome. Yard House, Gordon Biersch, Ruth’s Chris and Tupelo are fab chain restaurants, and still give a local Va Beach welcome. Sadly, most happy hour specials are only from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. There aren’t too many places to go in Virginia Beach, so I usually end up here!

Downtown VB, it will never be, but I guess this is the closest we will get to a downtown.
I do enjoy Va Beach Town Center and all the regular additions. I remember when this area was pretty much «nothing.» Over the years, it has come to be one of the «touristy/foodie/let’s take engagement pics here at the fountain» spots, and I don’t blame anyone!
There’s a Westin, the Funny Bone, the Sandler Center for Performing Arts, there are condos, and of course restaurants galore (my favorites are The Cheesecake Factory & Confetti. OMG, you need gelato from Confetti. Now. lol.) Yard House is a big deal around here — especially if you love beer. There are too many other restaurants and a few stores to even mention in this one review, just trust me, there are a lot — Italian, American, Irish, Asian dining, etc. There’s even an «It’Sugar» candy store now. I told my BF, «That’s when you know a place has officially become a tourist spot — when it has one of these! » :)
A few places have closed over the years, but of course, have already been, or are currently being replaced. Parking is not bad — there are a few parking garages and if you’re lucky enough, you could get street parking. (Not for me though — I’m no bueno at parallel parking.)
My favorite is the fountain — it’s really pretty and it says «Town Center of Virginia Beach» on it — perfect back drop for any kind of photo shoot — I’ve seen tons of engagement pictures done here, even a flash mob proposal. This common area is also where «Y-​not Wednesdays» is hosted during the summer — each Wednesday, there’s local live music for everyone to enjoy.
We do come here regularly; how can you not, especially if you live around here?! There are a few stores and restaurants that I wouldn’t mind popping up here eventually. We shall see. But this place great in my book!

So many great stores and restaurants. Your closets and your bellies will be full, but your wallets may be empty. Hopefully you’ll be so happy you wont mind.
Town Center has been bringing more and more higher end clothing stores to the area in the last two years. People who live in the luxury Cosmopolitan apartments have their pick of shopping and fine dining all just a few footsteps away.
FREE parking is a huge benefit here.
In the summer they have free music performances and even some comedy performances on the plaza in front of the fountain.

Virginia Beach best hangout, especially to entertain out of town friends!

Free Parking… can Norfolk get on board please?! This is a perfect spot for lots of great restaraunts and shopping. They are making a huge effort to expand out with new businesses including West Elm and Anthropologie.

I have sat on a review of Town Center for years. No one has given a blow by blow story of it’s beginning. So bare with me as this may be boring to many of you.
Prior to 2000 there was no business/​entertainment identity hub for Virginia Beach. Or, what some would call a Central Business District, or Downtown. The City of Virginia Beach began clearing right of way and purchasing property around the Virginia Beach Blvd/​Independence Blvd area. This was previously residential homes so it did take from early 1990 to 2000 to secure the land needed with a ground breaking Summer 2000. At a cost of 500 million plus and growing, a fixed size 24 blocks with over 4 million square footage of leasing space and expandable.
Surprising some might say for a city of approximately 8.3 million to not have a downtown. The man with the vision and green backs to bring this massive endeavor to reality is Armada Hoffler. The plan was laid out in five phases. Phase I 2003 being the Armada Hoffler Tower, Hilton Garden Inn and Towne Bank at a cost of 100 million. All three of these originals are still in place.
Phase II The Cosmopolitan Apartments, public plaza and 1 million in retail space that houses anchors Ruth Chris, Bravo and Sonoma Wine Bar and Funny Bone Comedy Club. Also this phase included Dicks Sporting Goods with a total investment of $ 116 million
Phase III One of the more important to pulling it all together included the Westin Hotel, Sandler Center, Studio 56 Lofts and a Five story office building at a whopping cost of $ 203 million.
Phase IV was scheduled to begin at the end of 2008 with the Gateway Bank Tower, but never lifted off after several delays. A surface parking lot was put in late 2011. This lot is most certainly utilized along with over 3,000 spaces in three public garages, modest off street parking. Also a new surface parking lot to the South of the plaza was put in 2013 that could be developed, but no plans are in place at this time.
Phase V broke ground in late 2013 with the Main Street Tower housing Hamptons Roads first Anthropologie Store. A 15 story building with 27,000 square feet of retail space and 288 luxury Encore Apartments and 890 space parking structure.
So what does this all mean to myself and family. It is easy for me to love Town Center since I conduct business there, have housing there, dine out there, recreate there and enjoy entertainment there on a weekly basis. Is it a traditional downtown, no. It’s a modern day Central Business District that developed from nothing but a dream of Virginia Beach and the backing of the area’s premier businessman Armada Hoffler.
There is so much I enjoy about Town Center, but primary for me is Sandler Center. Previously Virginia Beach had no performing Arts Center, so this was huge for our community. I have shopped and eaten at almost all of the restaurants currently in the area. Probably the family favorite is Cheesecake Factory. A little known place to grab some exercise if you work in TC is across from the Cosmopolitan. Meadow Management is a paved walking trail that takes you a quarter mile around a pond. I use it, but assume few others do.
The challenges of Town Center twelve years after it’s development persist. The economy began to tank five years after ground was broke. The fact it has completed almost all five phases is a testament to the City of Virginia Beach, community leaders and investors who believe in our town. There are current challenges that I see with empty retail space and a population that has not fully embraced it. The City of Virginia Beach is banking on future light rail station to the South that could bring in business. I am doubtful that this will develop soon, or that it will provide the impact desired.
I am a fan of Town Center and hope it will continue to flourish in the future. Out of nothing rose a City Center for Virginia Beach. I am proud of what our city and business leaders accomplished with this daunting masterplan for the city. I will continue to support and promote The Town Center every opportunity I can.

I really enjoy living in this area and visiting the stores. I have run in the Taste of Town Center 5k 2 out of the 3 that they’ve had and it is an awesome race that showcases some of the delicious items from the restaurants in Town Center. Things are kind of slow here during the winter but in the warmer months the area is very lively. It’s a safe environment to bring your family, go on a date or have a business meeting. I love it here!

This is the center of Virginia Beach. From the shopping, to the pond nearby, it’s location, and everything around it, Town center is a nice place to enjoy for many different reasons.
I live here at the apartments at Encore and love this place compared to the surrounding area of Virginia Beach. It has a wide selection of shops, restaurants, and events hosted here.
I throughly enjoyed the holiday parade they held here as well as the tree lighting ceremony. It was nice, and great for all the people here.

Cornucopia of shops, eatery establishments and places to grab a drink a listen to some jokes (FUNNY BONE) or a concert (Sadler Center). It truly has something for everyone EXCEPT for street parking. Depending on where you going the parking garage can be a long walk when departing from your group to go home.

4 Stars for Virginia Beach Town Center. — This project Gave Virginia Beach a «Town Center» that never had one before. 15 Years ago there was nothing here in this part of town, unless you were headed to the old Sears at Pembroke. Now it is a skyline of nice buildings worthy of a VB Postcard. Very well done in my opinion.
There is a common area in the middle to hang out and where bands play in the summer. Some locations for shopping, and a great assortment of restaurants to try out as well. Plenty of upscale apartments and condominiums if that is your thing…
Also, the Sandler Center for Performing Arts is located here as well. And in fact, that is probably my only complaint: Whose idea was it to build a performing arts center with the side facing the main road that looks less attractive than the brick Jail over in the Virginia Beach Courthouse District?! Just a 5-​story wall of brick! (Will reference this photo:)
I mean yes, from the front side, it looks wonderful. But when you are driving down Independence Blvd and see nothing but the back side, that massive wall of red brick behind the Taco Bell, just makes you think they could have done more with the «road facing» side. So that is my only rant on the downside. I think they’d get more folks drawn in had they put the awesome front side of that venue towards the main thoroughfare instead of hiding it. (Same to be said for VB Convention center. Beautiful from the front. Unnoticeable from the highway)…
Maybe I should have saved that rant for a Sandler Center review itself, but all in all, back to the main point: Virginia Beach Town Center is a great place to visit for a meal, shopping, a Gelato, a trip to the Funny Bone Comedy Club, and etc. Many good restaurants and places to visit in this area.

Absolutely love this place!!!
This area has everything you needed, from dining to entertainment and shopping galore.
You can find most of they good restaurant chains and numerous number of branded boutiques. Entertainment venues include the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts which is within walking distance.
The center point is probably one of the best spot in the area where you can relaxed and enjoy free music.

The centerpiece of what there is for a downtown area in Virginia Beach.
There are multiple restaurants of many varieties, great shopping and lots of entertainment options.
I truly enjoy coming here for a meal, a walk, and some fun.

The town center pretty much has everything your looking for from fine dining to entertainment and shopping. To me the best thing is that it’s clean and there’s plenty of free parking.

This is my stomping ground! I think I’m in the area at least 3−4x a week grabbing a drink, eating out or holding some sort of meeting. I’m excited to see what is in the plan for TC over the next five to 10 years. If the market didn’t flip five/​six years I’m sure the area would be much more developed.
Red Star is decent — they’re starting to have some good DJs play on the weekends so the scene is getting better after really falling off the map.
The Daily Grind is like a second home to me. I love having meetings there.
Love Yard House! (I know it’s a chain but the place is awesome!)
Keagan’s is cool for drinks. Food is hit or miss. Service sometimes can be a shitshow.
We did a Unilocal Elite event at The Royal Chocolate. Nuff said. The same for Havana Nights Jazz & Cigar Club.
Funny Bone is pretty good. Sign up for their newsletter for some free tix from time to time.
Sonoma can be a cool date spot. It’s nice and romantic.
Ruth’s Chris? Da best!
The Cheesecake Factory… I wouldn’t wait two hours in line to eat there but admittedly, I like their food. Of course, their cheesecake is phenomenal.
I heard that if you live at The Cosmo you’re going to have one stellar life. I sure missed out on that opportunity seven years ago. Dammit… I’ll work on getting in at The Westin and play catch up.
A definite cool spot to go for an afternoon or evening out.