1608 Crafthouse, a chef driven concept, will feature sustainable, local products from the Chesapeake Bay/ Mid Atlantic region. To wet your whistle, 1608 will also offer a variety of craft beers as well as hand -crafted elixirs. The goal at 1608 will be to offer a unique experience that offers diners the affordability to visit multiple times a month to taste and sample some of the best regional offerings.The owners are accomplished/award winning Chefs with 30+ years experience between them in a variety of venues, including some of VA Beach’s finest restaurants. Unexpected quality in a medium-priced restaurant. Our theory is that the “medium-priced” restaurants in this country are not very good and if we are right, there is a fantastic business opportunity in that theory.
1608 Crafthouse is a contemporary, casual, “farm to table” restaurant featuring regional Southern cuisine with an emphasis placed on the bounty of the Mid-Atlantic region.
The theme and decor capture the relaxed casual feeling of the Chesapeake Bay/Shore drive area. Featuring a scratch kitchen 1608 will offer a competitive price point for entrees, burgers, appetizers, soups and salads.
Coastal Virginia Culinary Awards Winner 2024
If anyplace deserves to call itself craft, this is it. Chef-owner Kevin Sharkey and his dedicated squad are master artisans in the realm of mindfully sourced, expertly executed fare across a remarkably fair-priced, rangy menu: elevated bar food (runny-egg-topped Poutine, freshly shucked Virginia Oysters), superlative sandwiches (Bacon Cheeseburgers, Lamb & Mushroom Burgers), five-star entrees (Blackened Flounder and Dry-Pack Scallops in Smoky Tomato Sauce, 14-ounce Ribeye with House-Cut Truffle Fries and Roasted Bone Marrow). And they emphasize exceptional craft beers.
One reviewer, declaring it “the region’s best for seafood, steaks, pizza and brunch,” shouts out scratch-made Kimchi Bloody Marys for “a zesty flavor like nowhere else.” The space might not win any beauty contests, but its gorgeous soul shines through in winning service. The 1608 in the name sounds like a historical reference (this is Thoroughgood’s Pleasure House Road, after all, site of a 17th-century tavern), but it’s actually the street address. Even that’s crafty.
