Satisfy Your Palate at Hot Tuna and Shorebreak Pizza & Taphouse
Along with its 3-mile boardwalk, beautiful sandy shores, local arts scene, and maritime history, Virginia Beach is known for its laid-back, 5-star dining scene. Whether you’re looking for the best burger in town, an ice-cold beer, a place to watch the game, or the best local seafood, hand-muddled mojitos, and live entertainment, Shore Drive has two dining options to satisfy your palate: Hot Tuna and Shorebreak Pizza & Taphouse.
Brett Kassir opened Hot Tuna in 1992 with fellow Virginia Beach native Jennifer Payne. The restaurant has been open for more than 30 years, and in that time, Brett has brought on new partners, including co-owner J.B. Maas, who initially worked for Brett at Peabody’s as a college student. J.B. approached Brett about the opportunity to partner when he opened his next venture, Shorebreak Pizza & Taphouse, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year after opening in 2003. In 2022, they opened a second Shorebreak location in Pungo.
With the best jumbo wings in town and authentic pizzas crafted from a 60-year-old family recipe, Shorebreak is also known for its craft burgers, voted Best Burger by The Virginian Pilot. The sports bar features over 20 beers on tap, a rotating selection of bottles and cans, options from local breweries, and seasonal choices.
Hot Tuna is a Buy Fresh Buy Local, Virginia Green, Craft Beer Association, and Farm-to-Fork Movement member. The menu features fresh, in-season Eastern Shore seafood and produce, ranging from sesame ahi tuna to Mahi Mahi street tacos. They also have multiple options if you’re in the mood for something gourmet. Big bites like the gouda burger will make your mouth water. Their small plates are the way to go if you’re in the mood for variety. Indulge your appetite with the beer broth mussels, gourmet mac-n-cheese, tuna poke, or the fried green tomato crabstack.
Both restaurants have received numerous awards thanks to their top-notch menu and family atmosphere. In 2021, Shorebreak was named the Top Sports Bar in Virginia by Men’s Health Magazine. In 2022, Shorebreak and Hot Tuna received Trip Advisor’s Travelers’ Choice Award and were listed on Coastal Virginia Magazine’s Best of Readers’ Choice Awards. Both establishments have been listed on Inside Business’ Top Workplace rankings in 2021 and 2022.
Brett and J.B. “absolutely love” working with J.T. McDonald, senior vice president and commercial banker. J.B. shares, “We can text J.T. any time, and he always texts back quickly. Having direct access to our banker means a lot.” J.B. continues,
Other banks have approached us about financing, but we’re sticking with TowneBank. We appreciate their connection to the community because that’s also important to us. It’s part of our mission. We’re proud to be members of the community; the community has kept us going and is what allowed us to open our second Shorebreak location in Pungo. Our customers are loyal to us, and we hope to serve them for years to come.
Visit HotTunaVB.com and ShorebreakVB.com to check out their menus or order takeout.