Hampton Roads, VASushi

Sushi Aka sits in downtown Suffolk, where chef Mike Hart, who trained under Masaharu Morimoto, rolls with a playful streak that Coastal Virginia Magazine named a 2024 Culinary Awards winner. The room is casual, the fish is serious, and the specialty rolls reward a repeat visit. Order the Cowboy Roll and let the chef send a few nigiri picks, and sit at the bar if a seat opens. Worth the drive to Main Street.

Kyushu has run sushi from an unassuming Newtown Road strip mall in Virginia Beach since 1990, a family operation Coastal Virginia Magazine counts among the region's restaurants with staying power. The Ebigasako family works the bar together, and the regulars include off-duty chefs. Order omakase-style at the bar if you can, or a mix of nigiri with the katsudon, and trust the day's specials. A quiet standby that has outlasted the trends.

Zushi Japanese Bistro brings a modern hand to Town Center in Virginia Beach, where chef Kevin Chang has run the room since 2005 and Coastal Virginia Magazine points diners to his omakase. The plates lean contemporary without losing the fundamentals. Order the five-course omakase and let the kitchen drive, or build a set of specialty rolls with a few nigiri. A polished option for a night out in the Beach's downtown.

Hayashi Sushi & Grill pairs a hibachi grill with a full sushi bar in Newport News, and Coastal Virginia Magazine's roundup singled out its maki list. The kitchen covers a lot of ground, from nigiri to house specialty rolls. Order the Delta Force roll the magazine called out along with a few pieces of nigiri, and add a hibachi plate if you are feeding a table. A dependable Peninsula-side stop.

Daikichi Sushi Bistro keeps a calm, zen-styled room on North Battlefield Boulevard in Chesapeake, where Coastal Virginia Magazine pointed to Chef Hiro's specialties. The menu runs deep past the standard rolls into cooked plates. Order the una-ju if you want eel over rice, plus a couple of the chef's specialty rolls, and let the quiet room slow the meal down. A steady Chesapeake choice for sushi.