Legal Sea Foods Restaurant Group, the iconic New England-based restaurant brand with over 20 locations along the Eastern Seaboard will be opening a new location in Virginia Beach later this year at the Town Center of Virginia Beach. This will be the second location in Virginia to open since 2019 (Reagan National Airport) and will mark the first for Hampton Roads.
Following last year’s acquisition by PPX Hospitality Brands, Legal Sea Foods Restaurant Group has been invigorated with reopenings, remodels, and new development plans, reinforcing its commitment to existing employees while expanding its team. Since the late 2020 acquisition, Legal Sea Foods Restaurant Group has been pursuing expansion opportunities in key East Coast markets including Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland and Florida which led them to this opportunity in Virginia Beach. In addition to this opening, PPX Hospitality Brands and Legal Sea Foods Restaurant Group are expected to announce more expansion plans in the months ahead.
“Town Center of Virginia Beach offers us a tremendous opportunity to bring our iconic New England seafood experience to this vibrant market,” said Ann Marie Escobar, Brand President and Chief Operating Officer of Legal Sea Foods Restaurant Group. “We are proud to partner with our new landlord Armada Hoffler Properties on this premier location. It’s such an exciting time for our brand, marking our first new restaurant opening since our partnership with PPX Hospitality, ushering in a new vision for growth.”
The new Virginia Beach location will be opening in the former McCormick & Schmick's space in the Town Center of Virginia Beach which overlooks the main plaza. The 8000 square-foot layout will be able to accommodate guests for both lunch and dinner throughout renovated dining rooms, private event spaces, expanded bar and wrap-around patio. The menu will feature Legal Sea Foods’ signature dishes, focusing on the brand’s commitment to quality and guest service. The restaurant plans to create approximately 75 new jobs, adding to its dedicated and driven team with both front-of-house and back-of-house roles.
Since its acquisition by PPX Hospitality Brands, Legal Sea Foods Restaurant Group has been reinvesting in its employees, including the reinstatement of all benefits that were paused during the pandemic. The company’s leadership made the decision to close all restaurants on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day in 2021, allowing team members to spend time with their loved ones. This year, PPX Hospitality Brands aims to launch an all new intercompany dining program to encourage cross-brand benefits for all employees, a performance based bonus program for management teams, and to explore more ways to offer better work-life balance. Under PPX Hospitality Brands’ executive leadership. Legal Sea Foods Restaurant Group looks forward to continued growth and expansion in the coming years.
To learn more, visit https://www.legalseafoods.com/.
About Legal Sea Foods
Seventy years ago, Legal Sea Foods opened as a fish market in Cambridge, MA and has since cast a wider net – now operating 23 restaurants along the east coast as well as its own Quality Control Center on Boston Harbor. Legal Sea Foods' iconic tagline, "If it isn't fresh, it isn't Legal!" speaks to its legendary fanaticism for seafood quality and safety. The restaurants serve over 40 varieties of fresh fish and shellfish throughout the year; the menu highlights quintessential New England fare, including its famous New England Clam Chowder that has been served at nearly every Presidential Inauguration since 1981. To learn more, visit https://www.legalseafoods.com/.
About PPX Hospitality Brands
PPX Hospitality Brands is a Boston-based hospitality group that includes The Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group, The Strega Group and Legal Sea Foods Restaurant Group. To learn more, visit https://www.ppxhospitalitybrands.com/
