This is the thing that surprises people most about Virgin Voyages: the food is genuinely, unreasonably good. And it's included. Every restaurant. No specialty dining fees. You walk into a beautifully designed restaurant, eat a multi-course meal that would cost you $150 on land, and you don't pay extra. A few menus have optional upcharge items for truly premium stuff (a seafood tower, aged wagyu), but the vast majority of everything you'll order is included in your fare.
I still think about the handmade pasta at Extra Virgin. That's not a metaphor. I literally think about it on random Tuesdays.
So here's every restaurant on the ship, ranked, with real opinions and a booking strategy that'll save you headaches.
The Rankings
1. Extra Virgin (Italian)
My favorite restaurant on the ship. I said it. Extra Virgin is a chic, candlelit Italian spot where everything is handmade and every plate lands. The pasta program is the star. We're talking potato gnocchi with mushrooms and truffle butter, pappardelle al ragu, oxtail raviolis, and a carbonara that has no business being this good on a ship in the middle of the ocean.
The proteins are equally impressive. The veal, the branzino, the chicken parm that's somehow refined and comforting at the same time. And the tiramisu to close? Perfect.
🔥 Must-order: Any of the handmade pastas. The gnocchi is my personal favorite. The oxtail raviolis are a close second.
✨ Vibe: Romantic, elegant, the kind of restaurant where you linger over wine and forget you're at sea.
2. Pink Agave (Mexican)
The most talked-about restaurant on VV, and for good reason. The mole negro is extraordinary. The guacamole is made tableside. The mezcal cocktails are perfect. The space is gorgeous, all dark wood and moody lighting.
🔥 Must-order: The mole negro (whatever protein, just get the mole). The elote. The churros for dessert.
💡 Booking tip: This one fills up, but don't panic. Cancellations happen constantly and tables open up throughout the sailing. Flexibility on timing is your friend.
3. The Wake (Surf & Turf)
Located at the back of the ship with massive windows overlooking the wake (hence the name). This is your special occasion restaurant. The steaks are excellent, the seafood is outstanding, and the view at sunset is the most romantic dinner setting on the ship.
The seafood tower is an upcharge (and it's impressive if you're celebrating), but everything else on the menu is included. The filet mignon, the rack of lamb, the Atlantic salmon, the bone marrow. All included.
🔥 Must-order: The filet mignon. The clam chowder to start. If you're with a group and feeling fancy, the seafood tower is worth the splurge.
✨ Vibe: Date night. Anniversary dinner. "I'm treating myself" energy.
4. Test Kitchen (Experimental)
This one is polarizing and I respect that. The Test Kitchen is VV's experimental dining concept. Think molecular gastronomy, unusual flavor pairings, dishes that make you say "wait, what is this?" It's a multi-course experience that's more performance than dinner.
I love it. Not everyone does. If you're the kind of person who watches Chef's Table and gets excited, book this immediately. If you just want a good steak, skip it and go to The Wake again.
🔥 Must-order: You don't really choose. It's a set menu that changes. Go in with an open mind.
✨ Vibe: Adventurous, curious, "I want a story to tell."
5. Gunbae (Korean BBQ)
The most underrated restaurant on the ship. Gunbae is interactive Korean BBQ where you cook at the table with your group. It's social, it's fun, the food is excellent, and it's one of those meals where you look up and realize two hours have passed.
🔥 Must-order: Get the full spread. The short rib is the star. The banchan (side dishes) are all great. And yes, there's soju.
✨ Vibe: Perfect for groups. Also perfect for solo travelers because you'll end up cooking with strangers and making friends. Some of my best conversations on VV happened around a Gunbae grill.
6. Razzle Dazzle (Vegetarian-Forward)
Don't let "vegetarian-forward" scare you. Razzle Dazzle has meat options and they're great. But the real reason to come here is brunch. The avocado toast is legitimately legendary. I know that sounds like a parody of millennial dining, but I'm telling you, it's that good.
The restaurant itself is colorful, fun, a little cheeky. It matches the VV brand perfectly.
🔥 Must-order: The avocado toast at brunch. The truffle fries. If you go for dinner, the cauliflower steak is surprisingly incredible.
💡 Pro tip: Walk-up brunch at Razzle Dazzle should be mandatory on your sea day. Get there around 10:30 to avoid the biggest rush.
7. The Galley (Food Hall)
"But it's the buffet." No. Stop. The Galley is a food hall made up of individually named eateries, each with their own rotating menus and specific vibes. This isn't a steam table situation.
You've got Noodle Around for Asian noodles, Let's Taco 'Bout It for Mexican, Bento Baby for sushi and Asian plates, Diner & Dash for American comfort food, Burger Bar for obvious reasons, and more. Well Bread is the bakery turning out fresh loaves and pastries. Sweet Side is the dessert spot. The menus rotate throughout the sailing, so what's available Tuesday might be different Thursday.
🎯 The move: Every night, The Galley runs a dinner special that's listed in the daily cruise programming. These rotate and they're often surprisingly great. Corned beef hash night. A Thanksgiving dinner if you're sailing near the holiday. A themed cuisine night. Check the daily flyer and keep an eye out.
🔥 Must-try: Noodle Around, the tacos at Let's Taco 'Bout It, and whatever the dinner special is tonight.
💡 Pro tip: The Galley is also great for a quick breakfast if you don't want a sit-down meal.
The Booking Strategy
Restaurant reservations open in the VV app before your sailing, and the window depends on your fare type:
- RockStar and Mega RockStar suites: 120 days before sailing
- Premium fare: 60 days before sailing
- Essential fare: 45 days before sailing
- Base/Lock-It-In fare: 15 days before sailing
📌 Heads up: Set an alarm for your window opening. Reservations open at midnight Miami time.
📋 Priority order:
- Extra Virgin (my #1, and it fills up)
- Pink Agave (the most popular, book early)
- The Wake (book for your special night)
- Everything else, you can handle later
📌 Things to know:
- These reservations are primarily for dinner. The Wake and Razzle Dazzle are the only restaurants that also offer brunch.
- You can change and cancel reservations freely, so don't stress about locking in the "perfect" schedule on day one.
- You can only reserve each restaurant once. But if you want a second visit, you can walk up and get seated if there's availability. I've done this plenty of times.
- Most restaurants take walk-ups, especially on the first and last nights when people are distracted.
Ship Eats
Ship Eats is VV's 24/7 delivery service with its own dedicated menu, separate from the restaurants. Order right from the app and food comes to your cabin.
This is perfect for a late-night snack after The Manor. But the real hack is ordering breakfast the night before so it's waiting at your door when you roll out of bed. Coffee, pastries, fruit, all delivered without you having to put on pants or interact with another human before you're ready.
📌 Heads up: If you were out until 2am, don't set that delivery for 7am. Hangovers are real. Be kind to future you.
The Bottom Line
VV's dining is the single strongest argument for choosing this cruise line over any other. The fact that every restaurant is included, all of them, every course, is almost absurd. On any other cruise line, restaurants at this level would cost you $50-75 per person extra. Here, it's just Tuesday night.
Curious about the drink situation? I break down the Bar Tab and drink pricing in a separate post. If you're trying to figure out which VV sailing to book, take the quiz and I'll help you find the right one. If you're planning your first trip, my first-timer's guide covers the full booking strategy. And if you want me to walk you through the restaurant booking strategy for your specific sailing, that's what I do.
Not sure which sailing is right for you?
Take the 2-minute quiz and I'll point you in the right direction.
Brandon
Queer-owned travel advisor obsessed with Virgin Voyages. First Mate certified, FORA partnered, and here to help you plan an incredible cruise.