Join us for an honest, firsthand look at the dining experience aboard Virgin Voyages' Valiant Lady, where we sampled everything from quick bites to elegant dinners across the ship’s eclectic restaurants!
We went into our first ever cruise on Virgin Voyages with an open mind. Almost all of our expectations were surpassed (check out an honest review of our experience here). The food has a good reputation, but we were blown away by the options onboard. Our stereotypical opinion of cruise-liner food was stuffy buffets in grand ballrooms. But Virgin Voyages are changing the game. The ship contains six individually themed sit-down restaurants, each providing a unique and memorable dining experience. There are also several eateries designed for grab-and-go food (the restaurants are all the same on Virgin Voyages cruises. We sailed on the Valiant Lady, but this review will apply to all ships). There are so many aspects of the Virgin Voyages that impressed us, but we thought the food was where they really shine. And it’s all reviewed below in our full Virgin Voyages restaurant review.
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The Restaurants on Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady:
Extra Virgin
Our first dinner was at Extra Virgin. Extra Virgin has a classic, neighborhood Italian restaurant vibe with a warm décor. Other restaurants onboard that are more experimental, but Extra Virgin just does good classic Italian food with homemade pasta. Honestly, they didn’t miss with anything we ordered. For antipasto the braised meatballs are a highlight. For pasta the seafood pasta dish is fantastic. We shared a steak for the main course which was delicious. For desert the homemade gelato topped with espresso is sublime and a perfect way to end the meal.
Razzle Dazzle
Another restaurant that requires an open mind is Razzle Dazzle. Virgin Voyages are all about pushing the boundaries of what you expect on a cruise ship, so this is a place that you could end up loving or hating depending on how it jives with your taste buds.
Razzle Dazzle has a subversive vibe with a classic American old-school diner décor, while serving innovative vegetarian food (the menu does have meat options they classify as ‘Naughty’). The avocado toast was very flavorful incorporating siracha. The mushroom tartare was interesting but didn’t quite hit. I usually love tarragon but it dominated a little too much.
The Rainbow Churros were certainly vibrant and colorful, but the taste was sugary dry – a dish designed with Instagram filters in mind rather than how it tastes.
The Test kitchen
If you read a Virgin Voyages restaurant review online you will see a wide array of opinions on Test Kitchen. Some love it. Some hate it. The rest are just bemused and confused. This means the restaurant is doing it's job. Challenge your taste buds by blending culinary science and art with taste. The Test Kitchen is a culinary experience that demands and open mind, and it should be a provocative experience. If you are going to eat here you must be prepared to dislike much, if not all, of the menu.
One aspect that the Test Kitchen absolutely nails is the presentation and atmosphere. It does feel like you are in a fine dining laboratory. The service was impeccable. We sat at bar seats by one of the kitchens where one of the chefs chatted casually to us while he prepared food, providing insight on the various dishes.
The Test Kitchen menu is constantly innovating and changing so an in-depth review is possibly redundant. We got to experience menu ‘Menu C’ (the previous iterations being Menu A and B which are still available on some ships).
As expected we did not love everything. I basically love chicken in any form so the ‘Study of Chicken’ dish was very interesting with the meat presented in multiple elements. The watermelon/jalapeno ice cream was without doubt the highlight of the meal.
TIP:- each dish is presented formally one after the other, but you can order more of anything you want. We got several of the watermelon because it was so good.
The Wake
The Wake is a modern take on a classic steakhouse and is the most upscale dining experience on board. If you’re celebrating a special occasion while on your voyage this could be a good choice. Sailors often dress more formally (but casual dress is still ok). It is located on the aft of the ship and can offer spectacular views.
The sophisticated ambience is on show immediately as you descend a grand staircase beneath a ceiling of chandeliers. The Wake can get busy and we had heard that service could be slow, but we did not find that
Coming from Texas we’ve been to our fair share of steakhouses so we feel like we have high expectations. The steak at The Wake is excellent. Every steak onboard is first rate to be honest. Stay tuned for the restaurant that we felt had the best steak. They also did an excellent wedge salad to start. I love clam chowder, but I can’t stand it when it’s not done well. And The Wake do it well. Delicious. For Brunch the Pork Belly Benedict was amazing.
We planned to order share the seafood plateau from the raw bar, but it does cost extra ($40-$70) and we decided to pass. With bottomless cocktails available this is a great spot if you’re looking for a boozy brunch.
Gunbae
The most fun we had at dinner was definitely at Gunbae. This is a social Korean BBQ restaurant where you share a round table with fellow sailors. The server is the person who really makes this experience. Our server was hilarious and she kept the energy going leading various drinking games. The drink of choice for the games was the Korean beverage Soju (sober sailors can still participate with a soft drink choice). We had several epic rounds of a game called 3-6-9.
The dining atmosphere will depend on who you are seated with. We shared a table with two other couples and we were lucky that we enjoyed each other’s company.
Our server cooked several small plates, containing shrimp, beef, and pork belly. It was all tasty and enjoyable. I would not say that Gunbae had the most memorable food of our trip, but the experience was unforgettable.
Pink Agave
On our final night onboard we dined at Pink Agave. We didn’t intentionally leave the best until last but that is how things turned out. Being from Texas we have experienced our fair share of Mexican food. But this is definitely not your typical Tex-Mex joint. The restaurant has a lush, immersive atmosphere and the food and décor is influenced by the modern food scene in Mexico City. The menu includes small, medium, and large plates. The street grilled corn was delectable. Facing tough competition from Extra Virgin and The Wake, our vote for the best steak in our Virgin Voyages restaurant review goes to Pink Agave. A perfectly cooked ribeye smothered in a divine cheese sauce. For desert the chocolate tamales are a must.
The Smaller Eateries
The Galley (Deck 15)
The Galley is like an ultra modern huge food court with multiple grab-and-go options. We absolutely loved the Galley. There is just so much variety; sandwiches, ramen, tacos, burgers, sushi, salad bar, breakfast bar, and it’s open throughout the day and night. When you are on Virgin Voyages cruise it is impossible to ever be hungry, and the Galley is a big reason. The food stations are designed for quick convenience. You won’t find the absolute best food experience on the ship here, but that doesn’t mean most of the food here isn’t great.
Pizza Place – Deck 7
People are fussy about pizza. It is a good sign that The Pizza Place is so appreciated by Virgin Voyages sailors. Open till 2am this is the perfect snack to end a night of partying, or do as we did, order a pizza to take to the room for a movie night in the room.
Lick Me Till Ice Cream – Deck 7
This cheekily named ice cream parlor is a great example of how Virgin Voyages don’t cut corners when it comes to food. The ice-cream is handmade on board with quality ingredients. Even the cones are handmade.
Beach Club at Bimini
The food at the Beach Club in Bimini was surprisingly delicious. They provide a flavorful, island-inspired spread that blends Bahamian and Caribbean influences. We especially enjoyed the lechon asado (slow-roasted pork), ceviche and super refreshing watermelon-jicama salad. The offerings are fresh, vibrant, and a step above typical beachside BBQ fare. The portions are small so that you can try a little of everything and you can go back as much as you want!
The Ground Club Coffee
On board all food and non-alcoholic drinks are inclusive (with a few exceptions). Alcohol is extra and so is specialty coffee. You can get basic drip coffee for Free from the Galley or any restaurant (and the coffee is decent, brewed with real beans) but if you’re in the need for something a little more advanced The Grounds Club have you covered. The coffee at Grounds Club is of a high quality you would find in a typical independent coffee shop, and doesn’t have that over-burnt taste you typically get from chains like Starbucks. You can also order coffee through room service.
How does it work?
You can make one reservation per restaurant while on the cruise. You can make the reservations on the App which you download once you’re onboard. If you want to return to any restaurant you can show and see if there is a table free.
How is the Service?
In general, we found service to be exceptional. Our voyages was in mid-September so it wasn’t quite peak-time, so the boat was maybe two-thirds full. We had no bad experience waiting too long for food. We struck up several conversations with our servers and they all said that out of all the cruise-lines they’d worked on Virgin was their favorite. Employee-satisfaction does appear to be pretty high on-board a Virgin cruise – we’re not saying the staff seem happy because there are no kids on-board…but we’re also not not saying that, either.
What is included?
All food is inclusive (except some specialty dishes on The Wake). All alcohol and specialty coffee is extra. You can order as much food as you want. We are not proud to admit that we often ordered far more than we could possible eat. But we hope that it allowed us to give a comprehensive Virgin Voyages restaurant review.
(Quick disclaimer:- we are actually quite passionate about doing what we can to combat food waste. Elizabeth runs a non-profit called Preserve International. On Virgin Voyages all food at restaurants is complimentary so you can order as much as you want. We broke our rule and overordered throughout our voyage, because we just wanted to try as much food as possible).