Orion's Roof
Sky-high sushi, surprisingly serious wine list
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach · Asian, Sushi · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 9, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You're 183 feet above the Atlantic, watching the ocean do its thing, and the wine list hands you Opus One and Tignanello alongside your sushi. It's a lot — in the best and most confusing way. This is not a list anyone expected at a rooftop sushi spot in Virginia Beach, and Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence says it's not accidental.
Selection Deep Dive
The 200-350 bottle list leans hard on California, France, and Italy — which tracks given the WS award criteria — and there's genuine ambition here. You've got Kistler Chardonnay rubbing elbows with Antinori Tignanello and Silver Oak Alexander Valley, and the French side brings in Louis Jadot Burgundy and Trimbach Alsace Riesling, which is a smart call for a sushi-forward menu. The Italian presence is thin beyond Tignanello, and if you're hunting Barolo or Sicilian bottles you'll come up short. But the California and Burgundy depth is real, and for a rooftop restaurant above the Virginia Beach strip, that's worth acknowledging.
By the Glass
Twelve to twenty pours by the glass is a solid range, and at $12–$20 you're not getting gouged per pour — though that depends heavily on what's actually rotating. We'd zero in on the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling as the obvious glass-pour hero here; it's affordable, food-friendly, and makes a genuine case for itself next to raw fish. Rotation and curation details aren't published, which is a small frustration.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $12-$15
Off-dry, high-acid, and built for sushi — this is the smartest order on a rooftop overlooking the Atlantic. It punches well above its price point and most people at the table will order a second glass.
Trimbach Alsace Riesling
Most people at a sushi restaurant scan past Alsace entirely and head straight for the California section. Don't. Trimbach is a benchmark producer, their Riesling is bone-dry with precision and grip, and it's one of the most versatile food wines on the planet — especially with anything briny or raw.
Opus One
Opus One at a rooftop sushi restaurant is a flex, not a food decision. At the markup you'll pay here, you're spending big on a wine that doesn't particularly want to be near soy sauce and wasabi. Save it for the steakhouse.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir + Bento Box
Drouhin's Oregon Pinot has the bright acidity and restrained fruit to handle a bento's range of flavors without bulldozing anything. It bridges the Japanese-Pacific Northwest flavor profile better than you'd expect, and it's one of the more exciting bottles on the list.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Orion's Roof earned its Wine Spectator badge — the list is genuinely ambitious for what is, let's be honest, a rooftop sushi bar on the Virginia Beach boardwalk. The markups keep this from being a full Rager, but if you order smart, the view and the wine can absolutely justify the trip.
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