In downtown Norfolk, Freemason Abbey stands inside a former church, its vaulted ceilings and stained-glass windows giving every meal a sense of occasion. For more than three decades, the restaurant has held a reputation built around one dish in particular: she-crab soup.
Thick with lump crab and finished with sherry and cream, it’s the kind of bowl locals hold up as the standard. Yet the menu reaches far beyond that signature. Crab dip, seafood platters, and pastas arrive in portions meant to satisfy, all served in a dining room where history feels close at hand.
The glow of colored glass, the quiet echo of voices, and the steady rhythm of service make Freemason Abbey a Norfolk mainstay.
Award-Winning Flavor
The she-crab soup at Freemason Abbey has a reputation that precedes it. Creamy, velvety, and fragrant with sherry, it cradles lumps of crab in every spoonful. The richness is balanced just enough to keep you reaching back for more…