History
Native oyster harvesting in the Chesapeake Bay traces back thousands of years. The 19th-century shucking and railway trade made Virginia a national supplier. The Croxton family founded Rappahannock Oyster Company in 2002 in Topping (75 miles east of Richmond) and helped lead the aquaculture revival that brought the bay back. Richmond's primary oyster room is Rappahannock at 320 East Grace, with the farm's full flight of regional oysters at the marble bar.
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Make it at home
Ingredients
- 24 fresh Chesapeake Bay oysters (Rappahannock, Olde Salt, Stingray)
- Crushed ice for serving
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges
- Mignonette sauce (red wine vinegar, shallot, black pepper)
- Saltines or rye crackers
- Horseradish
- Hot sauce
Method
- Scrub oysters under cold running water to remove grit from shells.
- Shuck each oyster over a bowl to catch the liquor: insert knife at the hinge, twist to pop open, cut the top muscle, slide knife under to release the meat from the bottom shell.
- Arrange on a tray of crushed ice immediately. Add lemon wedges, mignonette, horseradish and hot sauce.
- Serve at once. Slurp from the shell or use a small fork; do not wash.
Tip from the editors. Buy oysters the morning you eat them. Smell the shell, not the meat: any off note means skip. Keep flat-side up.
Where to eat chesapeake bay oysters
Chesapeake Bay oysters in Richmond
Rappahannock ★ 4.4
Rappahannock's bar on Grace pours Virginia sparkling and East Coast whites with Croxton family oysters. Marble counter, no reservation needed.
DrinkVirginia sparkling, oyster shooter
FoodOysters, crab cake, crudo
Bar Buoy ★ 4.4
Brittanny Anderson's Scott's Addition seafood room, opened September 2025 in the former Brenner Pass space. Casual Chesapeake fish-shack menu.
SignatureCrab cakes, Oyster stew, Fried fish plate
Lemaire ★ 4.7
Lemaire inside the Jefferson Hotel is named for Etienne Lemaire, Thomas Jefferson's maitre d'. Patrick Willis runs the kitchen, the city's grande dame.
Book1 to 2 weeks ahead
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