BC Dungeness crab is the Pacific Northwest's well-known shellfish, with sweet white meat from the legs and claws. Served whole steamed at Granville Island, with butter, lemon and a cracker.
Where to eat it: 12 restaurants across 3 cities.
Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister) is named for the small fishing village of Dungeness, Washington and has been harvested commercially in BC since the 1880s. The Fraser River and Strait of Georgia provide the city's reference catch. Granville Island Public Market opened in 1979 as Vancouver's reference live-crab counter; cracked-shell shrimp counters in Richmond and Chinatown serve the Cantonese ginger-and-scallion preparation as the kitchen standard.
Common allergens: Shellfish
Tip from the editors. Cook the crab the day you buy it, or buy pre-cooked from a reputable fishmonger. Live crabs should be lively in the tank and heavy for their size.
Swan Oyster Depot in San Francisco is a Polk Street counter that has served cold-house Dungeness, oysters and clam chowder since 1912 in 18 stools.
Signature: Cracked Dungeness, Sicilian sashimi, Clam chowder
Order: Crab Louie and a half-dozen Marin Miyagis on the half shell.
Tip: Open 10:30-17:00 only; queue forms at 09:45 on a weekend, takes an hour at peak.
Tadich Grill in San Francisco is California's oldest continuously running restaurant, opened in 1849 in the Financial District, still grilling over mesquite.
Signature: Cioppino, Hangtown Fry, Sand dabs
Order: Sand dabs grilled over mesquite, or the Hangtown Fry at lunch.
Tip: No reservations except for parties of six or more; lunch counter seats turn over fastest.
Sotto Mare in San Francisco is the North Beach Italian seafood room that does the city's best cioppino, a 12-table room that takes a few reservations.
Signature: Cioppino for two, Linguine vongole, Sand dabs
Order: The cioppino for two; the kitchen's whole reputation in one bowl.
Tip: Wear an apron, no exceptions; the cioppino is not negotiable on splatter.
Anchor Oyster Bar in San Francisco is a 22-seat Castro counter that has served Dungeness, cioppino and clam chowder the same way since 1977.
Signature: Cioppino, Clam chowder, Cracked Dungeness
Order: The cioppino in season, with a side of garlic bread.
Tip: No bookings; arrive at 16:30 for the early seating or after 21:00 when the line thins.
Pike Place Chowder in Seattle is Larry Mellum's 2003 Post Alley counter: eight national chowder cook-off wins, the New England with manila clams.
Try: Award-winning clam chowder
Westward in Seattle on Lake Union's north shore is Renee Erickson's seafood room with a fire pit, deck chairs and the city's best whole fish off the wood.
Signature: Dungeness crab, Whole roast fish, Octopus
Order: Dungeness crab in season, cracked over crushed ice, with a glass of Chablis.
Tip: Arrive by water on a Boatel from the Center for Wooden Boats for the most Seattle of dinners.
Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar in Seattle's Pioneer Square is the on-counter outpost of the 135-year Samish Bay farm: half-shells, geoduck crudo, manila clams.
Signature: Half-shell oysters, Geoduck crudo, Manila clams
Order: A dozen Olympias and Kumamotos from the farm, with a glass of grower's Champagne.
Tip: Happy hour 16:00-17:00 drops the oysters to $1.75 each; the Occidental location is the largest and quietest of the three.
Shaker + Spear in Seattle's Belltown is the Kimpton Palladian seafood room: a kitchen working off the Pike Place fishmongers and Hood Canal growers down.
Signature: Whole rockfish, Dungeness crab, Oysters Rockefeller
Order: The whole roasted rockfish with brown butter and capers, deboned tableside.
Tip: The two top by the kitchen pass is the best seat for solos; happy hour 16:00-18:00 with $2 oysters.
The Walrus and the Carpenter in Seattle's Ballard is Renee Erickson's 2010 oyster room, a wood and marble bar, a chalkboard of 14 oysters. Priced at $$$.
Signature: Oysters on the half shell, Steak tartare, Fried oysters
Order: A flight of Hood Canal and Samish Bay oysters with the steak tartare and rye toast.
Tip: Walk-ins from 17:00 on Tuesday to Thursday; Friday and Saturday line up by 16:45 or take Resy at 16:30.
Joe Fortes on Thurlow is Vancouver's long-running upmarket seafood house since 1985, named for Vancouver's first lifeguard, plus a rooftop oyster bar.
Signature: Oysters on the half shell, Cedar plank salmon, Crab cakes
Order: A dozen Read Island oysters with a glass of BC sparkling, plus the cedar plank salmon.
Tip: The rooftop oyster bar walks in for sundowner oysters from 16:00 May to September; the dining room books on OpenTable.
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar at the Sutton Place Hotel under executive chef Roger Ma runs Vancouver's reference oyster bar plus a wood-fired Pacific menu.
Granville Island Public Market under the Granville Bridge since 1979 is Vancouver's reference indoor food hall, 50+ vendors, BC seafood and produce daily.
Tip: Arrive before 11:00 to skip the cruise-ship lunch rush. Lee's Donuts and Siegel's Bagels are the local cult queues.
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