In the world of oysters, nothing reins king like the Chesapeake Bay Oyster! For centuries, no region in the world could challenge the flavor of the Chesapeake Bay oyster. But, since the 1970’s the formerly famed Chesapeake Bay oyster has struggled to maintain its title as king and many species all but disappeared. At its very worst, stocks fell to 1% of what they were in their hay day. Fortunately, the tide has turned.. “Using modern aquaculture techniques, Rappahannock [Oyster Company] has been able to lead the renaissance of the Bay region” boasts the Rappahannock Oyster Company. “Our oysters are grown in open waters, right next to the wild oysters – the only difference being that we grow them in cages so that come harvest time there’s no destruction of the river bottom. During their growth cycle, we monitor salt and temperature levels, guard against disease, cull out slow growers and misshapen shells, all to ensure that you get a consistently healthy, attractive, and succulent oyster.”
Smithfield Station has recently partnered with the Rappahannock Oyster Co. to provide our customers with what we feel is one of the very best oysters on the market. Grown just 30 miles from our docks, the Rappahannock oyster has a major presence on our menu whether it be with our award-winning Oyster Rockefeller, our Spady Specials – a classic roasted oyster, garlic and parmesan cheese recipe that is worth its weight in gold or quite possibly our Smoked BBQ Bacon Chipotle Oysters – with the Rappahannock River’s finest smoked bivalve with a little bit of classic Smithfield bacon, vinegar-based BBQ sauce and a touch of heat. The partnership we have formed provides Smithfield Station’s guest with oysters that are consistent in size, safely grown with an eye for the environment and delivered fresh to our docks three days a week. Providing fresh, local ingredients in our menu is just one of the things that helps set Smithfield Station apart from the rest of the market and has been a major contributor in our 30 years of success. If you really want to get down and enjoy some of the world’s best oysters and oyster dishes, come check out Smithfield Station soon and enjoy our new partnership with the Rappahannock Oyster Co. We promise you will leave nothing less than delighted!
