Stop at Scribe Winery and pick up a bottle of their newly released rosé to pair with oysters at Hog Island in Marshall, CA. Picnic tables overlook Tomales Bay and must be reserved in advance. Throw the oysters on the grill or eat them raw and don’t hesitate to ask the staff to share shucking tips. This appeared in the May 2014 issue.
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Shuck your own oysters
This is the spot that sold me on the Bay Area. Located right on Tomales Bay, about an hour and a half north of San Francisco, it’s a great way to end a day in the Point Reyes area. The best thing to do is buy a dozen oysters and eat them while watching the sunset. Don’t skip some of their barbecued oysters, which are delicious.
An oyster-kind of afternoon
One of my favorite places to get clam chowder in San Fran is at Hog Island Co. down in the Ferry Building, they also feature a killer happy hour there with great deals on oysters in a half shell. But what’s even better is that you can cruise north of the city and head up to Tomales Bay to get fresh oysters right from the source- here at Hog Island Co. farm. At the farm you can buy fresh oysters to shuck yourself, or you have the option of ordering from the bar where they’ll shuck them for you and prepare them a number of different ways (from raw to barbecue). Bring your beer, wine or champagne as well as crusty loaves and stinky cheese, you’ll be all set for a sweet little afternoon. Heads up- if you want to eat at the farm you should call ahead and reserve a table, although the setting is low-key, this spot is popular and unfortunately without a reservation you can’t be assured a table.
