Barnstable oyster illustration
Beginner Friendly US East Coast Researched

Barnstable

Crassostrea virginica

A classic Cape Cod Bay oyster from historic Barnstable Harbor. Sweet and nutty with firm, crunchy texture, balanced brine, and a distinctive lobster-stock finish reminiscent of a New England clambake.

Brininess
Size Medium
Shell deep cupped

Flavor Profile

Brininess 3/5
Sweetness 4/5
Minerality 3/5
Creaminess 3/5

Primary Flavors

Finish

Clean with seaweed notes and lobster-stock character

Expert Notes

Barnstable oysters showcase the pristine quality of Cape Cod Bay's cold oceanic waters, delivering a distinctly clean tasting experience. The nutrient-rich harbor with its strong tidal flows produces oysters with firm, crunchy meats and a sweet, nut-like flavor balanced by moderate brine. Their signature lobster-stock finish and hints of celery and seaweed evoke the flavors of a classic New England clambake, making them a quintessential Cape Cod oyster.

Origin & Characteristics

Species
Crassostrea virginica
Native to
USA
Grown in
Barnstable Harbor, Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts
Size
Medium (3-3.5 inches)
Shell Color
White-and-black with beige tones
Meat Color
Light gray to cream

Perfect Pairings

Best Seasons: Fall, Winter, Spring

What Experts Say

Across 13 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:

Unique notes: lobster-bisque, nut-like, spruce, creamed corn, milk-soaked Ritz cracker

"The waters of Barnstable Harbor are cold, clean oceanic waters which make Barnstable oysters a distinctly clean tasting oyster. Barnstables have a sweet, nut-like flavor and firm meats with a unique 'crunch' to their texture."

cleansweetnut-likefirmcrunchy

"Barnstable oysters have a sweet, nut-like flavor and firm texture. They are farmed in Barnstable Harbor, Massachusetts, and are known for their clean taste. They are typically large and have a unique 'crunch.'"

sweetnut-likefirmcleancrunchy

"The infusion of freshwater minimizes the salinity in these oysters while lending a smooth, dairy sweetness. Think milk-soaked Ritz cracker flavor; sweet and buttery."

sweetbutterycreamymild brinedairy

"Scorton Creek Oysters from Barnstable Harbor are described as 'Bright & Buttery'. The cold oceanic waters of Barnstable Harbor yields a distinctly clean tasting oyster."

brightbutteryclean

"Creamy, sweet, pillowy meats with a classic Cape Cod brine and seaweed finish."

creamysweetbrinyseaweedpillowy

"Sand Spit and Barnstable Oysters have a deep teardrop shape and sweet meats with a mineral taste."

sweetmineral

"Amazingly deep cups, filled with firm, crisp, ivory-colored meats. They had a perfect salinity, with that spruce note and astringency that I like in a virginica, along with lots of creamed corn/razor clam sweetness."

firmcrispsaltysprucesweet

"You'll immediately notice that these two sister oysters share a lovely, opaque, creamy color–always a sign of sweetness in an oyster. The Moon Shoals closer to a bearnaise, with a whisper of herbal, mineral flavors, like a clam."

creamysweetherbalmineralclam-like

"Deep-cupped oysters with a lobster-bisque finish. Farmed in tiny quantities by full-time fireman Jon Martin in Barnstable Harbor, which was named Port aux Huitres ('Oyster Harbor') by Samuel de Champlain when he discovered it in 1606."

lobster-bisquedeep-cuppedrich

About the Farm

Multiple producers in Barnstable Harbor

Barnstable Harbor has emerged as one of the great oyster merroirs in North America. Samuel de Champlain named it 'Port aux Huitres' (Oyster Harbor) when he discovered it in 1606. Multiple small family farms operate in the harbor including Moon Shoal Oyster Co. (Jon Martin, a full-time firefighter), Scorton Creek Oysters (Scott and Jennifer Mullin, started 2008), Spring Creek Oysters (Paul, from a family of farmers and shellfishermen), and Blish Point Oyster Farm (David Cranshaw, started 2016).

Cultivation Method
rack and bag
Visit Farm Website →

History & Background

Barnstable Harbor was named 'Port aux Huitres' (Oyster Harbor) by French explorer Samuel de Champlain when he discovered it in 1606, indicating the area's long oyster heritage. The harbor is emerging as one of the premier oyster growing regions in North America alongside Wellfleet and Duxbury in Cape Cod Bay.

Barnstable Harbor is part of the historic Cape Cod oyster tradition. The village of Cotuit in Barnstable is famed for Cotuit Oysters, a business started in 1857 by Captain William Childs. The harbor's protected waters and mix of fresh and saltwater creeks create what farmers call 'magical' growing conditions.

Did You Know?

  • Barnstable Harbor is one of three great oyster harbors in Cape Cod Bay, alongside Wellfleet and Duxbury
  • Moon Shoal oysters are grown by Jon Martin, a full-time firefighter with the Hyannis Fire Department
  • The harbor's fast currents and significant tidal changes naturally tumble oysters, contributing to their deep cups
  • Samuel de Champlain named it 'Port aux Huitres' (Oyster Harbor) in 1606