Chadwick Creek
Crassostrea virginica
Delicate and buttery North Carolina oyster from Pamlico Sound. Deep-cupped with bright white shells, featuring a sweet finish and balanced brininess. Cultivated in off-bottom cages.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Sweet, clean, buttery
Expert Notes
Chadwick Creek oysters showcase the pristine waters of North Carolina's Pamlico Sound with a delicate, buttery character and notable sweetness. Farmed in off-bottom cages in the modern Chesapeake style, these oysters develop a deep cup with bright white shells and a balanced profile. The buttery texture combines with clean brininess and a lingering sweet finish, making them approachable yet sophisticated. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- USA
- Grown in
- Pamlico Sound, Bayboro, North Carolina
- Size
- Medium (2.5-4 inches)
- Shell Color
- Bright white
- Meat Color
- Cream to light gray
What Experts Say
Across 8 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: terroir-driven, vegetation-influenced
"Chadwick Creek Oysters's natural flavor comes from local water salinity and the vegetation in Pamlico Sound."
delicatebutterysweet
"Beauty of oysters is that they are like grapes. It's about what's in the water, what they are eating, the salinity, that makes them taste different than another. So an oyster from here tastes different than one from Virginia."
variableterroir-driven
"By comparison, Chadwick Creek Oysters grow in waters farther from the inlet with lower salinity, resulting in a different taste profile than oysters closer to Oregon Inlet."
less saltymild
"Chef Curtis Hackaday of 1703 Restaurant and Catering in Winston-Salem, N.C., tops Chadwick Creek Oysters with soy pickled garlic mignonette, fresh wasabi and puffed brown rice."
cleandelicate
"Kim Chi Chadwick Creek with gingered asparagus, cucumber, uni, and seaweed - served as part of a 7-course oyster dinner showcasing NC oysters."
brightcleanversatile
About the Farm
Chadwick Creek Oysters and Seed Nursery
Est. 2013Founded by Chris Matteo, who shifted careers from finance and investment management to oyster farming. Started with 100 acres including 8 acres of deeded water bottom in Bayboro, Pamlico County. The nursery now supplies 70% of oyster seed to North Carolina growers, supporting the industry's growth from 8 growers in 2013 to over 70 today.
- Cultivation Method
- off-bottom cages
History & Background
Chadwick Creek Oysters was established in 2013 when Chris Matteo purchased 100 acres in Bayboro, making him one of the few oyster growers in North Carolina at the time. The farm played a pivotal role in North Carolina's oyster industry expansion.
Part of North Carolina's emergence as a major East Coast oyster producer, with the region being compared to the 'Napa Valley of Oysters' by oyster expert Rowan Jacobsen. The farm is located in Pamlico Sound's Bay River area, where salinity and local vegetation create distinctive flavor profiles.
Did You Know?
- The farm's seed nursery supplies 70% of oyster seed to all North Carolina growers
- Chris Matteo served as president of the North Carolina Shellfish Growers Association
- The farm includes 8 acres of deeded water bottom, making it a private shellfish growing area
- Chris Matteo founded a second operation, Siren's Cove Shellfish, in Carteret County in 2019
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 8 sources.
- A State-by-State Guide to the South's 35 Best Oysters — Garden & Gun
- A deep dive into Chris Mateo's Chadwick Creek Oysters farm — Down in the County
- Why The Southeast Could Become The Napa Valley Of Oysters — NPR
- Chris Matteo - East Coast Shellfish Growers Association — ECSGA
- HOME IN AN OYSTER SHELL: New Oyster Aquaculture Operations Grow Seed, Take Root — NC Sea Grant
- NC Oyster Dinner 2017 — The Oyster Guide
- Outer Banks Oyster Season — Carolina Designs Blog
- Shell shock: North Carolina oyster farmers face pushback from critical beach property owners — NC Oyster Trail
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Learn More
The Big Five: A Complete Guide to Commercial Oyster Species
Comprehensive guide to C. virginica (Atlantic), C. gigas (Pacific), C. sikamea (Kumamoto), O. lurida (Olympia), and O. edulis (European Flat)
Read article → Biology & SpeciesThe Atlantic Oyster (C. virginica): From Maritime Brine to Gulf Sweetness
Deep dive into America's indigenous East Coast oyster - flavor profiles, regional variations, and famous varieties
Read article → Merroir & EnvironmentWhat is Merroir? The Science of How Environment Shapes Oyster Flavor
Understanding merroir - the marine equivalent of terroir - and how water chemistry creates flavor
Read article →