Quivet Neck
Crassostrea virginica
Award-winning Cape Cod oyster from Dennis mudflats. High brine with plump, firm meat and umami notes that finish sweet and delicate. Grown off-bottom in elevated trays.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Sweet delicate finish with clean aftertaste
Expert Notes
Quivet Neck oysters are award-winning Cape Cod oysters grown off-bottom on mudflats accessible only at low tide. These prize winners deliver high brine up front with plump, firm meat and a nice umami character that develops into a delicate sweetness. Grown in elevated trays and tumbled throughout their 3-year grow-out, they showcase the pristine waters of Cape Cod Bay with uncomfortably fresh brightness and surprising size. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- USA
- Grown in
- Quivet Neck Beach, Dennis, Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts
- Size
- Medium to Large (2.5-3.5 inches)
- Shell Color
- Gray-white
- Meat Color
- Cream to light gray
What Experts Say
Across 9 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: pear-like, herbaceous, umami, vegetal (carrots), stringent
"traditional salty Cape Cod flavor, then really sweet and fruity on the finish"
saltysweetfruity
"delicious pear-like tang that is highly unusual in a virginica. The fruitiness is most notable in the spring, along with an herbaceous quality. In the fall, the oysters are fuller and saltier."
pear-likefruityherbaceoussalty
"The oysters we sampled were plump and briny — both signs they were very fresh. They were the kind of oysters you sigh over"
plumpbrinyfresh
"These oysters had a deep shell, on the larger size without the briny taste. Extremely fresh, tender, and firm with a sweet delicate taste."
freshtenderfirmsweetdelicate
"Really superb. A great surprise, honestly these were as good as the best oysters on cape cod. They were bright, uncomfortably fresh, slightly stringent. Amazing size and actually sweet. They were nice and firm, tender, not even a little runny."
brightfreshstringentsweetfirm
"This is hands-down my favorite Cape, and probably Eastern, oyster. Great balance of high brine and strong 'umami' oyster flavor with very plump meats. The Lowell's take great care in selecting oysters to ship so shells are very consistent in size and shape. They also shuck nice and clean since the shells are hard."
brinyumamiplump
"Sweet meat with a crisp and clean finish. Plump and firm texture."
sweetcrispcleanplumpfirm
"A burst of salty ocean water upfront mellows to some nice sweet vegetal notes (carrots, anyone?) and a hint of cream. Opaque meat and a firm texture round out the perfect petite package."
saltysweetvegetalcreamyfirm
About the Farm
The Oyster Company (Greg Burns) / Dennis Oysters (John Lowell)
Est. 1995Aquaculture in Dennis was started in 1995 by Gerry Bojanowski. The Oyster Company owner Greg Burns acquired the restaurant and oyster grant rights, harvesting oysters at low tide 3 times a week. John Lowell also raises oysters in off-bottom trays on the intertidal flats off Quivet Neck.
- Cultivation Method
- rack and bag
History & Background
Quivet Neck oysters won a blind taste test in Provincetown and were judged as the best tasting oyster on Cape Cod, a result that still does not sit well with Wellfleet residents. The oysters have won several 'Best Oyster' contests over the years.
Called 'the best oyster bargain in Massachusetts' by the Boston Globe. The oysters are grown in conservation lands skirting Quivet Neck Beach in Dennis, Massachusetts.
Did You Know?
- The Oyster Company can access their grant by truck at low tide rather than by boat
- Juvenile oysters are sourced from approved Northeast hatcheries in nearby Brewster or Maine
- Winner of multiple oyster tasting competitions including best on Cape Cod
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 9 sources.
- Quivet Necks from the Oyster Company — The Oyster Guide
- Waterbar: Live the Cousteau Fantasy — The Oyster Guide
- Review: Oysters only a start at outstanding Oyster Company — Cape Cod Times
- Quivet Neck Oyster — Oysterater
- East Dennis Oyster — Oysterater
- Quivet Neck Oysters — upptester
- East Coast Vs West Coast Oysters: The Crave Fishbar Tasting Guide — Crave Fishbar
- Two Million Quivet Neck Oysters Can't Be Wrong — Rockland Trust
- Crowes Pasture Oysters from Dennis, MA — Island Creek Oysters
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)
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