Wellfleet
Crassostrea virginica
Cape Cod classic. High brine, clean finish, with subtle sweetness.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Clean, slightly sweet
Expert Notes
Wellfleets are Cape Cod classics, harvested from the pristine waters of Wellfleet Harbor. High brine is balanced by a subtle sweetness and clean finish that makes them exceptionally versatile. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- USA
- Grown in
- Wellfleet Harbor, Cape Cod, MA
- Size
- Medium (2.5-3 inches)
- Shell Color
- Dark brown to black
- Meat Color
- Cream
What Experts Say
Across 13 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: seaweed, mineral, rich, supple
"This classic Wellfleet oyster gets its crisp and briny flavor from extreme 12-foot tides and the high volume of water that rushes through Wellfleet Bay."
crispbrinysweet
"Meats are marked by a medium-high salinity and a bright, crisp finish."
saltybrightcrisp
"These oysters are plump with a clean flavor profile and a distinctively briny finish."
plumpcleanbriny
"Plump and clean, the Wellfleet oyster has a briny sweetness with an undertone of seaweed."
plumpcleanbrinysweetseaweed
"Clean, briny flavor, often described as having a subtle sweetness with a clean, crisp finish. The balance of saltiness and minerality comes from the unique tidal system in Wellfleet Harbor."
cleanbrinysweetcrispmineral
"Shallow, firm, calm Wellfleet Harbor has grown famed oysters for centuries. Today, most Wellfleets are kept in bags and staked in the shallows."
firm
"Dennis grows some of Cape Cod's most quintessential oysters—briny, rich, and supple, like a well-seasoned tenderloin. These deep-cupped bivalves give you everything you'd expect from a Wellfleet."
brinyrichsupple
"Wellfleet oysters which grow in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The Atlantic oyster is tear-shaped and flatter than the Pacific oyster, with a heavy salty taste."
salty
About the Farm
Multiple small growers in Wellfleet Harbor
Est. 1800sWellfleet Harbor has been producing award-winning oysters since the early 1800s, fed by nutrient-rich ocean currents and extreme 12-foot tides. Over 100 small growers cultivate oysters in the shallow waters of Wellfleet Harbor.
- Cultivation Method
- rack and bag
History & Background
Samuel de Champlain sailed into Wellfleet Harbor in 1606 and called it Port aux Huistres due to the tremendous oyster beds. The town changed its name from Billingsgate to Wellfleet after the famous Wellfleet oysters of England's Blackwater Bay. The industry declined in the 1700s but recovered with aquaculture techniques. Diamond Jim Brady famously demanded only Wellfleet oysters at Delmonico's restaurant.
Wellfleet is considered the world's most charming oyster town and hosts the famous Wellfleet Oysterfest annually. The town has jealously guarded its oyster beds since 1674, when Eastham Town Meeting voted to apprehend out-of-towners taking oysters.
Did You Know?
- Diamond Jim Brady once spat out an oyster at Delmonico's exclaiming 'That's not a Wellfleet oyster!'
- Samuel de Champlain named the harbor Port aux Huistres (Oyster Port) in 1606
- Wellfleet oysters were shipped in tin cans via covered wagons to the American West
- The town changed its name from Billingsgate to Wellfleet after England's famous oyster beds
- Over 100 small growers currently farm oysters in Wellfleet Harbor
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 13 sources.
- Oyster Guide: May CSA — Shellfish Broker
- Wellfleet Oysters — Atlantic Aqua Farms USA
- Wellfleet Oysters — North Coast Seafoods
- Wellfleet Oysters Description: Everything About Cape Cod's Finest — Pirate Shellfish
- The Secret to Wellfleet Oyster's World-Class Taste — Pirate Shellfish
- The Wellfleet Oyster: An Excerpted History — Cape Cod Fishermen's Alliance
- Wellfleet - Massachusetts and RI — The Oyster Guide
- Massachusetts and RI — The Oyster Guide
- Dennis — The Oyster Guide
- Wellfleet Oysterfest — The Oyster Guide
- A Guide to The World's Oysters and What They Taste Like — Michelin Guide
- The Wellfleet Oyster: A Brief History of the Precious Mollusk — New England Historical Society
- Wellfleet Oysters from Wellfleet, MA — Island Creek Oysters
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