Hog Island Oyster Co @ San Francisco

This is perhaps one of the better oyster bar in San Francisco but the Michelin fame means that it is constantly busy, and pricey.

Can’t make the trip to Marin to shuck oysters on Hog Island’s docks? Hog Island Oyster Co will bring Tomales Bay’s finest to you at this buzzing city side outpost in the Ferry Building, which draws long lines of tourists and locals for platters of some of the sweetest, freshest bivalves on the West Coast.

Hog Island Oyster Company is the San Francisco oyster bar, full-service bar, restaurant, and retail outlet for the Tomales Bay oyster farm of the same name. Hog Island is an island roughly 2 acres (0.8 ha) in size located approximately 5 mi (8 km) south of the entrance to Tomales Bay in the West Marin area of Marin County, California.

In 1983, Hog Island began farming oysters in the tiny hamlet of Marshall on scenic coastal Highway One just about a two hours north of San Francisco. Today, they sell over 3 million oysters a year. Hog Island shellfish are grown using a refined technique from France, sorted by hand and put into a state-of-the-art seawater tank system using an ultraviolet steriliser to purify the seawater. Close monitoring provides extra assurances of safety and quality.

Geoduck Crudo

Navel orange, orange juice reduction, tarragon, fresno chile, lemon oil

This raw geoduck salad used locally sourced geoducks from Eld Inlet in Washington. Geoduck is a mollusc that looks like an elephant trunk and has sweet, crunchy flesh that is perfect as a sashimi. Californian oranges are used as the main ingredient of the dressing to give it a natural tangy and sweet taste. A little bit of heat is provided by the fresno chile, and additional tang from the lemon oil. A really good start to lunch.

Oyster Bar Mix

Served with lemon and Hogwash Mignonette

To be a full-fledged ostreaphile (an oyster lover) you can’t just pound Kumamotos or Belons all the time. You need to explore the full range of styles and varieties. Different oysters, after all, work best as beer accompaniments, culinary stars, or exotic curiosities.

Hog Island Sweetwater (Pacific), Tomales Bay, CA

A rich, and as the name suggests, sweet-tasting Pacific Oyster with a slightly smoky finish. Plump meat sits in a beautifully shaped, deep-cupped, fluted shell that is the result of rack and bag farming techniques.

Hog Island Highwater (Pacific), Humboldt Bay, CA

The name “Highwaters” was inspired by the unique process of cultivating the first batch of Pacific oysters from seed to shell in Humboldt Bay. This name is separate from their more famous “Sweetwater” variety, it has a light brine, seaweed umami, and an earthy finish.

Brenner (Pacific), Totten Inlet, WA

The first significant oyster commerce in Washington came in response to San Francisco oyster lovers’ seemingly insatiable appetite for the bivalves. Mark Twain was a particularly devoted connoisseur during a two-year Bay Area stint in the 1860s. In 1893, J. J. Brenner Oyster Company was founded by John Joseph “Jack” Brenner (1860-1958). These oysters are cultivated in Totten Inlet and are noted for their creamy and rich flavour profile. 

Summerstone (Pacific), Port Townsend Bay, WA

Summerstones are beach harvested from Hama Hama’s Skunk Island farm, which is located on the northern end of the Olympic Peninsula in the Straits of Juan de Fuca, where the water stays cool all summer. The oysters are beautifully cupped with a delicate frill at the edge, evidence of their bag-to-beach grow out method.  As you’d expect from that ocean exposure, these are about as briny a Washington State oyster as you’ll find.

San Mateo (Pacific), San Mateo Beach, BC

San Mateo oysters from Barkley Sound, BC, are a well-regarded variety of Pacific oysters. Known for their plump, cream-coloured meats, with a bright briny flavor and a smooth watermelon or lettuce-like finish they are a favourite among the oyster lovers

Dukes (Atlantic), Topsail Island, NC

Blue-green nutrient rich water from the Topsail Inlet runs over the lush spartina grass, sandy mud-mixed oyster beds and into Topsail Sound. Open ocean salt engulfs the nose and palate strongly as soon as the shell hits the lips then quickly sways the taste buds with incredibly sweet, almost scallop-like flavours.

Grilled Oysters

Darling quite enjoyed the last time we tried their grilled oysters. So we did an encore this time at the Embarcadero outlet. The only repeat was the Chipotle Bourbon that used butter, bourbon, brown sugar, chipotle and garlic to grill the oysters. The others were the classic Garlic Parsley (butter, garlic, parsley, lemon juice) and slightly spicy Calabrian (butter, Calabrian chili, garlic, parsley, lemon juice).

Fried Anchovies from San Francisco, CA

Semolina, tartar sauce

Locally sourced anchovies are coated with Semolina flour and deep-fried, and served with tartar sauce. Crispy, hot and delicious.

The oyster selection (usually 6 different types on offer each time) was different everything we came, and it was fresh and delicious. Service was minimum as we were sitting at the bar, but we still had to tip according to custom. I suggest indoor seating vs the al fresco dining area if you do not want to be bothered by the stench from the bay in summer. No reservations, but the table turns very quickly.

Hog Island Oyster Co (San Francisco)
1 Ferry Building, #11, San Francisco, 94111, USA
Tel : +1 (415) 391 7117

Visited Jul 2025

Michelin California Guide Recommends 2025

@hogislandoysterco #HogIslandOysterCo #Oysters #Oysterfarming