Few food purveyors have had a bigger impact on the Bay Area food scene than Hog Island Oyster Co. For 40 years, they farmed with the goal of raising the best quality, sustainable shellfish, all the while preserving the beautiful location for generations to come. Today, Hog Island Oyster Co. has become one of the premier producers of certified sustainable shellfish. They have been part of the Oxbow Public Market community since the beginning sharing the very best oysters, sustainable seafood, and seasonal dishes available. As founders John Finger and Terry Sawyer say, they have been connecting people to food and where it’s raised for four decades.
Those familiar with Hog Island Oyster Co.’s Napa oyster bar in the Oxbow Public Market will know Head Chef Jose Romo, who has a 15+ year tenure with the company starting when he was still in high school. Apart from the owners, Jose has worked in the most departments in the company—on the farm crew, retail, shucking line, and now the regional head chef who oversees the kitchen here in Napa and the restaurant in San Francisco. We asked Jose for his take on the Napa menu and why he loves the Oxbow Public Market.
Three Must Have Menu Items
You can’t visit us without getting a mixed platter of raw oysters, our Hog Island Sweetwaters and Highwaters in particular topped with Hogwash mignonette; followed by a bowl of our clam chowder—our take is brothier than your typical clam chowder, with just shell-on clams and a lightly creamy aromatic broth. Finally, you can’t miss whatever is on the day’s special menu, which typically features responsibly caught fin fish with the best local produce. If I was going to throw in another dish, our Oyster Po’Boy can get overlooked and it’s spot on.
Sustainable Seafood; Seasonal Sourcing
Here at Hog Island we have an entire team dedicated to sourcing the best seafood we can find. Our sourcing team take great care in bringing our restaurants high quality seafood, ethically sourced from fishermen and farmers we know and trust and rely on scientific research to inform our decision making. We also try to source as locally as possible. Close to home usually means fresh and in season, and the carbon footprint of transportation is lower. The majority of our wild seafood comes from the abundance of the West Coast, with much of it sustainably caught within one hundred miles of the Bay Area.
Pairings Make It Pop
We have a thoughtfully curated list of wines that highlight the incredible bounty of wine found in the Napa Valley and the greater wine making region of California that all pair beautifully with seafood. But you can’t go wrong with a raw oyster and crisp white wine pairing—our Hog Wine, which is an Albariño blend made exclusively for us by Cadre Wines in the Edna Valley, is especially wonderful with a briny platter of oysters.
Oxbow Public Market Community
I’ve been with Hog Island Oyster Co. for more than 15 years. I love the family that we’ve created, especially with our Napa crew, some of whom have been with us for 10 years or more. I love the creativity that it takes to work with 600 lbs of fresh, sustainably-caught fish. We might break down a halibut, black cod, petrale sole and then prepare it three ways. Every week is unique and it never gets old. The friendships and collaborations we’ve built with the other vendors in the Oxbow Public Market make working here really fun. We have a whole produce section I can shop with Hudson! Whole Spice helps me find a great addition to a compound butter. The Oxbow Cheese & Wine Merchant might help me find the perfect cheese to top one of our salads. Coming to work at the Oxbow is like hanging out with friends and family.
Happy Hours are the Best Hours
We have a weekly local’s night happy hour every Tuesday and Wednesday night from 4-6 PM. Join us for oyster shooters, discounted drinks, small plate specials and a featured oyster!
Hog Island Oyster Co in the Oxbow Public Market is open daily for lunch and dinner with a daily menu of sustainable dishes. Indoor and outdoor seating available.
- Monday-Friday 11:30 am – 8:00 pm
- Saturday + Sunday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
- Happy Hour Tuesday + Wednesday 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Learn More About Hog Island Oyster Co.’s Commitment to Sustainability