SFReview
photo credit: Meika Ejiasi
Hog Island Oyster Co.
Included In
Too many tourist-trappy waterfront spots trade off the quality of their food for the novelty of eating next to a big body of water. Sure, you can get existential while staring out at the waves (and maybe some honking sea lions), but those salads are going to be wilty, and the cioppino will be thin and flavorless. Hog Island Oyster Co. is the rare exception. The oysters are fantastic, along with all of the other usual seafood suspects. And you can slurp it all back with unmatched views of the bay.
photo credit: Hog Island Oyster Co.
Yes, there’s an indoor space at this Ferry Building joint, but sitting in there would be missing the point. You come to Hog Island to sit on the patio and eat oysters that spent their entire lives just 50 miles north, while snapping endless photos of the Bay Bridge. Both the raw and grilled oysters are worth your time, especially the chipotle bourbon ones that arrive soaking in hot butter, garlic, and brown sugar. Also be sure to secure a bowl of clam chowder—it comes with a pile of shell-on clams, centimeter-thick pieces of bacon, and buttery hunks of potato.
There’s really no bad reason to come to Hog Island—you'll remind yourself that you live in a beautiful place while nursing a cocktail or glass of ice-cold pinot grigio. If you have hard-to-impress cousins in town or need an extra-long lunch to reset after a morning from hell, this spot is up to the task.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Hog Island Oyster Co.
Chipotle Bourbon Grilled Oysters
photo credit: Hog Island Oyster Co.