Virginia Oysters are in Season in Arlington

Add a dozen oysters to your Arlington vacation for a healthy taste of a local Virginia specialty.

Fall and winter are the best times to enjoy oysters, and we have you covered with dozens of varieties of Virginia oysters served in restaurants throughout Arlington.

The tradition of Virginia oysters dates back thousands of years when the Native Americans fished the waters for oysters. In the 1600s, settlers documented the abundance and superior taste of oysters in the waters of Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay. Local watermen have been harvesting oysters in Virginia for generations. Today, Virginia is one of the top producing oyster states in the USA. These delicious delicacies grow in the world-famous Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, which have created eight different oyster regions. The salty, sweet or briny taste of the oysters brings the flavors of the waters they came from.

Start off your oyster-filled explorations at Arlington’s restaurants and then hit the road to some of the oyster regions throughout the state. Visit oyster purveyors and providers or attend Oyster festivals around Virginia.

Shuck and Slurp at these Arlington Seafood-Centric Restaurants:

Chasin' Tails Seafood Restaurant & Bar serves raw oysters on the half shell in the Westmoreland neighborhood alongside other fried seafood classics.
Copperwood Tavern in the Shirlington neighborhood specializes in locally sourced ingredients and offers oysters by the half dozen or dozen chilled or grilled.

Oysters at Copperwood Tavern via @chelseyeatsdc/Instagram

The Local Oyster in Ballston Quarter serves fresh oysters on the half shell, as well as other fresh seafood. They are temporarily operating for limited weekend hours with take-out only available Friday & Saturday from 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.

The Local Oyster at Ballston Quarter

Lyon Hall is a European brasserie in the heart of Clarendon, which serves oysters on the half shell with ginger-yuzu mignonette, cocktail sauce, fresh horseradish, and lemon. Check out their Happy Hour specials featuring $1.50 oysters from 4 - 6 p.m. on Monday - Thursday and 3 - 6 p.m. on Friday - Sunday.

Lyon Hall oysters @lunch_at_the_bar/Instagram

Mussel Bar & Grille specializes in Belgian cuisine and seafood. Before you order your main dish or steaming pot of Moules Frites (mussels and fries), sample their daily selection of East Coast oysters with cocktail sauce and green apple mignonette.
Quarterdeck in Rosslyn serves up fried oysters in baskets and po’ boys. You can also order up Maryland Blue Crabs (normally in season April through November) and other specialties.