Virginia Beach, Virginia knows oysters. Specifically, they know Lynnhaven Oysters, iconic to the region which sits at the point where the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean meets. The area is plentiful with dozens of species of fish and shellfish, including the Lynnhaven Oyster, known throughout the world. You can learn much more about the oysters on our podcast conversation with Erin Goldmeier, who is the Director of Public Relations for Virginia Beach. She shared the following recipes for four ways to prepare oysters that come from some of the area’s most popular restaurants. Even though you might not be preparing these dishes using authentic Lynnhaven Oysters, the oysters available where you live should work just fine – until, that is, you can go to Virginia Beach to have them yourself. 

Benny’s Oysters from Tautogs Restaurant

Ingredients

Benny’s Oysters from Tautogs Restaurant. Photo courtesy Virginia Beach, VA.

¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes
¾ cup pesto
½ lb Havarti cheese
48 oysters

Method

Rehydrate sun-dried tomatoes by soaking in hot water for 10 minutes.

Drain tomatoes and coarsely chop.

Add chopped tomatoes to your favorite homemade pesto recipe (quality store bought pesto can be substituted).

Top each freshly shucked local oyster with approximately 1 tsp mixture (depending on size of your oysters).

Top dressed oysters with a piece of Havarti cheese.

Bake in a 350-degree oven until bubbly and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Serve with fresh cut lemon, saltine crackers and your favorite hot sauce (optional).

Oysters Baton Rouge from Rockafeller’s

Ingredients

Oysters Baton Rouge from Rockafeller’s. Photo courtesy Virginia Beach, VA.

1/2 lb. bacon
3 oz white onions (medium chop)
2 cups heavy whipping cream (room temperature)
½ cube chicken bouillon
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 dash Tabasco sauce
1 dash cayenne pepper
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 TBS cornstarch
2 TBS warm water
½ pt fresh oysters (juice can be used to thin sauce if needed)

Method

Cut bacon into 1/4-inch pieces.

Cook bacon and onions until bacon is browned.

Slowly add heavy cream and cook until it reaches 180-degrees.

Combine bouillon, cornstarch and warm water in round bowl; mix well and add to sauce until thickened.

Add Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire, tabasco, cayenne pepper and Cajun seasoning.

Add fresh oysters and cook 2 minutes or until hot (edges of oysters should curl).

Place bread in a pasta bowl, make a 1-inch deep dimple in the top of each piece of bread to hold some sauce and oysters.

Pour oyster/sauce mixture over bread towers and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Oyster Shooter from The Atlantic on Pacific 

Ingredients

An Oyster Shooter from The Atlantic on Pacific. Photo courtesy Visit Virginia Beach.

1 ounce of spirit or beer of your choice
Splash of Lemon juice
3 ounces of preferred bloody Mary mix
1 raw oyster

Method

Chill spirit or beer with lemon juice.
Add to old bay rimmed glass.
Add bloody Mary mix.
Add oyster.
Garnish with lime.

Honey Bourbon Butter Grilled Oysters With Bacon Lardon & Jalapeno from Catch 31 

Ingredients

Honey Bourbon Butter Grilled Oysters With Bacon Lardon & Jalapeno from Catch 31. Photo courtesy Virginia Beach, VA.

¼ lb unsalted butter, softened
½ tsp garlic, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1 fl oz of Makers Mark bourbon (or your favorite brand)
1 fl oz wildflower honey
2 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and chopped
1 jalapeño, chopped fine
1 tsp curly leaf parsley, chopped fine
1 dozen of your favorite oysters, shucked

Method

For honey bourbon butter:

Soften 1 stick of butter (¼ pound) to room temperature.

Sauté garlic in olive oil at low heat in shallow saucepan until fragrant (approx. 30 seconds).

Remove pan from heat and add bourbon. Return pan to low heat and bring to a boil. Caution: the alcohol in bourbon will catch fire if the temperature of your stove is too hot!

Boil until the liquid is reduce by half and the strong smell of alcohol is gone.

Remove from heat and add honey. Stir until it is fully incorporated. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl or stand mixer add softened butter, honey bourbon, and chopped parsley. Blend ingredients thoroughly.

On the counter or cutting board lay out a piece of plastic wrap. Spoon butter into the center. Fold plastic wrap over butter and roll into a log. Place in refrigerator until ready for use.

For oysters:

Place oyster on solid surface. Secure oyster with a towel using your non-dominant hand.

Using your dominant hand place, the tip of the oyster shucking knife at the base of the hinge (heal of the oyster).

Twist the knife using pressure until you feel the shell pop. Do not force your oyster open. Run knife along the length of oyster to separate top shell from bottom.

Once open run knife under the oyster along the bottom shell to release the oyster from the abductor muscle.

Other places to get seafood in Virginia Beach

Enjoy Lynnhaven Oysters and other fresh seafood at any of the waterfront restaurants. The folks at Visit Virginia Beach shared this list of local restaurants where patrons can literally dock their boats and dine:

• Rockafeller’s on Rudee Inlet: This cottage-style, multi-story eatery, renowned for its service and familiar faces, has been using locally sourced products to serve some of the freshest seafood in Virginia Beach for 30+ years.
• Rudee’s: Housed in a replica of an authentic coast guard station, its airy, nautical style and nearly 40 years of service has attracted quite the following.
• Surf Rider: The open-air, comfortable and lively cabin restaurant is seasonal, serving seafood caught fresh daily during Spring, Summer and Fall.
• The Porch On Long Creek: Offering Instagram-worthy panoramic views of the calm waters of Long Creek, this relative newbie on Virginia Beach’s culinary scene has quickly become a go-to favorite with locals for its coastal American food and stiff handcrafted cocktails.
• Chick’s Oyster Bar: Docked on Lynnhaven Inlet, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay, its laid back, casual fare sourced from the waters that surround the restaurant has been keeping Virginians coming back for 20+ years.
• Bubba’s Crabhouse and Seafood Restaurant: Kick back at this quaint local favorite that started as a bait and tackle shop 30+ years ago and has become known for its She-Crab Soup and views of the Lynnhaven River.
• Dockside Restaurant and Marina: Part fish market, part fishing trip tour operator, you’ll find a variety of seafood here you won’t find anywhere else at this family-style restaurant. Oenophiles will appreciate the restaurant’s expansive wine list boasting over 1,000 bottles.
• Steinhilber’s: Affectionately known as Steiny’s to locals, this venerable eatery was established in 1939 and is one of Virginia’s oldest continually operated restaurants. Steeped in nostalgia and tucked away in the Thalia neighborhood, the fried shrimp is perennially cited as the best in the area.
• The Back Deck: Beloved by locals for their fish tacos, this casual fare eatery is tucked behind seafood market The Shellfish Company and has a menu dominated by the market’s fresh catch of the day.
• Big Sam’s Inlet Café & Raw Bar: Established by a former competitive surfer and skateboarder, this favorite local watering hole delivers a cozy vibe and friendly service, wrapped around comfort food served for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

For more information about Virginia Beach, Virginia, visit their website, here. 

Please note, these recipes are sponsored content provided by Virginia Beach, VA on RealFoodTraveler.com to serve as information and inspiration to our readers. 

Hungry for more? Listen to our podcast conversation with a local from Virginia Beach, VA. For oyster fans elsewhere, when in Washington D.C., people love to go to this restaurant for fried oysters. On the other side of the country, in Oregon, patrons enjoy the seafood buffet at Ilani Casino.

Pin these recipes featuring oysters to Pinterest so you don’t forget them.