Chef’s Notes
Mason Bostwick · Executive Chef
Pacific oyster
Elkhorn oysters grow on beach and longline beds at Elkhorn Oyster Co. in Nemah on Willapa Bay. Tide-hardened Pacific cups read bold and briny at 32–38 ppt with firm meat and a clean melon finish. I reach for them when I want a rustic, barnacle-flecked Washington half shell with real ocean salinity.
Flavor chart
Chef palate read
Shuckability
Shell & line performance
When I buy it
I look for Elkhorn tags from Elkhorn Oyster Co. in Nemah — beach and longline Pacifics at roughly 4–5 inches and 32–38 ppt. September through July lots should feel heavy with deep cups and firm meats from Willapa Bay tide exposure.
How I serve it
Raw on crushed ice with virgin liquor intact. Elkhorn cups read bold brine then sweet melon — lemon only, no heavy mignonette on these tide-hardened Willapa meats.
What to watch for
Spawn-season milky liquor in warm months and lots held too long off ice. Barnacle-flecked shells should present plump firm meats — reject gaping cups or cracked hinges from beach harvest handling.
My read
Elkhorn is Elkhorn Oyster Co.’s Willapa Bay Pacific — rustic beach-and-longline cups with high ocean brine, firm chew, and a clean melon close that chefs expect from Nemah tide flats.
What Are Elkhorn Oysters?
Elkhorn oysters are farmed Pacific oysters from Elkhorn Oyster Co. in Willapa Bay, Washington. The grower works intertidal beach and longline beds in one of the state’s original oystering regions. Stock is Magallana gigas raised eighteen to twenty-four months before harvest.
On the half shell the line reads bold and briny with firm, meaty Pacific texture. Salinity runs thirty-two to thirty-eight ppt from ocean-fed bay water. Sweetness builds mid-palate before a clean melon finish.
Deep cups and barnacle-flecked shells reflect daily tide exposure on beach and longline gear. Chefs and retailers value the cup for its distinctive, robust flavor. Peak tags run September through July when bay salinity is highest.
How Did Elkhorn Oysters Get Their Name?
Elkhorn Oysters take their trade name from Elkhorn Oyster Co., the family-run farm in Nemah on Willapa Bay. Buyers see the Elkhorn name on tags, bushel labels, and distributor manifests across the Pacific Northwest. The name ties the shellfish brand to a specific grower rather than a single bay subsection or lease block.
That distinction helps chefs source the same husbandry and handling every time they reorder. Pacific oysters have been farmed in Willapa Bay since the nineteenth century, and Elkhorn sits in that long commercial tradition. The company name signals hand-harvested beach and longline stock from Nemah.
About Elkhorn Oyster Company
Elkhorn Oyster Co. operates a family-run oyster farm on just over thirty acres in Willapa Bay, Washington. They cultivate Pacific oysters using traditional ground and longline methods. All oysters are harvested by hand.
The company prides itself on providing fresh, quality shell stock to wholesale distributors and retail customers from Nemah. Retail sales require calling ahead so product ships fresh from the water. Oysters come in small, medium, and large grades from two to four inches and over. The farm stays open year-round by the dozen or bushel, with hours set by the tide.
Follow Them
Follow Elkhorn Oyster Co. for farm-direct shellstock from Nemah on Willapa Bay. Call a day or two ahead so Steve and Andi Shotwell can pull beach and longline stock fresh from the tide. Their Nemah farm listing confirms the Willapa Bay address for wholesale and retail dozen or bushel orders when the water and weather allow.
Elkhorn Oysters Information
Pacific oyster
If you like Elkhorn Oysters, then check out these similar varieties!
Location
Elkhorn oysters are cultivated in Willapa Bay, Washington. This is one of the state’s original oystering regions. Nemah sits on the bay’s eastern shore where Elkhorn Oyster Co. farms intertidal beds.
Willapa Bay opens directly to the Pacific Ocean. Nutrient-rich ocean water mixes with river freshwater across the estuary. That exchange supports healthy Pacific oyster growth across the bay.
The large size and shallow flats of Willapa Bay expose broad tide zones at low water. Daily tidal exchange moves about half the bay’s volume. Clean water flushes the system on each cycle.
Surrounding forests and limited industry help keep Willapa Bay waters clean. Oyster farming here dates to the 1850s. That heritage supports sustainable culture standards Elkhorn still follows today.
Suggested Beverage Pairings
Dogfish Head SeaQuench Ale blends Kolsch, Gose, and Berliner Weisse with black limes and sea salt beside Elkhorn salinity. Tart salty beer complements Willapa Bay brininess on tide-hardened beach stock. Refreshing pairing for firm meaty Pacific cups.
Ferrari-Carano Fumé Blanc offers vibrant citrus and green apple beside Elkhorn sweetness. Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc acidity cuts through brine while zesty fruit highlights clean melon finish on Willapa Bay half shells.
Nikka Coffey Gin brings yuzu, sansho pepper, and apple beside Elkhorn melon finish. Coffey-still botanicals enhance sweet mid-palate on high-brine Willapa Bay Pacific oysters. Sophisticated cocktail for beach-grown cups.
Rodney Strong Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc offers lime, melon, and herb beside Elkhorn rich briny flavors. Crisp Sonoma acidity highlights sweetness without overpowering firm meaty Willapa Bay cups.
Anderson Valley Holy Gose brings sea salt and coriander beside Elkhorn natural flavors. Slight tartness and spice enhance high brininess and clean melon close on Washington beach oysters.
Where Can I Buy Elkhorn Oysters?
You can buy Elkhorn oysters from the following sources:
- Elkhorn Oyster Co. — Farm-direct shellstock from Nemah, WA; call a day or two ahead for dozen or bushel orders fresh from Willapa Bay.
- Haggen — Lists fresh live Elkhorn oysters in the shell by the dozen for retail shoppers.
- Shaw’s — Carries the same live-in-shell Elkhorn dozen packs for grocery pickup.
References
- Elkhorn Oyster Co. “Oysters Fresh from Willapa Bay, WA.” Elkhorn Oyster Co., www.elkhornoyster.com. Accessed 9 July 2026.
- Elkhorn Oyster Co. “About Us.” Elkhorn Oyster Co., www.elkhornoyster.com/index_files/Page345.htm. Accessed 9 July 2026.
- U.S. Geological Survey. “Hydrology of Willapa Bay.” USGS Open-File Report 81-272, pubs.usgs.gov/publication/ofr81272. Accessed 9 July 2026.
- Competitive Enterprise Institute. “Oysters and Willapa Bay.” CEI, cei.org/studies/oysters-and-willapa-bay. Accessed 9 July 2026.
- Haggen. “Fresh Live Elkhorn Oysters.” Haggen, www.haggen.com. Accessed 9 July 2026.
- Shaw’s. “Fresh Live Elkhorn Oysters.” Shaw’s, www.shaws.com. Accessed 9 July 2026.
Discover more from The Oyster Encyclopedia
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.