But specifically, in New York City, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia.
When we say we serve the freshest and finest oysters and clams in any city, we aren’t kidding; our sources only send us the best of the bunch in a harvested-to-order shipment every single day. Our raw bar makes it from tide to table in twenty-four hours or less, guaranteed – that shucker’s dozen you’re about to enjoy is so fresh that the oysters may as well still be swimming.
We don’t fool around with knockoffs, either. You’ve likely seen the advertisements for oysters and clams priced so low that it seems too good to be true…and that’s exactly the case. Many have been marketing their raw bars as far higher quality than they actually are, but fear not: we’re proud to say that we partner with brands who own trademarked varieties of oysters and selectively distribute to an exclusive group of restaurants. There’s 100% truth in our labeling, and you can quote us on that.
Want to know more? Connect with us via email or give your local PJ’s a ring!
We provide you with the finest oysters and clams from the following purveyors:
Blue Island
Blue Island Oyster Co. was founded in 1995 with the aim of providing Manhattan restaurants with the highest quality shellfish available. It all started when the founder began scuba diving for natural oysters in the Long Island Sound and delivering them fresh daily to chefs in New York City. This business has grown substantially in 24 years and is now recognized as the number one oyster and clam distributor in the New York area. Learn More
Island Creek
A vertically integrated farm dedicated to making an impact on our food systems and having a damn good time along the way. They operate one of the only shellfish hatcheries in the northeast; a distribution company selling shellfish from over 100 farms to about 700 chefs around the country; a retail business serving thousands of home-shuckers online and at their shops in Duxbury and Portland, ME. Learn More
Fisher’s Island
Fishers Island Oyster Farm is a family-owned managed suspension-culture oyster farm based on Fishers Island, NY. They have grown and sold Fishers Island Oysters directly to chefs and consumers for over 30 years, offering absolute freshness, premium quality, and personalized service that are hallmarks of their brand. Learn More
Rappahannock
In 2001, Rappahannock set out with a clear mission: to resurrect the native Bay oyster and put it back on the map. Just a little over a decade later, Virginia is seeing harvest tallies not witnessed in a generation, and she now leads the entire East Coast in oyster production. Learn More
War Shore Oyster Company
Started in 2009, War Shore Oyster Company, is named for the Pungoteague Creek which served as an important waterway and battleground during the War of 1812 and supply route during the American Civil War. Every product is delivered by War Shore’s own vehicles from their own HACCP-compliant facility and they work directly with some of the best growers and fishermen in North America to secure the freshest seafood possible for their customers. War Shore is committed to the standard of delivering fresh oysters within 48 hours of harvest — just one of the many ways the company ensures that the freshest products are delivered to the kitchens of the finest chefs. Learn More
Local 130
Local 130 Seafood was formed on the basis of giving back to the local coastal communities. They want to put the focus back on the men and women that are laboring our shorelines, fishing our oceans and farming fish on US soil. Local 130 Seafood works hand and hand with American Fishermen to bring their product to market. Learn More
Did you know that a single oyster can clean thirty to fifty gallons of water per day? That’s right – not only are oysters a tasty treat on the half shell, they’re great for our environment as well. As a natural water filter, oysters help to clear sediment, pollutants and algae from our oceans, which leads to the creation of more sustainable habitats for aquatic life. Oyster reefs act as natural barriers to erosion, tidal changes and rising sea levels, so it makes sense that hundreds of species would want to build a home there.
Unfortunately, extreme water pollution and overfishing have devastated oyster beds in recent years (only 5% of oysters today are wild, the other 95% farmed), but with the help of groups like our partners Billion Oyster Project and Oyster Recovery Project, we’re working diligently to restore the reef. The plan is to repopulate our waterways in order to clean up and create brilliant new ecosystems in which all life, from the tiniest of microorganisms to sharks and whales, can thrive. Oysters also act as a natural fertilizer, which leads to an increase in plant life under the sea and – you guessed it – the many creatures who dine on said vegetation.
The numbers don’t lie: in four short years, 19.7 trillion gallons of water have been filtered, removing 72,000 pounds of nitrogen and other pollutants. We’ve donated nearly 45,000 pounds of shells ourselves, which are utilized to regenerate up to twenty new, living oysters per shell. For reference, approximately 200 oyster shells weigh 20 pounds; that means we’ve given life to almost 450,000 oysters, which in turn cleans up to 22.5 million gallons of water!
Want to join the conservation effort? Reach out to our friends at BOPand ORP and tell ‘em PJ Clarke’s sent you!