1. Crabs aren’t the only beloved dish Delaware shares with Maryland. Oysters are gaining new ground among foodies. Raw is evidently the way to go. Witness the crowds at Trolley Square Oyster House (Wilmington, 384-7310). Why are the oysters so good? It probably has a lot to do with the fact that it’s part of the Big Fish Restaurant Group’s culinary empire.
2. When it’s time for the capital’s residents to slurp, they drive to Doc Magrogan’s Oyster House in the Dover Downs Hotel & Casino (Dover, 857-3223).
3. In Sussex County, Matt’s Fish Camp (Lewes, 644-2267) puts raw oysters front and center next to the bar. Watch the shuckers in action as they prepare your order.
4. Fins Fish House & Raw Bar (Rehoboth Beach, 226-FINS) has certainly shucked its way to fame—so much so that there is a second location, Fins Ale House (Rehoboth Beach, 227-FINS) on Del. 1, next to the company’s Big Oyster Brewery. The restaurants carry more than 50 different types of oysters (though not all at the same time).
5. Henlopen City Oyster House (Rehoboth Beach, 260-9193) packs in the diners even in the coldest months. Patrons appreciate the beer selection as much as the raw bar items.
6. Chesapeake & Maine (Rehoboth Beach, 226-3600) is the newbie in town. Belly up to the white marble raw bar (there’s also a regular bar) and order oysters from Maryland and Maine. (Get it?)
7. Inland, mostly local oysters are on the half shell at JD Shuckers Seafood Grill & Raw Bar (Lewes, 945-8850; Georgetown, 856-1400), which has two locations to keep up with the demand.
8. To the south, Ropewalk (Fenwick Island, 581-0153) has settled in nicely. The Delaware location joins the original in Baltimore and an Ocean City site. The oyster menu primarily mines Virginia and Maryland for the goods, but you may find selections from the Northeast and Washington state.
