The Ultimate Bay Area Dungeness Crab Guide: Where to Eat It and How to Do It Right
The Ultimate Bay Area Dungeness Crab Guide: Where to Eat It and How to Do It Right
There are four foods that are genuinely, specifically San Francisco: sourdough bread, the Mission burrito, cioppino, and Dungeness crab. You can get variations of the other three in a lot of other places, but Dungeness crab at its best is a Bay Area experience in a way that feels unique. The crab is pulled from the Pacific waters right offshore, it's served whole or cracked or in a cocktail, and when it's done right it's one of the most satisfying and purely local meals you can have.
Season runs November through May, with the absolute peak being December through February. The crab you eat outside of season is either from a different region or from a tank, and while it's not bad, it's not the same as in-season Pacific Dungeness fresh from the boats. If you're planning a crab trip, plan it for winter.
How to eat Dungeness crab like a local:
Whole crab, cracked, with plenty of napkins and a bowl for the shells. Melted butter or a simple aioli for dipping. Cold white wine or a local lager alongside. That's it. Resist any restaurant that buries the crab in heavy sauces, because when the crab is good, it doesn't need anything except maybe some lemon and butter. The sweet, delicate meat of a fresh Dungeness crab is one of the best things you can eat, and dressing it up too much misses the point.
Where to eat it:
Anchor Oyster Bar (Castro, San Francisco) is one of the city's most beloved seafood spots and the Dungeness preparations here are excellent. Small, intimate space. Cash only. Call ahead. The crab Louis salad is exceptional.
Swan Oyster Depot (Nob Hill / Polk Gulch) is probably the most famous seafood counter in San Francisco and the Dungeness crab cocktail is a must-order. The line forms early and it's always worth it. This is one of those San Francisco experiences that lives up to the reputation.
Scoma's (Fisherman's Wharf) has been on the waterfront since 1965 and their crab preparations are consistent and reliable. The setting doesn't hurt. Fisherman's Wharf is touristy but Scoma's has maintained its quality throughout and deserves the loyal following it has among locals.
PPQ Dungeness Island (Inner Richmond) is the spot that inner-circle SF food people point to for the best whole Dungeness crab experience. The garlic noodles alongside are legendary. This is the pick if you want the purest crab-forward meal and don't need a waterfront view to go with it.
Hog Island Oyster Co. (Ferry Building and Larkspur) is primarily known for oysters but the seafood program extends to excellent Dungeness preparations when it's in season. The Ferry Building location has a great waterfront setting.
Old Clam House (Bayshore, San Francisco) is the most underrated spot on this list. One of the oldest restaurants in San Francisco, a neighborhood institution in a part of the city that most visitors and even many locals never get to. The Dungeness crab here is excellent and the sense of history in the room is genuinely special.
Berkeley Bowl (Berkeley) and Monterey Fish Market (Berkeley) are both worth knowing for buying whole live or fresh-cooked Dungeness crab to eat at home. Berkeley Bowl in particular has exceptional seafood sourcing and when they have fresh Dungeness in season, it's some of the best you can buy.
The DIY route:
A lot of Bay Area locals buy their Dungeness crab at the Fish Alley stalls at Fisherman's Wharf or from the crab boats on the wharf itself, steam or boil it at home (or have the vendors steam it for you on the spot), and eat it at their kitchen table with butter and bread. This is genuinely the best way to eat Dungeness crab in terms of freshness and value. If you have the ability to cook at home, seriously consider this over a restaurant visit during peak season.
