Hog Island Oyster Co. Headed for Lafayette?
In what would be a bombshell addition to the Lafayette food scene, Hog Island Oyster Co. appears to be targeting a new restaurant downtown. The regional seafood icon famed for its pristine oysters farmed sustainably out of Tomales and Humboldt bays filed for a Type 47 state alcohol license at 3596 Mt. Diablo Boulevard on September 4. That’s the same address currently occupied by Barranco (which would transfer its current liquor license to Hog Island) and on the same block as Pizza Antica and Batch & Brine. While no announcement has been made and the transfer is still pending, Barranco, the nine-year-old Peruvian seafood concept from star Bay Area chef Carlos Altamirano, announced on Instagram last week that it was “closed for maintenance.”
Founded in 2013 by John Finger and Terry Sawyer in Tomales Bay, Hog Island Oyster Co. has grown into one of the region’s premier shellfish producers, harvesting and selling “over 5 million oysters and Manila clams each year,” according to its website. It’s also developed a sprawling Bay Area food service operation that includes take-out stands, oyster bars, and sit-down restaurants in San Francisco’s Ferry Building, Napa’s Oxbow Market, and throughout the North Bay (in addition to harvesting its own sea salt and seaweed). Given that it would be occupying a pre-existing restaurant, odds seem high that Hog Island’s first potential East Bay outpost would be a full-service affair along the lines of those in San Francisco and Larkspur.
The menus at those locations deliver a streamlined selection of seafood-centric dishes that include small plates such as smoked black cod dip and halibut tostada; sandwiches such as shrimp rolls, oyster po-boys, and a fried fish sando; and entrees like steamed mussels, clam chowder, seafood stew, spaghetti with clams, and seared halibut. And, of course, a robust daily selection of both raw and grilled oysters and custom “conservas” seafood tapas. The restaurants are also known for fresh salads and a grilled cheese sandwich made with three types of cheese on Acme green onion focaccia bread. Both locations also offer a curated selection of coastal wines to pair with oysters and classic cocktails, including a savory oyster shooter…