Easily a day trip from Richmond in scenic Topping, Virginia, there’s a nationally renowned oyster ‘tasting room’ on the banks of the Rappahannock River. Situated just upriver from the Chesapeake Bay, Merroir offers famed Virginia oysters raw and grilled, exquisitely presented as small plates and paired with craft brews and world-famous wines. The menu is singularly-focused and each item features seasonal, local accompaniments to enhance the nuanced flavors of freshly harvested oysters. From ‘subtly sweet to jarringly briny’ the range of oysters available in this truly unique tasting room makes Merroir more than worth the drive. Conceived, owned, and operated by the Croxton family, Merroir is one branch of a fourth generation legacy not only in cultivating oysters from the Chesapeake Bay, but in preserving the Bay’s aquaculture and beauty.
If you’d like a taste without leaving town, visit the family’s local Rappahannock Restaurant. Every one of the Croxton establishments prizes a ‘good food, grown well’ philosophy that shines on the plate and the palate.
To find your way to the culinary pearl that is Merrior, click here.