It’s not often you can sit down to enjoy your dinner and enjoy the breathtaking environment from which it came. We are often unaware of the effort, the beauty, and the history behind the food we consume. There are many places in Virginia Oyster Country where you can get a little closer to the cuisine sourced right from the Bay and local rivers.
Urbanna Seafood Market & Raw Bar is one such haven.
“We really want to bring our ‘boat to plate’ concept to life,” said owner Rufus Ruark.
Rufus Ruark opened the seafood market and restaurant four years ago. He is the second generation of his family involved in the oyster industry. Urbanna Seafood is located on the same land as Shores & Ruark Seafood, a wholesale seafood processing company founded in 1976 by Ruark’s father. Evidence of his family’s business line the walls of his office–oysters cans from all over the country.
“I’ve been working with oysters since I was 8 years old and I’ve never really stopped,” Ruark said. “We’ve learned and grown a lot over the years.”
As Ruark and the family business shipped shucked oysters and more around the country, he often dreamed of bringing the flavors of the bay closer to home.
Today at Urbanna Seafood, you’ll find a market featuring shrimp salad, fresh oysters, and even crabs to take home if you live nearby or back to your inn, hotel, or camp site. Soon, Ruark wants to offer customers the ability to call in orders of prepared meals. Follow Urbanna Seafood on Facebook for announcements about this service.
If you want to stop and enjoy the view, you can enjoy your food on the deck of the Raw Bar. The Raw Bar serves chicken wings, crab cakes, deviled crabs, fish tacos and of course, fresh raw oysters. There are always new specials. A crab on crab sandwich was a recent feature and it was filled with a fried soft shell crab and a crab cake. Pair it with their selection of beers or wine, a view of the sunset, and you have the ultimate dinnertime indulgence! You might even be able to enjoy live music. See the event calendar for music announcements and more.
You can also enjoy lunch at Urbanna Seafood. The raw bar is open Wednesday to Saturday at 453 Johnsons Drive Urbanna, Va 23175. Throughout the month of May, you learn more about Urbanna Seafood at Virginia festivals including the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival, Deltaville Seafood Festival, and Chesapeake Jubilee, all of which take place this May.
