It's Scallop Season on Nantucket!
5/31/2024
It's Scallop Season on Nantucket and Nantucket Bay scallops are some of the best in the world—these scallops are smaller and sweeter than the more common ocean scallop. They're coveted all around the world by chefs and seafood lovers for their uniquely sweet flavor and tender texture. If you've never tried a Nantucket Bay scallop, you are in for a treat.
Scallops on Nantucket are harvested by hand and by boat in the waters surrounding Nantucket from October to March. The commercial season starts on November 1st each year, which gives Nantucket families, and others interested in the time-honored process, a head start. Anyone interested in scalloping in October can give it a try, with a permit and some simple equipment purchased at the local hardware store. Wearing waders and armed with a floating basket and a rake, scallopers comb the eel grass for scallops that meet the limit. The commercial operations dredge from boats all winter long, in all conditions. Any Nantucket bay scallops you enjoy are hard-earned by the working families on Nantucket. After they are shucked, the used scallop shells are the dumped at Jetties Beach, where you can snag a few to add to your holiday decor as a unique memento of your time on Nantucket.
In our opinion, these delicacies are best enjoyed fresh while on island. Find them at some of our favorite seafood restaurants on Nantucket this winter. Enjoy them seared at the Brant Point Grill overlooking the harbor and the lighthouse or try them fried in a heaping pile from Sayle's Seafood takeout. Whether it's fine dining or from a casual clam shack, Nantucket Bay scallops taste the best when enjoyed on the magical isle of Nantucket.