On the West Coast, fresh Dungeness crab is a local delicacy enjoyed during the holiday season.  These large, hard-shell crabs with a sweet taste and flakey texture are abundant in the Half Moon Bay area, and can be purchased fresh directly from the boat as fisherman bring in their daily catch, or cooked and cleaned from your favorite market.

Dungeness crabs live in the Pacific Ocean from Northern California to Alaska.  In the San Francisco Bay Area the season typically kicks off in November and ends in June, while about 80 percent of the Bay Area’s Dungeness is brought in by the end of the year.  Later in the season our markets usually receive crabs from Oregon and Washington.

The cost of the crab depends on season and supply.  When the crab is local and in high supply, costs are significantly lower than when crab’s flown into the area or in strong demand.  Now is the perfect time to enjoy Dungeness crab in the Bay Area.