Rappahannock Oyster Co does a great job giving you a taste of the different flavors of oysters the state has to offer. Disclaimer: I used to work there.

The Rappahannock’s are a pretty unique flavor for how sweet and unsalty they are, where as a lot of people really enjoy the olde salts for getting a mouth full of salt water. Rochambeus and Stingrays would be somewhere in the middle.

There are also a bunch of other good farmers that have been mentioned, White Stone Oyster Co, Big Island, Windmill Point. White Stone and Rappahannock will ship directly to your door or may be able to tell you where to pickup in town. Whole Foods and Wegmans usually have a decent selection, think they mostly carry Cherrystone branded oysters from the Eastern Shore when I last looked at their tags. They are one of the largest seafood producers in the country, mostly known for their clams.

If you are out in the northern neck I would recommend checking out Metroid or Byrd Seafood. If you want a really good restaurant not focused as much on oysters go check out Adrift in white stone.