Princess cut

Princess Seafood (Fort Bragg, CA)

GETAWAYS • Mendocino Coast

Bay Area oyster expeditions usually stop at Point Reyes or Bodega Bay, but venturing further up the coast to Mendocino County has its own rewards. One is Princess Seafood, purveyor of a market, restaurant, and fishing boat in Fort Bragg. The boat (The Princess) is helmed by captain Heather Sears and an all-woman crew, which fishes for wild king salmon, Dungeness crab, albacore tuna, and local cod.

Cross the mouth of the Noyo River, wind down into the harbor, and keep rolling past the market to find the restaurant at the end of the lane. It’s in a weathered boathouse right at the foot of the bridge, looking through to a view of the Pacific Ocean. White umbrellas shade wooden tables on the back deck, decorated with a few fishing nets and abalone shells. We strolled in with a Labrador retriever, who was welcomed, as were a few other well-behaved dogs and kids.

We drove four hours specifically to try the Dungeness crab roll, and as sandwich purists, were pleased. The Princess pulls in live crabs, so the fresh crabmeat is milky sweet, and you get a good quarter-pound bundled tidily on a soft roll, with only a slice or two of tomato to distract. Consider, also, the clam chowder, thick, creamy, and well-peppered, or the fish tacos.

Wash down your crab with a cool coastal sparkling or white from one of several acclaimed wineries nearby like Navarro and Husch. Princess Seafood might be a crab shack, but it gets the luxury ingredients right. –Becky Duffett

→ Princess Seafood (Fort Bragg, CA) • 32096 North Harbor Dr • Thu-Sun 11a-5p • Walk-ins only.