Long before pizza and bagels became the quintessential New York City foods, New Yorkers snacked on oysters. The East and Hudson Rivers were filled with miles of oyster beds, causing the streets to be lined with oyster houses, cellars, and street vendors; if you visited NYC in the early 1800s, the oyster scene was thriving.
However, due to pollution and a lack of sustainability, the last oyster bed was emptied in 1927 as the river water had become too toxic. By then, most ‘local’ oysters in the city came from Long Island – including those at Grand Central Oyster Bar, which debuted in 1913 and is still open today. Still, New Yorkers’ love affair with the molluscs never ended, and there are dozens of delightful places to eat both raw and cooked bivalves around the city. Here are a few of our favourite spots.
Pilot, Brooklyn
New Orleans imports Alex and Miles Pincus made a name for themselves in NYC by opening restaurants on boats – like Grand Banks in Manhattan and Pilot in Brooklyn. Pilot is docked in DUMBO, meaning you can enjoy panoramic views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges whilst slurping New York oysters like Violet Cove, Montauk Pearl, and Orient Point (as well as bivalves from Massachusetts, Prince Edward Island, and Skagit Bay). Once you’ve had your fill, settle in for a seafood-focused menu and selection of craft cocktails.
Pier 6 Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Penny, East Village
When this seafood bar opened above its sister restaurant, Claud, near Astor Place earlier this year, it made immediate waves (pun intended). Belly up to the bar and either order the ice box, which comes with a selection of raw seafood, including shrimp, mussels, clams, and oysters, or raw oysters by the piece. Also on the menu: confit oysters served with fried, spiced saltine crackers and thick sour cream, and an oyster pan roast – a luscious oyster and vegetable stew topped with a cap of crispy pastry.
90 E 10th St 1st Floor, New York, NY 10003
Strange Delight, Fort Greene
The much-anticipated Strange Delight opened a couple of weeks ago in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighbourhood – and its oysters (all sourced from Peeko Oysters in Little Peconic Bay) are already the main event. As well as serving them raw, the New Orleans-inspired spot also charbroils them two ways, fries them in cornmeal with potatoes and remoulade, and smears them with mayo as part of a fried oyster loaf sandwich. They also appear as oysters Rockefeller (a homage to New Orleans’ famed Galatoire’s) and oysters Bienville alongside shrimp and oyster mushrooms.
63 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Siren Oyster Bar & Restaurant, Brooklyn
Since opening last year, this Park Slope spot has been delighting diners with its daily-changing selection of oysters. You might see East Coast favourites like Bullseyes from Virginia, meaty, briny Boomamoto from Cape Cod, or delicate Beau Soleil from New Brunswick, Canada. Or you might head west for small and elongated Kushi from Bowser, light and clear Hood Canal from Washington State, or smooth and buttery Kumamoto from Washington. Whatever – or wherever – you choose, order by the piece as an appetiser and then indulge in larger menu items like crab cakes, seafood salad, and branzino.
687 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Mermaid Oyster Bar, Midtown Manhattan
Located in the middle of Times Square, this 18-seat raw bar is the stylish sister to the popular Mermaid Inn. So, you’re ideally placed to slurp your way through the daily happy hour – during which the long list of East and West Coast oysters, including East Beach Blonde, Naked Cowboy, Wellfleet, and Peeko, are priced at $1.50 each – before going to a Broadway show. Hungry for a more substantial meal? Add some New England clam chowder, a half or whole Maine lobster, linguine and clams, or fish tacos. A second location resides in Greenwich Village.
89 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012
Maison Premiere, Williamsburg
At Maison Premiere, patrons perch around the horseshoe-shaped marble bar or whilst sampling oysters from both coasts – or at a romantic garden table. The lengthy list includes selections from Maine, Massachusetts, Washington, Connecticut, New York, Virginia, Rhode Island, Prince Edward Island, and British Columbia – all ordered by the piece. Oysters Rockefeller appears on the larger food menu alongside crudo, caviar, lobster rolls, and clam toast. Pair them with one of the excellent cocktails and consider indulging in a classic Absinthe Drip.
298 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Grand Central Oyster Bar, Grand Central
Anytime you need to catch a train from Grand Central Terminal, try to arrive early so you can swing by this historic landmark on the lower level, which opened a few weeks after the train station in 1913. The iconic Gustavino-tiled arches remain the same and, as you dine on more than 25 varieties of oysters, shellfish, and fish (served raw, fried, in stews and pan roasts), you’ll feel yourself slip back into the good ol’ days of New York’s oyster heyday.
89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017
ROKC, Harlem
ROKC stands for ramen, oysters, kitchen, and cocktails – and it’s these four components that make up the menu at this intimate Harlem restaurant, which is inspired by restaurants in traditional Japanese port towns during the Meiji period. Guzzle down the oyster of the day whilst you sip a signature cocktail served in a conch shell. And if you’re hungry for more, try some ramen or one of the pork, shrimp, or spicy fried chicken buns.
3452 Broadway, New York, NY 10031
La Marchande, Wall Street
Head inside the Wall Street Hotel to find this restaurant from award-winning chef John Fraser. The modern French chophouse has several oyster offerings on its menu that can be enjoyed at the bar or in the handsome dining room. For an impressive tower, order La Grande Tour – a remarkable presentation of 12 oysters, six littleneck clams, dressed shrimp cocktail, salmon tartare, lobster salad, and boozy mignonette made from vodka, beet, horseradish, and caraway. There’s also a selection of West Coast and Long Island oysters, available by the half and full dozen.
88 Wall St, New York, NY 10005
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