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.
In this article:
Wainwright’s Tavern, Upper East Side
Best for: a cosy night at the neighbourhood tavern.
This new uptown restaurant is a welcoming tavern-style spot to gather with friends or family and enjoy the classic New York food. In addition to having East Coast oysters on the half shell with a scallion mignonette, it also offers a unique spin on Oysters Rockefeller by roasting the spinach and parmesan sauce in the shells, frying the oysters, and returning the crispy oyster on top of the spinach sauce. Add the Waldorf salad and tavern burger to round out your meal – and don’t forget an ice-cold martini...
wainwrightstavern.com
1278 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10021
Grand Banks, Tribeca
Best for: slurping oysters on the water.
New Orleans natives Alex and Miles Pincus made a name for themselves in NYC by opening restaurants on boats. Grand Banks was their first, inspired by the floating oyster barges that lined Manhattan's waterfront in the 18th and 19th centuries. The restored wooden sailboat is docked in Tribeca, offering panoramic skyline views. Enjoy the sea breeze while slurping New York oysters from Hog Neck Bay, New York; Nova Scotia; Skagit Bay, Washington; and Wellfleet, Massachusetts – plus the Sailor Baby, its very own oysters developed in partnership with Southampton’s West Robins Oyster Company.
crew.fun/grand-banks
Pier 25 Hudson River, New York, NY 10013
The Pocket, Midtown
Best for: jazz enthusiasts.
The Pocket is the newest project from two Michelin-starred hospitality veterans of some of NYC’s best clubs. Designed to evoke the intimacy of the great jazz rooms on 52nd Street in the 40s and 50s, the space boasts exceptional acoustic design and some of the best stage sightlines in the city. While you listen to the likes of Wynton Marsalis and Lakecia Benjamin, enjoy raw oysters, oyster shooters (with tequila, vodka, or gin – and even Golden Osetra caviar), or broiled oysters prepared Rockefeller-style, po’ boy-style, or with garlic parmesan butter.
thepocketnyc.com
130 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036
Oriana, Nolita
Best for: live-fire cooking.
The latest project from the team behind the Noortwyck, Oriana opened in May with a focus on live-fire cooking. Chef Andy Quinn offers two oyster preparations that move beyond the traditional raw bar: the iced oyster, topped with smoked tomato and basil, and the embered oyster, finished over the fire with ‘nduja and chive. Add on the lobster salad and whole grilled fish, and save room for the sticky toffee pudding.
oriananewyork.com
174 Mott St, New York, NY 10012
Penny, East Village
Best for: an intimate date night.
When this seafood bar opened above its sister restaurant, Claud, near Astor Place in 2024, it made immediate waves (pun intended) and has found a place on The New York Times 100 Best Restaurant List. 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.
penny-nyc.com
90 E 10th St 1st Floor, New York, NY 10003
Strange Delight, Fort Greene
Best for: New Orleans cuisine in Brooklyn.
Strange Delight in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighbourhood is an ode to New Orleans and its oysters (all sourced from Peeko Oysters in Little Peconic Bay) are the main event. The dinner menu has an oyster section with them served five ways, ranging from raw to Rockefeller to fried to charbroiled with black pepper garlic butter, parm, and breadcrumbs. They show up again in the fried oyster loaf sandwich.
strangedelight.nyc
63 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Mermaid Oyster Bar, Midtown
Best for: escaping the Times Square chaos.
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 $2 each – before going to a Broadway show. Hungry for a more substantial meal? Add some New England clam chowder, a whole Maine lobster, linguine and clams, or fish tacos.
mermaidnyc.com
127 W 43rd St, New York, NY 10036
Maison Premiere, Williamsburg
Best for: a Brooklyn seafood and cocktail classic.
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.
maisonpremiere.com
298 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Grand Central Oyster Bar, Grand Central
Best for: a tasty New York history lesson.
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.
oysterbarny.com
89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017
La Marchande, Wall Street
Best for: a pretty dining room.
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 oysters, littleneck clams, shrimp cocktail, and a tomato verjus mignonette. There’s also a selection of East and West Coast oysters available by the half and full dozen.
lamarchandenyc.com
