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The best London restaurants for oysters

We pick out some of our favourite spots in town to enjoy a platter of the briny bivalves, whether it's year-round rocks or natives you're after.

 

the oystermen london for oysters

The Oystermen 

Covent Garden - 32 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8NA

Friends Matt and Rob first came up with the idea for their seafood business when shucking oysters at Matt's wedding and their Covent Garden restaurant has doubled in size since opening. Sit up at the counter and enjoy watching oysters being shucked in front of you. There are numerous ways to have them - including with champonzu, wasabi and shiso or cooked in a tempura batter with Champagne aioli and smoked herring caviar.

 

J Sheekey

Covent Garden - 28-32 St Martin's Ct, London WC2N 4AL

Right in the heart of the West End, you can always rely on Sheekey's to shuck a decent oyster or two. Head for the main restaurant (and its terrace) where - in season - there's usually a choice between Lindisfarne, Carlingford and Jersey oysters. You can have them shucked in a platter, or served up with spicy boar sausage. 

 

Bentley's

Mayfair - 11-15 Swallow St, London W1B 4DG 

Ever the classic oyster venue choice, Bentley's boasts that it shucks more oysters than any other London restaurant - around 1000 a day on busy days. Perch yourself at the original marble oyster bar and choose from wild natives and rocks. Oysters come from all over the UK and Ireland. If you want to get more serious, then book a spot at one of their regular oyster masterclasses on a Saturday. 

 

Chiltern Firehouse

Marylebone - 1 Chiltern St, London W1U 7PA

For eight years Bobby Groves has been behind the stall shucking shellfish in the courtyard at Chiltern Firehouse. On the menu you'll find oysters from Butley Creek in Suffolk to Gillardeau in France.

 

thecow

The Cow 

Notting Hill - 89 Westbourne Park Rd, London W2 5QH

Tom Conran's Westbourne Park Road gastropub has all the fripperies you could want from a place with such an obvious focus on beer and oysters. Match a creamy pint of Guinness with 6 rock oysters for a perfect night out. Oh and you might spot David Beckham having a pint in the corner as this is one of his locals.

 

darby's oysters london

Darby's 

Vauxhall - 3 Viaduct Gardens, Nine Elms, London SW11 7AY

Robin Gill's restaurant right beside the American embassy bills itself as an oyster bar first and foremost. This is a great spot for trying super fresh oysters. Their regular oyster happy hour feature deals including a pint of Guinness or glass of Prosecco with half a dozen Jersey oysters.

 

orasay oysters

Orasay

Notting Hill - 31 Kensington Park Rd, London W11 2EU

Jackson Boxer's Notting Hill restaurant prides itself on its seafood - and there's usually oysters to enjoy on the menu. Recently they were serving Cooley oysters with smoked orange and sea wrack.

 

prawnlawn

Prawn on the Lawn

Islington - 292 -294 St Paul's Rd, London N1 2LH

Prawn on the Lawn serves top-notch oysters alongside its larger menu. That menu changes depending on the season, but there are usually Jersey and Maldon rocks on there which you can also have deep-fried with garlic creme fraiche.

 

randall and aubin london for oysters

Randall & Aubin 

Soho - 14 - 16 Brewer St, London W1F 0SG

There's nothing quite like the classic platter at this Soho stalwart. Choose between English or Irish rocks and if you're an absolute oyster nut you can order the XXL platter of 24 oysters to keep you going all night.

 

lyons seafood london for oysters

Lyon's Seafood Restaurant 

Crouch End - 1 Park Rd, London N8 8TE

There are always oysters on at this North London seafood restaurant - both freshly shucked (most recently Carlingford and Lindisfarne) along with a dressed option like beetroot, horseradish, tarragon and creme fraiche. Better still pair them with their legendary oyster mary shots.

 

the sea the sea london for oysters

The Sea The Sea

Chelsea - 174 Pavilion Rd, London SW1X 0AW

This Pavilion Road spot describes itself as a "chef-led fish shop, deli and seafood bar" - so you can buy oysters to take home and shuck yourself, or order them to enjoy up at the counter or out on their terrace, dressed with kohlrabi vinaigrette by chef Leandro Carreira. 

 

seabird london for oysters

Seabird

Southwark - 14th Floor, 40 Blackfriars Rd, South Bank, London SE1 8NY

This rooftop restaurant features what they boast to be London's longest oyster list - it's an entirely separate menu. So if you're looking for briney delights from Celine in Brittany, Louet Feisser in County Louth or nearby Maldon then you've come to the right place. Drop in on a weekday for oyster happy hour which sees oysters paired with martinis.

 

sweetings

Sweetings

The City - 39 Queen Victoria St, London EC4N 4SF 

The original Sweetings opened in Islington back in 1830 before eventually moving into Queen Victoria Street and it's been serving up shellfish to Londoners ever since. It helps to be living or working in the City to eat here - it's only open on weekdays for lunch. 

 

wiltons london for oysters

Wiltons 

St James 

One of London's oldest restaurants (it's older than the USA basically), you can pop yourself up at the oyster bar and order half a dozen Jersey Rocks, West Mersea or Loch Ryan natives, when in season. Alternatively you can have them done Rockefeller, Kilpatrick or Beau Brummell-style (the latter adds chilli sauce and has them fried in breadcrumbs). They also run shucking masterclasses.

 

wrightbros2

Wright Brothers

Borough, Spitalfields, Battersea, Kensington

It's no surprise that the secret to a great spot to eat oysters is an impeccable source and the Wright Brothers' oysters are right up there. There's usually a wide selection including oysters from Carlingford Bay and Lindisfarne, and along with the usual freshly shucked options there are some dressed and cooked oysters 

 

Other places to try oysters in London

 

llama inn london oysters

Llama Inn (Shoreditch) - this rooftop spot in Shoreditch goes big on oysters as snacks - choose between Maldon or Jersey with a dressing of tomato, Worcestershire sauce and olive oil or the weekly special.

Sutton and Sons (Stoke Newington and Hackney) - This modern chipper offers one of the best oyster deals to be had in London starting at £1.85 a pop.

Brat (Shoreditch): Everything is cooked over fire at this Shoreditch restaurant, including the oysters roasted with seaweed.

The Parakeet (Kentish Town) - check out the bar food menu where the mignonette for the freshly shucked oysters changes daily. 

 

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