March 31st is National Oysters on the Half Shell day, and there are few better places to celebrate such a briny holiday than in Charleston! There are no shortage of great places to enjoy a few oysters, but here are some of my favorites!
Blossom – Pink Moon Medley
Pairs well with a glass of brut rosé!
ICYMI, Blossom recently debuted their new oyster bar, and I was super impressed by their offerings. They’ve got 4 different varietals of oysters, pretty much all from the North Atlantic. I tried them all, and enjoyed each one, but what’s really impressive is their Pink Moon Medley, which consists of 4 Pink Moon oysters from PEI, topped with poke-style tuna, sashimi tuna, southwest, and cucumber mignonette. They’re so fresh and different, although be careful: the sashimi tuna (my fave, btw) packs a kick!
The Watch – Grilled Oysters
Grill ’em up
I think The Watch is a really underrated restaurant in Charleston. The view is fantastic, the cocktails are creative and delicious, and the food is elevated, yet approachable. Their pineapple & basil mignonette that they serve with their raw oysters is so good and I want to put it on everything, but their grilled oysters–with fermented garlic butter, lemon, grana padano, and house hot sauce–are really special. Just don’t plan on kissing anyone afterward.
Warehouse – Fried Oyster Deviled Eggs
The fried oyster eggs are the ones on the bottom left. (between 6 and 9 o’clock)
I thought I’d throw in a curveball here, and the fired oyster deviled egg with house pickle relish from Warehouse definitely fits the bill. It’s everything you love about a deviled egg, combined with everything you love about fried oysters and pickles. It’s a 1-bite masterpiece, and you’re going to want to order many, many of these.
167 Raw – Daily Oyster Selection
This is downright pornographic.
167 Raw has 4.5 stars and almost 1,500 reviews, which means they’re definitely doing something right. Their limited menus focuses on quality across the board, and their selection of raw oysters (which varies daily) is sure to please the most discerning of oyster fans. Pro Tip: Grab the big boy to try 8 oysters, 8 crab claws, and 8 clams to get a good mix of the 167 Raw excels at.
Leon’s – Grilled Oysters
And grilled bread for a good balance of textures.
Everything at Leon’s is good, so it’s hard to pick just 1 thing that’s my favorite. Everything from the fried oyster sandwich to the raw oysters on the half shell are fantastic. I guess if I had to choose the 1 thing that I always look forward to, it’s the char-grilled oysters. They’re so decadent and delicious, that even a non-oyster lover would enjoy these. They’re topped with lemon, parsley, butter, and parmesan, and then char-grilled so you get some smoky, parmesany, butter goodness. It’s worth it.
Bowens Island – Steamed Oysters
Pictured here with my father, circa 2013
Steamed oysters are what Bowens Island is known for–and for good reason! The oysters are all locally caught, usually from around Folly Creek, and are plentiful. During season, you can even get all-you-can-eat steamed oysters, which makes you feel like you’re having your own private oyster roast.
The Darling – Pimento Baked Oysters
Pimento + Oysters… can we get any more southern?!
The Darling is an awesome restaurant–the location is fantastic, their raw bar is extensive and fresh, and their cocktails are top notch (plus all the other food on the menu is delicious as well). My favorite thing is their baked oysters with pimento & sourdough soppers. They’re super rich, but there’s only 3 of them, so not enough to get tastebud fatigue.
Oyster House / O-Bar – House Oysters on the Half Shell
These were from an oyster roast I attended at Oyster House, but their house oysters are delicious!
I’ve been to Oyster House / O-Bar a couple of times and I’ve had a really positive experience each time. The first time I went was for an oyster roast Yelp event, but I’ve come back since to try some of their oyster selections, and they definitely didn’t disappoint.
Rappahannock Oyster Bar – Oyster Shooter
Rappahannock Oyster Bar Oyster Shooter from Sydney Gallimore on Vimeo.
Rappahannock Oyster Bar only opened in Charleston last year, but they’ve already left a mark in my heart. Their oyster shooters are super unique, in that they set a shucked oyster on top of your shot glass so that you take the shot and then eat the oyster separately (or vice versa). This is great for people like me who are freaked out by the texture of oyster shooters with the oyster in the actual shot itself which just isn’t pleasant I don’t care what you say. The shot itself comes in 4 different varieties for you to choose from (vodka, mezcal, gin, and tequila), but my favorite is the vodka shot, which is made with house mignonette and is the absolute perfect oyster pairing.
Pearlz Oyster Bar – Special Varietal Oysters
Special is better, right?
I really enjoy Pearlz Little Oyster Bar in Avondale, as it’s one of the best places (and also really the only place I go) in West Ashley to get fresh oysters. Their house oysters are delicious, but I like to mix it up and get the special varietal whenever I can, just to do something different.
