7 Spots to Enjoy Oysters in London this Season

Oysters are a delicacy that come with their own set of gossipy conceptions (or misconceptions). Are they really a certified aphrodisiac? Are they only enjoyed knocked back raw or reserved as a luxury item? And can they only be eaten in the months that contain the letter ‘R’? Well, although rock oysters can be enjoyed all year round, here in the UK this ‘myth’ is somewhat true for native oysters. During the summer months, these oysters channel all of their energy into spawning. This converts their glycogen stores (where all the flavour comes from) into reproductive cells, leading to an oyster that is bitter, milky and all-round, not too pleasant. The period of time from September to April is the time to have native oysters at their very best. Here we share seven top spots around London to shuck and tuck into oysters this ‘R’ season.

Zum Barbarossa, Soho

Sumptuously red-lit Soho speakeasy, Zum Barbarossa, presents itself first and foremost as an all-in-one cocktail bar and club. A long list of chic cocktail twists from Hot Honey Highballs to Key Lime Sours are accompanied by glamorous small plates and nibbles including (you guessed it) oysters. Having had punchy mignonettes served with their oysters in the past, from a passionfruit and lime oil dressing to a prosecco and shallot vinaigrette with strawberry pearls, Zum Barbarossa are no stranger to big flavours on little bites (or slurps). Currently on the menu are Japanese dressed oysters that come in sets of three (£16) topped with soy, ponzu and tobiko, served alongside other lavish seafood nibbles like Oscietra caviar and blinis, seabass ceviche and tuna tataki.

Find out more and book a table at Zum Barbarossa via zumbarbarossa.com/london

Piraña, Mayfair

Led by ex-Nobu chef Mark Morrans, Piraña has been a hit in Mayfair with its late-night Japanese Peruvian fare since its opening last July. In this electric corner of St James’ Street, they serve up Gillardeau oysters. Known as the “Rolls-Royce of Oysters” for their distinctive sweetness and plump texture, this premium French shellfish has been specially cultivated with traditional methods by the Gillardeau family since 1898. If the uniquely nutty flavour profile and scallop-shaped shells don’t give it away, each authentic Gillardeau oyster is emblazoned with a laser-engraved ‘G’ on its rocky armour. At Piraña, these oysters are served two ways: Classico (£50 for six), with fresh lime, Champagne vinegar and tabasco or Piraña Especial (£55 for six) with ponzu, passionfruit and yuzu granita.

Find out more and book a table at Piraña via piranalondon.com

Noisy Oyster, Shoreditch

Serving the shelled delights shucked to order, the Noisy Oyster is Shoreditch’s newest modern seafood bistro and martini bar. A place for oysters at every time of year, Chef Alfie Bahnan rotates the oyster offering by location depending on seasonality (something that he claims is often overlooked in oysters). Available in sets of six and twelve (£22/40), Bahnan incorporates three different oyster varieties into the platter to coax guests into sampling a range. These are accompanied with lemon and shallot vinegar to your personal taste. As for the dressed oysters, served by the piece (£5.5), these arrive drenched with innovative mignonettes including horseradish crème fraiche and smoked tomato water.

Find out more and book a table at Noisy Oyster via noisyoysterlondon.co.uk

Ekstedt at The Yard, Westminster

Moving away from raw oysters and turning up the heat is Ekstedt at The Yard, the Westminster-based Scandinavian restaurant renowned for its open-fire cooking. This smoky sensation in Great Scotland Yard is led by Swedish Michelin-starred chef Niklas Ekstedt, whose speciality is the Flambadou oyster. Prepared using the traditional Flambadou technique, the oysters are basted in molten beef fat using a red-hot cone over open flames (a spectacle that guests are invited to watch) before being doused in silky beurre blanc sauce.

Ekstedt’s Flambadou oysters are a key dish in the restaurant’s tasting menus, each exploring the cuisine of Scandinavia with blazing dishes such as Birch Fire Trout and Hay Smoked Duck with ember baked beetroot, elderflower and cherry (starting from £95 for four courses).

Find out more about Ekstedt's tasting menus and book a table via ekstedtattheyard.com

Fenchurch, The City

Wading through the tropical high-rise greenery of Sky Garden and up a winding glass staircase, you reach the vibrant modern Caribbean flavours of Fenchurch. Led by Chef Kerth Gumbs, this City spot takes first place for the best seafood dish I’ve experienced in London and I’ll bring it up at any given moment. Although this melt-in-the-mouth grilled salmon is no longer a menu item, its quality is worth noting when it comes to the current mains on offer including Roasted Halibut with Curried Mussels and Pan Seared Seabass with Saltfish Creole Pepper Stew. Back to what we’re here for, the oysters! Here on the 37th floor of the Walkie Talkie you can find them in sets of two (£10) embellished with refreshing cucumber and Vietnamese dressing.

Later this month on the 25th of September, Fenchurch are also hosting an exclusive Bordeaux Wine Dinner with Edmond de Rothschild Wines. Limited to 14 places and priced at £175pp, the night leads guests through a tasting menu paired with rare vintage wines curated by Head Sommelier, Alex Pastrav. The night commences with native oysters alongside beef tartare with smoked oyster emulsion and cured egg yolk, topped off with an opening glass of Barons de Rothschild Blanc de Blancs. The evening will then unfold into a night of delectable dishes from lobster ravioli to aged fillet of beef, washed back with some of Bordeaux’s most celebrated reds.

Find out more and book a table at Fenchurch via skygarden.london/restaurants/fenchurch/ and book a space at the Bordeaux Wine Dinner here.

Rick Stein, Barnes

From the TV screen and the lines of cookery books on my parent’s kitchen shelves, Rick Stein is no doubt considered the UK’s most well-known seafood chef. Marking 50 years since Stein opened the doors of The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow Harbour, Londoners are in for a taste of Cornwall as his Thames-side restaurant in Barnes presents a limited-edition four-course menu of his most iconic dishes from the past five decades (£70pp). The meal is opened by fresh Dorset oysters, farmed in the waters of Poole Harbour and served natural or Charentaise (partnered with spicy sausage and a glass of cold white wine). The menu then transcends into classics from lemon sole with shrimp and brown butter to Rick’s Indonesian seafood curry.

If it’s only the oysters that you’re after, the á la carte menu offers the same Dorset oysters served in sets of three or six (£18/36) with shallot and red wine vinegar dressing.

Find out more and book a table at Rick Stein Barnes via rickstein.com/restaurants/rick-stein-barnes

Origin City, Farringdon

Farringdon farm-to-fork restaurant, Origin City, is (like its namesake) all about origin, with all of the meats pasture raised from its family farm in Argyll, Scotland. As for the seafood, the transparent notion is just the same, with it all being sourced from its sister aquafarm, Loch Fyne Oysters. These strong ties to Scottish aquafarms mean that the restaurant receives the freshest oysters weekly and can rotate the different types regularly so you never know what you’re in for! Now, as we enter peak season, an Oyster Tasting Menu is on offer from 3-6pm Tuesday to Friday and on Saturdays from 4-7pm. £2 each or a dozen for £21, the oysters are served with an arrayed choice of toppings from fresh lemon and tabasco to more unorthodox condiments of apple balsamic, Namjim (a Thai sweet chilli sauce) or Siracha ketchup. The á la carte menu also offers crispy oysters with pancetta and sauce ravigote as a warming alternative that remains in the spirit of the 'R' season.

Find out more and book a table at Origin City via origincity.co.uk