Oysters are one of my very favorite food to eat, whether they’re fried, steamed, pimento’d, on a saltine with hot sauce, or charbroiled. After much discussion with other oyster loving friends, I decided to head out on an oyster crawl to find the best oysters in Raleigh. Here are the best places to stop for your own Raleigh Oyster Crawl!
Raleigh Oyster Crawl: a Complete Guide to the Best Local Oyster Bars
Raleigh Oyster Crawl Stop #1 : Locals Oyster Bar
Locals Oyster Bar, located in Transfer Co. Food Hall, is a delicious spot for oysters of all types. I’m quite fond of their oyster bar, serving up some of the best North Carolina oysters, and also their po’ boys. Meet your friends here, grab a glass of rosé and enjoy some of the best North Carolina seafood in the area.
Locals Oyster Bar is inside Transfer Co. Food Hall, which is located at 500 E Davie St, Raleigh.
Raleigh Oyster Crawl Stop #2: Whiskey Kitchen
Y’all, these fried oysters at Whiskey Kitchen are absolutely delicious! I really loved the jalapeños and lemons with them as well. I ordered that dish, which is on the small plates list and the wedged potatoes for a meal and it was amazing. I was pleasantly surprised when the chef brought out more raw oysters and they were so delicious, too.
Whiskey Kitchen is located at 201 W Martin St, Raleigh.
Raleigh Oyster Crawl Stop #3: Cortez Seafood & Cocktail
Cortez is such a fun spot on Glenwood South, and their three selections of oysters are all delicious. We tried all three types of oysters raw and then dressed all up. I definitely found my favorite to be the Core Sounders that were just raw.
Cortez Seafood and Cocktail is located at 413 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh.
Raleigh Oyster Crawl #4: The Rockford
The Rockford was the first downtown Raleigh restaurant I dined at when I moved to the city in 2009 and is still one of my all-time favorites spots. Their fried oysters are delicious–the goat cheese crema was an excellent touch!
The Rockford is located at 320 1/2 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh.
Raleigh Oyster Crawl Stop #5: St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar
St. Roch is one of my favorite spots in Raleigh and has a fun, Cajun-inspired vibe. I am a huge fan of traditional raw oysters, and their roasted oyster selection are delicious, too! My favorite is the pimiento’d because, well, pimiento cheese and jalapeños are my favorite. P.S. How cute is the decor here? I mean, I love the exterior design so much.
St. Roch is located at 223 S Wilmington St, Raleigh.
Raleigh Oyster Crawl #6: Hummingbird
These charbroiled oysters at Hummingbird were the best charbroiled oysters I’ve ever had. I cannot recommend these enough. Glory was with me and she wasn’t initially a huge oyster fan, and now she’s a believer. These paired great with a glass of sparkling rosé (for me) and a Hummingbird Fizz for Glory.
Hummingbird is located at 1053 E Whitaker Mill Rd STE 111, Raleigh.
Raleigh Oyster Crawl #7: Mandolin
Photo via Mandolin
A Raleigh restaurant staple, Mandolin offers one of the best selections of North Carolina-sourced food. I also love that Chef Fowler grows a lot of his food on Mandolin Farm to use in the restaurant as well. Mandolin offers North Carolina oysters everyday and offers them for $1 from 5:30-6:30 Sunday-Thursday.
Mandolin is located at 2519 Fairview Rd, Raleigh.
Raleigh Oyster Crawl #8: STIR
Photo via STIR
STIR is an excellent spot for fresh seafood and delightful cocktails. Every weekday during lunch (11:00-4:00), STIR offers their house oysters for $1.5 each or a dozen for $18. Grab one of their seasonal cocktails or mocktails and enjoy on the patio!
STIR Raleigh is located at 4242 Six Forks Rd #100, Raleigh.
So, there you have it–my top oyster spots in Raleigh. Do you have a favorite spot for oysters? What is your favorite type of oyster?
You can also see other Raleigh favorites here.
Special thanks to Tabletop Media and Whiskey Kitchen for their hospitality and serving up some amazing oysters. As always, all opinions are my own.
This post was originally published in 2018 and has since been updated and recirculated for 2021.
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This is wonderful! Thank you! If you have not tried vinnie’s steakhouse oysters – they are amazing! raw are alwyas so fresh!