5 Places to Find Nashville’s Best Fresh Oysters
Here's the freshest of the fresh oysters in Nashville.
As demand for fresh food grows, so then — and thankfully so — does access to fresh, never frozen options. We no longer have to travel to Prince Edward Island for Malpeques, to Massachusetts for Wellfleets, to Long Island for Blue Points, to Florida for Apalachicola, to British Columbia for Kusshis or to the Pacific Northwest for Kumamotos. Today, we can hit as many as 15 local restaurants to satisfy an oyster hankering. Save the fried, roasted and baked oysters for another time, because today we’re focusing on the best raw oysters on the half shell in Nashville. Here’s where to go for your “gotta have ’em” oyster fix (with an insider tip at the end!).
The Southern Steak & Oyster
Neighborhood: Downtown
More Info: thesouthernnashville.com
Whatever the region of your favorite oysters, The Southern Steak & Oyster is sure to satisfy. Snag a seat at the shuck-to-order oyster bar to enjoy the bustling environment of this downtown restaurant and to indulge in some of the freshest oysters around.
Marsh House
Neighborhood: The Gulch
More Info: marshhouserestaurant.com
At this new-to-Nashville restaurant, found in the Thompson Nashville hotel, you can get specialty oysters on the half shell for lunch and dinner. Additional chilled items include lemon fish, stone crab claws and yellowfin tuna.
Urban Grub
Neighborhood: 12South
More Info: urbangrub.net
Urban Grub, a 12South eatery, has been serving up oysters for about four years now and never skimps on quality. With five varieties of oysters, this meat and seafood joint keeps the customers coming back. Try this spot for lunch and dinner, or stop by on weekends to build your own seafood and charcuterie plate during brunch.
Kayne Prime
Neighborhood: The Gulch
More Info: kayneprimenashville.com
Although you will be hard pressed to order anything other than Kanye Prime’s premier selections of filet mignon, Wagyu, tenderloin, NY strip, flat iron and rib-eye, we have a feeling you might be tempted by the cold water oysters, served raw with ponzu mignonette. Order the oysters a la carte or splurge for the Fêtes de la Mer, which includes shrimp, lobster, oysters, crab and clams.
Henrietta Red
Neighborhood: Germantown
More Info: henriettared.com
Focused on seasonal contemporary cooking using fresh ingredients, Henrietta Red is one of the best places in town to settle your oyster craving. With the raw bar as one of the highlights of the entire restaurant, they will not disappoint you with their great selection of oysters and clams.
SB Insider Tip: With rotating menus, we cannot guarantee you will find oysters every day at Husk, Margot, and Miel, but they are often featured, and when they are, we can promise they are always fresh and delicious.
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Alex Hendrickson
Alex is a Southern writer known for hunting down delicious stories and traveling the world with hunger. Her passions and interests lie in food, travel, interior design and inspiring people, and her dream is to eat a dozen oysters a day.