Where To Go When You Just Want Some Oysters In London

The Cow Special is undoubtedly the best food and drink combo in London. Forget whether Tom Cruise or one of Jude Law’s angular offspring are in the corner of this celeb-favourite pub and restaurant in Notting Hill, and just focus on what’s in front of you. Specifically, the six Jersey rock oysters and a pint of Guinness. They’re delicate and crispy, and the perfect foil for a creamy pint of the black stuff. Which is, incidentally, expertly poured too.

The battle cry of this great little seafood stall in Borough Market is “Yyy-oysters, come and get your oyy-sters!”. Banter flies, cash-only deals are offered with old-school charm, and a bed of ice is topped with things that look like deep-sea Pokémon. There are different oysters to choose from and gloriously, they all sound like a marquess in the making—Louët-Feisser, Boudeuse, Gillardeau. The latter are the perfect creamy counterpart for a liberal pour of the zingy, self-serve mignonette. There isn’t any seating so as soon as they’re shucked, it’s ‘shells up’ time.

If you go down to the woods today, you’ll find one of London’s best spots for seafood. OK, technically Oyster Shack is in Essex, deep in Epping Forest, but it’s within the M25. Don’t be fooled by the basic set-up—a hut with terrace seating out front. This is where in-the-know bikers and families crowd around platters of fat, juicy Carlingford oysters. Get a pint of Guinness from the pub next door—it’s the perfect accompaniment to a dozen of Scotland or Ireland’s finest. For something from closer to home, there are crisp Maldon or Jersey oysters.

Wiltons has been open in some form for over 280 years. In restaurant terms, that most definitely counts as ‘a hot minute’ and should be all the proof you need that you’re in safe hands for a winning oyster experience. The business was originally a fishmonger that has morphed into London’s ultimate old-school seafood restaurant in St James's, and the servers take everything from shucking to presentation very seriously. It’s eye-wateringly expensive, but worth it for the opportunity to gobble up a slice of London dining history alongside your Loch Ryan natives. The little muslin cover for the lemon is a classy touch too. 

The oysters at the Guinea Grill get lonely without a Guinness sidekick. Behold, the kind of lie we tell ourselves to enable this dynamic duo. When you hit up this teeny tiny Mayfair pub for a half dozen rock oysters, a pint of the black stuff just makes sense. There’s a somewhat stuffy dining room out back with white tablecloths and—deep breath—portraits of roosters, but the bar is where you want to be for a gloriously simple oyster experience. 

If you like your oysters with a side of “check out that view”, then you’re going to be really into Seabird. It could be easy to dismiss this very bougie Southwark restaurant as another rooftop cocktail bar masquerading as an overpriced restaurant. It isn’t. The selection of oysters is a who’s who of the mollusc world, with options from Essex to France, and the staff will happily guide you through your options with zero judgment and plenty of expert intel. 

The oysters at this relaxed seafood mini-chain once made us compare an unsuspecting Carlingford to Ryan Gosling’s fictional unicorn milk-spiked tears. We make no apologies. If you consider yourself a bit of an oyster freak, try the cooked, butter-loaded rockefeller variety but we prefer the quintessential raw oysters from France, Ireland, and Scotland. There are locations in Borough Market and South Kensington, but our favourite is the Battersea restaurant for the excellent river views. 

Referring to your oyster shuckers as “more chilled than a dozen of Loch Ryan’s finest” could raise eyebrows in some circles. But as people who refer to themselves as ‘athletes’ every time they manage more than 80 steps per day, we salute Bentley’s confidence. A classic West End seafood restaurant with a big heated terrace, Bentley’s is a great place to sip champagne over a dozen oysters. Some of the mains can be a little hit or miss, but the rockefeller dressed oysters are always a good call. 

Parsons is the Covent Garden equivalent of the wardrobe that leads to Narnia. Hear us out. This tiny British seafood restaurant is the kind of place you could walk past countless times and not realise that there are magical things like Fine de Claire rock oysters and buttermilk-fried monkfish hiding inside. It’s a simple, classy set-up but the window seats are where you want to be for an oyster-fuelled date night. 

There are old-school seafood restaurants and then there’s Sweetings. This Grade II-listed building has been serving oysters for over a century. That’s almost as long as we’ve been telling ourselves we’ll open a savings account. This City spot is a strictly weekday lunchtime affair, and you’ll undoubtedly see fish on ice in the window and businessmen on their second Black Velvet inside. Heads up, it only serves two types of oysters—both native to Essex—so it might not be the best bet if you want variety, but it’s still a classic London dining experience. 

Right, you are going for oysters and you are not messing around. You’re going to wear something that—from very, very far away—looks like Chanel. You’re going to drink an alarming amount of champagne. Most importantly, you’re going to document your dozen Louët-Feissers all on social media. When you want all of the above, we’d recommend this elegant Covent Garden seafood spot. J Sheekey has a moody, glamorous horseshoe oyster bar which is the place to be when you want to feel like an exceedingly charismatic heir who just happened to be in the mood for molluscs. 

Every city needs a seriously expensive seafood spot to trot out for anniversaries and big-deal birthdays, and this is ours. To do Scott’s properly, book a table out on the terrace, order some Dom, and be prepared to spend those big bucks. Choose between a variety of classic oysters or tempura fried ones that come with ponzu aioli, or get the mixed plate with wild boar sausages. There’s a Scott’s in Mayfair and Richmond, but the Richmond terrace has pinch-me river views and the option to order jalapeño-dressed Carlingfords. 

Contrary to what Gloria Gaynor might think, it is entirely possible to have fun without the presence of a disco ball. But they do help. Soho seafood institution Randall & Aubin not only has a disco ball in the dining room but it’s also one of the only places in London where you can casually order 24 huitres—that’s oysters in French, say it with the confidence of Gloria. You can’t go wrong with the native or Irish oysters, but know that if you’re rolling with a group it’s worth getting involved in the plat de fruits de mer, which includes everything from six rock oysters to a whole dressed crab.