I’ve been reading this book called “French women don’t get facelifts” by Mireille Guiliano . Seriously, who wouldn’t want to know the secrets to that?
In the book, Mme. Guilliano named oysters as one of the age defying super foods. They are packed with omega-3 fatty acid, vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc potassium, They are low in fat and high in protein. Great for healthy hair and skin. Oysters are harvested year-round in the United States so we don’t necessarily have to wait for the ‘R’ months to eat them.
Several friends have asked me where is a good place to eat oysters in Seattle. So here are a few of my favorite spots in town, along with their pricing.
Taylor Shellfish: where else to have these delicious molluscs but the farm itself.
A dozen oysters at TSF (Shucker’s dozen) costs $30. The variety changes based on season and availability. Yesterday, I had a sample of Olympia, Shigoku, Peale Passage, Virginica, & Kumamoto (as shown above clockwise). The Olympia oyster is a true west coast native, it has a high copper content and a concentrated metallic taste. One tiny piece costs $2.50, but it is worth every penny of it. And did I mention, the Olys are Mark Twain’s favorite oysters back in the old days. What a fine taste he has!
The Shigoku oyster is a TSF cultivation. It is tide tumbled twice a day, and has a deep scoop shape. It is one of my favorite oysters year round and if you are lucky to be at TSF during happy hour (Monday-Friday 4-6pm), you can have a dozen of Shigokus for $18. That’s $1.50 a piece.
Speaking of happy hours, The Brooklyn downtown has fresh shucker-selected oysters for $1.75 per piece from 4pm to 6pm every day.
The selections are decent if you are able to land a seat at the bar. Excellent choice before attending a concert at Benaroya Hall.
Elliott’s Oyster House has a progressive oyster happy hour starting at 3pm Monday through Friday, chef’s choice of the day:
3:00pm– $1.50
4:00pm– $2.00
5:00pm– $2.50
After 6 o’clock, the price resumes to normal – between $2.75 and $3.75 depends on the oyster. Because of its location, next to Pier 56, with a good amount of tourist traffic, I have had trouble getting a seat at the bar over the years. There’s always a wait, but if you are lucky enough to get a spot in front of the shuckers, you can strike some interesting conversation with them.
Miyabi 45th in Wallingford has $1 off oysters before 6pm daily:
But on Tuesdays they offer $1 oysters all day. Now that’s a steal. Their oysters come with with lemon wedges, ponzu and kiwi mignonette.
And finally a Seattle oyster tale is not complete without mentioning The Walrus and the Carpenter:
Their oyster credentials include:
- The Foodist’s 10 Favorite Oyster Bars Across America by BON APPETIT
- The Best Oyster Palaces and Raw Bars in Seattle by SEATTLE MAGAZINE
- Taste Tour: Awesome Oyster Bars in the U.S. by ZAGAT
- 5 Of Seattle’s Tastiest Oyster Bars by KOMO NEWS
- 9 Places To Eat Oysters Around The United States by FOOD REPUBLIC
- 10 Great Places to Savor Oysters on the Half Shell by USA TODAY
Their oysters are priced between $2.75 and $3.75. Half off during happy hour Monday through Thursday 4-5pm, 25% off from 5 to 6pm. Walk-in customers only on a first come first server basis. So be there and/or be in line.
There you have it, my five favorite oyster places in Seattle.
Eat oysters live longer!
Good oyster places in Seattle:
Travel-Gourmand.com 