Is Atlanta having a serious oyster moment? Iced oysters on the half shell have become specialties of the house at restaurants throughout the city. As I noted in this week’s feature on St. Cecilia, Ford Fry’s new Buckhead restaurant opened in the Bluepointe space, the former sushi bar has been transformed into a gorgeous raw bar that captures your attention as soon as you enter the restaurant. The restaurant serves its chilled oysters with Meyer lemon froth and bronze fennel fronds.
If you’re more of a hot sauce and crackers kind of oyster fiend, then you’ll want to try Fry’s first oyster bar at the entrance to the Optimist (914 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta, 404-477-6260), where choice East Coast and West Coast varieties are shelled nightly.
Decaturites, who’ve long known to look for a few varieties of oysters nightly at Cakes & Ale (155 Sycamore St., Decatur, 404-377-7994) have seen the local bivalve scene upended by the arrival of Kimball House (303 E. Howard Ave., Decatur, 404-378-3502), which serves more than a dozen varieties of boutique oysters nightly. Pro tip: arrive before 7 p.m. on a weeknight for oyster happy hour , when everything on the menu is half price.
In Roswell, Hugo’s Oyster Bar (10360 Alpharetta St., Roswell, 770-993-5922) doesn’t have an iced display, but no one complains when the slurping is good. The restaurant serves a variety of Southern and boutique oysters.
And if your tastes run more toward oyster shooters, fried oysters and oysters, check out these recommendations compiled by Alexa Lampasona below. Happy shucking!
— By John Kessler
1820 Peachtree Road, Atlanta
404-809-3561
Chef Joe Truex adds fried oysters to his unorthodox jambalaya. It’s a spicy mix that includes sea scallops, butter poached shrimp, grilled Andouille, crab and rice croquette and a crawfish etouffee.
102 S Main Street, Alpharetta
770-752-1888
Take your pick: gulf oysters on the half shell, boutique oysters by the piece, oysters Rockefeller with smoked bacon, spinach and Béarnaise sauce, chargrilled oysters with Andouille sausage and tabasco or fried oysters with crispy lemon and Cajun rémoulade.
1198 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta
404-365-0410
For a sophisticated twist, the kitchen serves sweet Japanese Kumamoto oysters with sea urchin, young leeks, caviar, lavosh, chervil and phytoplankton.
3344 Peachtree Road, Atlanta
404-261-6456
From the dining room, you can see the oyster bar in the open kitchen. There is always a selection of four varieties oysters on ice.
705 Town Brookhaven, Atlanta
404-846-1777
Specialty oysters are changed daily, and we recommend pairing your pick with the Louisiana “oyster shooter.” The concoction of sake, tomato juice, horseradish, seasoned salt and hot sauce are the perfect chaser. Plus, Monday through Thursday from 5 until 6:30 p.m. you can score a dozen Gulf oysters for $6.
1026 North Highland Avenue, Atlanta
404-872-0869
If you want to warm up, you’ll want the oyster stew. This creamy soup is reminiscent of clam chowder, loaded with a half-dozen oysters. Dip in some crusty bread.
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