Sydney's Best Places To Eat Oysters

Nicki Alchin
6th Sep 2018

Spring has sprung and before we know it summer will pop along too. These seasons are a perfect time to be enjoying the great Australian outdoors with a glass of wine and of course a dozen oysters. Sydney Scoop has done the fork work for you on the top five locations for Spring/Summer 2018 to get your oyster on.

1. Sydney Oyster Bar

Where: No. 1 East Circular Quay- literally on the water’s edge
Phone: +61 2 9247 2937 (bookings and walk ins accepted)
Hours: 7 days a week from 11am until late
Instagram, Twitter, Faccebook: @scoysterbar

Vibe: Glamour view of Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Harbour. Casual yet elegant, sophisticated outdoor setting with an impressively strong focus on seafood but also catering to those who love a steak. Don’t overlook the drinks and dessert offerings either. Cocktails, beer, cider, wine and coffee are all on offer. Oyster Bar were just awarded a Two Glass (Excellent) Rating by the Australian Wine List of the Year Awards 2018 for their world class wine list of some 163 different wines. Fully licensed, no BYO.

The oysters are shucked fresh to order and sourced directly from the farmers. Sydney rock oysters have been sourced from Wonboyn, Pambula and Merimbula; the Pacific oysters from Smoky Bay in South Australia and Angasi oysters from Pambula. You can order them natural, by the shot or Kilpatrick (and we'd rate them the best Oysters Kilpatrick in Sydney).

2. The Morrison Bar and Oyster Room

Where: 225 George Street, Sydney
Phone: +61 2 9247 6744
Hours: main area opens at 11.30am 7 days a week with varied closing times
Instagram, Facebook: @themorrisonsydney

Vibe: A bustling New York styled public city bar with craft beers on tap serving up freshly shucked oysters all served with frovm vinegar and lemon to the masses. Daily specials are also available. Well known for their oyster festival each August with the $1 oyster special – start getting psyched for next year. Fully licenced, no BYO

Frank Theodore of De Costi Seafoods sources the oysters so expect excellent quality of Sydney Rocks and Pacifics from potentially 20 regions of pristine waters across Australia. You can sip your beer in the saloon public bar area while you watch with your own eyes the shucking process. You can currently find on the menu Sydney Rocks from the NSW townships of Wallis Lake, Port Stephens, Lake Wapengo, Pambula, Merimbula, and Womboyn; and Pacifics are coming from three locations in South Australia - Smoky Bay, Coffin Bay, Port Douglas and two in Tasmania – Little Swanport and St Helens.

3. The Bishop – Wine / Food / People

Where: 527 Crown Street, Surry Hills
Phone: +61 2 8065 7223
Hours: Tuesday to Friday 4pm to midnight, Saturday midday to midnight
Instagram, Facebook: @thebishopwinebar

Vibe: A cool little wine bar in the heart of Surry Hills that has morphed from the fine diner Bishop Sessa. Casually sophisticated informal venue serving up decent wine(over 30 wines by the glass and almost 200 on the list – this list received two Goblets in the 2018 Australia’s Wine List of the Year Award) ) and food. They currently have an exceptional oyster offer – The Lobster Special - $20 (colloquially known as a lobster) for three oysters (with pepperberry and fingerlime) and your choice of a Tanqueray gin martini or glass of French Champagne. Fully licenced, no BYO.

The food has been designed to savour with wine (think oysters, cheese and chacuteries). The kitchen is under the helm of Troy Spencer, ex co-owner of fine diner Spencer Guthrie (Newtown), and more recently from TarraWarra Estate (Yarra Valley) where his efforts resulted in the restaurant’s first chef’s hat in the 2018 National Good Food Guide.

The Bishop Wine Bar has an Oyster Offer – Tuesday to Friday 4pm to 7pm until 30 November 2018.

Empire Lounge

Where: Sydney Seaplanes Terminal - Lyne Park, New South Head Road, Rose Bay (opposite Royal Sydney Golf Club)
Phone: +61 2 9388 3884
Hours: Wednesday and Thursday 8am to 5pm, Friday to Sunday 8am to 8pm
Instagram: @empireloungesydney
Twitter: @SydneySeaplanes
Facebook: @EmpireLoungeSSP

Vibe: Elegant casual luxury waterfront venue created to serve Sydney Sea Plane guests, ferry commuters and foodies alike. Think stylish departure lounge, restaurant, cocktail bar, event space and flying boat museum. Extensive breakfast (until 11.30am) and lunch menus and fabulous wine and cocktail lists. Fully licensed, no BYO.

A great place to slurp up some oysters (yuzu honey and eschallots) and a range of other seafood, especially during their weekly SundaySesh with DJs from 3pm and $12 cocktail of the day.

Saint Peter

Where: 362 Oxford Street, Paddington
Phone: +61 2 8937 2530
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday 5.30pm to late, Friday (Lunch / Dinner) midday to 2pm / 5.30pm to late, Saturday and Sunday (Brunch / Dinner) 11am to 3pm / 5.30pm to late
Instagram: @saintpeterpaddo
Twitter: @mrniland
Facebook: @saintpeterpaddington

Vibe: A cosy Paddington fish eatery by Joshua Niland showcasing Australian sustainably sourced seafood prepared expertly and served without fuss. Menu changes daily depending on what’s can be sourced each morning. A sample of the oyster selection you could find on the menu includes Wonboyn Rock, Petit Clair, and Old Tathra oysters.

Extensive lunch/dinner and brunch seafood menus (no meat at all). Fully licensed, no BYO. The majority of the wines are available by the glass. Josh is a highly regarded up and coming chef. Saint Peter recently received the honour of being placed at Number 11 in in the 2017 Australia’s Top 100 Restaurants Award.