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“There are so many go-to dishes – like the lobster roll, the crab cake, fisherman’s stew, fried oysters, and chicken salad – that are the comfort foods people come here for,” said Campoli. Italian Market shoppers may know Anastasi as one of Philly’s best seafood stores, where customers line up to order raw fish from the busy counter. Come night time, though, the fishmonger becomes a casual sit-down restaurant. The menu is a bit of a throwback, offering clams casino, oysters Rockefeller, broiled fish, garlic bread, and fried combos with a little of everything — and sometimes that’s exactly what you’re looking for.
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Thank you so much Chef who created this dish. And also your staff are very nice, made us had a great time to enjoy the food. Philly is rich with steak, burgers, and barbecue, but what about meals from under the sea? Sure, most neighborhoods have a great sushi joint. Until 2008, the former Walnut Street landmark Striped Bass boosted the city’s fish cred, but for a while there, seafood destinations were few and far between. Fast forward 15 years later, and seafood cuisine is rising in our city.
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Best spots to get oysters in Philly - The Philadelphia Inquirer
Best spots to get oysters in Philly.
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On an unassuming corner in Delaware County, the Original Clam Tavern throws it back with a menu straight out of the 1960s. Find broiled flounder, stuffed shrimp, fried oysters, and crab-topped everything. Baked clams with a dot of ketchup on each middleneck are a favorite at this come-as-you-are spot.
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While their lobster roll is legendary, don’t miss out on their flavorful New England clam chowder and spicy lobster pasta. When Greg Vernick does something, he does it right. Known for his eponymous Rittenhouse destination, the chef — who rose through the ranks in the Jean Georges empire — opened Vernick Fish at the new Comcast Technology Center in 2019.
LGBTQ&A: Sam Mink - Philadelphia magazine
LGBTQ&A: Sam Mink.
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Seafood Tower

The Reading Terminal Market eatery also offers modern takes like crab mac and cheese and a salmon burger. Some places just nail it every time and — when it comes to seafood — Little Fish is one of those restaurants. The Queen Village BYO offers just two dozen seats, sometimes making it a tough reservation to get.
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Third-generation owner Sam Mink has kept the space inviting with regular refreshes, while the menu leans classic. This is the spot for shrimp cocktail, clam chowder, seared scallops, and grilled fish — plus a buzzy Tuesday through Friday happy hour. Oyster House also has one of Philly’s best gin selections, for those who like a cold martini with their raw bar. Who doesn’t like an old fashioned oyster bar? For 40 years, Pearl’s has been a place for locals and tourists to dig into classic seafood dishes like Maryland crab soup and fried flounder.
Roasted Oysters & Clams
It’s his love letter to the Jersey Shore cuisine he grew up eating, but with elevated ingredients, technique, and presentation. Vernick Fish is a decidedly elegant experience with diners enjoying the likes of scallop crudo, squid ink tagliatelle, and swordfish milanese amid plush seating, mood lighting, and quality beverages. Don’t miss the broiled ‘oysters Philadelphia’ that masquerade as a hoagie with genoa salami, provolone, crunchy brioche, and broccoli rabe. If waiting outside on Sansom Street on a weekend night is your version of a nightmare, opt for a bowl of New England clam chowder during lunch when it’s not crowded. But if you’re with a small group for dinner in Center City (and didn’t snag a reservation), this classic is worth the wait. Up Broad Street, Sid Booker’s keeps it simple with butterflied fried shrimp by the half dozen or dozen, plus a few sides.
Vernick Fish
Almost all of the plates work family-style. Of course you want a platter of oysters, but the smoked bluefish dip and roasted clams XO are also great starters. The New England-style lobster roll is lemony, mayo-y goodness, and the Maryland crab cake is reliably crispy. Sure, Philly has lots of great seafood options, but we’re far from a fishing village, and great oyster bars are hard to come by. Oyster House has long been the city’s best, and the hour-plus wait for seats on a nightly basis is a testament to the longstanding quality and great service. This loud and lively place works for almost anyone and for almost any occasion, which is a whale-sized part of the restaurant’s charm.
The Olde Bar
The casual, long-running spot is popular among the late night crowd looking for satisfying food after a night out. There’s not a bad dish to be had here, though some are just okay. While they’re as pretty as the vintage oyster plates hanging on the walls, there’s no reason to get the undercooked scallops or the (very) under-seasoned clambake for two. Here, they talk about what they love about seafood, why they prefer East Coast oysters to West Coast oysters, and what goes into the Oyster House mirepoix. Both chefs have spent the majority of their careers at Oyster House. Waters moved away in 2015 to the West Coast, but after returning to Philadelphia in 2022, he was brought back on as the chef de cuisine.
Follow this map to find great Philly fish, seafood towers, and so much more. If not, welcome—you must have arrived in Philly five minutes ago. Otherwise, you’re already more than familiar with this classic seafood restaurant and oyster bar. After more than forty years, it’s still one of Center City’s buzziest spots for post-work drinks, big group dinners, and everything in between. There’s no need to travel to Maine for their popular lobster rolls when Luke’s Lobster is right here. This hotspot in Rittenhouse has garnered a reputation for producing fresh seafood that makes the ultimate take-out for lunch or dinner.
Perhaps the key to walking the line between carrying on a legacy and staying relevant is having people who grow with the restaurant. They both have spent a large part of their culinary careers working at Oyster House, and at one point, Waters was actually Campoli’s boss. Regardless of titles, they both agree that they’re always learning something new from each other and from the staff on their team. But if you ask us, we’d recommend extending an invitation to the friends who have a gold star in sharing.