Dining
The 6 Best Oyster Bars in London
Six London counters that take oysters seriously, from a Cornish-farmed dozen in Borough Market to a Victorian City room that has shucked the same Colchester natives since 1889.
In short: our top picks are Wright Brothers Borough Market, Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill and Wiltons. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
An oyster is mostly about the half hour around it. The good rooms know this, which is why the best ones in London are counters rather than tables: a stool, a cold glass, someone shucking an arm’s length away. The native season runs September to April, when the Colchester and West Mersea oysters come into their own; the rest of the year it’s rocks, which are perfectly happy company. We’ve left out the hotel rooftops trading on the view and the brasseries where oysters are a token gesture. What follows are the places that treat them as the main event, where the ice is deep, the muscadet or chablis is poured without ceremony, and nobody minds if a dozen is the whole order.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Wright Brothers Borough Market | Borough | |
| Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill | Mayfair | |
| Wiltons | ££££ | |
| J Sheekey Atlantic Bar | Covent Garden | £££ |
| Richard Haward's Oysters | Borough | ££ |
| Sweetings | City of London | £££ |
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Editor’s choice
Wright Brothers Borough Market
Why we pick itThe original site, run by two seafood merchants who farm their own oysters on the Helford in Cornwall, so freshness is rarely in doubt. Come for the £1 oyster happy hour, Monday to Wednesday, 3pm to 6pm, and stay for the porter.
Seafood and oyster restaurant
-
Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill
Why we pick itOpen since 1916 and looked after by Richard Corrigan since 2005. The ground-floor marble bar is the spot: perch on a stool, watch the shuckers work, and order a dozen with brown bread and a glass of guinness or chablis.
Mayfair oyster bar and grill
-
Wiltons
Why we pick itIt started as a Haymarket oyster stall in 1742, which makes it just about the most senior name on this list. The oyster bar by the door is the unstuffy way in: a half dozen natives, a glass of something white, and a window onto Jermyn Street.
Traditional British fish and game
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J Sheekey Atlantic Bar
Why we pick itThe buzzier annexe to Sheekey's, going since 1896 and still a post-theatre habit. A marble-topped dining bar for necking freshly shucked oysters, with the kitchen's fish pie on hand if a dozen turns into supper.
Theatreland seafood bar
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Richard Haward's Oysters
Why we pick itEighth-generation Mersea oystermen who have been working the Essex creeks since 1792. Stand at the stall, pick your Colchester natives or Mersea rocks, and they shuck them in front of you to go with a glass of chilled white. No frills, properly good.
Borough Market oyster stall
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Sweetings
Why we pick itA City institution since 1889 that opens only for weekday lunch and takes no bookings, so you queue for a counter stool. The West Mersea oysters and black velvet are the order, served amid original tiling and etched glass that time forgot.
Victorian fish and oyster room
Before you book
Lunch is the civilised slot and easier to walk into; counters rarely take bookings, so arrive before one. Native season (September to April) is the one to plan around. Reckon on roughly £18 to £30 a half dozen depending on the room. Sweetings is weekday lunch only and cash-friendly, Richard Haward’s is a stall so go early, and the rest take reservations for tables but keep counter seats for walk-ins.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Wright Brothers Borough Market is our editor's choice: The original site, run by two seafood merchants who farm their own oysters on the Helford in Cornwall, so freshness is rarely in doubt. Come for the £1 oyster happy hour, Monday to Wednesday, 3pm to 6pm, and stay for the porter. Wright Brothers Borough Market, Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill and Wiltons lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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