This article was first published in September 2019. It was last updated on September 16, 2020.

Love oysters? Here are the 9 best restaurants to devour oysters in Charlotte.

Oysters can be enjoyed year-round, but the old-school rule of thumb is to eat them during the months that contain the letter “r” — September through April, the cooler months.

Below is a list (in no specific order) of the top oysters spots in Charlotte.

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Honorable mention: Boardwalk Billy’s and Dogwood Southern Table. Due to coronavirus, not every restaurant has consistent availability to oysters and many restaurant have scaled down their menus. When oysters return, it’s worth a visit to both.

Note: The availability of oysters varies from week to week. Be sure to call before you go.

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RockSalt

Farm-to-table spot in the Back Lot of Park Road Shopping Center featuring oysters and clams from their sister Rappahannock Oyster Company

Oysters: Owner Travis Croxton also owns an oyster farm in Virginia. Expect a variety of oysters, including grilled with herb butter, preserved lemon, or tomato jam. RockSalt does a $1 oyster “happy hour” from 4-6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

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Sea Level

Seafood restaurant and oyster bar in the heart of Uptown

Deal: Sea Level offers oysters for $1 from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Sea Level typically has 8-10 different types of oysters.

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STIR

New South End restaurant with an oyster bar

Oysters: STIR’s oyster bar has raw, char-broiled, fried oysters casino, and oysters Rockefeller. Speciality rotating oysters are $3 each.

Full story: Oyster and cocktail bar STIR is now open in South End’s RailYard

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Fin & Fino

Spacious, well designed Uptown spot featuring seafood and American dishes

Oyster situation: Expect a rotating daily selection of oysters, including Rappahannock and Olde Salt. Most oysters are about $3 each.

Go big: Go on a tasting tour of F&F’s menu and order “The Treatment” for $59. $5 of that goes to charity; the current charity is Heal Charlotte.

[Related Agenda guide: The 20 best restaurants in Charlotte, right now]

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Growler’s Pourhouse

Cozy bar in the heart of NoDa know for its good bar food

Oyster situation: Their limited menu during the pandemic includes roasted oysters ($15). In pre-corona times, Growler’s had 3-4 oyster selections with a focus on Atlantic varietals. It was also one of the only spots in town that you could order 50 oysters at a time (chef’s selection for $90).

Beverage: Order the oyster shooter with a Pourhouse Point oyster, cocktail sauce, lemon juice, cracked black pepper, and Absolut Peppar Vodka.

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Eddie V’s

Seafood and steakhouse in Uptown

Oyster situation: Eddie V’s offers a handful of east and west coast oyster options served on ice with cocktail and mignonette sauces.

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The Crunkleton

Popular cocktail bar in Elizabeth

Oyster options: You can order them raw with charred lemon, mignonette, horseradish, and saltines — or charred with pecorino, blackening spice, and hearth bread. Each option comes with a half-dozen oysters for $18.

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Hello, Sailor

Award-winning restaurant overlooking Lake Norman

Creators: Owners are Joe and Katy Kindred, the couple behind the hit restaurant Kindred in Davidson (side note: when you go to Kindred, obviously get their famous Crispy Oysters).

Dish: East vs west coast oysters with fernet mignonette.

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The Waterman

Casual fish bar in South End with an 80-seat rooftop bar dubbed Topside

Oyster options: Usually about six types of oysters, including Sea Level oysters and Delaware Wilds.

Deal: $1 oysters from 2-7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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