Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Gems at Pearl Oyster Bar
By
Laren Spirer
Published Aug 5, 2004
Modified Mar 6, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Laren Spirer
Published Aug 5, 2004
Modified Mar 6, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
There's nothing like a hot summer night to bring on cravings for New England seafood. Visions of clam shacks on the coast and tearing into lobsters at picnic tables were enough to send us racing to Pearl Oyster Bar the other night.
Now the subject of the best lobster roll in New York has been hotly debated, but Pearl's has always landed near the top of the list. But don't forget the other items on the menu -- fresh oysters are always a great starter, as is the bucket of steamers, but Gothamist's favorite appetizer is the fried oysters. They're lightly battered and fried to a light crispy perfection, not at all heavy or greasy, and are paired with a homemade tartar sauce. Just in case you need more than the appetizer portion provides, they're also available on a po' boy. The fried oyster po' boy and the lobster roll are both served with thinly cut shoestring french fries, which are perked up with an optional dash of malt vinegar. Be sure to save space for dessert -- the hot fudge sundae is a classic.
Pearl Oyster Bar until relatively recently was just that -- a bar. Although they expanded into the space next door and now have proper sit-down tables, Gothamist prefers to eat at the bar for the original oyster bar feel.
In case you can't make it to Pearl Oyster Bar in person, chef and owner Rebecca Charles' cookbook, Lobster Rolls and Blueberry Pie, allows you to relive her coastal Maine summers through recipes and stories.
Pearl Oyster Bar, 18 Cornelia St. between Bleecker and W. 4th St., West Village, 212-691-8211.
Tagged
bar
Cornelia St
food
french fries
gothamist
new england
new york
oyster bar
pearl oyster bar
rebecca charles
restaurants
Shopping
west village
Laren Spirer
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Sep 12, 2026
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
Food
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Can a congressional candidate's dumpling diplomacy win over Queens’ immigrant communities?
By
Caroline Shin
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .