The Oyster Shack

General information

The Oyster Shack - never has a name represented a place so literally. We're a seafood restaurant serving Devon's finest seafood from oysters to lobster to lemon sole and everything in between in a relaxed, friendly and fun atmosphere.

Established in 1989, the original ethos of The Oyster Shack was to "keep it simple", and this is an ethos which we uphold to this very day; the best local seafood, excellently cooked and served simply. Indeed if you order one of our Salcombe crabs, we cook it and crack it, but make you do all of the work! Our customers wouldn't have it any other way. Having said that we've come a long way since the days of old, so here’s a quick potted history.

Back in the late eighties, The Oyster Shack was quite a different beast altogether – merely a Shack in its most basic sense. It was actually an oyster farm, filled inside by row upon row of oyster purification tanks. Here, the oyster would be processed, after maturing in the River Avon, purified under ultra-violet lights until they were fit for consumption. Oyster lovers would arrive and buy their oysters, bringing with them a DIY lunch, shucking their oysters themselves accompanied by some crusty bread & a bottle of wine to two! Many would pitch up with their own deckchairs and wile away an afternoon in the blissful peace and quiet of the Avon valley. Before long, an enterprising local man saw an opportunity not to be missed – turning the place into a restaurant, and the rest is history, so they say!

We have until recently, remained a hidden gem in the West Country, but our hard work and high standards have been recognised, and through recommendation by customers and food critics, we have been rewarded as a member of the Top 100 Restaurants in the UK, as well as being Commended in the Michelin Guide and the Harden’s Guide, both well respected food directories. We have also appeared in the national press, and the media continue to be intrigued by our unique appeal.