A dozen raw oysters from Mink in Corktown. Photos: Samuel Robinson/Axios
👋🏼 Sam here. We're in the thick of summer and for me, that means ordering a dozen oysters at every restaurant that serves them.
The intrigue: We're not known for great seafood, and when I asked for the best spot, some locals replied and said it doesn't even exist.
- I'm here to prove the doubters wrong. Here are five of the best places to get oysters in Detroit:
Empire Kitchen & Cocktails: These $24 per half dozen East Coast oysters are big and come with a sweet mignonette.
- They're much bigger than those at other places I've tried and a better bang for your buck than the much smaller West Coast oysters served at nearby favorite Grey Ghost.
Bar Pigalle: The Brush Park staple serves $24 per half dozen raw oysters with either a vinaigrette/mignonette-type dressing and a bottled house hot sauce.
Selden Standard: The $20 per half dozen oysters here taste fresh and come with classic mignonette.
- The restaurant's homemade hot sauce has a rich, deep flavor.
The Statler: I was surprised that this French restaurant has the second-best oysters that I tried on this mission.
- The Statler offers East (salty) or West Coast (sweet) oysters at market price and serves them with mignonette and an excellent homemade cocktail sauce.
Mink: Without much debate, at least in my eyes, Mink serves the best oysters in Detroit ($44 per dozen). Along with a variety of oysters, the Corktown bar also offers an $85 five-course chef's tasting menu, which includes two sweet and savory oysters each (East Coast fermented strawberry and West Coast fermented tomato water).
- Take your shellfish-friendly significant other here and have your mind blown like mine was.
Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Detroit.
More Detroit stories
No stories could be found
Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios Detroit.