Richmond Oysters started its life way back in 1959, when brothers Nick and Tony Anassis opened a small shopfront next to a rail line on Church Street in Richmond. The story goes that one of the brothers stayed in the store, shucking oysters and selling them to the locals, while the other brother drove around town, sprucing their wares to all the bars, pubs and restaurants. From their early successes, the business has now grown into a family-run retail store, wholesaler, takeaway fish and chip joint and excellent fine dining restaurant.
They're all about family and tradition here — plus, many a restaurateur in Melbourne learnt their trade shucking away at Richmond Oysters. It is a proper Melbourne dining institution.
The restaurant itself opened back in 2006 and boasts an elegant dining room where the vibe is sophisticated but not too formal. The dining menu features a map of Australia, detailing where along the coast it sources its produce. The Richmond Oysters team prides itself on having some of the most sustainable seafood in the world on its menu, and it is clear that great love and care for the ocean is the bedrock of its philosophy.
Let's get down to the oysters, though. It offers up Pacific or Sydney either cooked or natural, with a vast array of sauces and mignonettes to liven them up. The natural oysters can be paired with a house sauce of sweet chilli, lime and ginger, a mignonette, a spicy nam jim or a granita of apple cider and champagne vinegar. The cooked options include classics such as Kilpatrick and Mornay or the slightly spiced Japanese crumbed recipe with panko bread crumbs and wasabi mayo.
The rest of the menu plays out with market specials, which can be cooked to your liking. Our favourite main from the sea would have to be the seafood linguini, and those after some red meat will be more than happy slicing into the perfectly succulent 230-gram Cape Grim scotch fillet with chips and garlic butter — that can become a highly recommended 'surf n' turf' if you choose.
Richmond Oysters is a clear must-visit for seafood lovers in Melbourne.
Images: Tran Nguyen