Neptune Oyster

Neptune Oyster is a seafood restaurant and raw bar on Salem Street in the North End, a neighbourhood better known for its Italian kitchens. It has built its reputation on very fresh shellfish and a handful of New England classics, and it does not take reservations, so everyone joins the same queue.

The raw bar is the place to start. The oyster list changes, but it typically draws on several farms, with names such as Island Creek, Katama Bay, Wellfleet and Kumamoto among those listed, alongside other chilled seafood. The dish most people come for is the Maine lobster roll on a toasted brioche bun, which you can order hot with butter or cold with mayonnaise; the lobster is also available without the roll. Other house favourites include the Neptune Johnnycake topped with Maine lobster and sturgeon caviar, and fried Ipswich clams.

The restaurant opens at 11am every day. On weekdays the kitchen serves until 9:30pm and the raw bar until 10pm, and at weekends the kitchen runs until 10:30pm and the raw bar until 11pm. Because it is walk-in only, the most reliable approach is to arrive around opening time or in the middle of the afternoon, when waits are usually shorter than at peak lunch and dinner hours. As at most walk-in restaurants, solo diners and pairs usually find it easiest to slot in.

Neptune Oyster is a good choice for couples and seafood lovers who want a focused, high-quality meal rather than a long night out. It is less suited to large groups or to families with small children who cannot wait, given the queue. Budget for a mid-to-upper price meal, since the lobster dishes and raw bar add up quickly.

If you are new to raw oysters, ask staff to suggest a mix of milder and brinier varieties, and order a half dozen first before committing to more. Lobster prices can change with the market, so check the menu on the day rather than relying on what you paid on a previous visit.

Salem Street runs through the heart of the North End, and Old North Church is a short stroll along the same street at number 193, which makes Neptune an easy lunch stop on the Freedom Trail. The neighbourhood's pastry shops on Hanover Street, such as Mike's Pastry and Modern Pastry, are an obvious next stop for dessert.