Practically all of Raleigh rejoiced when St. Roch reopened in the heart of the city after a kitchen fire gutted much of their small space. The spirit of the New Orleans-inspired restaurant is unchanged, but now it has custom seafoam wallpaper featuring Louis Armstrong and Mississippi paddle boats on the walls, plus flavorful crab and corn fettuccine and massive fluffy beignets on the menu. Come here with a big group for a happy hour filled with painkillers, hurricanes, and a bunch of North Carolina oysters.

What started as a small grocery store in 1927 has grown into the 42nd Street Oyster Bar. The oysters, of which it has served over 80 million in its long history, of course take center stage, but that doesn’t mean that they’re the only option. The menu changes daily to reflect the market prices, and depending on what’s available, you will find a selection of oysters from all over the Mid-Atlantic coast, served along with descriptions of their specific flavors.

The “cliche-free New Orleans cuisine” at chef/owner Sunny Gerhart’s oyster bar + restaurant might not be exactly what you’d expect—but that’s the point. Dubbed for his childhood St. Roch Avenue address and serving as a love letter to his Louisiana roots via a playful homage, St. Roch—which formerly housed Gerhart’s mentor Ashley Christensen’s coffee shop/restaurant concept Joule—highlights seafood in a myriad of ways, whether raw, roasted, fried, smoked, BBQ’d or even in a Bolognese sauce (see the fan-fave hearty gator Bolognese). But it’s the kitschy decor, lively atmosphere and friendly service that really make this NOLA tribute feel like home.

With a history dating back to 1931, when it started out as a grocery story that sold oysters and beer, 42nd Street Oyster bar is the area’s undisputed granddaddy of seafood restaurants. A menu that embraces everything from Southern fried seafood platters to cioppino — and, naturally, a raw bar selection including several varieties of oyster — continues to attract a steady stream of customers. A pair of stainless steel art deco entry doors set a nostalgic mood for a dining room with linoleum tile floors, vintage jazz, mounted trophy fish, and a collection of license plates donated by generations of local politicians.

Practically all of Raleigh rejoiced when St. Roch reopened after a kitchen fire gutted much of their small space downtown. The New Orleans-inspired restaurant now has custom seafoam wallpaper featuring Louis Armstrong and Mississippi paddle boats on the walls, and flavorful alligator bolognese with sweet potato gnocchi and massive fluffy beignets on the menu. Come here with a big group for a Happy Hour filled with painkillers, hurricanes, and a bunch of North Carolina oysters.

St. Roch’s is one of many Raleigh fine dining restaurants that struggled to remain afloat throughout the pandemic; a 2021 kitchen fire then forced it to shut its doors. Two years later, St. Roch’s is back and better than ever, with an Orleans-inspired menu featuring alligator Bolognese, crawfish hushpuppies, and house-made andouille sausage. Brunch is nothing to sneeze at, either with mouth-watering offerings like biscuit sandwiches, fried oyster hotcakes, and airy beignets.

Chef Sunny Gerhart was recently named a semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard Award for his outstanding St. Roch Fine Oysters & Bar. Hailing originally from New Orleans, Gerhart brings that taste of Louisiana to his establishment. You’ll get some fun twists on your typical brunch menu here, from the Bolo ‘n Grits—a gator bolognese dish served with grits and eggs—to oyster hotcakes and a cajun-style sausage served with eggs and a brioche cinnamon roll.

Once a 1930s-era grocery store that peddled oysters and draft beer, 42nd Street Oyster Bar is one of the city's oldest seafood joints, with nostalgic décor to match. The exhaustive menu ranges from raw bar items like oysters on the half shell and shrimp cocktails to fried seafood towers, seafood pastas, and surf and turf platters. Try the 42nd St. Platter, which comes with Cajun butter and garlic sautéed shrimp and scallops, plus your choice of fried shrimp.

The oysters are fresh, the beignets are pillowy and the hushpuppies are to die for. At chef Sunny Gerhart's St. Roch, you’ll get as close as you can to a New Orleans dining experience without leaving town, complete with Big Easy-inspired cocktails, wine and beer (mimosas and bloody Mary's included, of course). An indulgent brunch at St. Roch—grits, biscuits, hotcakes, fried oysters and so much more—is among the top dining experiences in the City of Oaks.

One of my very favorite places to eat in Raleigh is St. Roch–we start with the pimento cheese and fried saltines and then I always get the pimento’d oysters and the pomme frites before finishing with beignets. They have a great variety of seating options as well. I prefer to sit at the bar, though their dining room and their window seats (my second favorite spot!) are cozy, and they have patio seating plus seating out front if you prefer outdoor dining!

West St. | Tuesday, $1 off house cocktails | Wednesday, $2 off guest cans | Thursday, half price bottles of wine + $1 off Clouds drafts | Friday, $5 Select Clouds Draft, $7.50 The Boss cocktail, $8 Mangosa cocktails | Saturday, $10 bloody Mary bar with house vodka or tequila, $15 mimosa carafes, $5 select Clouds draft, $15 select Clouds pitchers | Sunday, $10 bloody Mary bar with house vodka or tequila, $15 mimosa carafes, $15 select Clouds pitchers

Chef and owner Sunny Gerhart understood the assignment with this NOLA-themed seafood joint,” says Meeker. St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar—or, more simply, St. Roch—is located in downtown Raleigh, and it’s known for its oysters, which are great roasted, raw, or prepared any other way. “I order 1/2 dozen oysters, the winter Caesar salad (which some have said is the best salad in town), the ‘gator bolognese, and a Hurricane,” says Meeker.

St. Roch offers some of the best downtown Raleigh brunch, focusing on fresh oysters and crisp champagne. Their brunch menu features snacks like pillowy beignets with bourbon caramel sauce, “Sinner Rolls” on homemade brioche cinnamon bread, and hot smoked boudin. Diners love dining into mains like the Cajun breakfast with cinnamon bread, two sunny eggs, hot smoked boudin, and Steen’s cane syrup.

A post shared by St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar (@strochraleigh). St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar is a popular seafood restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina, celebrated for its fresh oysters and an array of coastal dishes. The menu features a variety of seafood options, including raw oysters, seafood towers, and seasonal entrees that highlight the best local ingredients from the Carolinas.

I have to kick off this list with my all-time favorite brunch in the area. St. Roch is a New-Orleans inspired eatery in Downtown Raleigh with a warm atmosphere and menu that is full of surprises. From the best beignets you’ll ever taste to crawfish hushpuppies to coconut curry shrimp & grits, this restaurant is a one-of-a-kind dining experience.

Who can resist oysters served up for happy hour just blocks away from where you live?. St. Roch is one of my favorites spots to head to with a girlfriend on any given weekday. We always start with a dozen oysters, along with some of their amazing fresh horseradish and fried saltines (yes, fried!), and wash it all down with a glass of wine.

These shelled gems vary in size based on the location they are coming from. Generally, oysters are low in calories and rich in zinc, an essential nutrient that helps build your body’s defenses against common colds and viruses. Interestingly, oysters aren’t just good for your body, they are actually good for the environment too.

St. Roch Owner and Chef Sunny Gerhart hails from Louisiana, and he brings his Southern flair with him to downtown Raleigh. Though trained under Ashley Christensen of Poole’s fame, Gerhart is his own man and a master chef in his own right. St. Roch has a warm, gothic cathedral vibe with plenty of seating.

I think all NC oysters have unique qualities and really different, wonderful flavors, each truly telling of the specific waters and coastal environments from which they are harvested or cultivated,” Chef Ashley told RALtoday. “As long as they are fresh and skillfully shucked, you can’t go wrong.

I am not an oysters person, but they're my sister Victoria's favorite food. We went to St. Roch so she could get her fill, but they also have really good other menu options. After I ate there with her for her birthday, I told Chris we have to go back there to get the Beets & Squash salad I had.

This picture is from an anniversary celebration at St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar. Downtown Raleigh on Wilmington Street is where we enjoyed St. Roch’s creative cocktail menu and appetizers. My husband loves oysters and was excited to find the perfect shells to shuck from their raw bar.

Chef Sunny Gerhart's marriage of New Orleans cuisine and North Carolina seafood, coupled with the candlelit restaurant's bluesy interior, is an irresistible pick for week-night dinners, elevated date nights and hungover weekend brunches that will bring you back to life.

St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar stands out among Raleigh restaurants as a destination for authentic New Orleans cuisine with a twist. Chef and owner Sunny Gerhart infuses familiar dishes with unexpected flavors, creating a dining experience that surprises and delights.

Owner/chef Sunny Gerhart's St. Roch serves flawlessly-fresh and expertly shucked oysters with an exuberant array of accompaniments: cocktail sauce, lemon wedge, mignonette, pickled banana peppers and fried saltines (yes, fried saltines—you've gotta try it!).

This downtown oyster bar is open for dinner every day and for brunch on the weekends. Try their Happy Hour Oysters, Core Sounders or BBQ’d oysters and enjoy in their heated outdoor dining area in the back. 223 S Wilmington St, Raleigh | strochraleigh.com

A post shared by St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar (@strochraleigh). St. Rochis just a delightful establishment where one can acquire oysters and New Orleans-inspired dishes. The restaurant has a full bar, and it offers a variety of cocktails, beer, and wine.

Chef Sunny Gerhart has cooked in many of the best local kitchens, from Poole’s to Watts Grocery (RIP). St. Roch brings his love of New Orleans fare and oysters to downtown. From beignets and Belgian waffles at brunch to pimiento N.C.

- Rating: 4.5/5 (459 reviews)- Price level: $$$- Address: 223 South Wilmington St. Raleigh, North Carolina - Categories: New American, Seafood, Cajun/Creole- Read more on Yelp

This oyster and seafood bar in Raleigh occasionally offers bottomless mimosas during their brunch service. Check with them for availability.

Located in the heart of downtown Raleigh, St Rochis known for its raw and roasted oysters, along with its New Orleans-inspired menu!