Bringing seaside to downtown: Amherst Oyster Bar is seeing high demand for the delicacy

AMHERST — Amherst may be 90 minutes from the nearest ocean, but oysters are taking center stage at the town’s newest restaurant, where demand for the delicacy has been high since opening day on April 1.

Over the course of the first month at Amherst Oyster Bar, 10,000 oysters on the half shell have been sold to and consumed by customers.

“People are eating them,” says Alden Peotter, operations manager for the 51 North Pleasant St. restaurant, which was first announced more than three years ago as coming to the town’s dining scene where Judie’s was located for more than 40 years. “When we opened, the wait for oysters was ridiculous.”

But as a new restaurant specializing in oysters, Peotter said there has been a learning curve, both for those who come to enjoy the rotating selection of 40 varieties of oysters, often pairing them with an alcoholic beverage or having them as part of a meal, and for those whose responsibility is to prepare them for consumption.

As people walk into the restaurant, they will find a display featuring the oysters available that day, giving them a sense of the size, as well as information about the brine intensity level and the flavor, and recommendations for the beverages that might accompany them.

“All the oysters have different flavors and pair with different drinks,” Peotter said.

Oysters are cut to order, typically prepared by three employees who wash and clean them and then use a shucking knife, taking care not to chip the oysters while separating them from the shells, and getting them ready to serve on the half shells.

“It is a learning experience each week,” Peotter said of the shucking. “It definitely takes skill.”

While South Bay Blondes from Onset are the house oyster on the menu, six to eight other oysters are usually available. This week, there are six types of oysters that customers have the opportunity to try. Those include Cotuit, which comes from the Massachusetts town of the same name, two others from New England (Cadillac from Goose Cove, Maine and Moonstone from Point Judith Pond, R.I.), two from Canadian provinces (Summer Love from Prince Edward Island and Cheebooktook from New Brunswick) and Misty Point from Chesapeake, Va.

Wulf’s Fish, based in Boston, provides the daily deliveries of the oysters and the other seafood, as well as the know-how and instructions for preparation to be followed.

Peotter observes, though, that even for those who enjoy oysters, those who are coming to dine will want more than oysters to eat.

“A lot of times people will get the oysters, but then an appetizer, an entree and a dessert,” Peotter said.

In the kitchen, the “coastal-inspired dishes,” as general manager Alex Phaneuf describes them, include not only fish but steak and chicken as well.

“This is definitely seafood-driven,” Peotter said. “All fried seafood is gluten-free; that was at top of mind.”

Main dishes include shrimp mozambique and herb-roasted chicken, both for $24, mushroom piccata for $26, seared scallops for $29 and filet mignon for $42. Sandwiches, like a smash burger, po boy and fish and chicken sandwiches, range in price from $16 to $18, with various soups and salads, and appetizers like crab cakes, fried pickles and fried calamari.

There is also a children’s menu, such as chicken tenders and hot dog.

The restaurant is equipped with 24 taps for beers, has various signature classic mixed drinks and numerous wines and sake selections that are often available at oyster restaurants.

As part of Archipelago Investments, the company that has brought mixed-use buildings to downtown, a charge has been to activate the street-level space within them with restaurants and bars. The opening of Amherst Oyster Bar follows Protocol, which opened at One East Pleasant, and reflects a more upscale dining experience.

So far, though, Amherst Oyster Bar is seeing a different crowd that is serving to boost both locations.

“Protocol has a dedicated following,” Peotter said.

“Food is at a higher price point here,” Peotter added, though he notes that one of the draws is the “buck a shuck” promotion that runs Sundays through Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m. that Peotter said tends to bring a younger demographic earlier in the day.

Peotter said there was much anticipation due to the length of the renovation of the space, necessary as the former Judie’s was taken down to the studs. There are 160 seats, a mix of high tops and conventional seats, and a 14-seat bar, with nautical decor and deep blue cushions on the chairs, with walnut tables, blue carpets and snake plants to screen the windows, and mirrors on the walls designed to look like the portholes on a ship.

Phaneuf has described the site as a “casual yet refined gathering spot.”

Amherst Business Improvement Executive Director John Page notes the new restaurant helps Amherst build a dual reputation of small-town charm with cosmopolitan city vibes, moving it beyond the college town of pizza and sub shops.

“Downtown is entering a new chapter, becoming a true destination for dining, not just places you stumble upon, but spots people seek out,” Page said.

Amherst Area Chamber Director Jacob Robinson said Amherst Oyster Bar fits the continued evolution of destination dining, like Protocol has.

“These restaurants are responding to a growing desire, especially post-pandemic, for places where people can gather, connect and unwind outside of their homes,” Robinson said. “There’s clearly a demand for experiences that go beyond food alone, as people are seeking more refined or social spaces to enjoy together.”

Still getting a feel for what works and what doesn’t, Peotter said the expansive menu will likely be streamlined in June, after what is expected to be a busy time during the commencements for the Five Colleges. While open from 4 to 10 p.m. daily, Peotter said Amherst Oyster Bar could expand to lunch service at some point.

Understanding that Judie’s, famous for its popovers, was a landmark in town, Peotter said the aim is to bring in both people who live locally and those who might travel a bit.

“This allows for a bit more of an elevated experience,” Peotter said.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.