Skip to main contentFinding a robust selection of oysters 90 minutes away from the nearest body of saltwater is quite the task, but Flying Fish Company rises to the challenge.
With over a dozen daily varieties, sourced from Washington, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island and the Oregon Coast, there’s no need to trek west of the Willamette for a fix of buttery, briny, freshly shucked mollusks on a half-shell.
Owner Lyf Gildersleeve has been slinging sustainable seafood since he was stationed in a corner of Providore Fine Foods, and has continued serving some of the city’s best fish and chips, ceviches and clam chowder since expanding to an East Burnside diner last February.
But this summer, the restaurant plans to expand its outdoor patio to include a beer garden and oyster bar, where patrons can partake of individual offerings or flights of six to 12—shucked right there and served raw on ice, with lemon and a bright, peppery mignonette sauce. Until then, Flying Fish’s patio is casual enough you can grab a picnic table and order as you go, tapas style.
The best time to go is in the late afternoon, when the sun remains high in the sky and provides enough warmth to make each slurp as savory and refreshing as it’s intended to be. Be sure to take advantage of the restaurant’s extensive marketplace, and perhaps grab a few fillets of black cod or pieces of scallops to throw on the barbecue later that night.
3004 E Burnside St., 971-806-6747, flyingfishpdx.com. 11 am-8 pm Wednesday-Monday.
See All 16 Ways to Dine Al Fresco in Portland This Summer (and Right Now)