The newest addition to Canal Street’s collection of eateries, the Local Pearl Oyster Shoppe is a seafood lover’s delight. Thanks in part to both the restaurant’s name and the enormous light-up oyster on the building’s exterior, diners know exactly what’s on the menu before stepping into the light blue building.
Understated elegance oozes throughout the tide-to-table restaurant. A rustic wood ceiling adds warmth, while industrial light fixtures evoke a vintage feel. You’ll find an intimate dining area to your left, with wooden tables and comfortable seating. A custom wood bar is on the right. Pony up to the bar for a front-row seat to watch the oyster shucking process.
Begin your dinner with corn-meal fried oysters, served with sherried sweet corn relish, salsa verde, and Pearl’s mignonette. For the main entrée, choose from flavorful dishes like the linguini and clams or the ahi tuna burger. Most patrons, however, are here for the raw bar offerings. The daily line-up of oysters, shrimp, and clams is written across a mirror that hangs behind the bar area. Oysters are listed by name and region, so you know exactly where your briny bite comes from. Asterisks on the mirror indicate the salinity levels of each oyster. Possible sideboard accompaniments include a cheese selection, braised collard greens, and more.
The restaurant is the brainchild of husband-and-wife duo Henry and Michelle Salgado. Chef Henry Salgado is a two-time James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist.
