OYSTER TEMPLE
#CarpeOstra
That’s Latin for “Seize The Oyster”. JOIN US AND SEIZE YOURS.
WHAT ON EARTH IS AN OYSTER TEMPLE?
A SPACE IMAGINED, DESIGNED & BUILT TO DELIVEr THE BEST OYSTER & RAW BAR PRODUCT, SERVICE & EXPERIENCE
Our temple is a massive raw bar built in between two 20’ high “Roman Columns” in a glorious 150 year old building in historic downtown Charleston. We created it to feature up to 16 varieties of oysters from both near and far, and then some. It is enormous by RAW BAR standards. At 18’ x 22’ ( 396 sf) its hard to think of any raw bar that is larger (and we’ve been to hundreds of them).
While its size is impressive, FOCUS & INTENT are much more important. Our Oyster Temple is ENTIRELY DEDICATED to RAW BAR offerings. With our MARINE CUISINE, DelicaSEAS & BayCuterie menus we #MakeUglyFisheDelicious. In doing so we #RaiseTheRawBar so you can #SeasTheBay.
OYSTER TEMPLE & GARDEN PHOTOS
WHY IS EMPIRE’S OYSTER TEMPLE SO GLORIOUS!
We offer FINE oYSTErs & RAW BAR FARE in a FUN & UNPRETENTIOUS ATMOSPHERE, in the heart of Historic Downtown Charleston. Ours is an ELITE RAW BAR with FAST CASUAL SERVICE style that creates SEAFOOD THEATER. BROWSE & CHOOSE FROM UP TO 16 VARIETIES OF PREMIUM OYSTERS FROM NEAR & FAR, EAST & WEST, NORTH & SOUTH THAT ROTATE IN & OUT REGULARLY. ENJOY THEM ALL WITH 3 TYPES OF MIGNONETTE.AND FRESH HORSERADISH ROOT, GRATED TO ORDER. We DELIVER AN ELITE CULINARY EXPERIENCE WITHOUT THE NEED FOR RESERVATIONS.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MARINE CUISINE and HOW IT INFORMS OUR CULINARY ETHIC HERE,
STEP INTO HISTORY HERE
The historic building Oyster Temple live in adds to the experience. Built in the 1850’s, it boasts 4’ thick brick walls strong enough to withstand cannonball fire! The walls were built this thick to insulate the building which served as Charleston’s ice house. It was the first Ice House in the SE US and this contributed to Charleston becoming a culinary mecca. Huge ice blocks were shipped from lakes and ponds in the North East as stored here. Gaps between the brinks in the 4’ thick sections of the walls were packed with charcoal created as a by product of burning the chaff the rice industry created. We love history and we love #OyStories so the space felt like the right place to tell some.
The building’s Roman Columns inspired the Oyster Temple identity. It all tied into the early history of oysters and aquaculture. The Roman aristocracy had a fabled love affair with oysters. Some scholars hypothesize that this love of oysters was a motivation for Julius Caesar’s conquest of the oyster producing regions of Gaul and Rome’s control of these regions which lasted for 500 years. The Bay of Naples was the birthplace Western Oyster Aquaculture. At the finest Roman Feasts, Fêtes & Festivals oysters were ALWAYS on the menu. All Hail The Oyster!
THE REAL DEAL - NO GREENWASHING
Everything we source, prepare & present is sustainable, responsible & healthy. We take the really good stuff and offer an elevated product, service & experience with items for every budget & taste. You’ll see, taste and feel our focus on raw and chilled seafood the minute you walk into the temple and observe the the impressive offering of oysters, shellfish, crustaceans, small fin fish and conservas (tinned fish). You’ll also enjoy the show that we put on in our Oyster Temple, which was built to be seen and enjoyed from all angles.
CHECK OUT THE MENU
MEMBERSHIPS
Ya, this is special. So special, in fact, we are offering memberships at two levels for both Oyster Temple & Raw Lab. Take a look if you like getting perks, exceptional experience and very special service.
