Oysters at €3.25 each: where to buy them without getting ripped off
Oysters cost €3.25 in bars but only €1.10 at a seafood tank. We break down prices, varieties and the best season to eat them without being overcharged.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Oysters at €3.25 each: where to find a fair price?
Paying €39 for a dozen oysters at a bar may sound like market price, but a quick analysis reveals the markup is obscene. A quality flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) should cost no more than two euros at source, let alone in a shop. At a seafood tank in San Vicente you can buy them for €1.10 each, harvested right there. That difference of more than 300% is the cost of handling and premises, not of the product.
Flat vs. cupped: the beginner's trap
For those starting out, cupped oysters (Crassostrea gigas) are a milder and cheaper option. Flat oysters, especially traditionally farmed ones, have an intense flavour that can be overwhelming. At online shops like Acueo you can find cupped oysters at much tighter prices, with packs that bring the average down to less than €1.50 each.
The 'r' rule and the local alternative
Not all seasons are good for oysters. The months with an 'r' (September to April) offer the best quality; in summer the flesh turns milky and unappetising. If you're from Asturias, a more sustainable and affordable alternative is sea urchins, whose price and local availability make them an underrated delicacy.
The oyster bar business
An oyster bar in the city centre sells Irish edulis at €3 each. With margins like that, the business isn't in the oyster, it's in the experience. The question that remains: how much is showing off really worth?
Related discussions in the forum
Paying €39 for a dozen oysters at a bar may sound like market price, but a quick analysis reveals the markup is obscene. A quality flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) should cost no more than two euros at source, let alone in a shop. At a seafood tank in San Vicente you can buy them for €1.10 each, harvested right there. That difference of more than 300% is the cost of handling and premises, not of the product.
Flat vs. cupped: the beginner's trap
For those starting out, cupped oysters (Crassostrea gigas) are a milder and cheaper option. Flat oysters, especially traditionally farmed ones, have an intense flavour that can be overwhelming. At online shops like Acueo you can find cupped oysters at much tighter prices, with packs that bring the average down to less than €1.50 each.
The 'r' rule and the local alternative
Not all seasons are good for oysters. The months with an 'r' (September to April) offer the best quality; in summer the flesh turns milky and unappetising. If you're from Asturias, a more sustainable and affordable alternative is sea urchins, whose price and local availability make them an underrated delicacy.
The oyster bar business
An oyster bar in the city centre sells Irish edulis at €3 each. With margins like that, the business isn't in the oyster, it's in the experience. The question that remains: how much is showing off really worth?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (32 replies).
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