Select Page

Aside from the countless seafood restaurants that can be found all around New York City, there are several areas in which you can purchase your own, fresh seafood for at-home preparation. Seeing as it has a tenured history as one of the most important port cities in the United States, New York City offers some of the best seafood markets in the country. The key is finding the best one for you.

Anyone who knows anything about seafood will tell you that the best markets come with the best salesmen. Depending on what you’re looking for, simply asking the nearest fishmonger what you should try or what they recommend typically yields the best results. How you plan on preparing your seafood is a crucial consideration as well. If you’re a skilled chef, skinning and deboning a fish should not be a problem. In that case, look for markets with whole fish on display rather than just fillets. These are most likely the freshest you can find. Or, if you’d prefer to have a professional take care of the first few steps for you, fillets will do just fine.

Once all factors have been considered, it’s time to journey into New York City’s world of seafood, and the following are some of the best markets found within its boundaries.

The Lobster Place

Nestled in the heart of Chelsea Market, The Lobster Place is a frequented seafood stand visited by thousands of customers per day. Renowned for their sushi and delicious lobster sold by the pound, this market sells everything from clams, to fish, to crab, all prepared right in front of you to a style of your liking. Or, you can buy all your ingredients raw if you wish to prepare a meal yourself.

Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co.

Perhaps Brooklyn’s greatest source of fresh seafood, Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co. is also a functioning restaurant for those who wish to experience the enticing tastes firsthand. The store’s suppliers consist entirely of local fishermen, or companies that ship overnight to guarantee some of the freshest products on the market. Greenpoint sells both fillets and whole fish, in addition to oysters, shrimp, and mussels, just to name a few.

Citarella

This may be one of the most visually appealing fish markets you will come across. With several stores throughout Manhattan, Citarella offers an enormous array of seafood, from swordfish, to oysters, to their own caviar. As an added benefit, the store offers both pickup and delivery to your home or workplace anywhere in the city. With such a dedication to customer service, it’s no wonder that Citarella gives a satisfaction guarantee for their goods and services.

Blue Moon Fish

This is an exception due to the fact that it is located in Long Island, but Blue Moon Fish sells its delicious products to a variety of New York City seafood markets, which it has done so for the past 40 years. Family owned and operated, Blue Moon Fish offers a large variety of fish and shellfish according to the seasons. Their menu changes throughout the year to ensure you are getting the freshest fish available.

Verified by ExactMetrics