Bluff oysters (Ostrea chilensis) are New Zealand's wild flat oyster, fished from Foveaux Strait off Bluff at the South Island's bottom. Sweet, creamy, ranking with Belon and Olympia.
Ostrea chilensis is endemic to the southern coasts of New Zealand and Chile; the Foveaux Strait population off Bluff at the South Island's bottom edge has been commercially fished since 1864. The fishery operates from March 1 to August 31 annually, with quota-managed harvests. Peak shipping arrives at Auckland fishmongers in May-July. Aucklanders rate Bluff oysters with the world's best flat oysters; Depot Eatery's oyster bar runs them as half-shell on ice with a mignonette of shallot and red wine vinegar. The 1986 bonamia parasite collapse cut the fishery to a fraction of historical volumes; recovery is ongoing.
1 editor pick for Bluff Oyster in Auckland, ranked by editorial score. All Auckland signature dishes · Bluff Oyster across every city.