Bluff Oysters are famous. Famous enough for me to do my own version of hunting for them. Larger than regular oysters and creamy beyond creamy, only in season from March to August each year, they’re said to be the world’s best oysters and New Zealand’s South Island’s most famous delicacy. They’re expensive too, expect to pay upwards of $30 for 6 of them and the arrival of these oysters are front page news. As witnessed on the front of our newspaper yesterday morning signifying that a flotilla of boats headed out at dawn to bring back the season’s first catch.
For the past 5 years there was a voluntary restriction in order to preserve the catch but the results of a National Institute of water and Atmospheric research allowed fishermen to catch more. They take this stuff seriously, and hauls of between 11 to 21 sacks a day yield 880kgs of the little pearl catchers.
Yes it seemed like we were just in time for the arrival of the Bluff Oysters, fortuitously so, because tomorrow we leave for Kaikoura which is more North. I ask the Crowne’s Concierge, the ever helpful Nathan about the Bluff Oysters and he tells me that Wai waterfront is one place that is likely to have them and another place Fishbone is a bit more casual but they always seem to have the freshest fish around.
It seems we are out of luck. We enquire at Wai and they tell us that it will be at least a week until they receive their Bluff Oysters. He tells me that the first batch makes it way up to the North Island where they are more willing to pay the big prices in the bigger cities like Auckland. I leave dejected and hoping that I’ll find some at Christchurch and he tells me that even if I find them there they’ll be very expensive. Hmm thanks!
We walk around and past the Fishbone grill and take a peek at their menu and I think my eyes are playing tricks on me but I see Bluff Oysters on the menu! And at $24 for a half dozen at a reasonable price too. I excitedly ask whether they do indeed have Bluff Oysters and they confirm this and they say that they only arrived at 4pm that very afternoon. We’re chuffed and take a seat to slide a half dozen down our throats.
The pearl shell inside and the creamy white craggy outer shell
The 6 oysters arrive, larger and fatter than your typical Sydney rock oysters or my favourite, the Pacific Oyster. The shells are smoother and pale and the inside there’s a glistening pearl finish. The oysters themselves are quite as big as expected (we’re told the biggest ones are exported) but a little spritz of the lemon and we down one.
It’s stunningly good. Creamy with an ever so slight bite back to them they have a briney sweet taste rich in zinc. It’s a taste that you lingers in your mouth for a good 10 minutes after you eat them. Are the world’s best? Certainly yes, out of the oysters I’ve eaten all over the world, I’d give the New Zealanders this. They are certainly worth pursuing to the ends of the earth. Heaven. Forget Lord of the Rings, going to NZ to eat these babies is much more interesting to me.
Fishbone Grill
7 Beach Street, Queenstown, New Zealand
Tel: +64 (03) 3442 6768
Open 7 days
Crowne Plaza Queenstown
93 Beach Street
Queenstown Town Centre, Otago, New Zealand
+64 3 442 7800
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/cp/660/en/hd/zqnbs
NQN and Mr NQN stayed as guests of the Crowne Plaza Queenstown
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32 Comments | Add your own
wonderful photos! I don’t like oysters though
I do not like oysters. But I hope you enjoyed them!
Yummo, I hated the idea of oysters for ages but then had one and my life was changed. Ive heard these are awesome.
Oysters, oysters everywhere…not my thing. I do love pearls though. ; )
Beautiful pics, as always.
Yum! I loove oysters
These oysters sound devine. Do you know if you can get them in Australia?
My husband introduced me to oysters and he regrets it now because he no longer gets my share.
Congratulations in finding some of these oysters! I can’t say I’m a fan of the little suckers – and that’s not to say I haven’t tried….Tried them in many forms, at yum cha, with lemon and cracked pepper, kilpatrick etc but dispite all these attempts, it still always felt like a CHORE to eat them. No enjoyment whatsoever…so no more oysters for me.
They sound delicious!
not an oyster fan, but i do know that NZ green lip mussels are the best i’ve ever had. I wonder why their shellfish seems to be such better quality that elsewhere? Maybe the water is more pure?
Great story and glad you enjoyed
I’ve never had these yummy-looking oysters before. Now I have it on my list of things to eat before I die. Gotta travel to New Zealand during oyster season first, I suppose!
Any idea if we can get them here? They sound fantastic and I’d love to try them. Or maybe I need to get myself to NZ.
Hi snooky doodle-Thankyou! So many people don’t but I love them
Hi Julia-We did, very much so thanks!
Hi Brianna-They are every bit as good as legend says! My husband din;t like them but I think he’s grown to like them
Hi Bethie-Hehe yes although I’ve yet to come across a pearl in one!
Thankyou!
Hi Kathy-Have you had the Bluff oysters? Arent they the best?
Hi michelle-Haha yes that’s my lament, since introducing them to my husband I now have to split them although he usually lets me have more
I’ve never seen them here unfortunately. I wish! 
Hi Esz-thank you! We felt like we’d won something
I like them just au naturel-the cooked kinds aren’t really my kind of thing but good on you for trying them!
Hi Gobbling-They were indeed!
Hi tara-Aw no, so few oyster fans
Yes the green lips are delicious and luckily they are easily found here! I don’t know, maybe the cold waters and lack of pollution? I’d imagine the water near the South Island is quite pure, just from how it looks that is, I don’t know for sure 
Hi Libby-Thankyou so much!
Hi cakebrain-Definitely, they are so delicious! I’d book a holiday around their season now that I know what they’re like!
Hi Mike-Alas I’ve never seen them here but to e honest before trying them I wouldn’t have known what all the fuss was about!
It’s amazing that they really were as good as they’re famed to be.
How interesting! Will have to remember to look out for these next time I’m in NZ.
Ooh – those oysters look so pretty, their shells so clean, pure and white! I love oysters so I’ll have to go and try some the next time I’m in NZ. Thanks for the tip!
I don’t like oysters, but I actually spent my first year in Bluff – my Dad was from there. I remember as a kid, Dad would get a whole sack full and shuck them himself. next time maybe try getting a pottle from the supermarket. They were in our supermarket last week for $19.95 for a dozen. My husband loves them.
ohh slurp! I would like to try one of those…hmm…gotta make a trip to NZ when they’re in season
Hi Arwen-They were! I was so curious to see whether they would be
Hi Y-Definitely! And order a few dozen
Hi Forager-They’re so different, I have never seen oysters like that before. You’re welcome!
Hi tammy -Oh really? Aww a dozen for $19.95 is great. I wish they were exported here!
Hi Alexandra-Haha slurp. Definitely, they’re so worth it
Gosh, they’re huge! I’m not a huge fan of oysters but I think I’d have to try at least one. They look so plump and delicious.
NQN,
We are a group of Oyster Lovers from Australia, and would love to take advantage of the $99 fares to come over to Christchurch and gorge ourselves on Bluff Oysters.
Not really looking for a fancy restuarant.
Can we buy a lot of them from a wholesale fish place in Christchurch, or would we need to go futher south?
Jim
Hi Angela-I promise you that if you don’t like these you’ll just never like oysters because these are truly spectacular!
Hi Jim-Sounds like a fantastic idea!
I believe that they’re really in season now and I’ve heard you can get them from supermarkets. I saw some take away fish and chips shops that had Bluffs on the menu in Christchurch so that might be a good place too and it will be less costly than going to an expensive restaurant 
I’d love to hear how it all went! Sounds like a great idea 
Oh god!! I am sitting here drinking my wine and partaking of some Marlborough ‘farmed’ Oysters (bought here in Perth)
I am pining for some Bluff ones though..the same ones I used to help my Father shell by the sackload as a child…and I owe him for my love of Oysters Au Naturale’ Definitely THE BEST!
I want to go ‘home’ just to have some of those beauties!
On the hunt for some *true* Bluff Oysters in Perth! The ones I have been told are “Bluff” most def are NOT! Trust me, I know what they look like!
Hi Kiwi Sam-Yes nothing like au naturale! Lucky you having such easy access to them!
I did a search and apparently Bluffs are scarce here in 2009 
How sad!
Many a sackful of Oysters “fell off the back of a truck” literally, as the delivery truck from Bluff to Dunedin had to travel up some VERY steep hills,very slowly in South Otago!
On the hunt for some *real* Bluff ones now…
Maybe try Kiwi Fish & Chips in Bedford…or Catalano Seafoods in Bassendean.
…in Perth, of course
ohh my favorite oysters,so creamy, darn should of picked some up while i was back there, so happy you got to try them
Hi, I grew up in New Plymouth and we used to get them there as well. My grandmother used to come over every year and bring about 20 dozen in the plane in a esky. To all who would like to try, I suggest contacting a local seafood market in Bluff or Christchurch and asking for them to be express sent in an esky with dry ice by plane and pick them up from an airport. Might cost a bit but would definitely be worth it.
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