Raleigh–Durham, NCSeafood

Chef Ricky Moore keeps the focus on North Carolina seafood with grilled or fried plates and rolls served in a relaxed counter setting. Eater points to the oyster options, signature Hush Honeys, and house tartar sauce with herbs and briny flavor. The Durham Boulevard location remains the operating Saltbox address for full plates and seasonal catches.

St. Roch channels chef Sunny Gerhart's Louisiana roots through raw, roasted, and dressed oysters in downtown Raleigh. Eater describes an extensive raw selection and roasted oysters offered with barbecue, pimento, garlic butter, or smoked bacon treatments. The menu rounds out the shellfish focus with Cajun and Creole dishes, brunch service, and a close view of shucking at the bar.

Locals Seafood serves North Carolina catch inside Durham Food Hall, connecting its restaurant menu to the fish market and wholesale work behind the brand. Eater cites oysters on the half shell, Calabash platters, and charbroiled oysters. The Foster Street counter is the active restaurant location, distinct from the Raleigh wholesale market and the former Transfer Co. dining room.

Nerra gives downtown Durham a seafood driven dining room led by chef Alexis Lawson. Durham Magazine details the whole roasted snapper, rotating curated catch preparations, Cajun seafood pasta, and a fried seafood platter. Diners can select fish and preparation styles, then match them with sauces and sides, while the bar supplies cocktails and a compact wine and beer list.

Jack's has served seafood and Southern comfort dishes on New Bern Avenue for decades. Eater highlights dinner trays with flounder or croaker, plus shrimp burgers, oysters, and scallops alongside turkey wings and smothered pork chops. The original location remains primarily takeout with limited seating and keeps broad daily hours that begin with breakfast Monday through Saturday.