Oysters however you like them

Linda Perney

12:50 PM EST, February 6, 2007

Shaffer City Oyster Bar

Since oysters are supposed to be an aphrodisiac, what better time to indulge than on St. Valentine's Day? Here, some of our favorite place to get them.

Grand Central Oyster Bar Been around for generations, and it's still the place to go in midtown for oysters. They serve them just about every way there is to serve them: straight up and icy cold, fried, pan-roasted, Rockefellered -- whatever your little heart desires. And, in case you've forgotten, there's that (very grand) space. (Grand Central Station; 212-490-6650. Expect to pay $20 for the oyster platter)

Blue Ribbon. Restaurant chains, of course, are very unhip. Except when they belong to the Bromberg brothers, Eric and Bruce, whose tentacles stretch into Brooklyn. This was their Ur-restaurant, the one that introduced a generation of downtowners to the tastes of bone marrow and the pleasures of the now-ubiquitous seafood plateau. Blue Ribbon remains as good as it ever was: the oysters are terrific; the service (relatively) attentive, the crowd smart, and the dinner hour stretches well past midnight. (97 Sullivan Street; 212-274-0404; $18.50 for the fried oysters)

Spotted Pig The down side is: It's always crowded. Really crowded, and they don't take reservations. The upside is: the oysters are spectacular. So are the burgers. And the gnudi is something to dream about. (314 West 11th Street; 212 620-0393)

PJ Clarke If you like your oysters served simply and straightforwardly, Clarke's is just fine. With the romance of old New York, the place has its own kind of seductive vibe. And the oysters Rockefeller are as much a part of the tradition as are the justly famous burgers. Good raw bar, too. (915 Third Avenue; 212-317-1616; oysters Rockefeller, $11)

City Hall. We love City Hall, which is, to our way of thinking, just what a downtown restaurant should be: terrific food, careful service, and friendly as can be. The fried oysters are excellent, the pan roast even better. (131 Duane Street; 212-227-7777. Pan roast of oysters, $13)

Fish. Oysters for a bargain lover at this small West Village place: Half dozen of them, plus a glass of wine or beer for $8. If you want something a little fancier, they've got angels on horseback (wrapped in bacon) and oysters Rockefeller. And if you want to make believe it's summer, there's an oyster roll. (280 Bleecker Street; 212-727-2879; oyster roll, $11)

Acme. For a southern-style treat, it's hard to beat the oyster po'boy. But they also have oysters plenty of other ways, among them, grilled, blackened, or served on the half-shell. The place has been around forever, but there's a reason for that: the service is easygoing, and the place always feels as if it's on the verge of a party. (9 Great Jones Street; 212-420-1934)