St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar

St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar is on South Wilmington Street in downtown Raleigh, where chef Sunny Gerhart cooks New Orleans-inspired food. The menu takes its cues from that city without copying it, and the kitchen is upfront about the difference.

Oysters are the anchor here, and the bar is built around them. Dinner is served nightly and brunch runs on weekends, so it works for a long evening out or for a slower weekend meal that starts with a plate of something raw and cold.

What to know

• Esquire named it the best oyster bar in America.
• The restaurant carries a Michelin Recommended listing.
• Chef Sunny Gerhart was a James Beard Foundation Best Chef nominee in 2022 and 2025.
• The kitchen describes its cooking as cliché-free Nola, not a traditional New Orleans menu.