The Return of the Natives at Bibendum

A celebration of the UK’s finest oysters

Looking for a gastronomic reason to welcome the end of the summer? September sees the start of the UK native oyster season, and Bibendum in South Kensington is marking the occasion with a season in celebration of the nation’s finest bivalves – Return of the Natives, which begins on Monday September 1.

“Oysters, of course, can only be harvested from September onwards, in the months that have an ‘r’,” says Bibendum head chef Matthew Harris. In the Grade-II former Michelin Building, diners can choose from oysters harvested as far afield as Loch Ryan in Scotland and the Duchy of Cornwall Oyster Farm in Falmouth, Cornwall.

The British have enjoyed native oysters for millennia, with the Romans laying oyster beds in Colchester. “West Mersea oysters are our most historic, so we always want them on our menu,” says Simon Thomas, a man with the enviable job of being Bibendum’s oyster expert. These classics from the Essex coast “are briny, but there is also a nutty, sweet finish to them,” he says. For those who prefer an even sweeter, less metallic and salty taste, Scottish oysters are just the order, Thomas confirms. Though smaller to look at than oysters from West Mersea or Falmouth, the Loch Ryan examples at Bibendum are plump and contain plenty of meat.

Whether guests’ oyster knowledge extends to shucking them or simply eating them, the Bibendum team has all bases covered. They have even introduced an oyster takeaway option; the oysters can be bought either shucked and packed or unopened, for the more adventurous.

Finally, the most pressing question: how to serve them? Bibendum presents its oysters au naturel, but offers the traditional accompaniments of shallot vinegar, Tabasco or lemon and pepper. Native oysters are most sublime with a glass of picpoul de pinet, muscadet or perhaps sancerre, says Thomas – a perfect marriage of flavours. Bring on the long, dark nights.