Shell & Bones Oyster Bar and Grill

The story

Shell & Bones Oyster Bar and Grill in New Haven – Waterfront Seafood & Steak

Shell & Bones Oyster Bar and Grill, New Haven

At the edge of New Haven’s historic City Point neighborhood, Shell & Bones Oyster Bar and Grill occupies a restaurant space that has anchored the waterfront for decades. Owners Daniel Kay, Marc Knight, and Robert Bolduc (of Geronimo Bar & Grill) completely remodeled the interior, creating a light, airy dining room with clean lines, a fireplace for cooler evenings, and expansive views of the water and marina.

The kitchen is led by Executive Chef Carl Carrion, working alongside Culinary Director Arturo Franco Camacho. Franco, a veteran of the Connecticut food scene who served as Chef de cuisine on the QE2 and opened several of his own restaurants, oversees a menu that focuses on seafood, steak, and raw bar using fresh, sustainable ingredients. All soups, stocks, sauces, and desserts are made in-house. The clam chowder won The Big Taste competition of greater New Haven, and the kitchen has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation as committed to the Smart Catch Program.

The menu highlights include Corn-meal encrusted fried calamari, a mussel pot offered in Thai Curry, Belgian, or Mediterranean styles, roasted octopus, and bucatini with clams. For heartier appetites, there is a prime tomahawk ribeye, chef’s filet mignon topped with lump crab and béarnaise sauce, and steak frites. The raw bar is a central feature, and the wine program earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2017.

The atmosphere is smart casual, with both indoor and outdoor dining available when weather permits. The dining rooms — including the West Dining Room, Prop Room with its fireplace, and main bar — each offer a distinct view of the marina. Parking is available in front, on the street, and in an adjacent lot. Shell & Bones also hosts wine dinners, pairing global wines with Chef Carrion’s cuisine, and accommodates private parties and corporate events.