Press

AM New York ...."Best of New York" October 2008 FRIED OYSTERS
“…for us, top honors goes to the West Village’s charming Pearl…”

Village Voice ....Best of New York, October 2008, CLAM CHOWDER
“… the New England–style clam chowder is ever so slightly citified and refined, but also outrageously good.”

Citysearch....Best of 2008, LUNCH SPOT
“Fresh, delicious seafood and a warm welcome have earned this neighborhood fish spot landmark status…”

Zagat Survey, 2009      “26” For Food,        Top 30 in Manhattan, Regional, Raw Bar & Seafood Tops
For “lobster roll perfection”, try Rebecca Charles’ “informal” Villager, a “standout” for “sensational” “New England seafood”…the eating is “impossible to beat.”

Gourmet Magazine    "America's Best Restaurants", Neighborhood Gems:
"Why do New Yorkers put up with overcrowding, steaming subway platforms and ruinous monthly rents? Because it puts them within striking distance of restaurants like Pearl Oyster Bar…”

Gael Greene, Insatiable-critic.com
"I’m not sure why we had to take three ferries and drive five hours to hit the clam shacks of Cape Ann in Massachusetts a few weeks ago in search of a great lobster roll, because it’s where I always knew it was: Pearl Oyster Bar on Cornelia Street."

Bon Appétit, “Best of the Year: Lobster Rolls Rock!”
“…the lobster roll is showing up on menus from coast to coast. But it’s Rebecca Charles of New York’s Pearl Oyster Bar, who claims bragging rights to the roll’s newfound fame…”

Mario Batali
"...my favorite lunch spot on the planet..."

Tony Soprano
"The lobster roll...Pearl Oyster Bar."

Time Out New York, “The 100 Best Things We Ate This Year…2007”
The Classics, “Lobster Roll at Pearl Oyster Bar”   
“Fish shack pioneer Rebecca Charles continues to elevate the classic…”

Travel & Leisure,
"New York's Top 50," Pearl Oyster Bar

Epicurious, “New York’s Top Restaurants”
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/diningtravel/restaurants/newyork_favorites

Time Out New York, “Clone Rangers”
“Rebecca Charles is the undisputed doyenne of New York-Meets-New England chic. Her chef d’oeuvre, Pearl Oyster Bar, spawned the fish-shack trend and dispatched some of its most buzzworthy refugees.”

San Francisco Examiner Magazine:
"Each item is prepared with such conviction that you can't imagine these dishes tasting any better…this slip of an eatery is worth a special trip if you're anywhere in Manhattan."

Adam Roberts, TheAmateurGourmet.com
"... she asked, rather logically: "Well, was it the best you ever had?"...It really was...I mean the meat was so fresh...And the mayonnaise herb mixture had a perfect balance. The brioche roll was the perfect vehicle for everything. And the french fries were my favorite sort of fries---skinny and salty."
Continental Magazine
"In a mile a minute metropolis with enough constantly changing zany dining options to boggle the mind of the most adventurous foodie, one simple gem in New York's West Village stands out by staying the same. ...Its sameness, however, comes pretty close to perfection."

Coastal Living            "The Perfect Lobster Roll"
"…sample the luscious lobster roll at Pearl Oyster Bar…Chef Rebecca Charles has siphoned Maine's spirit down to this nook of a restaurant…her lobster salad tastes as authentic as the Maine original."

Ruth Reichl, "Ruth's Roll Call," Gourmet
"Where does the quintessential restaurant critic most love to eat in New York? '...we spent many nights hunkered down at the bar at Pearl Oyster Bar. My favorite meal... is a few salt-crusted shrimp, a bucket of steamers, and a perfectly cooked lobster.'"

Vogue Magazine
Jeffrey Steingarten: "I always run into long lines at Pearl but I eat there anyway because I love the food. "

New York Magazine, Gael Greene:
"My sudden yearning for old-fashioned American regional food, reminded me of Pearl's tiny counter…It was love at first slurp."

The Daily News, Ed Levine:
"Sometimes, as a restaurant critic you stumble onto a place so exquisitely wonderful that you think twice before deciding to tell people about it. Such is the case with Pearl."

Gourmet Magazine
"Pearl Oyster Bar…is a major discovery for all seasons!"

Time Out NY, "Are You a Real New Yorker?"
Signature Dish, The Lobster Roll

Luscious Lobster Rolls, New York Magazine, Rob Patronite & Robin Raisfeld
There's nothing like a properly made lobster roll (bring out the Hellmann's, please) to chase away the winter blues. Pearl Oyster Bar: The paragon, famously served on a Pepperidge Farm "top-loading" hot-dog bun.

Dave Freedenberg, "NFT" famousfatdave.com/thehungrycabbie.com
When Tony Soprano woke up from his coma the first thing that he wanted to eat was a lobster roll from Pearl Oyster Bar. One bite of that massive roll and you'll understand why. The meat is plentiful to say the least..."

New York Eats, Ed Levine
“I have eaten in hundreds of seafood joints, from Maine to Connecticut, from California to Washington State in search of the perfect lobster roll. But the best lobster roll I have ever eaten is at Pearl…”

"Seafood Heaven," Washington Post , Tom Sietsema
"...briny oysters...chowder made sweet with clams and smoky with bacon, and a lobster roll that is mostly chopped lobster, lavished with a toasted bun and a haystack of shoestring potatoes. Each of those dishes is a standard bearer, though each faces stiff competition from the blackboard where daily specials (skate and bass on a recent visit) are hand-printed.

10best.com
There's a reason this small, intimate storefront eatery is called Pearl. It's a rare find that is absolutely perfect. Honestly priced and honestly the best seafood south of Maine.

Josh Freedman, TheFoodSection.com
"The lobster rolls lived up to their reputation -- warm buttered and toasted hot dog buns split and heaped with big chunks of lobster meat... deliciously plump and crunchy fried oysters (which were a first for me). "

citysearch.com
Seafood lovers will have a hard time ordering the wrong thing--it's all done just right… The lobster roll can't be missed--chef and owner Rebecca Charles still makes the best one in town.

augieland.com
I have to tell you that, in my somewhat humble opinion, the best lobster roll to be had is simple, straightforward, and is at Pearl Oyster Bar on Corneilia Street.

Clotilde Dusoulier, ChocolateandZucchini.com
"I loved Pearl's version... even though I'm sure this is a sandwich to bite into with rapture, your hair all tangled up from the salty seashore wind, not minding about the mayo on the tip of your nose or the lobster pieces that tumble down on (or into) your swimsuit top, I have to confess that this being New York and all, I quickly abandoned the perilous, un-ladylike method and ate it with fork and knife."

Regina Schrambling, Gastropoda.com
"The best mood altering experience in town is lunch at Pearl."

findyourcraving.com
"Rebecca Charles has a city full of fans, not just for her lobster rolls but also for everything about her charming little seafood restaurant, Pearl Oyster Bar...Pearl’s lobster roll is the standard to which I hold all lobster rolls. Served in a hot dog bun, the mayonnaise mixed lobster is fresh and delicious. The side of shoestring fries also tastes great with malt vinegar. Mary’s Fish Camp, The Mermaid Inn and BLT Fish all have a rendition of the lobster roll, but I consider Pearl’s the classic and the best!"

Eric Asimov, The New York Times:
"The verdict in this clawfest is clear…Pearl makes the best lobster rolls."

The New Yorker:
"You can...practically taste the summer salt air."

Travel & Leisure:
"This dinghy-sized spot packs the most fish flavor in town! If you don't believe that line, you'll believe the one at the door!"

New York Magazine
Summer Entertaining Issue "The Best NY Chefs Share Their Summer Secrets"

Citysearch....Best of 2007, SEAFOOD

Zagat Survey, 2006, "27", Best Regional
"Habitues of this Village 'fantasy of a Maine clam shack’ can’t say enough about Chef Rebecca Charles's 'deservedly legendary lobster roll' or her 'flawless' preparation of ‘whatever the fish of the day is' …"

Gael Greene
"A meal at Pearl Oyster Bar is like a day on a beach in Maine."

Zagat New York, 2005, "27" for food, top 25 in Manhattan, Best Regional
"...once you bite into Rebecca Charles' creations, you can't help but agree that you've finally found a restaurant that's actually "worthy of the hype."

New York Magazine
Best of New York-Bouillabaisse

New York Magazine
New York's Best Oyster Roll

Village Voice, Best of NYC
Best Oyster Po'Boy-"You'll want to eat at least one per week.!"

New York Magazine
"Where to Eat Now 2002"

"Gael Greene's Where to Eat 2001", New York Magazine:
"What are truly your favorite favorites? 'I wish Pearl would clone itself…' "

New York Magazine, Best Clam Chowder in New York 2001

Adam Platt's Top Six Oyster Dishes, New York Magazine
"When it comes to fried oysters, the true fiend takes comfort in numbers. This buttered hot-dog bun is submerged in a towering mound of crispy-fried goodness. Eat one at a time, with a spritz of lemon."

New York Magazine, Gael Greene's Where to Eat 2000, January

Time Out New York
Best of Food Issue: Best Restaurant to Hit for Lunch
"…as you stare out at tree-lined Cornelia Street and tip back yet another succulent oyster, you'll realize that it is moments just like this that tether you to this frantic city."

Time Out New York, NY's Best Caesar Salads
Melissa Clark: "Pearl's Caesar is my favorite."

The Village Voice, Best of 2000
"Charmingest Chowder"

New York Magazine, Best of New York
"Best Lobster Roll"

TimeOut NY Eating & Drinking Awards Best Seafood
"…everything in this tiny spot is as delicious as it is unpretentious."

Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop Newsletter
http://goop.com/newsletter/17