BETA
This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here

More From Forbes

Edit Story

The World’s Best Seafood Delivery Services

Following
This article is more than 3 years old.

You know the deal by now: everyone is cooking more at home than ever before. But what are you doing to make sure that you’re cooking better than ever before? Well, a wholesome supply of world-class seafood certainly helps. For that, there are thankfully a swelling sea of options. And when you’re dealing with this level of freshness—delivered to all corners of the country—your prep work is next to nil. It all depends on what you want to put on your plate, really. So check out this list of the best vendors, broken down by your own personal preferences.

Best Shrimp — Peter’s Florida Seafood

This family-owned operation out of the Miami area packages all sorts of fantastic filets for national shipments. Yellowtail snapper and black grouper are standouts from the local waters. But what they offer that you won’t find anywhere else is is Florida Royal Red Shrimp. Sweeter than lobster, you can pop these petite pink morsels into your mouth without even having to cook them.

Founder and ‘chief fishmonger’ Peter Jarvis retooled his wholesale business in the wake of COVID-19. The quick pivot from servicing local restaurants to delivering to a national customer base allowed him to keep his employees on staff and his fishermen fishing. “There’s nothing better than a fresh piece of fish right from the boat to your door, and even grocery stores cannot do that,” he says. “They do the best they can, but there’s no way to tell how fresh it is once it hits the fish counter. We like to say we offer delivery from shore to door in 24! Since people aren’t going out to bars and restaurants, or even the grocery store as often as they used to, in-home delivery is the perfect solution.”

Throughout the month Jarvis is partnering with No Kid Hungry, donating a portion of sales to help food insecure children across the country.

Best Live Lobsters/Shellfish — Citarella

For 37 years Joe Gurrera has been providing high-quality seafood at his clientele in the Tri-State. The fishmonger and cookbook author has been working hard to combat what he calls “wholefishphobia”: the general consumer’s reluctance to prepare food that isn’t filleted. His instructional Youtube videos help folks tackle that fear, providing step-by-step instructions for plating your best Branzino, John Dory, and one of his hidden gems, Porgy.

“Whole grilled fish is one of my favorite meals,” says Gurrera. “Typically I would just clean the fish, season it with olive oil and sea salt, maybe a few herbs in the belly and flip it on to a hot grill for 5 minutes per side. For me, it’s always been about allowing the natural flavor of the fish to shine through, that’s why most of my recipes consist of less than a handful of ingredients and can be made in just a few minutes. 

And if you’re not lucky enough to be within reach of his gourmet stores in New York and Connecticut, he’ll ship the goods to you fresh and fast. His service is the best way to get Nova Scotia lobster, northeast clams, oysters, mussels, and scallops—all the way on the other side of the country. The crustaceans come arrive live (if you choose to prepare it at home) in a sturdy, reusable icebox. He would have it no other way.

“Seafood is the most perishable food item there is,” he adds. “Lobsters and crabs are available to you in one of three ways to ensure the best quality – Live, fresh cooked or frozen. They deteriorate differently than fish so the window where you can safely eat them is much smaller.”

Whatever you select of his extensive online menu, Gurrera offers these essential pointers: “When you cook with me, consider these the Seven Commandments for Successfully Cooking Seafood.

  • Use the freshest ingredients. Always.
  • Depend on a timer, not a thermometer, when cooking fish.
  • Pay attention. Don’t pick up your phone or leave the room.
  • Always rinse and pat fish dry.
  • Preheat your pan or grill, getting it nice and hot before fish touches it.
  • When cooking fish, flip it only once. Don’t ever do it twice.
  • Cook and serve fish immediately— but, despite what people think, leftovers are fine the next day.”

Best Salmon — Fultonfishmarket.com

The iconic Manhattan fish market, now in digital form. They’re delivering an extensive array of fresh produce including by way of easily customizable subscriptions boxes. So it’s really hard to go wrong here. But this month they’ve just added a unique item to the menu: Kvarøy Arctic (pronounced Kwa-ray) Atlantic salmon.

This sublimely succulent fish is sourced from a third generation family farm, high above the Arctic Circle in Norway’s pristine waters. The gently flavored protein has less brininess than you might be accustomed o in salmon. There’s also subtle umami notes. But the real beauty is in its flake, almost-creamy texture and mouthfeel. Eight oz. filets are only $10 each. Four pounds worth of fish will set you back $50.

Best Caviar — Om Caviar

Om launched last month with the aim of promoting caviar as the ‘superfood of the sea.’ Rich in proteins, omega 3s and Vitamin B12, their two offerings are also chockfull of flavor. The Ossetra is sourced from the Caspian Sea, characterized by a swirl of nutty, fruity and briny notes. The Kaluga Hybrid, is a combination of Kaluga and Shassetra sturgeon, yielding a mild and buttery flavor that’s ideal for newcomers.

The company is doing an admirable job of softening the the super-elite stigma of the cuisine. A 50g tin of the delicacy—enough to satiate several connoisseurs around the dinner table—sells for just $75. Company founder Sony Mordechai also wants enthusiasts to know that there are many ways to enjoy his product that extend beyond the stereotypical.

“At OM, we aim to subvert the standards,” he says. “Classically, caviar has been paired with champagne and vodka. While that is still delicious for special occasions, there are healthier alternatives that taste just as good. Caviar pairs well with vodka because it has a clean and crisp taste which resets your taste palette. [But] coconut water is our absolute favorite drink to serve with caviar. It balances the ratio of potassium to sodium in your body which keeps everything functioning properly, allowing you to enjoy even more caviar — and vodka. Served extra cold, coconut water’s crispness and sweetness brings depth to your experience while dissolving any left-over oiliness.

Alternatively he recommends complementing the fish eggs with a crisp, extra-sparkling water, to stimulate taste buds with its texture. Beyond the superfood selling point, Mordechai’s goal “is to re-establish the value of caviar as a daily delight.” With product this good, he’ll hardly have to swim upstream.