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After my first encounter with fried clams, someone told me I had to try “Ozzie’s Lunch.”
I’ve completely forgotten who it was (leave a comment if it was you!) but I remember that person saying it was a popular destination for RCMP officers and those guys always know where the best local eats are.
I tried to google “Ozzie’s Lunch” and was puzzled to find nothing — until I saw the big sign on Highway 1 boasting the “best seafood in North America” at Ossie’s Lunch.
This highway stop, open since 1957, is literally a hard turn from 100 km/h between the towns of St. Andrews and St. George. Some might say it’s the middle of nowhere.
But it seems everyone knows where it is. A van full of seniors from a nearby home was there, followed by a steady stream of highway crews, families and random travelers with their assorted licence plates.
You place your order at the window, get a number and wait for them to call you over the intercom.
The food isn’t cheap but it’s extremely good quality — even if the majority is deep-fried.
My clams and chips ($15) were so meaty and fresh, unlike the tiny clam bits that most places serve. It came with a little cup of coleslaw and passable fries. But really, it’s the clams you should come here for.
Jason’s shrimp ($12.95) was plump and tasty too.
Ossie’s has a huge parking lot for all the different vehicles that pull over, from enormous RVs to motorcycles. But there are also about two dozen covered picnic tables nestled far away enough from the highway to sit and enjoy your seafood.
There’s also ice cream and homemade pies whose flavours are scrawled on a piece of paper taped near the order windows.
I don’t know if I’d vote this the “best seafood in North America” but I would certainly vouch for the best fried clams ever.
Ossie’s Lunch, Highway 1, Bethel, New Brunswick, 10 minutes west of St. George. (506) 755-2758. Open from Mother’s Day weekend until mid-October.
Yum. I want. Even the coleslaw looks good.
Nice new digs! Just got back from my summer vacation & was sad to see that I missed your San Francisco reviews, a couple places I may have tried to check out otherwise. Not that it’s hard to find a good food experience at all.
Cheers!
I live in New Brunswick, and I first heard of Ossie’s in an email from a friend from Calgary, yesterday.
Since I have not been (but we will be soon), I cannot comment on Ossie’s Lunch. However, I have been to Ellis’ at Stonehaven Wharf in Northern NB, and it rocks.
Every summer we traveled to St. Andrews to visit my grandmother, stopping at Ossie’s was a given and as an adult traveling with my children we have made it a tradition also, it is the best, you have got to splurge and get the seafood platter which I normally have to share with my son (too much for moi). Amazing food, and the homemade tartar sauce is delicious!
O.K….. They say on their sign “Best Seafood in North America” Well… I thought that was a bit cocky….. In Short…. They are corect. The best Fish and Chips EVER…. No Lie…. The fries, Rings, ColeSlaw….. EVERYTHING was fantastic…. Just thought everyone should know “THE TRUTH”
Ossie’s Lunch is a MUST for Charlotte County visiting. They have the best fried clams in the world, no kidding! And their Fish & Chips are great as well. It all comes down to using the best seafood they can buy and they don’t cut corners. Their coleslaw is excellent and I don’t like coleslaw. Their pies are good too! Wonderful owners and good value for the money. Keep up the great work!
With the new 4-lane Route 1 highway planning to bi-pass Bethel the future of Ossie’s remaining in business isnt such a sure thing.
Friends from St. John took us to Ozzie’s yesterday– Simply delish! The 4 of us split 2 Seafood Platters. Everything, from the homemade tartar sauce to the coleslaw was great! We live too far away (Toronto) or we’d be back at least once a month!
Well, sorry to say but I wasn’t quite impressed…it is good but not even close to the best in NA…check out Halifax area for way better quality deep fried sea food.
Looking forward to trying their seafood platter out next summer on my yearly visit to NB.
Another GREAT seafood place is “Chez Camille’s” in Cap Pele, just down the HYW from Shediac…
Ossie’s “clams and chips” are the best in the world. I’ve tried clams and chips in the other maritime provinces and they do not do it the same as in N.B. N.B.’s are simply the best!
My first time going there was just yesterday as we drove back from Saint Stephen. I had heard from a few different friends that I HAD TO STOP and eat but expect to wait as the line up could be up the road waiting on their orders. Well the parking lot was quite full but no line up on the road…thank God!
It was worth the half hour wait in all as I bought the small seafood platter. I couldn’t finish the fries. If the fries were home made it would have been perfect but who has room for them?
I hope the new highway doesn’t take from them but I’m sure there will be enough local business to keep ‘em going.
Can’t wait to return to try out some home made pie!
April 14, 2012 Just got back to Saint John area (Hampton actually!) and snacked at Ossie’s. Although, it is a TAKE-OUT food place, the fries and the fish are the best. I travel 100 km. to have their fish. There are too few places within a radius of 300 kms. that can compete with its quality. I highly recommend their cooking of deep fried fish properly. I have never been disappointed. We make an effort of going there several times a year even tho’ we live over 100 km away.