The oysters and mussels of Yerseke: boat tour and restaurants

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Latest update: 2 October 2024

If you want to eat oysters and mussels where they come from in the Netherlands, you have to go to Zeeland—to Yerseke, to be exact. I’m joining a boat tour with mussel lunch on a sandbank (so cool!), and of course, I won’t miss a visit to one of the restaurants for even more mussels and oysters.

Mussel Oyster Boulevard in Yerseke

Yerseke is a fishing village in Zeeland, mainly known for its ‘Zeeuwse’ mussels and oysters. In the summer months, the Havendijk is renamed Mussel Oyster Boulevard, but even outside these months, everything revolves around mussels and oysters. All kinds of activities also take place in the summer, not only on the boulevard but actually in the entire village. Think of culinary walks, performances by musicians, and food trucks.

Tip! Do you want to pick oysters yourself? That is also possible in Zeeland. Read quickly to find out where you can pick oysters in Zeeland.

Boat trip Yerseke: oysters, mussels and seals

If you are in Yerseke, you basically owe it to yourself to take a cruise on the Oosterschelde. And depending on what you like, you can choose the theme of your cruise. For example, there are oyster tours, mussel boats, and seal cruises.

I am going on a mussel tour. The oyster boat of the Oesterbaron is a mussel boat for a day, especially for us. The boat C’est la vie is spacious and completely lout-proof (read: simple and sturdy). On the boat, we taste oysters—gratinated and with vinaigrette—both delicious!

In the meantime, we sail across the Oosterschelde and are given an explanation about mussel cultivation and catching, including a demonstration. At least 800 kilos of mussels are taken out of the water with one such scoop.

Marstrand boat trips

At Marstrand, you can choose from various boat trips. For example, you can go on a mussel tour, oyster cruise, or seal tour. View your options on the website.

Oesterbaron boat trip

The focus of the Oyster Baron is, of course, on the oysters. You sail along the oyster banks and receive extensive information about oyster farming. View the options on the site.

Eating mussels on a sandbank

Due to the tides, the sandbanks in the Oosterschelde dry up to the rhythm of the ebb and flow. We gratefully make use of the moment for a mussel lunch at long tables. These are the mussels from Prins Dingemanse that you can also buy at Albert Heijn. It is a stunning setting to have a mussels lunch: I eat on the seabed! But first, you can walk around the sandbank a little and learn about the tides and ocean creatures. You do have to gather 19 friends though, because that’s how many people you need to enjoy all of this. Unfortunately, this experience is not possible on regular cruises.

Restaurants where you can eat mussels and oysters in Yerseke

Once back on shore, the food fest obviously continues. Because in the restaurants of Yerseke, you eat the freshest mussels and oysters. The best thing is to choose a restaurant on the Mossel Oesterboulevard. At Oesters Bubbels, Pekaar, and the Oesterij the restaurant is directly adjacent to the oyster pits.

I choose the Oesterij and because it offers the opportunity to walk around the oyster beds. The information boards tell you how oysters are grown and harvested. The Oesterij also regularly organizes fun events, check the annual calendar for that.

Google Maps Oesters Bubbels
Google Maps Pekaar
Google Maps de Oesterij

The mussel vending machine in Yerseke

Just like you pull a croquette from the wall at the snack bar (yes, we do that in the Netherlands – find a FEBO near you!), you can buy mussels from the mussel vending machine in the harbor of Yerseke. Nice to take mussels home to cook yourself some dinner. So be sure to drive by before you go home.

Google Maps location