Ordering seafood online ensures a higher quality and a greater selection of seafood than what you might find at the grocery store. Seafood delivery is both easier and more convenient, with the seafood shipped directly to you. In addition, getting frozen seafood delivered directly from the source means you get a better selection with more transparent information on sourcing and sustainability, as well as the knowledge that you are actually getting the product you ordered. With all that in mind, we searched high and low to find the best seafood delivery companies available right now.
Best Seafood Delivery Services of 2022
Best Overall: Fulton Fish Market Best for Salmon: Sitka Salmon Shares Best Variety: Wulf’s Fish Best for Sushi or Sashimi-Grade Fish: Honolulu Fish Company Best for Domestic Seafood: Wild Alaskan Company Best for Fresh Oysters: Taylor Shellfish Farms Best for Sustainability: Sea to Table Best for Lobster: Luke’s Lobster
Why You Should Try ItThe Fulton Fish Market sells an incredibly wide range of top-tier fresh and frozen fish, shipped directly overnight, allowing anyone and everyone to eat restaurant-quality seafood in the comfort of home. ProsHuge selection of seafoodSubscription boxes or one-off à la carte ordersSeafood clearly labeled with country of origin, farmed or wild, and nutrition ConsWide range of seafood can be daunting to navigate for casual shoppersDelivery of seafood is only Wednesday through SaturdayShipping can be expensive for certain locations OverviewEstablished in 1822, the Fulton Fish Market in New York City is the largest fish market in the United States. For almost 200 years, the company only sold seafood and fish to the top restaurants in the world, unless you were willing to stop by the market in person at 3 a.m. But with the launch of Fulton Fish Market’s website in 2015, restaurant-quality seafood and fish were suddenly available to anyone with internet access. With one of the most extensive selections of seafood and fish available, you will find nearly anything and everything you might want to try. Indecisive folks can opt for a seafood bundle like the seafood dinner party box or the modern feast of the seven fishes bundle. You can also join a subscription box that is either curated or has specific cuts to choose from. Fish is often delivered fresh, though there are some frozen options as well. And every seafood selection is clearly marked with nutritional information and country of origin as well as whether the product is farmed or wild-caught Pricing and PlansMinimum order of $75Subscription saves 5%Boxes start at $64.52 per box Why You Should Try ItSitka Salmon Shares delivers wild-caught seafood directly to your home with subscription boxes and is passionate about supporting small-boat and multigenerational fishers in Alaska. Pros Directly supports Alaska’s small-boat fishing industrySashimi-grade seafoodWild-caught salmon only, not farmed ConsCan’t order fish à la carteLimited varieties of fish available OverviewIf you’re looking to receive superior Alaskan seafood, specifically salmon, Sitka Salmon Shares is the best option. All of the company’s seafood is sushi/sashimi-grade, making its products some of the highest quality seafood available. The three subscription boxes (Salmon, Seafood, and Premium Seafood) are priced at different tiers and function similarly to community-supported agriculture, where you purchase “shares” of the season’s catch. The salmon box offers three types of wild-caught salmon including coho, keta, and sockeye, as well as prepared salmon burgers, with boxes curated for the season. All fish and seafood are caught by small-boat Alaska fishermen, often from multigenerational fishing families. The fish and seafood are also all sustainably sourced, with the packaging of the fish allowing you to trace the source of the seafood. Subscription boxes are monthly or every other month and can be skipped or canceled at any time. Pricing and PlansSubscription box starts at $129Three box options: Salmon, Seafood, and Premium SeafoodFree shipping Why You Should Try ItWulf’s Fish has a wide range of fish, seafood, and caviar with the option to either order à la carte or turn the selection into a recurring subscription order. ProsA wide selection of fish and SeafoodCustomizable ongoing subscription optionsPartners with CleanFish to provide sustainable seafood choicesConsSmall orders can be expensive due to shipping feesShipping can be pricey for certain locations, regardless of order sizeOverviewFounded in 1926 by Sam Wulf, Wulf’s Fish supplies some of the best restaurants in the nation with farmed and wild-caught fish and seafood, and now this restaurant-grade seafood is available for direct delivery to your home. Browse and shop for the fish and cut you’d like, then place the order as a one-time à la carte or select a subscription so you can get a recurring order of the same fish every 30 days. Wulf’s Fish also offers a couple of curated subscription boxes with a wide selection of fish. Most product description pages provide instructions on safety, recipes, and sustainability notes as well. Wulf’s Fish has even partnered with CleanFish, an organization that traces where the fish is sourced, as well as the people that caught or raised it. Pricing and Plans Marinated mussels start at $17, with an option for recurring 30-day subscriptionSubscription boxes start at $150Free shipping for certain locations for orders over $150; flat rate shipping increases to $85 and $105 depending on area Why you Should Try ItHonolulu Fish Company is the only direct distributor in the U.S. that offers more than 14 different species of sashimi-grade, hook-caught fish. ProsHook and line caught fish only, no net-caught fishAll fish is available fully grown and reached reproductive maturityFree shipping ConsMust buy fish in larger portions sizesNo subscription options OverviewFounded in 1995 by a trained marine biologist, Honolulu Fish Company offers over 30 species of eco-friendly Pacific water fish and over 14 varieties of sashimi-grade fish. The company is a direct distributor of its sashimi-grade fish, which is served and praised by top chefs across the country for its quality and freshness. Fish are always hook caught, never net fished, and all fish must reach reproductive maturity before being sold. Once caught, the fish is prepared into chef-ready portions using a single knife and a one-touch handling process. Portions tend to be on the larger size, from three to six pounds. And because the fish is hook caught, the offerings vary per day. Because of this, there is no subscription option. However, you can sign up for Honolulu Fish Company’s Ahi Club, which offers exclusive promotions, deals, and giveaways, with notifications sent via SMS text or email. Pricing and PlansPrices vary, but currently Pacific Sashimi Coral Cod is $84.57 per poundNo recurring subscription plan, as fish is hook caught and species availability is not guaranteedFree shipping on all orders Why You Should Try ItThe Wild Alaskan Company has roots in the Real Food Movement and strives to deliver premium wild-caught fish from Alaska to the rest of the United States. ProsFounded by a third-generation Alaskan fishermanAll fish is wild-caught Customizable delivery options ConsLimited fish selectionNo customization of fish selection in box OverviewThough Alaska provides 50 percent of U.S. domestic seafood production, the vast majority of seafood found in American grocery stores is actually imported from overseas. The Wild Alaska Company aims to change that by delivering wild-caught fish from Alaska directly to consumers in the United States. Founded by a third-generation Alaskan fisherman with roots in the Real Food Movement, the company offers subscription boxes of salmon, white fish, or a mix of the two. All fish is individually portioned, vacuum-sealed, and shipped in boxes with dry ice and compostable cornstarch insulation. Signing up for a subscription is easy, with the choice of the three boxes as well as the size you want (12 or 24 six-ounce pieces). You can also select the frequency of delivery: once a month, once every six weeks, or every two months. Shipping is free and you can skip or cancel anytime. Pricing and PlansPrices start at $145 per box for wild salmon, wild white fish, or wild comboSubscription frequency is one month, 1 1/2 months, or two monthsFree shipping on all orders Why You Should Try ItTaylor Shellfish Farms is known for its raw shellfish that is served in several oyster bars and shellfish markets in the Pacific Northwest but can also be ordered and delivered directly to your home. ProsFresh shellfish that comes directly from family-owned farmsFresh and frozen options availableWide range of shellfish available, including geoduck ConsOnly shellfish, no fresh fishNo subscription options OverviewTaylor Shellfish Farms is a fifth-generation farm that was founded in 1890. It specializes in oysters, clams, mussels, and the difficult-to-find geoduck, all farmed and grown in the Pacific Northwest. The company even offers boxes and packages, like its Taylor’s Raw Bar Experience, which includes oysters, a shucking knife, a shucking glove, Tabasco sauce, and lemon, as well as other meal kits like a cioppino kit or a paella kit. Taylor Shellfish Farms’ efforts in the clean water movement and the fight against ocean acidification had the company speaking in front of the United Nations on the topic. Its shellfish is selected as a “best choice” by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program, and the company is certified by the Food Alliance on sustainable agriculture. The shellfish arrives fresh, though you can also order frozen top-off oysters if you’d prefer. Pricing and PlansPrices for oysters start at $65 for 30 Taylor Pacific PetitesSubscription is not available.Perishable items ship free for orders over $250. Otherwise, a flat rate of $40 for all states. Why You Should Try ItSea to Table, a certified B Corporation, offers a wide range of seafood, all caught sustainably here in the United States. ProsAll wild-caught seafoodCertified B CorporationPartnered with NOAA Fish Watch ConsNot many shellfish optionsPortions are wrapped in wax-lined butcher paper that is not compostable or recyclable OverviewSea to Table focuses on American wild-caught fish and seafood, with an emphasis on sustainably caught seafood. All products include a label that allows you to trace where the seafood is caught as well as the method used to catch it. A certified B Corporation, Sea to Table ships all their seafood flash frozen and vacuum sealed in individual portions with dry ice and eco-friendly insulation. You can order individual packets of Sea to Table’s fish, including albacore tuna, wild gulf shrimp, Alaska salmon, black cod, and lobster tails, or you can order boxes that are curated, like the Oh-My Omega box, which features wild king salmon, Alaska sockeye salmon, Pacific black cod, and Atlantic albacore tuna. All boxes and individual packages can be bought once or turned into a recurring delivery with subscription options for four, six, or eight weeks in frequency. The more frequent the delivery, the cheaper the subscription. Pricing and PlansPrices start at $17.06 for 2 6-ounce pieces of Dover soleSubscription available for all items in frequency of 4, 6, and 8 weeksFree shipping for orders over $99; otherwise, orders up to $49.99 is $45 shipping fee, and orders from $50 to $98.99 is $30 shipping fee. Why You Should Try ItLocated in Maine, Luke’s Lobster is a family-owned company that specializes in sustainably sourced lobster and seafood meals with traceability from dock to table. Pros Seafood harvested with sustainable methodsLots of ready-to-eat meal optionsShipped carbon neutral Cons Limited selection of seafood other than lobsterNo subscription options OverviewLuke’s Lobster is a family-owned company, founded by third-generation lobster fisherman Luke Holden, who started a small lobster roll shack in New York City. Working exclusively with local Maine lobster fishermen to source his lobster, Holden eventually expanded his shacks globally, with shops all over the United States and Asia. You can also find his ready-to-eat products in upscale grocery stores in the freezer aisle. In 2020, when restaurants started to close, Luke’s launched its online market, allowing everyone to get fresh live lobster as well as lobster meat, lobster tails, crabmeat, halibut fillets, and dayboat scallops delivered directly to their doors. Other ready-to-eat meals are available, including lobster bisque, clam chowder, lobster mac and cheese, and (of course) lobster rolls. All seafood is harvested sustainably and shipped via carbon-neutral methods for free, with a minimum order of $40. Pricing and PlansPrices start at $35 for lobster bisque that serves fourNo subscription optionsFree shipping for orders, with a minimum order of $4O
Is Shipping Seafood Safe?
Yes, shipped seafood is safe to eat. Frozen seafood is flash frozen to a lower temperature than typical home freezers, and it’s shipped in insulated containers, either with frozen gel packs or dry ice. The seafood should still be frozen when it arrives at your home, with no real loss of temperature. Fresh seafood is also shipped overnight in insulated containers with cold packs, ensuring the quality of the food has not degraded at all.
Are Seafood Delivery Services Cheaper Than Buying Seafood at the Grocery Store?
That depends on the seafood and the company. While some seafood is cheaper than you’ll find at the grocery store, some may be more expensive due to shipping costs or the quality of the seafood itself. That said, the caliber of the seafood you’ll get from most online delivery services is often superior to what you will find at the average grocery store. So, the seafood from a delivery service is often a better value overall.
Are Seafood Delivery Services Sustainable?
Most online seafood delivery services source their products sustainably, but it depends on the company and the particular fish you are ordering. Check the individual website for information on whether the company you are ordering from is sustainably sourced or not.
How Long Does Fresh Seafood Last?
You can usually store fresh seafood in the refrigerator for one to two days. But, for the best quality, fresh seafood should be eaten right away. Frozen seafood can be stored in the freezer indefinitely, but for optimum flavor and texture, it’s best to thaw and eat it within six months.
