St. Lawrence Market fishmongers better watch their backs. After years of being the top-ranked seafood dealers in the city, they now have some neighbourhood competition. The spacious front lobby of Rodney’s Oyster House—the King Street West restaurant that has long been a temple of freshness—now doubles as a marketplace three days a week.

The draw here is seven impressive tanks that circulate icy salt water around live shellfish and molluscs. National oyster-shucking champ and chef Eamon Clark (he’s also Rodney’s son) stocks live lobsters, crabs (Dungeness and Alaskan king, when in season), periwinkles (tiny sea snails), clams, mussels and, of course, oysters. The oysters vary with the seasons, so keep an eye open for Kumamotos—a tiny, luxurious Japanese breed, now extinct in Japan—or Rods, P.E.I. oysters that are raised exclusively for the restaurant. Each market day Clark picks three different species to showcase, depending on their freshness and flavour, and how easily they can be opened by the novice shucker. But if wielding an oyster knife isn’t your thing, Clark will do the shucking for a fee.

Aside from the live choices, there’s a good selection of impeccably fresh fish (tuna and salmon are standouts) and house sauces—including Rodney’s classic shallot mignonette and Back From Hell, a dangerously hot Grenadian scotch bonnet sauce prepared by Grace Noel, an 18-year Rodney’s veteran. Also on offer are flats of herbs (basil and fennel, say) waiting to be snipped for a bouquet garni.

An array of prepared foods is also available, aimed at taking the chore out of summer entertaining. Try such grill-ready retro classics as oysters Rockefeller and Clams Casino. “I like to take the customer halfway there,” says Clark. “I’ll cook the lobster two-thirds, cut it down the middle, finish cooking the claws, make a salad out of them, and give you some herbs and seasoned butter so you can finish it on the grill at home, or take it to the cottage.” Sounds like a plan.

Rodney’s Wet Market at Rodney’s Oyster House, Wednesday to Friday, 1 p.m.–7 p.m., 469 King St. W. (at Spadina), 416-363-8105, www.rodneysoysterhouse.com.