SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — About five years ago, Senator Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island, brought a visiting Senator Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, to Matunuck Oyster Bar — “the best seafood restaurant in America,” he proclaimed.
For any of his Senate colleagues visiting the Ocean State, Matunuck Oyster Bar is a must-visit, Reed said. “If I can get my colleagues to go down there, I do. It’s part of my campaign as the Rhode Island concierge, so to speak,” he told the Globe.
Now, that campaign may have hit a painful snag.
On Tuesday morning, Rhode Islanders woke up to the news that Matunuck was up in flames. Firefighters responded to the two-alarm blaze just before 4 a.m. It’s a devastating blow to one of Rhode Island’s most famous restaurants, and right before summer tourism is about to kick off over Memorial Day weekend.
“We’re all in mourning, really,” said Farouk Rajab, the CEO of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association.
The cause of the fire is undetermined, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal is still investigating, spokesman Matthew Touchette said. While the restaurant was still standing after the fire was put out, officials said it “may be a total loss.”
“We may have just lost an institution,” said Rajab, who said the association is looking to draw up a plan to assist Matunuck’s employees.
A GoFundMe organized by Dan Smalley and David Stine, two regular diners, aimed at helping employees and the rebuilding effort, has already raised more than $50,000.
In 2002, owner Perry Raso founded Matunuck Oyster Farm, a wading depth aquaculture farm on Potter Pond, a saltwater pond. By 2008, he was selling oysters from his farm across the country. In an attempt to ensure the future of the farm, he acquired a rundown restaurant on the pond that had some commercial docks that would provide easy access for his work boats. The following year, in 2009, he reopened the restaurant as Matunuck Oyster Bar. Since then, it’s become a “pond-to-table” destination for diners, where he regularly offers oyster farm tours.
Some call Raso a pioneer for bringing aquaculture education to the public in southern New England, and he has been featured in The New York Times, CBS News segments, and Globe travel guides.
“He’s always in his dungarees and T-shirt,” Reed said. “If you didn’t know, you’d think he was the busboy, not the owner of this wonderful restaurant.”
In 2023, Raso and his alma mater, the University of Rhode Island, embarked on another project, and built a new shellfish hatchery across from the restaurant. It has also served as a hub for research at URI.
“Perry Raso is the hardest working man in the state, and has been for a long time,” said Mitch Mauricio, the executive chef of the Agawam Hunt country club in East Providence.
When members of Congress visited Rhode Island last year, Congressman Seth Magaziner did not hesitate when it came to dinner plans, and “knew right away where to take them,” he said. That night, photos show Magaziner and a group of lawmakers, including Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, gathered on a floating barge in Potter Pond. On the table in front of them was a glistening platter of raw oysters. Their host, Raso, stood while pointing out sections of his farm’s operations.
“This is a guy who graduated from URI, and just wanted to be an oyster farmer. And then added a tiny little restaurant and thought it would be another way for him to sell his oysters,” said David Dadekian, the chairman of the board of Eating with the Ecosystem, a nonprofit that promotes sustaining New England’s wild seafood. “Not sure he ever thought it would become what it ultimately did.”
In a statement on Tuesday night, Raso said he was humbled by what Matunuck Oyster Bar represents to so many people.
“While we are heartbroken that our doors will be temporarily closed, we are committed to opening them back up and welcoming guests back to our tables as soon as possible,” Raso said.
Raso started digging littlenecks in Point Judith Pond when he was 12, and grew up harvesting shellfish, eel, bull-raking clams, and scuba diving for steamers.
Over the years since it’s opening, Matunuck made additions: a second floor, a patio, and outdoor seating. It’s also become the number one restaurant destination in South County, according to Louise Bishop, the president and chief executive officer of the South County Tourism Council. Each year, the restaurant and farm now employ more than 300 full-time and seasonal employees.
For some locals, it’s the place to go after the beach to munch on lobster rolls and watch a setting sun while sitting on the patio.
“Can’t even count how many times I’ve been,” Ed Davis, a longtime chef in Rhode Island, told the Globe. “Unreal amount of great memories.”
For others, it’s a special occasion spot for celebrations.
Matunuck was the location of the first date Caitlyn Gemma had with her now husband. They married in 2023. “He fell in love with Rhode Island and we live here now,” she said.
Magaziner went to Matunuck to celebrate his 40th birthday with his young family.
“It’s been our go-to date spot every July 4th for the last six years,” said Jonathan Kirk, the former owner of the now-shuttered Masa Taqueria pop-up who dines there with his fiancee, a bartender at The Eddy.
Liz Colleran and her husband hosted a special dinner at Matunuck after they were married. When they moved to Indiana, they continued to purchase Matunuck’s oysters.
To most who have been, it’s more than just a restaurant. It’s famously “set a new standard for dining,” said Dadekian.
“His aquaculture work has redefined our relationship with the ocean, sharing the regenerative work of farming shellfish as they clean our waters while nourishing communities,” said Felicia Neuhof, the founder of Shellf Life. “The building may be damaged, but Matunuck’s impact on our oceans and food systems remains intact.”
“There aren’t many Rhode Island treasures, and that’s one of them,” wrote Andy Gresh, a New England sports broadcaster on social media.
“Summer dinners, dockside laughs, fresh oysters with a view... Praying they’re able to rebuild,” wrote Kiel James Patrick, who designs quintessential New England clothing and accessories under a brand named after himself, in a social media post.
Over the years, Raso has also been known to give back, donating free meals to frontline workers through the restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant has also hosted fundraisers to support individuals battling deadly illnesses, and Raso has donated thousands in the restaurant’s name to individuals and organizations.
“I guess it’s our turn to be out there for him in every way that we can be at this point because he’s always been there for us,” Bishop said.
While he could not be reached for an interview, Raso said in his statement that he has heard from patrons from Rhode Island and beyond, who have “reached out... with selfless offers to help.”
Raso “is a decent, decent man. I’m saddened by this,” said Reed, who said he texted Raso as soon as he heard the news of the fire on Tuesday morning.
“If he calls, we’ll be there,” added Reed. “If he needs someone to come down and shovel some of the cinders away, I can do that.”
Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Follow her @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz.