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Frequently Asked Market Questions

About Crave Fishbar Market

As an independent restaurant with locations in the midtown east and upper west side neighborhoods of Manhattan, we love being a part of the culture and community of New York. Since 2012, when we opened Crave Fishbar in midtown east, we’ve provided our community with a fun atmosphere to celebrate, host business meetings, or dine out just because. 
 
As a certified B Corporation, we are committed to using our business as a source of good for our community. When the COVID-19 pandemic suspended our business operations and jeopardized our local fishing and seafood communities, we sought a new way to provide healthy, fresh seafood for everyone cooking at home. 
 
Quarantined at home with our families, as we swapped recipes and cooked more meals together, we saw a need for a reliable retail source of sustainable seafood. The marketing language on grocery store packaging is often misleading, and the multiple rating systems for sustainability can make it more challenging for consumers to purchase quality and ethical seafood.
 
With the Crave Fishbar Market, we’re able to leverage our commitment to sustainability, our fourteen plus years of sourcing expertise, and our direct access to fresh, high-quality seafood from local and sustainable sources. The Crave Fishbar Market reconnects our clientele with the local fishermen who depend on restaurants for survival. We think it’s a win-win for everyone.

Becoming a Certified B Corporation in 2015 is one of our proudest achievements. At the time, we were one of only a few other restaurants worldwide to become Certified. But what does this mean? Being a Certified B Corp means that we are committed to the highest standard of social and environmental performance, using our business as a source of good for our community, employees, and the environment. As a for-profit business, we are deeply committed to balancing our business with a sense of purpose. In our case, this means a relentless pursuit of sustainability, investing in our employees, and giving back to our local community through volunteering and donations. Check out our Certified B Corp blog post for an inside look at how we operate Crave Fishbar. 

The Crave Fishbar Market is a chef-led online seafood retailer, meaning that all of the seafood available in our market is sourced by Chef Todd Mitgang. We have over 14 years of sourcing expertise, and partnerships with some of the top names in seafood: the Monterey Bay Aquarium, James Beard Foundation Smart Catch, and the Seafood Nutrition Partnership, to name a few. We are combining our commitment to sustainability, our connections and relationships with local shellfish farmers and fishermen, and the reputation of our restaurant to provide fresh fish for our community to cook at home. The seafood you buy at our market is the same seafood we prepare and serve in our restaurant. This also means our team of chefs clean, scale, butcher, and prep your seafood, so it’s ready to cook when you receive it. From the docks to your home on the same day doesn’t get any fresher than that!

The Crave Fishbar Market is an online retail market, meaning that all orders and pick-up and delivery scheduling is arranged online. You can browse our menu, order seafood, and schedule pick-up or delivery conveniently online.

 

At this time, our fish fillets, shellfish, and chef-prepared seafood is not available for on-demand purchase in our restaurants. Our market was designed to increase sustainability and minimize waste, so we only bring in seafood pre-order. This ensures we’re not taking more from our oceans than what is needed.

About Our Seafood

We are committed to sourcing only sustainable seafood of the highest quality. This often means that our seafood is local, but there are exceptions. Our sourcing partners include local shellfish farmers, Long Island fishermen, and the Fulton Fish Market.

Information on the source and harvest method of each species is detailed on our menu, which we update our menu daily to reflect the season and market availability. You will always have all the information about our seafood before you place your order.

Locality is one of our top-three concerns when sourcing fish, but sustainability and quality come first. This way, we can be certain that we are not depleting local fish stocks by overfishing, or otherwise disrupting our local marine habitats. For more information on local seafood and how it relates to sustainability, see our Sustainable Seafood Guide.

While definitions by the world’s leading experts vary slightly, all agree that sustainable seafood is any fish or shellfish that comes from a healthy stock population—meaning the species is not endangered or overfished—and is harvested with minimal impact to the environment or other aquatic species. Both wild-caught and responsibly farmed fish can be sustainable. For more information on sustainable seafood, and how you can make sure the seafood you eat is sustainable, check out our Sustainable Seafood Guide.

If you’re purchasing your fish from us, you’re eating and supporting sustainable seafood, guaranteed. We follow up-to-date sustainable sourcing guidelines by industry experts and are committed to updating our practices as needed, ensuring sustainability and traceability in the seafood that we sell.

Responsibly farmed means that the source of aquaculture, or fish farm, is managed proficiently. Effective management protects the farm’s species, as well as the wild species in the surrounding environment. Studies show that when aquaculture is managed effectively, it provides a valuable source for healthy, reliable, and ecologically-safe protein. We only source aquaculture products that are evaluated and approved by our partner, Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch

Absolutely! In fact, it’s necessary to rely on aquaculture for seafood.  Currently, 52% of the world’s seafood comes from aquaculture. With the world’s population at an all-time high and more people eating seafood than ever before, aquaculture is a critical part of preserving wild fish stocks. We’ve done the hard work to determine which farms are responsibly managed and harvest the highest quality seafood. 

Freshness is one of our top priorities. We sell only fresh seafood, never frozen. We source your seafood from the market in the morning that your order is scheduled for fulfillment. This ensures you’re getting the freshest seafood possible.

Pick-Up & Delivery

Through Mercato, we offer delivery in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, the Bronx and the suburbs. 

Crave Fishbar Delivery Zone

Yes. All orders may be picked up from our Crave Fishbar Midtown location, 945 2nd Avenue and 50th Street, between 1-9 pm, Monday through Saturday. 

At this time, all orders will be available after 1 pm, on the following day that you place your order. If you need your order before 1 pm, we recommend ordering a day in advance. For details on how to store your fish, see our section Storing, Preparing, and Cooking Fish. 

The delivery fee begins at $5 and is based on the delivery address.

We offer delivery and pick-up between the hours of 1pm and 9pm, Monday through Saturday. At the time of purchase, you will have the option to schedule your delivery. Delivery is offered in a one-hour window, 1-2pm, for example.

All deliveries and pick-up orders are scheduled in advance, allowing us to source your seafood per-order, on the day of fulfillment. For next day delivery, place your order by 9pm the night before.

Yes, we do offer Saturday delivery. Pick-up and delivery is available Monday through Saturday. The market is closed on Sundays. If you need seafood for Sunday, we recommend ordering for Saturday delivery. Storage and handling instructions are included with every order.

On Mercato, orders are required to be cancelled twenty-four hours before your fulfillment window. Orders can only be cancelled in full; Mercato does not offer partial-cancellations. To cancel an order, click on the “details” button in your order confirmation, and follow the prompts to cancel your order.

We accept all major credit cards.

If there is a courier delay, Mercato will send an email to notify you of the delay.

If your order is incorrect, please review your invoice to make sure you were not charged for any missing items. You may contact us directly at [email protected] or by calling 646-895-9585. You may also submit a request to Mercato for help.

Storing, Preparing, and Cooking Fish

Fresh fish and shellfish should be kept in their packaging and refrigerated until ready to cook. Fresh whole fish and fillets may be refrigerated for up to three days. Fresh oysters, clams, and mussels may be refrigerated for up to five days.

Yes and no. All oysters, clams, and mussels should be cooked fresh, up to five days from the day of arrival. All fresh whole fish and fish fillets can be safely frozen for up to three months.

To freeze whole fish and fillets: remove fresh seafood from the packaging and place in a freezer bag (freezer bags are thicker and better at preserving the freshness and flavor). Include no more than four fillets in a single freezer bag. Remove as much air from the bag as you can, and seal tightly. Your fish will save for up to three months.

To thaw whole fish and fillets: the night before you’re going to cook, move your seafood from the freezer to the fridge. Allow the seafood to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Once thawed, consume within twenty-four hours. Do not refreeze.

Fresh whole fish and fillets may be refrigerated for up to three days. Oysters, clams, and mussels may be refrigerated for up to five days.

Yes! You can find inspiration and expert advice by Chef Todd Mitgang on our Recipes page. 

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