The island of Herm may be less than a single square mile in size, but you could spend a whole weekend trying out a new restaurant here each day. The little island, one of the roughly half-dozen in the English Channel, has three formal restaurants and a population to match — just 65 permanent residents, according to the island's website. That may be a humble number, but the community of Herm has a secret weapon native to the island that's lured food bloggers and chefs to make the trip over. That specialty is an exclusive variety of shellfish, Herm oysters, that benefit from the tidal flows and closed-loop cultivation on the island.

In 2024, Herm even got the attention of a Michelin-starred French restaurant chef, Michel Roux Jr., Visit Guernsey reported. On his visit, Roux tried some of the local delicacies, stating, "[The oysters] really are very very good. Very purse in flavour, not too salty and I think you can say the equivalent of 'terroir' in French which means that they take the flavour of where they're growing." To get a sample of this singular "terroir" requires a bit of effort — first involving a trip to Guernsey, then a separate ferry from Guernsey to Herm. Plus, Herm, like another Channel Island called Sark, is car-free. Its journey is justified, however, not only for the oysters, but also for its paths tracing coastal cliffs and gorgeous cove beaches.

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Why foodies make the trip to Herm

England might not be so celebrated for its cuisine, but there are a couple English destinations that prove worthy exceptions, like Birmingham, a foodie gem considered the U.K.'s most underrated city. Herm makes a case for foodies largely because of its uniquely delicious oysters. They come from a family-run business called Herm & Guernsey Oysters, which harvests the oysters from seed to maturity. The Oyster Encyclopedia describes their taste as crisp and briney, with a slight melon flavor.

Herm oysters are prepared and served at The Ship Inn, where you can get a half dozen of them for under 10 pounds. The Ship Inn is a casual, nautical-themed spot with a spacious patio. Another popular dining spot on Herm is The Mermaid Tavern. It has strong reviews — 4.2 stars on Google Reviews — with much love for its fish and chips (made with beer battered cod, per its sample menu). The third formal dining option on Herm, The Conservatory Restaurant, doesn't have as strong reviews online, but the foodie travel blogger Travelling Jezebel comes to its defense. "Bright, airy, and beautifully designed, The Conservatory Restaurant is the best restaurant on Herm Island," she wrote, giving a shoutout to the Herm oysters served here. This is the island's most upscale spot, though, so you'll need to dress a bit more smartly.

What to know about visiting Herm

Besides its restaurant scene, equally enticing reasons travelers might consider the trip to Herm are its beaches and English Channel views. You can take them in on a single swoop: The Herm Loop is a path that follows the island's perimeter, which can be completed in under two hours. Its uneven ellipse hides lots of little wonders along its tracks, from fragments of a Neolithic settlement near Bear's Beach to cliffs on the southern edge of the island that look out to the hemline of France. When you're ready to simply relax by the ocean, Fisherman's Beach on the west side is a good option, as it's near the restaurants and a gift shop. A more expansive beach is Shell Beach on the east coast, which is named so due to being covered in a torrent of tiny shell pieces. The latter also has a café serving ice cream, beverages, and sunscreen.

Getting to Herm means first making your way to Guernsey. For this leg, you can travel by ferry or plane. Ferries are offered by Brittany Ferries to Guernsey from a few departure points: Poole and Portsmouth on mainland Great Britain; Jersey, another Channel Island; and St. Malo in France. By plane, British Airways offers flights to Guernsey during the warmer months, departing from Heathrow — it's Europe's busiest airport, but there's an easy hack to beat lines. Once in Guernsey, you can take a 20-minute ferry ride via Travel Trident to reach Herm.

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Read the original article on Islands.