Boston seafood wholesalers: Fish Pier to New Bedford

Most Boston seafood wholesalers sit on or near the Boston Fish Pier in the Seaport, with a few more in Newmarket Square. Dozens more work out of New Bedford and Gloucester. Restaurants order fresh fish several times a week. Prices change with the catch, so expect a new price list often.

Where are seafood wholesalers in Boston?

As of November 2026, the directory lists 131 seafood suppliers in Massachusetts. That includes 91 seafood wholesalers and 11 lobster wholesalers. It also lists shellfish and oyster wholesalers, seafood processors and importers. Boston has 34 of them, New Bedford has 24 and Gloucester has 12.

In Boston, they bunch up in a few spots.

The Boston Fish Pier. This is the long pier off Northern Ave. Sunny's Seafood, Wulf's Fish, Great Eastern Seafood and Atlantic Coast Seafood are all listed at Fish Pier addresses.

Northern Ave. Right along the street, the directory lists John Nagle Co. and Pangea Shellfish Company.

Seafood Way and the streets behind it. Farther out in the Seaport's industrial area, Stavis Seafoods, Nor'easter Seafood and Constitution Seafoods list Seafood Way addresses. Boston Sword & Tuna is on Codfish Way, and North Coast Seafoods is on Drydock Ave. A few more sit on Fid Kennedy Ave.

Newmarket Square. Away from the water, Pier Fish Co is listed in Newmarket Square, near the city's meat wholesalers.

The full list, with every town, is on the seafood page.

Why is the Boston Fish Pier a seafood hub?

The pier was built for this. It opened in 1914, back when Boston was the nation's leading fishing port, NBC Boston reported when the state put the pier up for the National Register of Historic Places. Massport runs it today.

Boats still unload there. Red's Best, which the directory lists at its Boston address, says on its site that it is based at the Fish Pier. It says it unloads boats for fishermen and handles their catch from there.

Why buy from New Bedford or Gloucester?

New Bedford is the top fishing port in the country by value. NOAA Fisheries says it ranked first in the U.S. for the value of its catch for the 24th year in a row. The directory lists 24 seafood suppliers there.

Gloucester, on Cape Ann, is next, with 12 seafood suppliers listed. Both towns have wholesalers working close to the boats.

If you're in Boston, a supplier from either port can still make sense. Ask which days its trucks come to your part of the state. Ask too if there's a delivery minimum for your area.

How do restaurants buy fish from a wholesaler?

Buying seafood has its own habits. Most of them come from the fact that fresh fish changes every day.

You'll order often. Fresh fish keeps only a few days, so many kitchens order several times a week. Your supplier will tell you its order cutoff, often the afternoon or evening before delivery.

Prices move, too. Fresh fish is often sold at "market price," which can change with the weather and the catch. Many wholesalers send a daily or weekly price list. Ask how yours will reach you, by email or text.

Delivery days vary by supplier. Sunny's Seafood says on its site that it delivers six days a week. It also offers a second delivery the same day for last-minute needs. Pier Fish says it was founded in 1910 and has trucks ready to deliver every day.

Cuts can be made to order. Great Eastern Seafood says it keeps fish whole and on ice until an order comes in, then cuts it by hand. If you want fillets, portions or skin off, ask for that by name.

What should you ask a new seafood supplier?

Ask the same questions of every supplier you try. It makes them easy to compare.

1. What time is your order cutoff, and which days do you deliver to my street?
2. How do you send prices, and how often do they change?
3. Can you cut to my spec, such as 6-ounce portions with skin off?
4. Is there an order minimum or a fee for small orders?
5. Do live oysters, clams and mussels come with their tags? Ask your local board of health how long to keep them on file.
6. Do you hold a Massachusetts seafood dealer permit?
7. What are your payment terms for a new account?

The permit question is worth asking. Massachusetts law says a business needs a wholesale dealer permit to store, process, ship or sell raw fish for resale. The state's Division of Marine Fisheries and Department of Public Health issue it. You can look up current permits yourself on mass.gov by searching "DMF dealer permit lookup." It shows each holder's name, permit number and city.

Tips for your first few weeks

Start with two suppliers, not one. Fresh fish can run short in a stormy week, and a backup keeps your menu whole.

Check every delivery when it arrives. Look at the eyes and gills of whole fish, and check the temperature. Point out a problem to the driver before they leave. Many suppliers want it flagged at the door to give you a credit.

In winter, storms can keep boats in port for days. Talk with your supplier about frozen or farmed backups for your best sellers before the bad weather hits.

Find seafood wholesalers near you

You can see all 131 seafood suppliers the directory lists, from the Fish Pier to New Bedford, on the seafood page. For the rest of your order, start at the full directory.