The Matunuck Oyster Bar, a well-known Rhode Island seafood restaurant that has been called one of the best oyster bars in the world, was destroyed in a fire early Tuesday morning.The fire broke out shortly before 4 a.

As investigators search for a cause, South Kingstown’s fire chief says the damage to the iconic waterfront restaurant may be too severe to recover from.

Matunuck Oyster Bar opened in 2009 as an extension of a local oyster farming business. WAKEFIELD – A fire at Matunuck Oyster Bar in South Kingstown early in the morning on May 20 caused serious damage to the iconic restaurant and firefighters say the restaurant will likely be a total loss.