South Bay Center is about to get a bit saltier thanks to its newest incoming eatery: a seafood restaurant and oyster bar. The Pearl Seafood Grill and Raw Bar, which will occupy the vacant space at 20B District Avenue next to Express, is set to open in December according to co-owner Teda DeRosa-Pinckney.

DeRosa-Pinckney, a Medford resident who says her family used to own a business in Dudley Square, will own and operate the establishment along with Reggie Cummings and Malik and Mika Winder, a group with roots in Medford, Dorchester, Roxbury and Randolph.

“It’s a community effort,” said DeRosa-Pinckney. “As a group that’s who we are, we rep Massachusetts and Boston proper, and we’re just so excited for this opportunity to grow with what’s growing here in Boston.”

The roughly 1300 square foot space will feature outdoor seating in the warmer months, with the eatery’s oyster bar intended to be its centerpiece. The restaurant’s name represents what ownership hopes the restaurant will become--a “hidden gem” in South Bay--and also acts as a nod to DeRosa-Pinckney’s grandmother, who was named Pearl. DeRosa-Pinckney said they will source their products locally “as much as possible,” from seafood to craft beers.

“Our vision is a great bar with good, down-home New England comfort food, and it’s gonna be seafood because that’s what we do best here,” she said.

The business is still in its early stages; a public abutters meeting is set to be held Monday, and processes to acquire liquor licenses and other permits are still underway. But if all goes according to plan, Dorchester residents will be enjoying fresh seafood and oysters come wintertime.