Maine's summer luxury: cold Atlantic lobster in a buttered bun with barely any mayo. The Connecticut warm version with melted butter is its equal. Freshness is everything.
About Lobster Roll
New England's summer pinnacle — cold-water Atlantic lobster knuckle and claw meat, minimally dressed with mayonnaise and a whisper of celery salt, piled high in a butter-toasted split-top hot dog bun (Connecticut version is warm, dressed with melted butter); the lobster must be as fresh as possible; eaten on a picnic table at a Maine wharf shack with a bag of salt-and-vinegar chips and a cold Moxie soda.
Cold-water Atlantic lobster knuckle and claw meat, minimally dressed with mayonnaise and a whisper of celery salt, piled into a butter-toasted split-top hot dog bun. The Connecticut version uses warm lobster with melted butter instead of mayo. Eaten at a Maine wharf shack when the boat came in that morning.
“Cold-water Atlantic lobster knuckle and claw meat, minimally dressed with mayonnaise and a whisper of celery salt, piled into a butter-toasted split-top hot dog bun.”
The lobster must be as fresh as possible — in Maine, Tuesday to Thursday is when most boats come in. The difference between same-day and two-day lobster in a roll is immediately apparent.
What to Expect
At a Maine wharf shack the lobster roll arrives in a paper basket, the lobster tumbling over the bun. The first bite is cold lobster and warm, buttered bread. The ocean is directly in front of you.
Why Try It
The Maine lobster roll is the food experience most specific to the American Atlantic coast — the cold water, the fresh catch and the picnic table setting are all part of it.
Insider Tips
- Tuesday to Thursday are when most Maine boats come in — freshness peaks those days.
- Red's Eats in Wiscasset, Maine is the most famous address.
- The Connecticut style (warm, melted butter) versus Maine style (cold, mayo) is worth trying both.
