From live Maine lobster to the ultimate indulgence - a lobster roll crawl - coastal Maine is an incredible foodie destination.
Who says you can't eat like a prince and pay like a pauper - even in Maine, where lobster is king? The locals' favourite, the traditional New England lobster roll, is royally delicious - and immensely affordable. Live Maine lobster market prices are fair but lobster rolls are even more economical. For less than $20 (and sometimes as low as $10) you can enjoy a generous sandwich and tasty sides, all for a fraction of the cost of a boiled lobster dinner.
But while everyone in Maine loves lobster rolls, there's little consensus on what makes a great one. Everyone has a strong opinion about the bread, the sauce, and the flavors. I had to learn more for myself and so I set out on the inaugural "Lobster Roll Crawl" organized by the Cliff House Resort, one of my favourite places to stay in Maine. It's all about the buns: Building a Maine lobster roll
Fortunately, there's one thing that everyone is in agreement about. The crowning glory of a lobster roll is always the fresh Maine lobster meat itself. The golden rule is that the lobster has to be always fresh, always local, and never canned or frozen. But that's where the consensus ends!
Who knew that bread could be so controversial? In Maine, there's only one acceptable way to eat a lobster roll and that's on a hot dog bun, preferably the kind that opens from the top. No multi-grain bread, no hamburger bun, no croissants allowed! And don't even think about using bagels or brioche. After all that? There are still contentious issues about toasting! It seems that residents of Maine are in favor of the buttered, toasted buns which aren't standard throughout New England. ThoseI encountered in Boston were not toasted. Having tried both, I have to say that toasted buns are the winners! The buttery sides add an extra boost of flavor while the toasting creates more stability for holding the overstuffed sandwich. The Lobster Shack in Perkin's Cove, Maine, makes an absolutely delicious lobster roll and the bun is perfectly toasted and golden brown. The property dates back to 1900 and there was been a restaurant on the site since 1947 -these guys know their stuff!
There are only two things to put on Maine lobster meat: mayonnaise or melted butter. But get ready for an argument if you ask which is best! Heck, even applying the mayonnaise can be contentious. No 'salad cream' or fancy homemade aioli need apply. The best Maine lobster restaurants know that it must always be ordinary, brand name mayonnaise applied with a very, very light hand.
Having grown up with mayonnaise based lobster sandwiches, I didn't think there could be anything better however the lobster roll made with drawn (melted) butter at Jake's Seafood in Moody, Maine, just about changed that. Subbing out mayonnaise for a light coating of drawn butter is a genius move and goes beautifully with the toasted bun. Jake's makes each lobster roll to order so you can decide on the spot which sauce you prefer best. The secret of the sauce: butter versus mayonnaiseThe three "C"s - crunch, citrus, celery
When making (or eating) a lobster roll, you should never deviate from the time tested tradition of the lobster trinity - fresh shellfish, a proper roll, and lightly dressed meat. You will have a winning meal every time! But if you DO chose to venture into the territory of different flavors, tread lightly.
In my experience, there are just three acceptable options - the three "C's". You can add a light crunch by adding a leaf of lettuce to the bottom of the bun. You can add a tiny kick of flavor by adding in a small amount of finely chopped celery to the lobster meat, Or you can subtly brighten the flavor by adding just a touch of lemon. If you want a fantastic experience with lobster, York, Maine has a heavenly combo. At the Shore Road Market and Restaurant, just outside York Beach, Maine, the lobster rolls come dressed with the smallest amount of mayonnaise possible and are served with a wedge of lemon on the side. Adding just a gentle squeeze - and I mean it, just the lightest touch will do - gave a fantastic burst of flavor. They also include a side of their special drawn butter, a homemade mix of salted and unsalted butter, and adding a drizzle of butter after the lemon was a heavenly combination. And at $10 for a 4oz roll with a side of homemade potato chips, it's the best deal in town. Don't forget the final finishing touch.
I have to confess on my last stop, the lobster roll at Fox's Lobster House in Nubble, Maine didn't quite reach the sublime perfection of the other places I explored. That said, Fox's was the perfect finishing point for dessert and their famous Maine blueberry pie was a delicious way to conclude an amazing day. Blueberries are even more common than lobster and I really think that no trip to the area is complete with a hearty sample of both.
With lobster, it's hard to go wrong.![]()
A classic Maine lobster roll is the ideal way to capture all that flavor and take advantage of such fresh, local fare. You won't taste lobster like this anywhere else - and nor will you beat the price. So go ahead and indulge and eat like a king for the day. This is one splurge that's both affordable and irresistible.
Time to weigh in! How do you take your lobster roll? If you enjoyed this article, you'll also like: The Anti-Adventurist Guide to Lake Placid Traveling to Vermont on a Budget The 200 Meter Challenge: Philadelphia My time in Maine was facilitated in part by a press trip. All research, writing, and opinions remain my own.
26 Comments
13/6/2015 12:27:50 pm
I am not a huge lobster fan, but this has my mouth watering. Of course my son and husband popped over to have a read too and they want it NOW! :-) I will eat the pie. Looks like I would have to give it a try and figure out the secret sauce.
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Vanessa
14/6/2015 06:24:29 am
The pie was awesome - I could have done a post just about all the great blueberry dishes in the area.
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This is one "taste-testing" I would love to have been a part of! Those lobster rolls ALL look mouth-watering! Wow...I had NO idea how controversial lobster rolls could be. I've yet to have one toasted but, I really like that idea. Great lobster roll crawl, Vanessa! Loved this post. Oh..and that blueberry pie...YUM!
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Vanessa
14/6/2015 06:25:09 am
This was challenging taste testing for sure, but someone's gotta do it :-)
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14/6/2015 03:08:35 am
I've had my first lobster ever in Barcelona cooked by an American friend from Maine and it was fantastic! These people certainly know how to make tasty lobster! :)
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Vanessa
14/6/2015 06:26:18 am
YUM - I've head how great the seafood is in Spain but I think you made the right call by having a Maine native cook your lobster for you.
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14/6/2015 04:12:06 am
Now I'm dreaming about my trip to eastern Canada. Lobster will be the first thing I eat.
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Vanessa
14/6/2015 06:26:50 am
Do it! I'd love to hear from you about where you found the best lobster on your trip.
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I've never been a big lobster fan (and I live in New England) but that blueberry cobbler looks SO DELICIOUS!!
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Vanessa
14/6/2015 06:28:36 am
Just about every place we visited also made us sample their chowder! It's equally serious business as the lobster. From what I can tell, there's a couple of key steps. 1.) Don't be shy with the butter and cream. 2.) Use fresh clams at all cost - never canned or frozen 3.) I personally like lots of cubes of potatoes, local is best.
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You may find this hard to believe, but I never tasted a lobster (or any other sea food of that kind). I have a very severe allergy to it, but I always enjoy reading about it and try to imagine what it's like. However, I could have indulged on "the final finishing touch" of your meal. Sweets are always on my mind.
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Vanessa
14/6/2015 02:09:13 pm
Trust me, Maine is still definitely a great foodie destination, even if you don't like lobster.
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14/6/2015 11:24:03 am
This looks amazing!! I have never been to Maine and I have never had a lobster roll - both things I feel that I must do very soon after reading your post!
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Vanessa
14/6/2015 03:59:13 pm
Yes! I recommend doing both ASAP.
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14/6/2015 12:10:24 pm
I haven't been to Maine yet, nor am I huge fan of lobster... this post has me wanting to try both. Now. Such good photos. But where's the McLobster?
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Vanessa
14/6/2015 03:58:48 pm
Ha ha - you read my mind! We were saying we had to find a McLobster to do a comparison but we weren't able to track one down.
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14/6/2015 05:51:02 pm
im a little ashamed that i haven't had lobster on the east coast. and they just art the same out west! (something about having to travel across the country!) beauteous post sure made me hungry!
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Vanessa
15/6/2015 12:57:21 am
I think it's fair to say that the further you travel, the better they taste.
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Vanessa
17/6/2015 03:07:32 am
Ha ha ha! They might have thought you were a bit nuts, I must say. However, lemon is making a come back and my favourite was having it with just the tiniest amount of mayo and then adding my own lemon.
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19/6/2015 07:54:35 am
My mouth is watering! Those rolls look amazing...I love lobster! Maine is on my bucketlist :)
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Vanessa
21/6/2015 02:49:56 pm
I can't wait to go back to Maine and explore even more. It's a beautiful state!
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22/6/2015 04:15:38 am
We've chowed down on lobster rolls in Eastern Canada - pretty yummy. But who knew the bread was a key ingredient! Your lobster roll crawl now makes you a good expert on what makes a good lobster roll :-).
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Vanessa
22/6/2015 05:15:53 am
It's a great thing to be an expert in, isn't it?!
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15/5/2018 03:37:10 pm
Yum, this post has my mouth watering and giving me craving for lobster rolls. On the to-do list when I visit Maine, next May. Thanks for this delicious post. :)
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Vanessa
15/5/2018 04:55:41 pm
Think of me as you chow down on all the yumminess!
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