A Lobster Roll Tour along the New England coast

Being from Massachusetts, I’ve always loved a good lobster roll. I think if I saw a help-wanted sign that read, “Taste lobster rolls for a living,” I would drop everything to get an interview.

People have a lot of opinions about lobster rolls. The arguments rage on, but ultimately, they’re all good. From Newbury, Mass., to Portland, Maine, we have a wealth of quality fresh lobster rolls within a short drive. Why not enjoy summer and taste them all?

In our lobster roll research, we studied the atmosphere and hospitality of the restaurants; the portion size of the lobster rolls; whether the lobster rolls are served chilled or warm; and the quality of the buns.

One of the biggest debates surrounding lobster rolls is whether cold mayonnaise lobster salad is better than lobster warmed in butter, also known as the Connecticut-style versus Maine-style debate.

My childhood friend Roger Chadwick, an ordinary Yankee, says, “You want it hot and buttered, yes. Only way I’ll eat them, as I also hate mayo.”

No wonder we are friends. The bread is typically a split-top bun, but it can be griddled with a mayo schmear, or it can be a roll, or it can be a bao bun. There is a lot of room to experiment with contemporary lobster rolls.

We started our tour in Portland at Eventide Oysters. Eventide’s signature brown butter lobster roll ($22) is served on a Chinese-style steamed bun and features large pieces of lobster. The clam chowder, with whole clam bellies, is dynamite as well.

Next up was the Porthole in Portland. The lobster roll costs $36 for a 5-ounce serving. The lobster is served chilled on a grilled roll with lettuce and your choice of lemon aioli or drawn butter. We chose butter! Both lemon and butter have a place in lobster rolls, but my favorite will always be butter (on a warm lobster roll, not chilled).

Next up: Luke’s Lobster in Portland. This is rumored to be the busiest restaurant in Maine. The lobster roll is served “Luke’s way: Wild-caught, chilled seafood in a New England–style, split-top, buttered bun with a swipe of mayo, lemon butter, and Luke’s Secret Seasoning.” Prices are $28 for 4 ounces, $39 for 6 ounces and $50 for 8 ounces.

The potato roll bun has a mayo schmear and is then griddled, which creates a tasty flavor. The lobster warmed in butter is quite good, I must say.

Closer to home, we visited a longtime favorite: Bob’s Clam Hut in Kittery, Maine, which has been in business since the 1960s. Kittery is a small town only 30 minutes from where I live in Haverhill. Bob’s serves its smaller and more manageable lobster roll on a griddled split bun. I like the size of it, especially with a side of fries ($34.95). This lobster roll, with lobster meat warmed in butter, is worth the drive.

“The bread you choose is the unsung hero of your lobster roll,” said Kittery resident Amelia Powers. “A sturdy baguette can add crunch, while a New England-style hot dog bun offers a soft, comforting texture that lets the lobster meat shine.”
Many locations were recommended for this tour, but even we had limits. Bob Lobster in Newbury remains a favorite for its beautiful setting and sunsets.

“Split-top buns are the best for lobster rolls because not only do they stand upright, but because they have ‘whitewall’ rather than browned sides,” said Newburyport resident Nate Wolf. “Those sides can be buttered and grilled in a pan.”

At all the places I tried on this tour, the lobster rolls were delicious, and each had its own merits. Other locations that friends and locals recommended include Michael’s Harborside in Newburyport; Petey’s in Rye, N.H.; Red’s Eats in Wiscasset, Maine; and Hi-Roller in Portland, Maine. We weren’t able to visit any of these places on our initial tour, but there’s plenty of time to eat lobster!

Haverhill’s Jimmy Carbone met his wife Pixie Yates at a NYC restaurant where he was the chef and owner. The couple are at home around chefs, bartenders, good food and drink, and bring their enthusiasm for dining out to this column.