The best place for lobster is the Maine coast.
I come from a heritage of lobstermen; daring to choose among the best local markets is akin to picking a favorite child.
Almost.
A generation or two have passed since saltwater flowed through our veins, practically relegating me to tourist status along the fishing docks. But when we head to the coast on a summer day and the briny ocean air hits my face, it smells like childhood. I close my eyes as I bite into the freshest meat on the planet, minutes out of the harbor. It tastes like childhood too. Salient, fresh, and as gourmet as it is primordial — a simple lobster meal on a weatherworn Maine dock is timeless bliss.
Whether it’s your first crustacean or your 50th, eating Maine lobster is an experience. Many fine establishments still offer complimentary bibs and medieval-looking cracking devices when you order a steamed meal in a shell. No one looks down on you if you use them. It’s easier, but no less iconic, to ask for a lobster roll. Let someone else extract the meat and pile it on a toasted split-top bun. Then your only dilemma is choosing a condiment. Do you prefer hot drawn butter or cold mayo – or both?
From Kittery to Calais, you’ll find a multitude of fresh lobster options along the coast. Lobster pounds, shacks, food trucks, and marinas provide the catch of the day. Many restaurants put their own spin on lobster, but it’s hard to beat the basics. Starting at the bottom of Maine and heading Downeast (which is north, oddly enough), here is a list of the best places to eat lobster.
1. Barnacle Billy’s
Source: Barnacle Billy’s Website
Barnacle Billy’s in Ogunquit
Barnacle Billy’s has been a mainstay on the Ogunquit Harbor for 60 years. Tucked amongst the lilies at the water’s edge, you can smell the seafood as you drink in the lovely view of Perkins Bay. You can drink other things too; their rum punch pairs well with the salty crustaceans. Hearty portions of meat grace their lobster rolls, and the ratio of mayo is just right. Indoor and outdoor seating offers options if the breeze off the bay is a bit nippy. This was a favorite haunt of President George Bush who spent many summers just up the road at the family home in Kennebunkport.
2.Bite into Maine
Source: Bite Into Maine Facebook Page
Bite Into Maine Lobster Roll Platter
Portland-area food truck Bite into Maine has a big presence. The bite-sized restaurant boasts a prime view of picturesque Portland Head Light on Cape Elizabeth at their original site, but has settled trucks at Allagash Brewing and in Scarborough as well. Their classic lobster rolls are well endowed with hunks of perfectly cooked meat on locally made buns. You have the hard choice of Maine or Connecticut-style (with mayo and chives or just warm butter, respectively). If you need to kick it up, ask for chipotle, curry, or wasabi mayo. You can also get lobster as a whole steamed meal, lobster grilled cheese, or lobster BLT. Whatever you choose, wash it down with blueberry soda or Moxie, and follow up with a homemade whoopie pie before wandering around 90-acre Fort Williams at the water’s edge. A classic Maine lighthouse visit and savory lobster meal pair perfectly at this stop.
3.Portland Lobster Company
Source: Portland Lobster Company Website
The Portland Lobster Company
It’s easy to see why Portland Lobster Company was voted the best waterfront dining and best lobster roll in 2021 in the city. They have it all — prime harbor view at the end of a working dock (guess where their daily catch comes from), live entertainment, and award-winning food. The food is fresh, the beer is cold, and the location is a hotspot all summer. All the ingredients in the house are sourced locally. Portland as a whole is a foodie paradise, and this long-standing business is a well-known quarterback in the game. Their pier is a welcome respite from the bustling hum of Commercial Street with its timeless brick and mortar Old Port ambiance. You don’t have to wander off the beaten path to find great lobster. Amidst the biggest city in the state, you can have your fish and eat it too – dockside, with a matchless harbor view.
4.Day’s Crabmeat and Lobster
Source: Day’s Website
Day’s Crabmeat and Lobster
At the edge of the Cousins River in Yarmouth, you’ll find one of the oldest lobster pounds in Maine. Day’s Crabmeat and Lobster has provided locally caught crustaceans since 1926. Their lobster is classic, but their crabmeat rolls stand out on the menu since few lobster shacks offer the more labor-intensive entree. You can sit at the overlook and relish voluptuous rolls or steamed meals, or pick out live or frozen lobsters so you can take some home for later. Fried clams are also delicious here if you’re willing to diverge from the red meat.
5.Five Islands Lobster
Source: Five Islands Lobster Co Facebook Page
The Five Islands Lobster Co
Five Islands Lobster in Georgetown is iconically perfect. First is the selfie-worthy view of the harbor dotted with evergreen islands, buoys, and resting boats. All outdoor dining at picnic tables along the smooth boardwalks and docks give diners matchless views. Second to none are the food options – classic lobster of course, but also noteworthy onion rings, steak-and-cheese sandwiches, and a local ice cream shack to round out the choices on the dock. Their lobster rolls consistently earn top rank. Meander through the picturesque fishing village to arrive at the working wharf, hear the rumble of boats and the call of seagulls, and smell the salty air, and feel the crisp breeze as you bite into lobster fresh out of the cold ocean at your feet. Georgetown satisfies every sense.
6.Red’s Eats
Source: Red’s Eats Website
Red’s Eats Lobster Roll
Though not on the ocean, Red’s Eats has become synonymous with great lobster. The lines that snake away from the red and white striped awning attest to their popularity, but a bite into their iconic roll erases any doubt it was worth the wait. The humble shack boasts international fame. You may share the line with a celebrity, and certainly a repeat customer or two. Red’s patio overlooks the Sheepscot Bay at the base of the red brick town of Wiscasset right on coastal Route 1. It’s hard to miss, and easy to see why Red’s philosophy of “fresh food and plenty of it” has garnered a loyal following of satisfied customers.
7.Shaws Wharf
Source: Shaw’s Wharf Facebook Page
Shaw’s Wharf in New Harbor
Shaws Wharf is a gem in the rough. Tucked along the midcoast in New Harbor, the humble shack probably shouldn’t be on this list because its appeal is in its unassuming location off the beaten touristy path. There aren’t many places on the East Coast where you can watch the sunset over the island-dappled ocean. You can here, at a picnic table overlooking Pemaquid Bay on a summer evening, with simple and sumptuous fare from area fishermen spread before you. Watch fishermen at the pier as you tuck into a lobster roll piled with meat. Hardy Boat Cruises use Shaws as their landing point, so sign up for a lovely afternoon on the water to whet your appetite. It’s hard to beat the fresh fish and unparalleled views of the ocean at this casual take-out locale.
8.Muscongus Bay Lobster
Source: Muscongus Bay Lobster Website
Muscongus Bay Lobster
Down in Round Pond, Muscongus Bay Lobster is another great find that has yet to be discovered by the masses. Round Pond Harbor glistens beyond the wide dock that provides plenty of open-air seating. Lobster and crab rolls are generously filled. Their fish tacos are a great alternative to the classics. Bring your own beer, your own friends, and your own appetite for a lovely afternoon on the quaint marina. Muscongus is a native Abenaki term for “fishing village” or “many rock ledges.” The granite shores and rugged beauty of the surrounding coast make this a stop on a midcoast adventure.
9.McLoon’s
Source: McLoons Lobster Shack Facebook Page
McLoons Lobster Shack
McLoon’s in South Thomaston is a little red shack with growing fame. Jutting into the Atlantic for panoramic views, the humble restaurant dock is situated across from the wharf that provides their daily catch. For those who disapprove of any wilting lettuce in a lobster roll, this family business knows that basic is best. Choose your meal right out of the trap, settle at a rustic picnic table for dinner, and finish up with a slice of blueberry pie as the gulls call overhead. This is the way a Maine day should taste.
10.Youngs Lobster Pound
Source: Young’s Lobster Pound Facebook Page
Young’s Lobster Pound
Amidst the puttering fishing boats chugging out to sea, Youngs Lobster Pound is a beacon on Penobscot Bay. The wharf looks across the Passagassawakeag River to Belfast’s quintessential downtown and marina. Lobstermen unload their catch directly into a massive tank that can hold 30,000 pounds of lobster. They ship worldwide, but you can choose your lunch and eat it minutes later on the deck without fanfare. Great atmosphere, no-frills, and no pretense. No regrets if you find your way here hoping for a quintessential lobster dinner. Wander across the footbridge over the river and enjoy the walkable city streets while you digest your meal.
11.Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound
Source: Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound Facebook Page
Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound
Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound is pretty easy to find. Approximately 3 million visitors cross the only bridge to Mount Desert Island every summer on their way to Acadia National Park. Every one of them has to pass the steaming chimneys of the authentic family restaurant. It’s not fancy, but if you’re looking for good old-fashioned fresh lobster, grab a place in line. It moves fast past the outside wood-fired steaming pots so you can claim a picnic table overlooking the rocky shore. They don’t grill or fry anything here. They focus on seafood, salty air, and a sensational view. Put this on your bucket list before or after a visit to Acadia.
12.Thurston’s Lobster
Source: Thurston’s Lobster Pound Facebook Page
Thurston’s Lobster Pound
Lobster is abundant all across Mount Desert Island all summer. Despite the fierce competition, Thurston’s Lobster rests on the inner edge of the “lobster claw” of the island, facing Bass Harbor, where many hungry tourists seek it out. Their double-decker seating means there’s plenty of space to spread out under the yellow awnings. Both wholesale and retail lobsters are unloaded right on their dock, guaranteeing fresh food. Bass Harbor is every bit as lovely as Bar Harbor on the eastern side of the island, but far less crowded. The upper-class neighborhood includes many celebrities’ summer homes nestled in the evergreen woods along the rugged coastline. If you can’t stomach an intensive hike over the granite hills of the national park after a hearty meal here, take a quick car ride up to Northeast Harbor and walk around the Asticou azalea garden. You’ll be glad you did.
13.Quoddy Bay
Source: Quoddy Bay Lobster Facebook Page
Quoddy Bay Lobster
Quoddy Bay in Eastport is last on this list only because it’s the northernmost harbor in the U.S. The family-run business made the tough decision to refrain from offering cooked lobster during the 2021 season. Hopefully, the iconic shack at the top edge of the country will reopen next year to provide their loyal customers with the best-known lobster meal for miles. In the meantime, fresh off-the-dock live lobsters are available to take home. I’m not sure what the pirates will eat on their annual invasion of Lubec in September if the Griffin family isn’t there on the wharf (which they built from their own woodlot and sawmill) to feed them. Maine lobster is iconic, but it represents the hardworking people who pull them out of the cold waters and offer them unpretentiously every summer. Traditions – especially those dipped in butter at the ocean’s edge – are worth their salt to keep.
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