5 Reasons Why the Lobster Dinner Is Better Than the Lobster Roll
Seafood expert Mike Urban firmly believes that eating a whole lobster dinner beats a lobster roll any day of the week. Here’s why.
By Mike Urban|Feb 10 2022|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine KeenanI’ve been on the New England seafood trail intensively for the past seven summers, and I’ve had more wonderful gustatory experiences than anyone can reasonably expect in a lifetime. It recently occurred to me that with the continuing surge in popularity of lobster rolls, the experience of devouring a whole boiled or steamed lobster in its shell is being eclipsed and often overlooked. This is not as it should be. I firmly believe that eating a whole lobster dinner beats a lobster roll any day of the week. Want to know why? Read on.
Photo Credit : Mike Urban
5 Reasons Why the Lobster Dinner Is Better Than the Lobster Roll
Whole lobsters are fresher than lobster rolls.
A boiled or steamed lobster is as fresh as lobster gets. The trip from pot to plate usually takes a matter of minutes, allowing very little time for the lobster meat to age. By contrast, the meat in your lobster roll may be “fresh-picked,” but chances are it’s been out of the shell (which had sealed in its flavor) for hours and perhaps days.
It’s more fun to eat a whole lobster.
Dismantling a whole lobster and extracting the sweet, salty meat can be a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun — if you are persistent and have the right attitude. You need to square off against your crimson foe, remove and crack the claws, wrestle out the tail meat, extract the knuckle meat with your pinky or a poker, coax out sweet bits of lobster from the legs using your teeth, and nibble on the tomalley, roe, and any other innards that may appeal to you. It’s messy, but with a bib, claw crackers, a poker, and plenty of napkins, you’re in for a great feast with family and friends.
There’s no bun.
Much as I like buttered, toasted, split-top New England buns, let’s face it: The bread gets in the way. Lobster is meant to be gorged upon, not nibbled around the edges, as is the case with a neatly packaged lobster roll. Roll up your sleeves and dig in for the entire whole-lobster experience!
The side dishes are better.
A lobster roll typically comes with a bag of chips, perhaps a pickle, and not much else. With a whole lobster, corn on the cob, salt potatoes, chowder, steamers, and coleslaw are de rigueur — all part of the lobster dinner experience.
Photo Credit : Mike Urban
The butter is the bomb.
Dipping big chunks of steaming hot lobster meat into small plastic containers of warm, melted butter (which often runs down your chin) is a transcendent experience.
All this is not to say that I don’t enjoy a good lobster roll. I’ve had hundreds of them, and nearly every one has put a smile on my face. But what really sends me into orbit is a freshly cooked, bright red lobster with all the trimmings in a sunny New England seaside spot in the middle of summer. Viva the lobster dinner!
Photo Credit : Joe Goldberg
Bonus! 5 Great Spots for a New England Lobster Dinner
Five Islands Lobster Co., Georgetown, Maine
Thurston’s Lobster Pound, Bernard, Maine
Brown’s Lobster Pound, Seabrook, New Hampshire
Arnold’s Lobster & Clam Bar, Eastham, Massachusetts
Champlin’s Seafood, Galilee, Rhode Island
Where do you stand on the lobster dinner versus the lobster roll? Let us know!
Mike Urban is the author of Lobster Shacks (Countryman Press, 2016) and a regular contributor to NewEngland.com.
This post was first published in 2017 and has been updated.
SEE MORE:
10 Best Lobster Rolls in New England
12 Best Lobster Shacks in New England
10 Best Fried Clams in New England
Mike, I indeed agree with you that a lobster dinner far supersedes the lobster roll. I have never had a lobster roll and don’t plan on one ever; I believe all that ‘junk’ that they put in with the lobster roll is soooo unnecessary; it ruins the pristine taste of a real lobster. A freshly boiled/steamed 1 1/2-2# lobster with cole slaw, corn on the cob (or French fries) is the ONLY way to go! Beginning with steamers, of course! Good job!
Mary–the “real” lobster has no fillers–just freshly picked lobster meat warmed in butter, and served on a slightly toasted top-split roll
This is silly! Needless comparison. They’re both wonderful. As a transplanted New Englander now in South Texas, I’m grateful and delighted to have it in either form.
Well, that was silly. Neither is “better” just different. Like a burger is different from a steak dinner. Sometimes you want to go out for dinner, sometimes you just crave a high quality burger.
There is nothing better than a fresh caught, steamed lobster. Those who select to have theirs broiled, taken out the shell don’t know what they are missing.
I agree completely…I just love picking and digging around to find all the meat and just leaving a pile of shells!!!!! E. 7/14/17
Way out here in Milwaukee there is one place that serves wonderful (big chunks) fresh lobster rolls; they even use New England rolls! Being a New Englander from way back, I always order clarified butter for dunking. Served with fried onion rings and a side of fresh fruits, it’s almost like being ‘back home.’
Let me begin by informing you my late father and his whole family lived in Maine and his aunt owned a hotel at old orchard beach, Maine. His father made sure the first solid food I ate was lobster, which was always a family favorite. Grampy used to take us to bailey’s lobster pound in Pemaquid every summer, the whole family, because we all liked lobster. He used to order a peck of clams (local steamers), “as an appetizer” followed by as many lobsters as you could possibly eat, which was heaven on earth to me. He made sure the second solid food I ate was Cantonese style Chinese food, preferably lobster in lobster sauce (aka lobster Cantonese style)! I am very fortunate to have an Asian market near my home that allows you literally to pick your own Maine, which are really the best tasting I have discovered, lobsters out of their waist-level lobster pool, which I did yesterday. Last night I had 3 (they’re soft shell now, not much meat) with melted Kate’s sea salted butter (that’s all I ate for dinner!), which was originally made in old orchard beach, Maine, and has now moved their facility to Arundel, Maine. Kate’s won an industry award for being the best butter in the world. I agree with those judges!!!!!!!! I also like “lobster salad”, which I make with just Cain’s mayonnaise (which I make with copious quantities of it, just like Sim’s used to do, which were in Lewiston, Maine and auburn, Maine). If I have time I make lobster rolls with Iggy’s (a local Boston area bakery) brioche rolls, which I keep in my fridge 365 days a year, lightly toasted and buttered, like Sim’s used to make with slightly warmed lobster “salad” (which was pure lobster meat, no fillers). I only buy female lobsters now because I discovered years ago they taste much better than males! I like these two methods equally, but, if I had to choose, nothing beats “my bailey’s memories”… also, for the record I discovered (through my own internet research!) That I have iodine deficiency disease and the best food for me to eat is lobster, which has the highest iodine content of any fish or shellfish. I also take a liquid iodine supplement from a health food store. I literally cannot move without taking that supplement every day. (I eat as much lobster as I can afford…I could actually eat it every day if I could afford to!!!!!!!!). I bought 6 yesterday, so my dinner is all ready for tonight. I have a few of the asparagus I grow left, with hollandaise sauce I made from a gourmet magazine recipe. I subscribed to it from 1976 until its demise and I have all of the copies. My late husband built me a fancy custom cherry bookcase in my kitchen to match the custom cherry cabinets my late parents bought for us as a gift. Asparagus is my favorite vegetable, so I will really enjoy my dinner tonight! I also like baked stuffed lobsters a lot (Valle’s, which was headquartered in Portland, Maine had “daily double” lobsters on Wednesdays and Fridays, 2 for $2.95, so we used to go there a lot, which was 100 miles from where I grew up, but dad had business there frequently. You had a choice of boiled or bake stuffed. We always got the bake stuffed, which were really yummy! I also like lobster thermidor very much and lobster stew. There was a fabulous restaurant in Newington, New Hampshire named flagstones, where we always ate when we were near there. My mother had some business near there and took me there for lunch (I had lobster stew) and dad asked me when we returned where we had lunch and what I had and I told him we ate at “tombstones”. For the record, I also had problems with “altitude” (attitude) and “escouraging” (discouraging) when I was very young! Sim’s was really fun. They had a huge red neon lobster sign in their parking lots and let you “check out their lobsters” in their pools while you are (frequently!) Awaiting a table.
I like my lobster HOT, so prefer a lobster dinner also
I live in New Haven, and I LOVE a whole lobster and all the fixins, I think you get more meat in a whole lobster and I can dip in the butter all I want…a lobster roll to take to the beach, though, does just fine, except invariably the roll disintegrates, and lobster in a roll is all shredded. and NEVER EVER would eat a lobster roll cold with mayo.
Couldn’t agree more! Nothing beats the mouthful of fresh lobster, dipped in butter, after working to get that treasured piece out of it’s shell!
While I may agree with Ricky and Virginia. but if there is a choice do I want a roll or a lobster, there is no question the Lobster of course
I have no preference, it just depends what your in the mood for. There are good and bad in everything. I have not seen any articles or discussions yet about Fried Lobster, yes. Many years ago when I was visiting a dear friend in Maine she made that for me instead of a lobster dinner. It was delicious because of the batter she used and how she fried it. I had never heard of it and the only place I came across it was at Woodman’s in Essex, MA. I tried theirs and it was good but nothing like the way my friend prepared it.
Absolutely Correct! A lobster roll takes what? 5 minutes to eat? Where as a lobster dinner can take a good half hour to crack, pick, dip and devour! Yum! No comparison whatsoever! Plus I’ll bet that pound for pound a lobster dinner is the best deal…
I have to say I love them both, but for me there’s a time and a place for each. When it comes to boiled lobster dinner, I’ll have mine at home where I can make all the mess I want picking and digging in with gusto and enjoying all the sides. If I’m out in restaurant I go for the lobster roll eating the lobster first and savoring the taste of that buttered roll at the end! Aren’t we lucky to have these options!
I agree (messy) hands down.
I’ll take a lobster roll over a lobster dinner any day of the week. I don’t need all that extra food to enjoy my lobster.
Lobster rolls are good for a quick lobster fix. A lobster dinner however is an experience, I’ve been eating lobster that way since I was a kid. My husband’s favorite photo is of me having devoured a 2 pound lobster in Nova Scotia. All that was left were the guts and shell!
While I love basic boiled lobstah w “drawn buttah” (& get to eat them by the dozen while at my Newfoundland Canada salmon camp, the best culinary treatment is by the Cantonese Chinese version of ginger/scallion lobster. They fake a live bug, whack it up, toss it in some rice wine, rice starch & a super hot wok with oil for a few minutes (they never over cook), toss in a bunch of fresh julienne fresh ginger root & scallion & serve. Ya gotta be willing to get yer hands & face a bit messed up but hey, they hand out lemon scented steaming towels to while yer gob. Peach Farm in Boston Chinatown is my fav & ya can get it at 2AM!
Lobster dinner wins, no doubt, but Arnold’s in Eastham? That place is such a tourist trap! There are so many better places to get your lobster fix: The Bookstore in Wellfleet, The Lobster Pot in P-town (and the pan roasted lobster is to die for and a nice change of pace), Mac’s Shack in Wellfleet or The Friendly Fisherman in Eastham–all much better than Arnold’s and no annoying mini-golfers! Bonus!
They both have their place, but if given the choice and the time, lobstah dinnah hands down. And eating it at a pound is great, but my favorite memories are of family get-togethers in the summer, pots steaming in the backyard, rolling out the various courses so that you didn’t have to rush anything. Tons of steamers first, then wash the butter off your face, take a while to let those settle, then in go the lobsters. By this time big bowls of melted butter are set, and out comes those red beauties and corn on the cob. It’s a festival of butter! Then you push away from the table, gorged and sated. Hopefully there were a few lobsters left over for a nice bisque or some rolls later that weekend. Then crush up the shells for the compost pile, or pray that garbage day isn’t too far away!! Good times!
We are fortunate to have Ford’s and Abbott’s about 5 minutes away, but I’ve played more than my share of twins at Champlin’s in Galilee.
Abbott’s is incredible. One of the things I miss the most sincere moving away. Never had Fords or Champlins
Mary, how do you know what you prefer if you have never had a lobster roll? Both are delicious!
Where in Milwaukee do you get the lobster roll? I am there!
St Paul fish co. On Mequon rd
Delicious!
The lobster dinner is the best, but the hard shell lobster is better than the soft shell.
LOBSTA ROLL DA BEST, A ZILLION HANDS DOWN!!
Responding to some of the comments above……a ” real Lobster Roll” consists only lobster and butter.
Whole lobster is my vote. A hot buttered lobster roll is the second and any lobster roll containing mayonnaise is just well mediocre. Might as well have tuna salad for 1/10 the price. I generally don’t eat lobster out as it the markup is just too high. So to make a lobster roll at home, I need to steam the lobster, remove the meat from the shell, melts some butter. Oh wait dinner is done and ready to eat. Toe make the roll, I need to melt the butter, butter and toast a roll, warm the lobster in the butter and assemble. Meanwhile I would have eaten the freshly picked lobster. If I am going to pay 20 bucks or more per pound for a lobster in a restaurant I want the whole lobster thank you.
When I finally got to try a lobster roll on a trip to Cape Cod, I have to say I was underwhelmed, especially at the price. Even down here in Texas we can buy a whole live lobster to cook at home for less than the cost of one lobster roll in Massachusetts.
Both can be wonderful (although make it twin lobsters for me!!)
We enjoy a good lobstah roll at home If you boil your lobstah at home, that is the best way to create your lobstah roll! Yes, lots of butter. Butter and grill you split top bun, cut your fresh lobstah meat bite size, leave one claw whole, depending on how big it is, you might have to halve it. Now put the meat in the grilled roll, drizzle butter on top, not lettuce, celery or mayo! Now serve with a side of drawn butter. Dip your roll into butter and enjoy. Lazy man lobstah in a roll. I boil one lobster per person/roll. Prefer 1.25 to 1.50 pound lobstahs.
Great article! But you definitely missed the boat! There are several really great companies in Maine that will ship the lobster to your door! Overnight! Reasonable! Do this again and include https://www.mainelobsternow.com/ and/or another company. It works, I’ve done it several times!
Dinner, Dinner Dinner… No contest. Rolls are GREAT but merely a snack compared to full 2 -3 lb steamed bug with sides.
Kind of an unfair comparison- its like comparing a hamburger with a ribeye meal, or comparing swordfish meal with all the trimmings to a fish and chips meal
You are comparing a lunch meal with a proper dinner meal with all the trimmings. Lobster rolls are for quick on the road lunches at roadside shacks, while lobster meals are served much fancier. I don’t want to stop for lunch and have to go through the time and effort to eat a proper lobster meal- i just want something quick and easy to eat without all the mess. . When desperate, ill even throw caution to the wind and stop in at McDonald’s and have their lobster ???? rolls. Small. Expensive and not the best, but it’ll do till I can get time to go out to a fancy resteraunt (or even to those shacks mentioned earlier) and have a boiled lobster meal, or have a few during family reunions, or for a birthday meal out.