There’s no wrong way to enjoy a New England lobster roll, but it’s hard to top the combination of a premium roll and picture-perfect view. Here are our favorite New England lobster rolls with a coastal view.
Mount Desert Island’s Southwest Harbor is the backdrop for Beal’s delicious rolls.
Photo Credit : Courtesy of Beal's Lobster Pier
Trying to find the best lobster rolls with the most excellent views led us down a rabbit hole of research that was as enjoyable as it was overwhelming. Trust us, there are many great New England lobster rolls served in gorgeous settings. But the following list represents our idea of the crème de la crème. Maine gets the most representation here, unsurprisingly, but every coastal state in New England holds its own with delicious lobster rolls and beautiful views. Get out there and start tasting!
23 New England Lobster Rolls with a View
Connecticut
Waterside dining is de rigueur at Abbott’s. Photo Credit : Mike Urban
This beloved Connecticut mainstay serves its hot-and-buttered rolls stacked on hamburger-style buns. The views of Long Island Sound and Ram Island Shoal are stunning, especially at sunset. Don’t miss the clear-broth chowder, which is just as rich in flavor as its creamy cousin.
The patio at Ford’s Lobster in Noank. Photo Credit : Courtesy of Ford's Lobster
For such a tiny town, Noank has great lobster options. Best known for its Lobster Bomb — a bread bowl filled with buttered lobster and topped with (optional) lobster bisque — Ford’s also serves a very tasty lobster roll, along with lovely views of Mason’s Island.
The view at Guilford Lobster Pound ranges from marshland to open water. Photo Credit : Courtesy of Guilford Lobster Pound
Owner Bart Mansi is also a lobster boat captain who heads out before dawn each morning, so it’s hard to beat the freshness of the meat. Grab a roll and take in the view of the town harbor and Falkner Island.
Lobster Landing in Clinton. Photo Credit : Kelsey Liebenson-Morse
This charming little shack perched right over the water serves a paradigm of hot-and-buttered excellence. Owner Enea Bacci sources meat from Long Island Sound and uses a very light hand in the poaching of the meat, guaranteeing perfect sweetness and tenderness.
Maine
Mount Desert Island’s Southwest Harbor is the backdrop for Beal’s delicious rolls. Photo Credit : Courtesy of Beal's Lobster Pier
This sprawling shingled restaurant juts out into Southwest Harbor on Clark Point and serves a reliable menu of seafood classics: steamed lobsters, fried seafood, burgers for landlubbers, and a fun menu of lobster roll variations, including hot-and-buttered, cold-with-mayo, garlic-buttered, and spicy buffalo.
Bite Into Maine, Cape Elizabeth Photo Credit : Mike Urban
All the locations of this small chain have six styles of lobster roll, from the more classic (mayo and chives) to the spicy wasabi mayo roll. But only the Cape Elizabeth food truck, parked in Fort Williams Park, has the sweeping view of Portland Light and Casco Bay.
Five Islands Lobster Co. in Georgetown. Photo Credit : Courtesy of Five Islands Lobster Co.
It’s hard to beat the sight of islands dotting the mouth of the Sheepscot River, or of this clapboard shack itself. Lobster is lightly tossed in mayo and stuffed into a griddled, buttered bun. And if you’re extra-hungry, order the “Big Boy.”
The windswept, edge-of-the-sea dining area at the Lobster Shack at Two Lights. Photo Credit : Mike Urban
Watch the sunset cast a rosy glow on the twin towers of Cape Elizabeth Light (aka Two Lights) while the kids scramble over the rocks of Dyer Point. Lobster rolls are generously portioned, with just the right dollop of mayo (or butter).
The view off the pier at McLoons Lobster Shack in South Thomaston. Photo Credit : Amy Traverso
This little red hut surrounded by spruce trees and perched at the edge of Spruce Head Island is another beauty. And the rolls, which can be served “half-and-half” style (butter on one side, mayo on the other), have stood out as the best in Maine. Don’t miss the homemade pie, either.
Muscongus Bay Lobster. Photo Credit : Amy Traverso
Tender meat and spot-on saucing, plus a homemade roll and a fresh breezes off the bay? What’s not to love? This lovely spot halfway down the Pemaquid Peninsula looks out at the Round Pond harbor and Louds Island beyond.
Thurston’s Lobster Pound is a lobster shack through and through, with lots of boiled and steamed seafood on the menu and nary a deep-fried item to be found. Photo Credit : Brenda Darroch
The oft-Instagrammed buoy-lined wall at this Mount Desert Island mainstay is easy on the eyes, but the view of lobster boats bobbing in Bass Harbor is the real star. And the lobster rolls boast wonderfully plump and tender meat.
Massachusetts
Beyond The Canteen’s lobster roll and beachside dining room are the sparkling waters of Provincetown Harbor. Photo Credit : Amy Traverso
Given its central location on busy Commercial Street, it’s hard to imagine that this P-town eatery has a secret party garden out back with a frosé machine and gorgeous views of the harbor. Lobster rolls come hot or cold, served on buttery brioche rolls.
Chatham Fish Pier Market’s paprika-dusted lobster roll. Photo Credit : Mike Urban
This is the only entrant on the list that can promise harbor views and reliable wildlife sightings. Harbor seals line up at the water’s edge to catch fish scraps from the working fleet (not to mention the occasional treat from sneaky tourists). You can have your rolls hot or cold — be sure to add a bowl of excellent clam chowder.
Watch the sun set over Ipswich Bay at the Lobster Pool in Rockport. Photo Credit : Amy Traverso
It’s rare to find a New England seafood shack where you can watch the sun sink into the sea, but the Lobster Pool’s unique geography gives you just such a view as the sun sets over Ipswich Bay. Wash all that beauty down with a roll and a side of very good onion rings.
Mac’s flagship fish market on the Wellfleet dock commands beautiful views of fishing boats and the harbor beyond. Photo Credit : Mike Urban
Perched right on the beach in Wellfleet Harbor, this outpost of the very successful Mac’s mini chain gives you a chance to tuck into hot or cold lobster rolls with the sand between your toes.
The deck at Mission on the Bay in Swampscott offers views of the Boston skyline. Photo Credit : Courtesy of Mission on the Bay
Closer to Boston, this waterfront eatery has distant skyline views, a massive patio, and nicely dressed hot or cold rolls, fries on the side.
Sesuit Harbor Café is generous with the fresh-picked meat on its lobster roll. Photo Credit : Mike Urban
Looking straight out of central casting, this shingled shack serves up overstuffed cold lobster rolls, as well as very good fried seafood and chowder. Grab a shaded table and watch the boats sail in and out of Sesuit Harbor.
New Hampshire
Brown’s Lobster Pound has been serving up fresh boiled lobster for more than 50 years. Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
With an oceanfront view and ample parking, Brown’s is beloved for its location alone. And the lobster roll comes on a perfectly buttered and grilled top-split New England hot dog bun, lined with a little lettuce for crunch, and topped with chunks of cold lobster and a dash of paprika.
Boasting multiple “Best of New Hampshire” awards, this beachfront Seacoast mainstay excels in both the fried seafood arts and the jumbo lobster roll sciences.
The presentation at Rye Harbor Lobster Pound is classic New England, but a bit of sherry in the butter sauce is a welcome variation. Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
This tiny shack serves great rolls, as well as lobster pizza, lobster gazpacho, lobster mac n’ cheese, and a hot roll bathed in sherry butter (there’s a cold version, too). Rye Harbor, with the 1614 monument in the distance, sets a lovely backdrop.
Rhode Island
Easton’s Beach Snack Bar looks over Newport’s most popular beach. Photo Credit : Courtesy of Easton's Beach Snack Bar
You can’t beat the proximity to sand and surf at this favorite seaside institution at Easton’s Beach. The twin lobsters are one of the best deals in town, and the restaurant sits at the end of the famous Cliff Walk.
Evelyn’s Drive-In is a Rhode Island seafood institution. Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
Overlooking Nanaquaket Pond, Evelyn’s is a popular dock-and-dine destination for boaters and a magnet for fans of their lobster rolls, clam cakes, and clear broth chowder.
Amid the hustle and bustle of downtown and overlooking the harbor, the Newport Lobster Shack serves not just tasty rolls but also seriously fun lobster treats like lobster bites (fried bite-sized morsels of meat) and lobster cakes.
Where’s your favorite New England lobster roll with a view? Let us know in the comments below!
