Three days, three lobster rolls
If you know us, you know that we love lobster rolls. Honestly, nothing says summer in New England than a classic split-top, squared-side frankfurter roll (not to be confused with the rounded, side-split hot dog bun!) piled high with chilled, fresh lobster meat tossed with just a hint of mayo. I take my lobster rolls seriously, and I’m always seeking out new ones to try to see if they’ll make it to the top of my growing list. So, when we decided to camp at Hermit Island in Phippsburg, Maine, over the Memorial Day weekend, we set out to find the weekend’s best lobster roll. Three days, three lobster rolls.
Fuji X100F, f/11
Day 1: Red’s Eats, Wiscasset, Maine
Google “best lobster rolls New England” or in Maine and you’ll find one place comes up in just about every list: Red’s Eats in Wiscasset, Maine. Both the eatery and the town make some pretty bold claims: Red’s Eats proclaims itself the “World’s Best Lobster Shack,” while the sign welcoming visitors to Wiscasset calls the town “The Prettiest Village in Maine.” A page on Red’s website even proclaims, “Red’s Eats is the most famous restaurant on Route 1 in Maine.” Just for the record, folks, Maine’s Route 1 is 526 miles. So again, a pretty bold claim.
The day we arrived was Friday; after meandering our way from home and making stops along the way. We stocked up on breakfast provisions for the camping trip at When Pigs Fly bakery in Kittery (Wild Blueberry Granola with 8 Grains bread and at Stonewall Kitchen in York (mini jar of the Wild Maine Blueberry Jam) and at LLBean and Patagonia in Freeport because, well, of course!. We then made our way to Red’s, ready for a late lunch that serve as our day’s dinner as well. The line wasn’t bad—only four or five folks in front of me, although waiting in it still took 20+ minutes—nothing compared to the hour+ lines on sunny summer days. Alas, it was cloudy and in the 50s, and rain had just passed through.
We ordered two lobster rolls and sweet potato fries. I’ll give it to Red’s—these rolls are HUGE. They’re served with a side of butter (Kate’s Maine Butter) and, according to the website, I could have asked for mayo on the side. I wish I had known that! I’m a bit of a purist when it comes to my lobster rolls (cold, just a little mayo, lightly buttered bun), and I think the addition of mayo on this one would have made it a 10/10. These lobster rolls will set you back about $25/each (and note—Red’s is CASH ONLY, although there’s an ATM right next to the shack), but you’ll definitely get your money’s worth of lobster.
Fuji X100F, f/4
Red’s Eats: 41 Water Street, Wiscasset, ME; https://www.redseatsmaine.com
Day 2: Five Islands Lobster Co., Georgetown, Maine
Fuji X100F, f/10
Our second day took us to Georgetown, Maine, for lobster roll #2 at Five Islands Lobster Co. Oh my gosh, go for the lobster and stay for the view! Perched right on the edge of a fishing wharf, Five Islands serves up some fantastic lobster rolls—and their “World Famous” homemade onion rings didn’t disappoint, either! The lobster rolls here will set you back $20 apiece. While, you’re not going to get the amount of lobster Red’s is famous for, you’ll get a damn-good roll—sweet lobster mixed with just a touch of mayo.
Fuji X100F, f/11
Five Islands Lobster Co: 1447 Five Islands Rd. Georgetown, ME; https://fiveislandslobster.com
Day 3: Pemaquid Seafood Restaurant, Pemaquid, Maine
Fuji X100F, f/11
Our third stop for lobster rolls wasn’t one originally on my list; my initial plan included a stop in Boothbay Harbor, but we decided to check out Pemaquid Light instead. So, after a bit of Google searching while G navigated, I stumbled on Pemaquid Seafood Restaurant. I’ll be honest: I was a little worried, as there were only two other sets of patrons when we visited. Granted, it was around 2:30, so not exactly a prime eating time—and while the restaurant is only a few minutes’ drive from Pemaquid Light, it didn’t necessarily strike me as a destination unto itself. But hey, as long as the lobster roll was good, right? These were the least expensive rolls of the three at $18/each. These rolls had what seemed to be the least amount of lobster meat of the three we tasted, but this roll also had the most “lobster salad” taste to it. Thumbs up to the chips included!
Fuji X100F, f/14
Pemaquid Seafood Restaurant: 32 Co-Op Road, Pemaquid, Maine; https://pemaquidseafood.com
So, there you have it—our three day/three lobster roll adventure. Did any of them make it to the top of my list? Red’s might just for the sheer volume, but to be honest, I wasn’t blown away by the taste of any of them. For now, I still have my favorites—The Beach Plum in North Hampton, NH; Bite Into Maine (Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth, Maine); and perhaps the best of all, Richard’s Fresh Seafood in Prince Edward Island, Canada. If you have a favorite lobster roll, let me know in the comments!