STARS
Photo Courtesy of Chatham Bars Inn Resort And Spa
Lobster rolls are a New England specialty, of course, and we’d never mess with a favorite longtime tradition, but there are more ways to eat lobster than on a bun — even if it’s a toasted one slathered in butter.
Sometimes, old school is what you want, when you tie on a bib, cracker at the ready, and tuck in to a whole boiled or steamed lobster, dipping every tasty morsel into hot butter. Other times, it’s a delight to have the kitchen crack tails and do all the work for you.
If you’re ever in a dining pinch, seek out one of these tasty places to get your lobster fix.
Topper’s, Photo Courtesy of The Wauwinet Nantucket
Topper’s
Head to this Four-Star Nantucket gem, located at Four-Star The Wauwinet, and prepare to be impressed. The hugely popular seasonal prix-fixe menu and the chef’s seven-course tasting spreads both feature fresh seafood (like locally harvested Retsyo oysters, cultivated just 300 yards away).
But for a true island experience, plan 24 hours ahead and order the family-style lobster bake. The heavenly feast includes oysters on the half shell, your choice of organic greens with radishes and carrots from a nearby farm or Nantucket clam chowder with local quahogs and red bliss potatoes. After all of that, dive into the main course, which includes a 1.25-pound steamed lobster, served split with lemon and drawn butter, local littleneck clams with linquiça sausage, sautéed green beans with onions, bacon-roasted fingerling potatoes, corn on the cob and brown bread. And if that isn’t enough, the strawberry shortcake with whipped cream should cap the meal well. It’s a dining experience you’re unlikely to top…or forget.
STARS
Eating within sight of the sea is the ideal way to enjoy a lobster and at STARS, a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star restaurant at Four-Star Chatham Bars Inn Resort and Spa, that’s precisely what you can do. Just outside the windows, diners can enjoy the beautiful harbor and ocean views of Cape Cod as they eat. In fact, the lobster you’ll have for dinner (as well as other traditional catches like clams and cod) comes from those very Atlantic waters.
Locavores will love this menu: the fruits and vegetables come from the resort’s own eight-acre farm. For an over-the-top, decadent dinner, start with the foie gras appetizer with rhubarb and strawberries, then savor a poached lobster with spring onion and sugar snap peas. If you’ve decided to make an evening out of your visit, have a nightcap on the outdoor veranda, then head up to your oceanfront room.
Barking Crab, Photo Courtesy of Barking Crab
Barking Crab
This Boston institution, open for more than 20 years, is ideally located on Fort Point Channel in the middle of the ever-growing Seaport District, which is exploding in popularity. The Barking Crab is where, when you order a whole lobster, you’ll get a bucket filled with a bib, crackers, seafood forks and handy wipes. This is a serious lobster-lover’s spot. While there is an indoor section of the restaurant, it’s much more fun to sit at a picnic table on the covered patio so you can take in the view of the marina and all the bustling action.
The menu focuses solidly on the ocean’s bounty, from fried clams to freshly shucked oysters and everything in between. For those who want the full New England experience, the traditional clambake, with a 1.25-pound lobster, steamers, mussels, corn on the cob and potato salad, is just the ticket. You can also order a single boiled lobster — in various sizes, of course — accompanied by drawn butter. Either way, every bite tastes just like summer.
