When in Boston eat the Lobstah Roll?
April 21, 2017 2:30 PM   Subscribe

Over the course of the summer I have a couple fairly long lay overs in Boston. My intention is to use this time to explore the Freedom Trail and the MFA (over the course of several trips). I would also like to try out a couple of lobster rolls during these adventures.

I'd love to get some suggestions for the best bang for my buck AND the best lobster rolls in these areas? Thanks!! If there is some other food related thing that I need to do...I'd also be interested in that, especially if it isn't too far out of my path because I likely will be mostly on foot.
posted by AnneShirley to Food & Drink (23 answers total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
It's not the most exciting answer, but Legal Seafoods does a dependably excellent lobster roll. They have multiple locations and good service with a minimum of fuss.
posted by otio at 2:44 PM on April 21, 2017 [1 favorite]


If you walk the Freedom Trail you'll pass through Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market. Quincy Market has a few stalls inside that sell good lobster rolls.
posted by duoshao at 2:51 PM on April 21, 2017 [1 favorite]


Best answer: You should know that New Englanders take their lobster rolls very seriously and defend their favorites to the death. Here are a few more consistently excellent ones:

Neptune Oyster -- almost always named Best of Boston
delicious briny simplicity can be found at James Hook & Company
Yankee Lobster Company is also pretty good

People may suggest Luke's Lobsters, and even though Luke is originally from Maine, he opened his first Luke's in NYC and is therefore a traitor and natives cannot eat his food in good conscience.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 3:02 PM on April 21, 2017 [8 favorites]


Kelly's Roast Beef has the best roast beef, and you should definitely avail yourself of that as well on one of your trips, but they also have one of the best lobster rolls in the area (imho the best are actually in Maine, but Kelly's is almost there).
posted by General Malaise at 3:02 PM on April 21, 2017 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Ignore the critic. Go to Luke's. I just had one of his for the first time the other day and it's f'ing amazing.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 3:03 PM on April 21, 2017


Best answer: Well I, a tourist, had an outrageously delish lobster roll last week at Neptune Oyster, in the North End.

Bad news: I was staying nearby and had a chance to stop by numerous times, discovering that the wait is pretty much always 1-2 hours, and they don't take reservations. Good news: you give the guy your #, and then you can wander off for a while and explore before he calls you to say your table is almost ready. Double good news: it's steps off the Freedom Trail, so in that 1-2 hour time period you can easily take in Paul Revere's House, the Old North Church, Copp's Burying Ground without even breaking a sweat.

We were wandering without focus, and made it all the way to King's Burying Ground before we got the call for our table. And in that weird "Hey, Boston is way more compact than most big cities I know" way, despite having wandered for about 90 minutes we were only a 10-minute walk away from the restaurant. Good luck to you.
posted by BlahLaLa at 3:04 PM on April 21, 2017


Try Alive and Kicking over in Cambridge. It brings new meaning to the idea of a mom and pop restaurant; seating is all outdoor picnic tables, the kitchen itself looks like a converted garage, and the front yard is filled with lobster cages. Used to be you could go around the corner to River Gods for a beer after, but now you have to go all the way into Central Square. Sigh.
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 3:11 PM on April 21, 2017 [8 favorites]


Best answer: Kelly's is definitely worth going to but I don't think you'll be near one. And yes, Luke's may be delicious but TRAITORYANKEESSUCK.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 3:12 PM on April 21, 2017 [1 favorite]


I just checked transit directions on Google to Kelly's (Revere Beach is the most accessible), and they make sense, but that's not the way we'd go. Google says take the bus, but we always just take the blue line to Wonderland and it's a < 1 mile walk from there.

But if you want to stay in the city, Neptune is also great.
posted by General Malaise at 3:15 PM on April 21, 2017


Best answer: In addition to the lobster roll, seek out large plates of fried clams. There's debate about whether whole clams or strips are better (I'm a whole belly person) so go twice and decide for yourself. Only place I can think of offhand that's in the city is the Barking Crab, but I'm sure there are better places.

Some of the best oysters in the world come from the South Shore and the Cape. Go to an oyster bar and get some local oysters. Island Creek Oyster Bar would be my choice, as they sell the oysters that they raise themselves.
posted by backseatpilot at 4:40 PM on April 21, 2017


Alive and Kicking is SO DELICIOUS but it is technically a lobster sandwich on toast, not a lobster roll - but doesn't mean it's not worth checking out.

The smart thing to do would be to call your order in ahead of time - then you can just swoop in, pay for your sandwich, and get back to the airport in time...
posted by noonday at 4:50 PM on April 21, 2017


The lobster roll at Belle Isle Seafood is not fancy but is lots of lobster for the price; the crabmeat rolls and any of the baked fish are pretty great too. Neat views of the airport; cash only; 20min walk from the Orient Heights T stop or right on the bus from there, which should be quick if you're taking the Blue Line from the airport.
posted by nonane at 5:00 PM on April 21, 2017


Lobster Shanty in Salem. You have a choice of one of two traditional styles! Also, the most lobster meat I've seen on a roll outside of Maine. And I'm from Maine originally with family connections to lobster traps. My standards are high. Only the Shanty has met them in MA.
posted by zizzle at 5:06 PM on April 21, 2017


If it's a nice day, rent a hubway bike and head to Sullivan's on castle island in South Boston. Order a lobster roll and a strawberry milkshake, sit in the grass near Fort Independence and watch the boats. You're welcome.
posted by floweredfish at 5:11 PM on April 21, 2017 [3 favorites]


All good suggestions, but wanted to add, after a lobster roll get WHOLE BELLY fried clams.
posted by Toddles at 5:23 PM on April 21, 2017 [3 favorites]


Best answer: Nth the whole belly clams. I'm drooling just thinking about it.

In Quincy Market, don't miss Pizza Regina. It's not just tourist mall pizza. It's the best damn pizza in the world.

In the North End, pastry from Mike's is worth the wait.
posted by Dashy at 6:12 PM on April 21, 2017 [2 favorites]


No, you definitely need to go to Alive and Kicking. Turns out lobster sandwiches are better than lobster rolls. I promise; it's weird, there are cats on the tables. Go.
posted by lydhre at 7:36 PM on April 21, 2017 [4 favorites]


Yep. Alive and Kicking.
posted by olinerd at 7:43 PM on April 21, 2017


I'm mad because recommending Alive and Kicking is normally MY move!! But yes, there!!
posted by estlin at 9:43 PM on April 21, 2017 [2 favorites]


Best answer: Bostonians may be intense about the best best lobster rolls, but:

In the North End, pastry from Mike's is worth the wait...

them's fighting words that can cause the type of down and dirty fighting only seen at Fenway in the bleachers during the 7th inning of a Yankees game when everyone is wicked drunk on watered down Bud Light because Modern Pastry is the Best.

Alive and Kicking is the best lobster sandwich but it ain't a lobster roll.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 4:14 AM on April 22, 2017 [1 favorite]


Best answer: I've eaten at Mike's and Modern Pastry and I think obvious answer is both.
posted by mmascolino at 9:54 AM on April 22, 2017


Came to make sure someone said Alive and Kicking, so my work here is done.
posted by anotheraccount at 7:44 AM on April 23, 2017


Response by poster: I tried to hit everywhere the couple of times I passed through. Luke's was so fast and so convenient and also delicious....I may have eaten there several times. Also, Mike's + Modern Pastry is DEFINITELY the answer, they were both an easy walk from where I was touring and the stuff dreams are made of. I haven't been able to make it to Alive and Kicking but I'm planning another trip just for that later this year. Neptune Oyster was fantastic service and the food was also great (The day I went there I also went to Mike's and Modern Pastry and it was POURING rain...so I tried more things on the menu than I probably should admit.

Additionally, if anyone reads this in the future...I highly suggest the water taxi with luggage storage, it was so easy to get on/off from the airport and the only day I had concerns was the day it was storming, I hadn't planned on that or considered it's impact but I did fine with a taxi.
posted by AnneShirley at 9:49 PM on August 13, 2017


« Older Can you identify this building?   |   where to move next? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.