When the temperatures warm up and summer officially begins, what is better than a lobster roll and a glass of rosé? It’s the ultimate New England summer meal. There is Luke’s Lobster where the rolls are simple, orders are done quickly, and prices are low and there are different takes on lobster rolls like at The Clam where it is served as a slider and also has fried clams on top. With New York City’s abundance of restaurants, it’s sometimes surprisingly difficult to find a great, classic lobster roll. Here are five of the best lobster rolls in the city.
Mary’s Fish Camp
At $46, this lobster roll is not cheap but it’s a great lobster roll. The restaurant is a West Village staple and it’s the first place that comes to mind when craving a lobster roll. It’s served cold as a lobster salad with celery and chives and comes with either french fries, a side salad, or coleslaw. Get the fries – they’re delicious crunchy shoestring fries.
Jeffrey’s Grocery
Jeffrey’s Grocery does a lot of things right on their menu and the lobster roll is no exception. The lobster roll comes with slices of slightly pickled cucumbers, layered with a lobster salad tossed in herb mayo. It comes with house-made chips but you can also sub in fries with old bay seasoning or a side salad. It’s $35 and you walk out happy every time.
Mermaid Inn
The “nearly famous” lobster roll at Mermaid Inn does not disappoint. It comes with big chunks of lobster meat that is light on the mayo and has crunchy celery and a mix of seasoning to round out the lobster salad. It comes old bay fries at $34. Go for an early meal and try to catch the end of happy hour which runs from 4:30PM – 6:30PM.
Grand Banks
The location, a boat docked at Pier25 with views of downtown NYC, adds to the lobster roll at Grand Banks. Don’t be mistaken, the lobster roll is a really good one – but the ambiance doesn’t hurt. The lobster salad is served on a buttered and griddled bun and similar to the one at Jeffrey’s Grocery, comes with pickled cucumbers. The difference? It comes with fennel instead of celery and a herb-dulse emulsion. It comes with a side salad but you replace it with fries for an added cost. Go for lunch or at sunset to enjoy the waterfront dining.
Lobster Joint
The Lobster Joint in Greenpoint serves up 5 variations of the lobster roll: the classic New England style served chilled as lobster salad or Connecticut style served warm with butter and the variations including a Mexican lobster roll, BLT style, or a lobster club roll. Personal preference is to stick with the classic New England style served with chilled lobster and herbed mayo but can’t go wrong with avocado and bacon on the Lobster Club roll. Classic rolls are $23 and the other variations are $25, making this a great deal on top of a great meal.