Best Lobster Rolls in New Hampshire
Lobster rolls are a seaside tradition that people crave all year round. Those of us who live in Southern New Hampshire are lucky because we don’t have to travel far to get our hands on this delicious treat.
Did you know that there are two major preparations for lobster rolls, hot and cold?
The Hot Lobster Roll
The basics of a hot lobster roll are chunks of meat served warm and with melted butter, either used to heat the chunks of lobster or drizzled on afterward. Aside from the use of salt, pepper and lemon juice to delicately flavor the lobster meat, there aren’t any other common ingredients in the hot lobster roll. The entirety of the flavor comes from the lobster, butter, light seasoning and griddled bun. The Hot Lobster roll originated in Connecticut. Most are served in a warm toasted roll or bun.
The Cold Lobster Roll
Cold lobster rolls involve a lobster salad – usually little more than a light coating of mayonnaise and sometimes chopped celery and chives, tossed with the meat – and the grilled bun. The main difference from a hot roll is letting the cooked meat cool and mixing the salad before placing inside the roll or bun. This variation has a similar but noticeably different flavor due to the presence of the mayonnaise.
Where to Get the Best Lobster Rolls
There are several great places to go in Southern New Hampshire that serve fantastic lobster rolls. Most locations serve them hot or cold.
Here are some of our favorites:
The Beach Plum has 3 locations. The ones in Portsmouth and Epping are open year round, while their Rye restaurant is open April thru October. The lobster is the star here. They have an extensive lists of lobster roll sizes, foot long versions, lobster club sandwiches and lobster wraps. One choice is a 20oz. foot long for over $40. It takes more than 1 person to eat this monster. All the lobster meat here is from premium hard shell lobsters for maximum flavor. They have parking and delicious ice cream too.
Don’t want to travel too far? Try The Tuckaway Tavern in Raymond, NH for a giant Lobster roll. This wonderful location is in Raymond NH just off Route 101. You can enjoy a variety of meats and grilled dishes but to us the show stopper is the giant lobster roll. If you go on Monday and Tuesday you can get two for the price of one. You must eat one there but you can bring the second one home for later on. The price is reasonable when you consider you are getting 2 meals for the price of one.
Stop by the Lobster Boat in Merrimack NH for a delicious lobster roll. This quaint stop is tucked into a small building on Route 3. The menu offers a variety of fried and broiled fish and a big lobster roll. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed.
A giant lobster roll is waiting for you in Derry at the Lobster Claw II. This restaurant is on South Main Street in Derry and boasts a variety of menu choices. The lobster roll is large. Enter the restaurant and put in your order at the counter. Then enter the large dining room and wait for your number to be called. Dig into a delicious meal.
A great lobster roll…that’s the Red Oak Life!