Although the First State is far from the Pine Tree State, Maine’s signature sandwich, the lobster roll, is widely available here in coastal Delaware. However, lobster is not the only seafood that’s on a roll on the Culinary Coast. Shrimp and fried clams are other options.
Here are 15 places that deliver both traditional and unconventional goods.
1. Old World Breads
Located right next to the Georgetown-Lewes Trail, this bakery has added a full lunch menu to serve bikers and walkers. The shrimp roll features roasted lemon-cilantro mayonnaise and a brioche roll.
2. Upscale Crab & Seafood
This food truck is frequently parked at 17580 Coastal Highway next to the Five Points intersection in Lewes. Lobster comes on the traditional frankfurter roll with homemade sauce. If you’re hungry, try the platter, which includes crab hush puppies, fries and coleslaw.
3. Matt’s Fish Camp
The concept has locations in Lewes, North Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island. Lobster rolls are served cold or warm on the split-top bun. The Bethany location also offers a roll with flash-fried clam strips, while the Fenwick restaurant offers a tuna roll with poached yellowfin tuna and lemon mayonnaise.
4. Striper Bites
The downtown Lewes eatery mixes Dijon mayonnaise with lobster. Traditionalists should hold their opinion until they try it.
5. Lewes Oyster House
Lobster knuckle and claw meat dredged in butter and mayonnaise before meeting a toasted bun, is available at lunch. It comes with boardwalk fries.
6. Grain on the Rocks
The restaurant at the ferry terminal douses its lobster with warm butter, a version known as Connecticut style. A dusting of Old Bay salutes Delmarva.
7. Big Oyster Brewery
This establishment goes rogue by using a toasted Milano roll, lobster salad, lettuce and tomato.
8. Mason’s Famous Lobster Roll
The downtown Rehoboth quick-casual restaurant wants you to have it your way. The menu includes the classic chilled roll with mayonnaise, a warm Connecticut roll and lobster salad rolls. Customers with an appetite can get the meat from a 1¼ lobster – including the tail – on the Bar Harbor roll. There is also a shrimp roll.
9. Chesapeake & Maine
Dedicated to the Chesapeake Bay and Maine’s cuisine, you can bet that Dogfish Head’s restaurant sports a lobster roll. It comes with lemon mayonnaise and melted butter and is served on a toasted Le Bus Bakery bun with fries.
10. Above the Dunes
The Rehoboth restaurant, which has a stellar ocean view, calls its version a Boston lobster roll. The recipe involves drawn butter, not mayonnaise.
11. Henlopen City Oyster House
Lobster tumbles with mayo and scallions on a split-top bun.
12. Summer House
Tarragon is the distinctive ingredient in this cold lobster roll, which also has red peppers and celery.
13. Northeast Seafood Kitchen
New England cuisine inspires the chefs at the Ocean View restaurant, where the lobster roll is served warm or cold with iceberg lettuce.
14. 38 Degrees Bayside
Lobster salad dusted with Old Bay fills a brioche roll.
15. Twining’s Lobster Shanty
Of course, there’s a lobster roll at this Fenwick Island-area eatery. It features knuckles, claws, Hellman’s and “secret seasonings” on a split roll—all served with a water view.
