What: This isn’t Maine, but lobster rolls—made in the Maine style with lobsters and a light mayo dressing, not butter—are so popular in Montauk that they’ve become firmly entrenched in the local food scene. They certainly vary depending on the restaurant, but the good ones make for the very best kind of fresh, satisfying—if a bit pricey—summer meal.
Where: Ten minutes down the road between Amagansett and Montauk, the seasonal Clam Bar at Napeague (2025 Montauk Hwy) serves up a tasty lobster roll made with plentiful locally-caught lobster, in just the sort of no-frills, shack-like surrounds you want. It’s got summer written all over it.
When: Daily, April-November, noon-dark
Order: The “lobster salad roll” (market price; $19.50 during our visit), which comes loaded with Long Island lobster lightly dressed with mayo and celery, served on a plain toasted hot dog bun and accompanied by lemon and coleslaw. In season, you might also go lighter and order the lobster salad stuffed into a local vine-ripened tomato ($23). Combine it with some locally sourced clam chowder, local fish—whatever’s freshly caught that day—and/or local steamers, and you’ve got yourself a seafood feast.
Alternatively: Right near the Clam Bar, you’ll find the more touristy Lobster Roll Restaurant (1980 Montauk Hwy, Amagansett, map), also known as “Lunch” thanks to its prominent signage, where lobster rolls (market price, about $20-$25) are likewise quite popular (and made from a mix of Maine and Long Island lobsters, depending on what’s available). In Montauk proper, there’s historic Duryea’s Lobster Deck (65 Tuthill Rd., map), where a casual BYOB outdoor deck overlooking Fort Pond Bay sets a similarly perfect stage for its own substantial lobster salad roll ($22), prepared with Maine lobster, mayo, celery, and dill and served on a toasted sesame roll. (You can also find more delicious clam chowder and locally caught fish at Duryea’s.) If you prefer buttery (Connecticut-style) lobster rolls—and don’t mind shelling out a jaw-dropping $37—try the much-lauded butter-poached lobster on brioche at Dave’s Grill (468 West Lake Dr., map). Middle-roaders should go to the excellent South Edison (17 S. Edison St., map), where you can score three local “lobster buns,” with butter, parsley, and cucumber, for $27.