9 Places For The Best Lobster Rolls In The Hamptons, Ranked
As the weather warms, we're thrilled to usher in a new season of culinary delights. What better encapsulation of summertime than the beloved lobster roll? Hearty chunks of fresh lobster meat prepared with your choice of sumptuously melted butter or served cold and richly seasoned with chopped celery and mayo.
Lobster rolls are often considered a Maine delicacy — one of the most famous styles is even named the Maine Lobster Roll — but the Maine Lobster, also known as the American Lobster, isn't limited to Maine; it can be found all along the Northeast where the icy Atlantic waters contribute to sweeter, more supple tasting lobster meat.
The Hamptons on the East End of Long Island has become an heir to the lobster roll throne and is now a destination for both cold celery-laced Maine Lobster Rolls and warm buttery Connecticut Lobster Rolls, as well as a few innovative twists on those aforementioned classics. With so many quintessential lobster shacks to choose from, we visited the East End for you to create our definitive list of the nine best lobster rolls in The Hamptons.
One of our former favorites, Ruschmeyer's, closed its doors last summer, but they've recently announced plans to return with a new dining concept for Summer 2023. While you may have to wait for some of our other favorite Hampton's lobster roll spots to reopen for the summer season, we promise, the wait will be worth it.
9. The Inlet Seafood Restaurant
Since 2006, the Inlet Seafood Restaurant in Montauk has been owned and operated by six longtime friends and local fishermen who aspire to serve the freshest locally caught seafood along the waterfront. What distinguishes the Inlet from the large crop of beloved seafood eateries in Montauk is their fine selection of expertly crafted sashimi and sushi appetizers.
But we're here to talk about lobster rolls.
On offer at the Inlet is Larry's Lobster Roll, billed as "lobster salad on buttered brioche," which is listed at market price and was $38 on the day we visited. Nestled within a toasted roll of buttered brioche are chunks of diced red onion, chopped celery, a bed of shredded lettuce, lots of mayo, and a hearty quantity of celery seed. The cold lobster meat is a combination of small pieces of whole lobster and a larger portion of shredded lobster meat slathered in heavily seasoned mayo. The Inlet's lobster roll could benefit from a little less seasoning and a little more whole lobster, but the brioche is rich and buttery, and the plate comes with fresh coleslaw and piping hot french fries.
8. The Lobster Roll
The Lobster Roll, affectionately known as Lunch, has long been considered the quintessential lobster roll spot in The Hamptons. The Lobster Roll began as "a retro seafood shack" in Amagansett in 1965 along Montauk Highway and has recently opened a second location further north in a former diner in Southampton. The original location has nautical-inspired decor — embodying the seaside, while the Southampton outpost has fully embraced the old-school diner aesthetic.
Featured prominently on the television series, The Affair, The Lobster Roll continues to have a strong hold on the lobster roll scene with a loyal and dedicated following of both locals and celebrities. The restaurant has evolved in the years since its opening, expanding the menu to include specialty seafood entrees and gluten-free buns to cater to diners with dietary considerations.
At The Lobster Roll, you have your choice of the Classic Lobster Salad Roll ($34) or the Hot Lobster Roll ($35); both are served with coleslaw. The Classic Lobster Salad Roll is filled with both shredded and high-quality pieces of lobster meat, diced celery, and exactly the right amount of mayo. The mayo is dressed with a proprietary seasoning blend that tastes a bit strongly of mustard. The Hot Lobster Roll is served deconstructed with the buttered lobster meat in a bowl and the bun on the side. The meat includes large chunks of lobster claw soaked in butter. While both are satisfying, The Lobster Roll is no longer your only spot for lobster rolls in The Hamptons.
7. Tillie's at Gurney's Resort
Housed in the upscale beachside resort of Gurney's Montauk and Seawater Spa, Tillie's is the lunchtime outpost of the resort's Scarpetta Beach venue, serving elevated comfort food with an uninterrupted beach view. At Tillie's, you can enjoy your lobster roll from inside the grand dining room or on the outdoor patio facing the water. In keeping with the Gurney's spirit of providing a one-of-a-kind East End experience, Tillie's offers an update on the Connecticut Hot Lobster Roll by forgoing the butter and instead serving its lobster meat with warm spicy sriracha mayo. The sriracha adds an excellent kick that accentuates the taste of the lobster meat without overpowering it.
Feeling traditional? Tillie's also offers a Maine-style lobster roll with classic cold lobster salad. Both lobster rolls are made primarily with shredded lobster meat of very high quality that's heaped on top of toasted buttery brioche rolls. The amount of mayo in Tillie's lobster rolls is wonderfully balanced, just enough to enhance the flavor while leaving plenty of room for the nuance of the lobster. To that end, there are no accouterments like diced celery rib or chopped onion in either, allowing the lobster and the brioche to take center stage instead. Both lobster rolls are priced at $44, the highest price point on this list, but the lobster meat is supple, and both are topped luxuriously with fresh chives.
6. Bostwick's Chowder House
Bostwick's Chowder House is the type of old school restaurant that makes you feel at home as soon as you step inside. Stationed in East Hampton, this classic eatery is decorated in a seaside style that evokes the sensation of being right by the water even though the restaurant is directly on Route 27. You have two options for lobster rolls here: Bostwick's Famous Lobster Salad Roll and Bostwick's Famous Hot Buttered Lobster Roll, both listed at market price, which was $34 on the day of our visit. Each lobster roll came with your choice of coleslaw, fries, potato salad or potato chips.
Bostwick's Famous Lobster Salad Roll arrives in a toasted potato hot dog bun packed with large pieces of lobster claw and nice chunks of celery rib. Bostwick's goes hard on the mayo in their lobster salad, which may be a bit too rich for some diners, but it's also supremely delicious, as are their crisp French fries. Bostwick's Famous Hot Buttered Lobster Roll comes on that same fluffy potato bun and has an equally generous portion of whole chunks of lobster claw. Depending on your palate, you might crave a little more butter, but it's still delicious. Both lobster rolls could benefit from a dash of stronger seasoning, but the quantity of the lobster meat, paired with the quality of the French fries and potato rolls, makes them undeniably satisfying. Seating is available both inside and outside.
5. Dock House
Located on a picturesque wharf in Sag Harbor, the Dock House is a family-run establishment that has been serving the community since 2003. From the outside, the Dock House is modest, but inside, there is wonderfully charming service and exceptionally fresh seafood. Now in its second generation, the Dock House is operated by Alec Walker, the founder Andrea's son, who is committed to keeping with tradition and honoring his mother's recipes.
Looking for simple and fresh quality seafood without any frills? The Dock House is just the lobster roll spot for you.
The Dock House's lobster roll is served in a toasted pillowy bun and loaded with a generous portion of whole lobster meat slathered in mayo and supplemented with large chunks of celery rib and diced red onion. The lobster meat is exceptionally tender and sweet. Listed at market price, last season, the lobster roll was priced at $35. The Dock House opens for the summer season on May 24th. Be sure to enjoy your lobster roll with a gorgeous view of the harbor.
4. Stuart's Seafood Market
The story of Stuart's Seafood Market begins in the spring of 1955 when Stuart Vorpahl, Sr., along with his sons Billy and Stuart Jr. began sending their freshly caught seafood to the Fulton Fish Market in Manhattan. They soon attracted a loyal following and eventually had strong enough interest to open up their own market in The Hamptons. Stuart's Seafood Market has recently switched hands after a 2021 sale from the previous owners to Rashid Sulehri, a local businessman with several other celebrated eateries in the area.
Sulehri has maintained the superior quality of Stuart's seafood selection while simultaneously transforming the market into a destination that is as notable for its fresh fish as it is for its prepared foods, including, you guessed it: lobster rolls.
The lobster rolls at Stuart's are priced at $32 and feature chunks of incredibly fresh lobster meat, large slices of celery rib, and a very hearty quantity of mayo. Lobster rolls come on a toasted roll with a side of coleslaw and kettle-cooked potato chips.
3. The Seafood Shop
The biggest bargain on our list also happens to be one of the best lobster rolls in all of The Hamptons, where you can get a lobster roll for $32.95. From the outside, The Seafood Shop in Wainscott looks like your average local fish market but looks can be deceiving. While you similarly might not be wowed by the interior, which is simple and unassuming, it's what's behind the large glass deli case that we're here for. Lobster salad is prominently displayed in a metal vat alongside your more standard deli fare, like tuna salad and prepared sandwiches.
When you order a lobster roll from the counter at The Seafood Shop, an employee scoops a very generous helping of their lobster salad into a fresh potato bun. The lobster meat is of exceptionally high quality at The Seafood Shop and includes large whole chunks of both tail and claw. The mayo is hearty but not overpowering and is well-seasoned with celery seed, diced celery rib, and chopped red onion, all of which give this lobster roll a strikingly complex and intensely satisfying flavor. There's no indoor seating here, as it really is a modest local market, but outside there are picnic tables and high tops so you can enjoy your lobster roll before hitting the road.
2. Clam Bar
Clam Bar is a local institution in The Hamptons. This no-frills fresh quality seafood eatery in Napeague has been a staple in the community for over 41 years. Just down the road from one of our favorites, The Lobster Roll, Clam Bar is housed in a red shack with a few bar stools and several outdoor tables along the expanse of grass just opposite the building. For the 2023 season, we're excited to announce that Clam Bar's hot lobster roll is back by popular demand. Their menu has expanded in recent years to include gluten-free bread and a larger quantity of diverse entrees, including seafood gyros and sushi dogs, alongside the casual beach-town classics you'd expect like crab cakes and clam chowders.
The aforementioned hot lobster roll is served on a potato hot dog bun and is overflowing with large pieces of sumptuous lobster claw. The lobster meat has a distinct sweetness and is slathered generously in melted butter. Underneath the lobster are sautéed micro greens. The roll is topped with fresh scallions. Clam Bar's cold lobster roll features shredded lobster and hunks of lobster meat, including a decadent portion of claw and tail. The lobster is fresh and expertly seasoned with mayo and just a touch of celery. At Clam Bar, the lobster meat really steals the show. When we visited, the hot lobster roll was market priced at $38 and the cold lobster roll at $36. Both came with delicious battered French fries.
1. Duryea's Lobster Deck & Seafood Market
Our favorite lobster roll in The Hamptons can be found at Dureya's Lobster Deck & Seafood Market, a mainstay on the East End for more than 85 years. Duryea's faces onto Fort Pond Bay, providing diners with exquisite waterfront views. Once a family-owned business that sustained itself over three generations, Duryea's was sold in 2016 to Marc Rowan, an equity investor who transformed the casual eatery into a landmark high-end dining destination.
The original Duryea's exuded the flavor of old Montauk. Diners ordered at the counter, served themselves, and ate on disposable dinnerware. In its new era, Duryea's is one of the most sought-after tables in The Hamptons, but it still pays homage to the past by having diners return to the remodeled counter to order. Of course, the food now arrives on painted ceramic and the prices are similarly elevated. Most importantly, the food has only become more exceptional.
Duryea's lobster roll is prepared in the Maine style with huge pieces of luscious lobster meat, including tender tail and claw. The lobster salad is very lightly dressed in mayo, laced with celery rib, and overflowing from a fresh potato bun — it comes with homemade potato chips and coleslaw. Duryea's also offers a modern-day twist on the lobster roll, The Lobster Cobb Salad, which features an enormous portion of cold lobster salad on your classic Cobb. Both are market price. Duryea's recently opened a new outpost in Orient Point, and both locations reopen in Mid-May.
Static Media owns and operates Tasting Table and Mashed.