Discover These Iconic Connecticut Lobster Rolls

Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough, Noank: This classic waterfront eatery has three sizes of hot lobster rolls - its famous standard quarter-pound of meat on a toasted bun, an "OMG" version with almost twice that amount, and then the "LOL," or "Lots of Lobster," with a full pound of meat and as much butter as you need.

Bill’s Seafood, Westbrook: This local waterfront gem on the Patchogue River serves up both hot and cold rolls alongside fried shellfish, full lobster dinners and unique items like a swordfish "Reuben." Cash only!

Captain Scott’s Lobster Dock, New London: This waterfront restaurant in downtown New London serves both hot and cold lobster on long toasted hot dog rolls, alongside chowders, bisque, and fried seafood.

Clam Castle, Madison: Choose your roll size at Clam Castle - a 3-ounce portion of hot or cold lobster on a slider roll, a "jumbo" 6-ounce size, or its newest creation, the Lobzilla, with two pounds of lobster meat on a two-foot-long roll.

Flanders Fish Market, East Lyme:   This beloved seafood spot opened as a fish market in 1983, and now offers a full-service restaurant in addition to its retail shop. Lobster rolls are served hot with butter, scallion, and sherry, or cold with mayo, lemon and celery. Flanders also has a following for its popular lobster pot pie!

Guilford Lobster Pound, Guilford: The hot buttery lobster rolls at this full-service seasonal restaurant are served dockside, "overflowing with fresh lobster meat," with "no mayo" and "no fillers." 

Haring’s, Noank:  Visit Haring's waterfront dock by land or by sea, and enjoy a hot lobster roll with butter or a cold version with lemon herb mayo. 

The InishShor, Colchester: This seasonal spinoff of The Inishmor Irish pub offers a traditional hot roll with clarified butter, and its cold version features light mayo, lemon, sweet farm corn, tarragon, and diced celery.

Johnny Ad’s, Old Saybrook: This local landmark has been around since 1957, offering hot and cold lobster rolls on toasted long hot dog rolls alongside fried seafood platters and sandwiches. 

Knot Norm's, Norwalk: Knot Norm's roll features steamed lobster poached in house-made lobster butter, topped with micro celery and lemon juice. Start your meal or pair your roll with clam chowder, lobster bisque, or raw oysters or clams on the half-shell.  

Lenny & Joe’s Fish Tale, Madison and Westbrook: Hot buttered rolls are best-sellers at Lenny & Joe's, a shoreline seafood tradition since 1979. 

Liv’s Shack, Old Saybrook: At Liv's, the staff is so dedicated to the hot buttered preparation that they wear shirts with a "No Mayo" logo! The seasonal shack offers buttery lobster rolls with four or eight ounces of meat, along with lobster grilled cheeses (also in two sizes) and a burger topped with lobster meat.

Lobster Landing, Clinton: Lobster Landing's roll is a standout among lobster lovers for its simplicity: warm lobster, butter, and a squeeze of lemon on a grilled roll.  Its small menu also offers chowder and bisque, salad, and hot dogs and sausage and peppers for non-lobster eaters. 

Lobster Shack, East Haven: Open year-round, this waterfront restaurant offers a full menu of seafood delights, including hot and cold lobster rolls. Looking for more? Try lobster mac and cheese, lobster tacos or a lobster quesadilla. 

Match Burger Lobster, Westport: This "elevated road shack" offers two sizes of its lobster roll, with four and eight ounces of meat, in a hollowed-out brioche roll. Hot butter is the popular preparation, but the cold roll is made with a touch of yuzu mayonnaise and chives. Or try the slider combo, with one mini Match burger and a mini lobster roll.

Rowayton Seafood, Norwalk: This upscale waterfront eatery sources fresh seafood from its own fish market, offering both hot and cold lobster rolls on brioche buns.

7 Seas, Milford: Why not enjoy a lobster roll in the town where it originated? 7 Seas is a popular spot among locals for its hot buttered roll, available in single and double sizes. 

Stowe’s Seafood, West Haven: This cash-only seafood shack across from the West Haven beachfront has three lobster roll preparations: hot lobster saute, a cold lobster salad and a unique fried lobster version.

Westbrook Lobster, Clinton and Wallingford: Westbrook Lobster serves two versions of its Connecticut lobster roll, a standard size with a quarter-pound of butter-poached meat on a brioche roll and a "mega" size with a half-pound of meat.

Connecticut seafood spots do the classics well, but if you're an adventurous eater, or a serious lobster aficionado, look out for these unique takes on lobster rolls.

Looking to splurge? Check out the "lobster bombs" at eateries like Ford's Black & Blue in Noank, Stonebridge Restaurant in Milford, and Lobster Shack in East Haven. These decadent creations feature hollowed bread bowls, stuffed with about a half-pound of buttered lobster and topped with creamy lobster bisque. 

Do you like variety? At Off the Hook in Mystic, the menu offers a lobster roll flight, with miniature versions of its hot buttered roll, its cold version with lemon aioli and lettuce, and its tempura-fried lobster roll with spicy mayo and scallions.

How about a second look at a cold roll? While many Connecticut lobster lovers skip the mayonnaise version, Fair Haven Oyster Co. in New Haven introduced its own twist on the traditional, swapping the mayo for a lemony dill crème fraîche and topping it with smoked salmon roe. 

And perhaps the most unique lobster roll in Connecticut doesn't have any lobster at all. At Mystic Fish Camp, the fast-casual seafood spot by the Shipwright’s Daughter team in Mystic, serves what chef David Standridge calls a “Poor Man’s Lobster Roll,” made with sustainable and locally sourced monkfish. The restaurant's website notes that monkfish shares a similar diet with lobster, so it has the same “rich, sweet flavor and tender texture” when prepared with care. 

The monkfish is poached in crab butter, made from invasive green crabs, and served on a toasted brioche roll. Try it warmed with more crab butter, or tossed in lemon mayo. Food & Wine editors tried the hot version in March 2026, pronouncing it a "spectacular seafood sandwich."