Top 20 Lobster Dishes
in the World

One of New England cuisine staples, the Maine-style lobster roll consists of a chilled lobster salad tucked into New England-style split-top buns. The lobster salad, at its basic, is made with knuckle and claw meat that is dressed in mayonnaise and mixed with finely chopped celery, seasoned only with salt and pepper. Variations typically include ingredients like lemon juice, mustard, and chives. Because the buns are buttered and toasted, the result is a lobster roll with contrasting texture and flavor: a warm, buttery, toasted bun vs. a cold, crunchy lobster salad. It is unknown when it was invented and by whom. What is known is that it started to first appear sometime in the 1950s due to the explosion of summer tourism, but it boomed in the 1970s thanks to the increase in the roadside lobster roll stands. Red Eat's, the most famous restaurant on Route 1 in Maine, had a big role in popularizing it. Also, even though the Connecticut-style lobster roll appeared earlier, the Maine-style one is the more popular of the two. When it comes to serving, the most typical pairing is a Maine lobster roll and either creamy clam chowder or seafood chowder. But at seafood shacks or food stands, it is typically served with salt and vinegar potato chips, coleslaw, pickles, and onion rings.Expand

The main element in this exquisite Greek dish is lobster meat that is coupled with a flavorful tomato-based sauce and served over pasta. The dish is typically prepared with spaghetti, while the sauce is usually enriched with wine and various herbs and spices. Lobster meat is traditionally served in shells, and the whole dish is generously garnished with parsley. Though it can be found in other Greek regions, astakomakaronada is mainly associated with the island of Skyros.Expand

This Italian classic couples linguine pasta with tender lobster meat. The dish starts with a sauce that combines lobster meat and sautéed shallots, garlic, or onions, which are usually deglazed with white wine and finished off with tomatoes. The sauce is served over fresh linguine, and the whole plate is traditionally decorated with shelled lobster.Expand

Boiling is the most popular and simplest way of preparing a Maine lobster. Live lobsters are plopped into a large pot of boiling water seasoned with sea salt and cooked depending on the size of the lobster — the bigger the lobster, the longer the cooking time. Once the lobster is in the water, it’s important to time the cooking so it doesn’t overcook, as the meat will be tough and rubbery. Also, lobsters need to be treated humanely. Hence, placing the lobsters in the freezer for 30-60 minutes before cooking is recommended so they fall asleep. When sleeping lobsters are placed in boiling water, they will not feel any pain. Serve with melted butter, bibs, and a bucket for shells.Expand

Lobster roll is a Maine specialty consisting of cooked lobster meat that is, ideally, drizzled with melted butter and placed into long hot dog rolls. Additionally, the sandwich might include lettuce, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Traditional accompaniments include potato chips or french fries on the side. Some claim that lobster roll first appeared at Perry's in Milford, Connecticut, while others claim it was first prepared at Red's in Wiscasset, Maine. Regardless of the origins, the entire state of Maine continues to honor the tradition by offering more version of lobster rolls than the first inventor could have possibly imagined, starting an endless debate over how it should be made and who makes the best rolls. For example, most Mainers eat the roll filled with cold lobster salad made with mayonnaise, sometimes with the addition of diced celery and no melted butter whatsoever.Expand

The first type of lobster roll to exist, the Connecticut-style lobster roll, is characterized by the fact that it's warm; both the lobster meat and the roll are. The lobster meat is steamed or boiled, tucked into a toasted and warm New England-style bun, and then drizzled over with drawn butter. Typically, knuckle and claw meat, but sometimes tail as well, are preferred, and there is very little seasoning, usually only salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Variations will typically include ingredients, herbs, and spices like chives, dill, and paprika. You will also find it often includes lettuce as well, since it prevents the sandwich from going too soggy by creating a barrier between the meat and the bun. This style of the lobster roll was invented in the 1920s by Harry Perry, the owner of a restaurant Perry's in Milford, Connecticut, for a regular, Ted Hales. Once it became a success, he also commissioned French's Bakery to make him a suitable bun, which was similar to a submarine sandwich roll, that he would cut a V-notch wedge at the top of it, remove the crumb inside and load it with lobster meat. Serving-wise, Connecticut-style lobster roll typically comes with a side of potato chips or fries and dill pickles. Also, a creamy potato salad works well with this lobster roll.Expand

Lobster fra diavolo is an Italian-American dish, a blend of American ingredients with the Italian-style of cooking, where a lobster in a spicy red tomato sauce is paired with pasta. The origins of the dish are still debated; some claim it’s a completely American invention, while others trace it back to southern Italy.Expand

The extravagant lobster Thermidor is a classic French dish. Made with lobster meat which is sautéed in wine or cognac, and mixed with a creamy egg-based sauce and cheese, the dish is assembled and baked in whole lobster tails. Numerous stories and legends surround the dish, but the most probable version is that it is named after the play known as Thermidor, set in Paris in January. According to this theory, the dish was invented at Marie’s, a famous restaurant at the time, on the night of Thermidor's premiere. Even though the play did not gain success, the dish was a crowd-pleaser. It uses all of the traditional French ingredients such as butter and cream, which produce a lavish dish when combined with lobster. The dish is usually served in restaurants and prepared for special occasions. It was a restaurant favorite during the mid-20th century when it was often found in numerous restaurants around the world. Today, it is regarded as a classic of French cuisine, and can usually be found in traditional French restaurants.Expand

Curried lobster is a seafood dish prepared in several parts of the Caribbean, most notably in Jamaica and neighboring islands, where fresh lobster is cooked in a spiced curry-based sauce that reflects regional cooking practices shaped by local seafood availability and imported spice blends. Its development is linked to the introduction of curry spices to the Caribbean through South Asian labor migration during the nineteenth century, combined with long-established coastal fishing economies that relied on shellfish such as lobster as a valued but accessible protein in certain areas. Preparation typically begins by cleaning and cutting whole lobster into sections, which are then seasoned and lightly cooked before being simmered in a sauce made from curry powder, onion, garlic, thyme, scallion, and hot pepper, often enriched with coconut milk to balance spice intensity and support a thick, cohesive texture. The curry is cooked carefully to allow spices to bloom in oil before liquid is added, ensuring the sauce remains aromatic without overpowering the lobster’s natural flavor, and cooking times are kept moderate to avoid toughening the meat. The dish is usually served hot, with the lobster pieces coated in sauce and presented whole or partially shelled, and it is commonly accompanied by rice, rice and peas, roti, or boiled ground provisions that absorb the curry. Consumption takes place mainly at meals in homes, seaside restaurants, and local gatherings, and it pairs well with simple starches and mildly flavored sides, while beverages such as beer, citrus-based drinks, coconut water, or lightly sweetened juices are used to offset heat and richness without competing with the spices.Expand

Lobster a l'americaine is a traditional dish with many variations and optional ingredients. It's usually made with a combination of lobster meat, carrots, celery, shallots, tomato paste, garlic, dry white wine, cognac or dry sherry, chicken or fish stock, bay leaves, olive oil, thyme, heavy cream, butter, and chopped parsley. The lobster is simmered in the sauce, then flambéed with cognac or sherry. If the lobster is cooked with its shell, it will add extra flavor to the dish. It's recommended to serve it with rice on the side. Regarding its origin, the only thing that's known is that this is a French dish, but many sources claim that the origins are in the regions of Languedoc or Brittany, while some say that it was possibly served to first class passengers on ships that were headed for America, hence the name.Expand