When it comes to summer dining in the Hudson Valley, nothing sings the song of the season quite like the lobster roll. After all, who can resist the allure of sweet lobster meat sandwiched between a plush roll? Fortunately, local restaurants understand the allure and do a top-notch job of leaning into the seasonal dish. Here’s where to get your lobster roll fix in the region.
Bread & Brine
Hastings-on-Hudson
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A former Best of Westchester winner for best lobster roll, Bread & Brine uses local and seasonal ingredients in its sea-inspired bites, baskets, and handhelds. Boasting sandwiches like the lobster grilled cheese, fried fish sandwich, and lobster BLAT, the star of the show is the lobster roll, complete with warm butter and fresh green onions. For upscale cuisine served in a casual way, look no further than this Hastings-on-Hudson joint.
The Burger Loft
New City & Nyack
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From the same owner as District.96 Beer Factory next door, this burger-and-beer haven specializes in house-ground burgers, smashed on the grill for maximum caramelization and beefy flavor. Sharing menu space with the mushroom-topped, classic American, and barbecue-sauce-slathered creations is The Burger Loft’s sleeper hit: the lobster roll. Brimming with generous chunks of chilled claw and knuckle meat, it’s a riff on New England tradition, featuring a mayo sauce seasoned with lemon, lime, scallions, and celery salt—all heaped into a warm, butter-toasted bun.
Frank Guido’s Port of Call
Catskill
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The only non-Kingston eatery in Frank Guido’s Hudson Valley restaurant empire (Front Street Tavern, Mariner’s Harbor, Frank Guido’s Little Italy), this Catskill restaurant opens each spring for picturesque waterfront dining. As befits its setting, the menu is heavy on seafood, boasting “What we do best… Lobsters fresh from the tank!” The lobster roll is straightforward—chilled with mayo and seasonings on a New England butter roll—and fans of the succulent crustacean can also indulge in chilled lobster salad, broiled or steamed whole lobsters, and the lobster bake with shrimp, clams, mussels, corn on the cob, and a potato for $39.95 (Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday only).
Gadaleto’s Seafood Market & Eatery
New Paltz
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This combination seafood shack and fish market is a one-stop shop for all things surf (and a little turf). Gadaleto’s specializes in classic fried fish dishes, chowders, and tacos using its fresh-caught fish, which can also be bought by the pound for those looking to chef something up at home. The lobster roll is served cold with tartar, celery, and lettuce with coleslaw on the side.
Hudson House River Inn
Cold Spring
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Since 1832, the Hudson House River Inn has been a dining destination on the riverfront in Cold Spring. Originally a country inn, the spot boasts gourmet seafood dishes like Dijon and Maryland lump crab meat-encrusted salmon and surf and turf with a New York strip steak and jumbo Cajun shrimp. Come for lunch, and don’t shy away from the New England lobster-avocado roll, which is a house favorite for its toasted ciabatta roll, Dijon sauce, and loaded lobster filling.
Kingston Standard
Kingston
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This Kingston nano-brewery is shaking up the Hudson Valley taproom formula. The beer list is light on IPAs, favoring styles like helles lagers and pale ales, and—in lieu of pub-grub favorites—the menu features elevated sourdough pizzas, fresh North Atlantic oysters, and lobster rolls on select days. The latter is piled high with shredded lobster meat and dressed with lemon, butter, and a sprinkling of paprika, perfect for kicking back in the outdoor dining area.
Purdy’s Farmer & the Fish
North Salem
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Farm-to-table goes literal at this jewel of a restaurant, which is housed in an 18th-century home (dine on the front porch if weather and availability allow) surrounded by a terraced, four-acre farm that provides fresh produce, honey, and other products for the menu and bar program. Beyond the fare that’s grown onsite, the focus is on ultra-fresh seafood, including a Maine lobster cocktail and a seafood tower with oysters, clams, shrimp, and lobster. The rolls are served warm with butter or cool with cucumbers and lemon aioli.
Shadows on the Hudson
Poughkeepsie
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Perched 40 feet above the Hudson River with sweeping views of the surrounding landscape and Mid-Hudson Bridge, this top waterfront restaurant is a must for outdoor dining. Served with fries and a pickle spear, the lobster roll boasts generous pieces of fresh lobster meat tossed in Old Bay aioli and nestled within a radish-lined, butter-toasted brioche bun. Seafood lovers have plenty of other fine-dining choices, including jumbo lump crab cakes, an extensive raw bar with Blue Point oysters and Kaluga caviar, and white wine-glazed scallops on the entrée menu.
Related: 8 Summery S’mores Desserts to Devour in the Hudson Valley
