Massachusetts has at all times been identified for its scrumptious seafood. Whether or not you might be visiting Massachusetts, or dwell right here, chances are you’ll end up wanting to go to one of many in style clam shacks in Massachusetts. Lobster rolls and fried clams are a few of our most well-known dishes – if you happen to’d wish to strive one, take into account trying out these lobster rolls and clam shacks in Massachusetts.
Remember that a few of these could also be seasonal eating places, or might have restricted hours within the low season. Examine the hours earlier than planning your journey.
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Greatest Lobster Rolls and Clam Shacks in Massachusetts
J.T. Farnhams in Essex
The North Shore of Massachusetts gives a variety of improbable clam shacks. J.T. Farnhams in Essex is a seasonal restaurant situated proper on the Essex River.
Menu choices embody a number of totally different chowders (together with their well-known seafood chowder), sandwiches, fried seafood, and lobster rolls. It’s usually open from March to December every year, however examine their web site for particular opening dates and hours.
Woodman’s of Essex
One of the crucial well-known seafood spots on the North Shore is the favored Woodman’s of Essex. Go to early, because the strains get lengthy in the course of the busy season.
This restaurant gives indoor and out of doors (together with an upstairs patio) seating, and in addition has a separate constructing for ice cream.
The most well-liked dishes listed below are fried clams, lobsters, lobster rolls, and steamed clams. Beer and wine are provided. Place your order on the counter, and you then’ll be known as when your meals is prepared.
If you’re visiting with choosy children, you’ll discover a child’s menu that additionally contains scorching canine, grilled cheese, and rooster tenders. So you may get pleasure from a seafood meal whereas your children get pleasure from their favorites.
The Clam Field of Ipswich
One of the crucial well-known clam shack buildings is the Clam Field, situated in Ipswich. This iconic constructing, formed like an precise clam field, is extraordinarily in style in the summertime. Get there early as a result of the strains can wrap across the constructing.
The Clam Field gives plates of meals (together with fried clams) mini-meals (with one aspect), and sandwiches (together with lobster rolls). Children can get pleasure from burgers, rooster fingers, rooster sandwiches, scorching canine, and rooster salad sandwiches.
Blue Collar Lobster Gloucester
Positioned proper on the waterfront in Gloucester is Blue Collar Lobster. This restaurant gives counter service and a variety of tables and seats proper on the water. It’s an exquisite place to sit down and eat proper alongside the Gloucester waterfront.
A full bar enhances a menu that features blackened haddock tacos, calamari, fried clams, lobster, lobster rolls, and scallops. Don’t miss their home made cornbread.
Roy Moore’s in Rockport
Though it’s not a clam shack, Roy Moore’s in Rockport is certainly a must-visit for any seafood lover visiting Rockport. This small constructing, nestled within the coronary heart of Bearskin Neck gives boiled lobsters, New England clam chowder, stuffed clams, lobster rolls, and extra.
Meals might be taken for carry-out, or there are some out of doors tables at the back of the constructing. These might be exhausting to get, nonetheless, particularly when it’s busy.
I’ve discovered Roy Moore’s to be among the most reasonably priced lobster rolls, and they’re actually scrumptious. This restaurant closes early, often round 6 pm, so it’s extra of a lunch or early dinner spot.
For extra seating and menu choices, they’ve a sister restaurant down the road known as Roy Moore’s Fish Shack Restaurant. This restaurant has a a lot bigger menu, in addition to indoor seating, but it surely lacks the appeal and uniqueness of the unique restaurant.
Captain Marden’s Wellesley
Tucked among the many mini-malls of Wellesley is Captain Marden’s Seafood, a fish market and restaurant serving improbable seafood. It doesn’t have the standard clam hut really feel however the meals is nice. In the course of the day, there’s additionally the Cod Squad meals truck parked within the entrance.
My favourite of their dishes is the fried whole-belly clams, though the lobster roll can be scrumptious. The ambiance right here isn’t nearly as good as the opposite clam shacks in Massachusetts, however in case you are within the space it’s value stopping by. It’s extra of a restaurant and fewer of a shack.
If you find yourself visiting Cape Cod, there are such a lot of seafood eating places and clam shacks situated up and down the Cape. Listed here are a few of our favorites.
Moby Dicks in Wellfleet
Moby Dicks in Wellfleet is an off-the-cuff seafood BYOB restaurant situated close to Provincetown. The menu contains oysters, lobster rolls, burgers, salads, lobsters, clam bakes, and broiled/baked/fried seafood.
The restaurant gives a lunch menu if you happen to plan to go to in the course of the day. On-line orders are taken if you happen to’d like to avoid wasting time along with your takeout order.
The Popponesset Uncooked Bar in Mashpee
My favourite lobster roll ever is obtainable on the Popponesset Uncooked Bar in Mashpee. This small restaurant, situated within the Popponesset Market, has a full bar and scrumptious meals.
The spotlight of the menu right here is the colossal lobster roll. It’s a huge lobster roll full of lobster meat and no filler. In case you love lobster, you completely need to strive it – I undoubtedly assume it’s the very best lobster roll on Cape Cod. It’s costly, however it’s a enjoyable splurge.
The Uncooked Bar doesn’t have fried clams, however they do provide oysters, littlenecks, crab truffles, shrimp, stuffed quahogs, steamed clams, scorching canine, kielbasa, and extra. Their rum punch is totally scrumptious too.
Seating is outside at the back of the restaurant and desk service is obtainable. You too can get take out from the aspect window.
Cobies Restaurant in Brewster
After we stayed at Ocean Edge in Brewster (on Cape Cod), we liked consuming at Cobies Restaurant. It’s a quintessential clam shack providing sandwiches, fried clams, burgers, salads, lobster rolls (served scorching or chilly), ice cream, and extra. Positioned close to Nickerson State Park and the Cape Cod Rail Path, it’s in an awesome location for a lot of Cape Cod vacationers.
We visited twice throughout our July journey to Ocean Edge and liked the meals every time. I used to be most impressed with the wonderful fried clams, which have been the proper golden brown. Order on the window, after which you may sit at one of many many picnic tables situated across the restaurant.
Sesuit Harbor Cafe in Dennis
Rated the Greatest Seafood Restaurant on Cape Cod by the Better of Boston 2020, the Sesuit Harbor Cafe is a gem tucked right into a harbor in Dennis. This BYOB restaurant has separate ordering areas for its most important menu and for the uncooked bar. It gives breakfast, lunch, and dinner, in addition to out of doors picnic bench seating with a stunning water view.
The menu contains boiled lobster, fried clams, stuffed lobster, and seared tuna. I particularly liked the ingenious uncooked bar menu, together with the tuna sashimi and the sushi oysters. There’s additionally a youngsters’s menu.
This restaurant will get extraordinarily busy and the strains for meals can get lengthy. Arrive early, particularly on the weekend, to be able to get parking and have a shorter wait to order. You may additionally have a tough time discovering a desk, so go early and on a weekday.
Kream ‘n Kone, West Dennis
Among the finest mid-Cape spots for fried seafood is the Kream ‘n Kone, situated in West Dennis. There, you will get fried clams, scallops, fish, shrimp, and calamari. However, if you happen to aren’t involved in fried meals, in addition they have glorious broiled fish.
Along with seafood, Kream ‘n Kone additionally gives burgers and rooster. After dinner, you may select from a number of soft-serve ice cream flavors in a cone, as a sundae, or as a frappe. It is a very talked-about restaurant in Dennis in the summertime months, so go to early within the day if you happen to can. In any other case, you’ll face strains of automobiles heading into the parking zone.
Skipper Chowder Home, South Yarmouth
Though it’s identified for its scrumptious, award-winning chowder, in addition to actually scrumptious and distinctive fried clam chowder, Skipper Chowder Home overlooking the water in South Yarmouth additionally gives three scrumptious lobster roll choices.
Whether or not you favor a chilly lobster roll with mayo or a scorching, buttered lobster roll, you may’t go mistaken with the Skipper Chowder Home. Each are on the menu, with two sizes of chilly rolls obtainable. They arrive with fries or their house-made seasoned potato chips (go for the chips).
Skipper Chowder Home is one in every of my favourite eating places in Yarmouth, so I’d undoubtedly suggest visiting in case you are within the space. Reservations aren’t accepted, and the wait might be lengthy in the course of the summer time months. There’s a seaside throughout the road the place you may wait.
In search of seafood proper in Boston? This meals tour is open to company aged 13 and up and features a three-hour tour showcasing among the prime meals in Boston.
Clam Shacks Outdoors of Massachusetts
Bob’s Clam Hut
Positioned in Kittery Maine, Bob’s Clam Hut gives fried clams, lobster rolls, salads, sandwiches, and different seafood specialties. Not like different native clam shacks, Bob’s has two various kinds of fried clams – Bob’s type and Lillian’s type (that are egg and milk washed).
Flo’s Clam Shack
Rising up in Rhode Island, I’ve fond recollections of visiting Flo’s Drive-In in Portsmouth, RI. This quintessential clam shack alongside the Sakonnet River is a must-visit in case you are within the East Bay of RI. For guests to Newport, Rhode Island, there’s additionally a location in close by Middletown.
In search of extra Cape Cod journey ideas? Click on to see our information with city suggestions, issues to do, eating places, and extra in Cape Cod.
