Connecticut Eats guide · checked October 2026
Connecticut lobster rolls & clam shacks
58 places along the shore and inland for a hot buttered lobster roll, fried clams, or both, each checked in business in October 2026. 19 of them are seasonal (15 post their dates, listed with each), so check before you drive.
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Hot, with butter
A Connecticut lobster roll is served warm: the meat is tossed in melted butter and piled into a toasted roll. The cold kind, dressed with mayonnaise, is the Maine style, and many places here serve both. Clam shacks add fried clams, clam strips, and chowder, and many of them close for the winter.
The 58 on this list
56 serve a lobster roll and 28 are clam shacks, many both. 19 are seasonal; 15 post their season, which is listed with each place. The longest at the same address: Heibeck's Stand in Georgetown (Wilton), there since 1931; Abbott's Lobster in the Rough in Noank (Groton), there since 1947; Johnny Ad's in Old Saybrook, there since 1957; Seven Seas Restaurant & Pub in Milford, there since 1965. See Connecticut's oldest restaurants for all 55 with a year at the same address.
How we checked: We looked each place up by hand in October 2026 and kept it only with a 2025 or 2026 source: its own site or menu, a dated post, local news, or a tourism listing, plus a check of the street address. Shacks and dairy bars that close for part of the year are marked seasonal, with their dates where they post them, so look before a long drive. Anything without a current source stayed off. No review site fed this list, and the order is by region and town, not by anyone's rating. Hours and menus change; call ahead.
The Connecticut Eats app sorts these stops by how close each one is to you and opens Apple Maps' card for today's hours, handy for shacks that only open in season. Heading inland instead? See the hot dog and burger icons and the dairy bars.
Jump to a region
The list is grouped by Connecticut's 9 planning regions (the state has no county governments).
- Western Connecticut (12)
- Greater Bridgeport (5)
- South Central Connecticut (15)
- Lower Connecticut River Valley (10)
- Southeastern Connecticut (15)
- Northeastern Connecticut (1)
Town pages: New Haven, Hartford, Stamford, Bridgeport, Norwalk, Waterbury, Danbury, New Britain, Groton, Stonington, Middletown, West Hartford, Fairfield, Milford, Greenwich, Manchester, Meriden, New London, Farmington, Simsbury.
Western Connecticut
12 places, by town. The planning region around Stamford, Norwalk, and Danbury.
Community Shellfish
23 Francis J Clarke Circle, Bethel
Lobster roll Known for: hot buttered (Connecticut-style) lobster roll; hot buttered; cold Maine-style lobster roll; lobster grilled cheese
Lobster company and seafood shop serving Connecticut-style hot buttered and Maine-style cold rolls.
Fjord Fish Market
160 East Putnam Avenue, Cos Cob (Greenwich)
Lobster roll Known for: hot lobster roll; cold lobster roll
Fish market with prepared foods; its hot and cold lobster rolls use hand-picked lobster meat. Other Fairfield County markets in Darien, New Canaan and Westport.
The Lobster Bin
204 Field Point Road, Greenwich
Lobster roll Known for: cold lobster roll (light mayo, celery); hot lobster roll (no mayo); sushi
Long-running Greenwich fish market near Greenwich Avenue that cooks its own lobsters daily for hot and cold rolls; also makes sushi.
Copps Island Oyster Shack
50A Calf Pasture Beach Road, Norwalk
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: oysters; hot lobster roll (butter, salt, chives); hot buttered; cold lobster roll (yuzu mayo) · Season: seasonal; check before you go
Seasonal seaside shack at Cove Marina run by a fourth-generation family shellfish farm; one of two Copps shacks.
Knot Norm's
10 First Street, Norwalk
Lobster roll Known for: hot lobster roll; hot buttered; clam chowder; oysters
Fast-casual New England seafood spot in East Norwalk; its hot lobster roll is poached in house-made lobster butter.
Overton's Seafood
38 Seaview Avenue, Norwalk
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: lobster rolls; clam bellies; clam strips; burgers · Season: March to November
Seasonal outdoor waterfront seafood stand in East Norwalk with a dock for boaters.
Rowayton Seafood
89 Rowayton Avenue, Rowayton (Norwalk)
Lobster roll Known for: Rowayton lobster roll (warm, butter-poached); Maine lobster roll (cold); lobster bakes; raw bar · At this address since 1978
Seafood market and restaurant on the Five Mile River in a former lobster co-op; serves a warm butter-poached and a cold lobster roll.
SoNo Seaport Seafood
100 Water Street, Norwalk
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: steamed lobsters; fried seafood; hot and cold lobster rolls; raw bar · Season: April to early October · At this address since 1983
Seasonal waterside seafood restaurant, raw bar and deck on Norwalk Harbor that grew from a fish market.
Match Burger Lobster
580 Riverside Avenue, Westport
Lobster roll Known for: hot lobster roll; cold lobster roll; burgers; fish and chips
Casual road-shack-style spot from the owners of Norwalk's Match, built around burgers and hot or cold lobster rolls.
The Lobster Shack
540 Riverside Avenue, Westport
Lobster roll Known for: Warm CT Style lobster roll; hot buttered; Maine-chilled lobster roll; The Compo; steamed lobster · At this address since 2016
Lobster shack next to Rizzuto's with several lobster roll styles on butter-toasted brioche; open year-round.
Westfair Fish & Chips
1781 Post Road East, Westport
Lobster rollClam shack Known for: fried whole clams; fish and chips; clam strips; lobster roll; clambakes
Counter-style seafood spot on the Post Road for fried whole clams, fish and chips and lobster rolls; also caters New England clambakes.
Heibeck's Stand
951 Danbury Road, Georgetown (Wilton)
Lobster rollBurger iconDairy barSeasonal Known for: ice cream; burgers; hot dogs; hot buttered lobster roll · Season: Spring through fall · At this address since 1931
Georgetown roadside stand run by the founding family, serving ice cream, burgers, hot dogs and a warm butter lobster roll.
Greater Bridgeport
5 places, by town. The planning region around Bridgeport, Fairfield, and Stratford.
Captain's Cove Seaport
1 Bostwick Avenue, Bridgeport
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: fish and chips; hot and cold lobster rolls; fried seafood · Season: Summer season (the restaurant and bar close for the winter)
Family-run marina, boardwalk and big waterfront seafood restaurant on Black Rock Harbor; restaurant and bar open for the summer season.
Nordic Fish
1499 Post Road, Fairfield
Lobster roll Known for: butter-poached lobster roll; cold lobster roll
Fish market and sushi counter that cooks and shucks lobster in-house for butter-poached or cold lobster rolls.
Monroe Social
494 Main Street, Monroe
Lobster roll Known for: lobster roll · At this address since 2016
Neighborhood gastropub with a lobster roll featured in CT Bites' 2026 lobster roll guide.
Copps Island Oyster Shack
638 Selby's Pond Road, Stratford
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: oysters; hot lobster roll (butter, salt, chives); hot buttered; cold lobster roll (yuzu mayo) · Season: seasonal; check before you go
Stratford location of the Copps Island family shellfish farm's seasonal seaside shack.
Lordship Lobster
40 Beach Drive, Stratford
Lobster rollClam shack Known for: hot buttered CT lobster roll; hot buttered; cold Maine lobster roll; fried clams; deep-fried frankfurters; clambakes
Beachfront lobster shack across from the Stratford seawall with picnic tables, lobster rolls and fried clams; holds outdoor clambakes.
South Central Connecticut
15 places, by town. The planning region around New Haven, Milford, and Wallingford.
Lenny's Indian Head Inn
205 South Montowese St, Branford
Lobster roll Known for: hot buttered; lobster roll; steamers; chowder · At this address since 1968
Indian Neck shoreline seafood house since 1968 with hot buttered and cold lobster rolls.
Lobster Shack
3 Cosey Beach Ave, East Haven
Lobster rollClam shack Known for: hot buttered; lobster roll; grilled clams; chowder
Waterfront lobster spot that moved from Branford to East Haven, serving buttered hot rolls and chilled rolls.
Sandpiper Restaurant
161 Cosey Beach Ave, East Haven
Lobster roll Known for: hot lobster roll; steamers; fried seafood
East Haven shoreline restaurant with hot lobster rolls and a patio over the Sound.
Guilford Lobster Pound
505A Whitfield St, Guilford
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: hot buttered; lobster roll; lobster grilled cheese; chowder · Season: seasonal; weather dependent · At this address since 1991
Dockside lobster pound on Guilford Harbor whose owner still hauls the traps; hot buttered rolls, no mayo, cash only and BYOB.
The Place
901 Boston Post Rd, Guilford
Clam shackSeasonal Known for: roasted clams; lobster; corn · Season: by May 1 through late October
Open-air roadside clambake: clams, lobster and corn cooked over a big wood fire, tree-stump seats, BYOB, cash or check.
Glenwood Drive-In
2538 Whitney Ave, Hamden
Lobster rollHot dogs Known for: charbroiled hot dogs; hot relish; lobster roll; onion rings
Route 10 drive-in serving charbroiled hot dogs and burgers for more than 70 years, plus summer lobster rolls.
Donahue's Clam Castle
1324 Boston Post Rd, Madison
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: whole belly fried clams; hot buttered; lobster roll; Lobzilla giant lobster rolls; chowder · Season: spring to the end of summer
Roadside clam shack near Hammonasset for six decades, known for whole-belly clams and its giant multi-foot lobster rolls.
Lenny & Joe's Fish Tale
1301 Boston Post Rd, Madison
Lobster roll Known for: hot buttered; lobster roll; cold lobster roll
Shoreline seafood restaurant that grew from a 1979 roadside clam stand; the Madison spot has a charity carousel and ice cream shack.
M&J Beach Grille & Seafood
87 Surf Club Rd, Madison
Lobster rollSeasonal Known for: hot lobster roll · Season: Memorial Day to Labor Day
Family-run seasonal beach grill at Madison's Surf Club serving hot lobster rolls.
Seven Seas Restaurant & Pub
16 New Haven Ave, Milford
Lobster roll Known for: hot buttered; lobster roll; fish and chips · At this address since 1965
Milford seafood pub established in 1965, known locally for its hot buttered lobster roll.
The Lazy Lobster
6 Broadway, Milford
Lobster roll Known for: Lazy Lobster Roll (buttered lobster on a baguette); steamers
Seafood restaurant steps from Walnut Beach, serving its buttered Lazy Lobster Roll on a house-baked baguette.
Shell & Bones Oyster Bar and Grill
100 South Water St, New Haven
Lobster roll Known for: hot buttered; lobster roll; oysters
City Point waterfront oyster bar with hot lobster rolls in house-made lobster butter or chilled with spicy mayo.
Supreme Seafood Restaurant
999 Foxon Rd, North Branford
Lobster roll Known for: hot buttered; lobster roll; whole belly clams · At this address since 1989
Route 80 eat-in or take-out seafood spot since 1989, with hot or cold lobster rolls in its signature butter sauce.
Westbrook Lobster
300 Church St, Wallingford
Lobster roll Known for: hot buttered; lobster roll; mega lobster roll
Inland location of Westbrook Lobster, a seafood market turned restaurant, serving warm buttered Connecticut-style rolls.
Stowe's Seafood
347 Beach St, West Haven
Lobster rollClam shack Known for: lobster roll (sautéed, salad or fried); fried seafood; chowder
Cash-only seafood shack and fish market across from West Haven's beach, open year-round.
Lower Connecticut River Valley
10 places, by town. The planning region around Middletown, Old Saybrook, and Cromwell.
Aqua
34 Riverside Dr, Clinton
Lobster roll Known for: lobster roll; clam chowder; tacos
Marina restaurant with views of Long Island Sound serving chowder and lobster rolls.
Lobster Landing
152 Commerce St, Clinton
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: hot buttered; lobster roll; double lobster roll; lobster bisque · Season: Spring through December 31 (CT Bites 2026; CTvisit says it stays open until New Year's)
Small dockside lobster shack in Clinton known for hot lobster rolls with butter and a squeeze of lemon on a grilled roll.
Shanks Waterfront Dining
131 Grove St, Clinton
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: lobster roll · Season: Summer (its site: open for the summer 2026 season)
Seasonal BYOB 'food boat' at Harborside Marina on Clinton Harbor: orders go in at a converted 1974 42-foot commercial lobster boat.
Westbrook Lobster
346 East Main St, Clinton
Lobster roll Known for: hot buttered; hot lobster roll on brioche · At this address since 1995
Seafood restaurant and market that grew out of a 1963 lobster market; a second location is in Wallingford.
Siren Kitchen and Bar
11 Ferry St, Essex
Lobster roll Known for: hot lobster roll ('The Local'); cold lobster roll ('The Tourist')
New American restaurant at Essex Island Marina, reached by dock or the marina's free ferry; offers both lobster roll styles.
Fresh Salt
2 Bridge St, Old Saybrook
Lobster roll Known for: hot buttered; Connecticut buttered lobster roll; chilled lobster roll
Restaurant at Saybrook Point Resort & Marina focused on regional seafood; its lobster roll can be ordered Connecticut-style with butter.
Johnny Ad's
910 Boston Post Rd, Old Saybrook
Lobster rollClam shack Known for: hot buttered; hot lobster roll; whole fried clams; clam strips; clam chowder; lobster bisque · At this address since 1957
Route 1 seafood landmark; its hot lobster roll is all lobster meat with butter on a toasted roll, and Coastal Classic Ice Cream scoops inside.
Liv's Shack
26 Bridge St, Old Saybrook
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: hot buttered; Connecticut-style lobster roll (no mayo); New England clam chowder · Season: May to September, Wednesday–Sunday (its own site)
Seasonal shack at Harbor One Marina whose 'No Mayo' slogan sums up its warm, butter-only lobster rolls on grilled buns.
Bill's Seafood
548 Boston Post Rd, Westbrook
Lobster rollClam shack Known for: hot buttered; fried clams; lobster roll; lobster salad BLT; steamers; fish and chips · Season: Open year-round · At this address since 1978
Cash-only seafood spot on the Patchogue River with dockside picnic tables, a bar, live music and an ice cream window (Bill's Etc.).
Lenny & Joe's Fish Tale
86 Boston Post Rd, Westbrook
Lobster rollClam shack Known for: hot buttered; fried clams; broiled seafood; clam chowder
Shoreline seafood restaurant with fried and broiled seafood; hot buttered lobster rolls are among its best-sellers.
Southeastern Connecticut
15 places, by town. The planning region around Groton, Norwich, and New London.
Dad's Restaurant of Niantic
147 Main St, Niantic (East Lyme)
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: fried clams; lobster roll; onion rings; burgers · Season: seasonal; check before you go
Seasonal seafood spot on Niantic Bay near the Niantic River bridge, known for fried clams and lobster rolls.
Flanders Fish Market
22 Chesterfield Rd, East Lyme
Lobster roll Known for: hot buttered; hot lobster roll with butter, scallion and sherry; cold lobster roll; lobster pot pie; clam chowder · At this address since 1983
Family-owned fish market and restaurant that serves its lobster roll hot or cold.
Skippers Seafood
167 Main St, Niantic (East Lyme)
Lobster roll Known for: lobster roll; fresh local seafood · Season: Open year-round
Year-round family seafood restaurant on Main Street in Niantic.
Abbott's Lobster in the Rough
117 Pearl St, Noank (Groton)
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: hot buttered; hot lobster roll; steamers; clam chowder; stuffed clams · Season: Seasonal; its site says it is open daily 11–8 for the 2026 season · At this address since 1947
BYOB waterside lobster shack on the Mystic River in Noank; no reservations, first come first served; its biggest hot roll carries a pound of buttered lobster.
Costello's Clam Shack
145 Pearl St, Noank (Groton)
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: hot buttered; hot lobster roll; fried clams; clam fritters; scallops; fish tacos · Season: Closed for the season; its site says it reopens May 21, 2027
Dockside clam shack inside Noank Shipyard on the Mystic River, with fried seafood and hot buttered lobster rolls in several sizes.
Haring's Noank
15 Riverview Ave, Noank (Groton)
Lobster roll Known for: hot buttered; cold lobster roll; lobster bisque; lobster and sweet corn fritters; oysters; smash burger
Waterfront seafood restaurant in Noank modeled on a classic New England shack, reachable by land or by boat; hot rolls come with melted lemon butter.
Oyster Club
13 Water St, Mystic (Groton)
James Beard semifinalistLobster roll Known for: warm lobster roll with rhubarb butter (Treehouse); chilled lobster roll (Treehouse); oysters
Farm-and-sea restaurant in downtown Mystic with an outdoor Treehouse that serves lobster rolls; part of the 85th Day Food Community.
James Beard: Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program semifinalist 2025
Jasper White's Summer Shack
1 Mohegan Sun Blvd, Uncasville (Montville)
Lobster rollClam shackAt Mohegan Sun Known for: pan-roasted lobster; fried seafood baskets; lobster rolls; raw bar
Inside Mohegan Sun, on Mohegan tribal land.
Clam-shack-style seafood restaurant inside Mohegan Sun casino, on the Mohegan Tribe's reservation land in Montville.
Captain Scott's Lobster Dock
80 Hamilton St, New London
Lobster rollClam shack Known for: hot buttered; hot lobster roll; lobster salad roll; fish and chips · At this address since 1996
Dockside lobster shack on Shaw's Cove with outdoor seating, an ice cream window and a fish market.
Fred's Shanty
262 & 272 Pequot Ave, New London
Lobster rollClam shack Known for: whole belly clams; clam strips; hot lobster roll; cold lobster roll; clam fritters; Hershey's hand-dipped ice cream · At this address since 1972
Waterfront take-out on Pequot Avenue for fried seafood, pizza, subs, hot dogs and hand-dipped ice cream.
Mystic Fish Camp
4 E Main St, Mystic (Stonington)
Clam shack Known for: fried local fish sandwich; fish and chips; monkfish 'poor man's lobster roll'; smash burger
Counter-service fish shack beside the Mystic River Bascule Bridge from the team behind The Shipwright's Daughter; local wild-caught seafood fried in beef tallow.
Red 36
2 Washington St, Mystic (Stonington)
Lobster roll Known for: hot buttered; cold lobster roll with lemon scallion aioli; clam chowder; clam and bacon flatbread
Waterfront restaurant with Mystic River and harbor views; lobster rolls come cold or hot and buttery.
Sea Swirl
30 Williams Ave, Mystic (Stonington)
Lobster rollClam shackDairy barSeasonal Known for: whole belly clams; hot lobster roll; soft serve; ice cream · Season: seasonal; check before you go
Clam shack and ice cream stand off the Mystic River, known for whole-belly clams and lobster 'cones'.
Sea View Snack Bar
145 Greenmanville Ave, Mystic (Stonington)
Lobster rollClam shack Known for: lobster roll
Riverfront seafood snack bar in Mystic.
The Dock
9 First St, Waterford
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: hot lobster roll; cold lobster roll; raw clams and oysters; Cajun shrimp · Season: Opened May 1, 2026; Friday–Sunday only from Sept. 11, 2026 (its own site)
Seasonal picnic-table seafood spot on the Niantic River with a tented bar, raw bar and fish market.
Northeastern Connecticut
1 place, by town. The planning region around Putnam, Killingly, and Plainfield.
Hank's Dairy Bar
1006 Norwich Road, Plainfield
Lobster rollDairy barSeasonal Known for: lobster roll; freshly breaded seafood; signature burgers; ice cream · Season: mid-March into the fall (opened March 19 in 2026)
Seasonal roadside dairy bar with window service for ice cream, burgers, fried seafood and lobster rolls, plus picnic areas and monthly car cruises.