Lobster Roll

The Lobster Roll was born along the coast of Maine and Connecticut in the early 20th century, though the two states still argue about who got there first. The Connecticut claim points to Perry's, a restaurant in Milford, where owner Harry Perry reportedly served the first hot, butter-drenched version in the 1920s for a traveling salesman. The Maine version, cold lobster bound with mayonnaise, emerged in seaside lobster shacks during the same era, when a glut of locally caught lobster needed an easy way to be served to summer tourists. The split-top, side-buttered New England hot dog bun, ideal for griddling on a flat-top, became the standard vessel by the 1930s. Lobster was still considered cheap, working-class food at the time, so the roll started as an inexpensive lunch. As lobster prices climbed in the second half of the 20th century, the roll transformed into the symbol of summer luxury it is today.

The Lobster Roll is now the unofficial flag of New England summer. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, lobster shacks from Mystic, Connecticut, all the way up the Maine coast pull in lines of tourists willing to pay $25 to $40 for a few ounces of meat in a buttered bun. Maine vs. Connecticut style remains a spirited debate, Mainers swear by cold lobster with mayo and a touch of celery, Connecticut loyalists insist on warm lobster swimming in melted butter. Both versions show up on coastal menus across the United States, but the genuine article requires standing at a counter with a view of the water and eating off a paper boat with a plastic fork.