A lot of people love lobster, and seafood restaurants all along the New England coast serve it.
And because Boston is on the water and has commercial fishing piers close by, it gets the freshest, tastiest lobsters right off the boats.
For the best lobster taste, eat it whole, boiled, and straight from the shell. You can do this at many Boston seafood restaurants without worrying about making a big mess or having the lobster fly off your plate and land on someone else’s head.
You can always ask for “safer” lobster dishes, where the meat has already been taken out of the shell. But why not enjoy the pleasure of a whole lobster when it’s easy to take it apart piece by piece while you enjoy the tasty crustacean?
Top picture: A restaurant lobster dinner that’s ready for you to rip it apart and eat. Image source: iStock. com/grafvision.
Boston Discovery Guide is a reader-supported publication. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost for you. Learn more.
Lobster is one of those quintessential New England foods that locals and tourists alike look forward to every year. The sweet succulent meat of these crustaceans is truly delicious when cooked properly and enjoyed fresh. But when exactly is lobster season in Boston and the surrounding New England area?
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about lobster season in Boston including
- The history of lobster in Boston
- When lobster season peaks
- The best places to enjoy lobster in Boston
- Fun lobster season activities
- How climate change is impacting lobster season
A Brief History of Lobster in Boston
Lobster hasn’t always been considered a luxury food. In fact, it used to be known as the “poor man’s protein”. Native Americans in New England would use lobsters as fertilizer and fishing bait. When European settlers arrived, lobster was so abundant that it was fed to prisoners and apprentices.
However, by the mid-1800s, lobster had gained popularity among wealthy Americans as a tasty delicacy. Once the transcontinental railroad system expanded across the country, live lobsters could be shipped further inland. Soon, lobster was showing up on menus at fine-dining restaurants.
In Boston specifically, lobster really took off as a local specialty once it was embraced by the elite families like the Rockefellers. Elegant dinner parties in Boston began featuring lobster, cemented its status as a high-class food.
Today, lobster rolls, lobster bisque, lobster mac and cheese, and of course boiled or steamed whole lobster continue to be hot items on menus across Boston. From white tablecloth restaurants to backyard lobster bakes, there are so many wonderful ways to enjoy it!
When Does Lobster Season Peak in Boston?
The lobster fishing season in New England runs from late June through late December. The peak of lobster season is mid-May through mid-November. This summertime period is when lobsters are most active and plentiful in the waters off New England.
In Boston, your best bet for indulging in fresh lobster is between mid-May and mid-November. However, you can find lobster dishes year-round in Boston, since the hearty New Englanders still fish for them even in the colder months.
The warm summer months bring an abundance of freshly caught lobster to Boston area fish markets, restaurants, and lobster shacks. Local chefs compete to create the most innovative lobster dishes to tantalize tourists and locals alike.
The Best Places to Eat Lobster in Boston
One of the top neighborhoods in Boston to indulge in lobster is the trendy Back Bay area. Back Bay offers numerous outdoor patios and sidewalk cafes that are ideal settings to crack open a juicy lobster on a sunny summer day. Some popular Back Bay spots for lobster include:
-
Saltie Girl – creative lobster rolls like the “Maineah” with brown butter mayo
-
Summer Shack – authentic Maine-style lobster bake experience
-
Select Oyster Bar – extensive raw bar and lobster & corn chowder
-
Legal Sea Foods – Legal’s Signature Crab & Lobster Bake
-
Belmont Food Shop – no-frills, casual spot for lobster rolls
Along the Boston Harbor, you’ll find classic lobster joints like James Hook & Co. with picnic table seating and views of the water. Neptune Oyster in the North End is famous for their lobster rolls.
For a taste of authentic New England charm, take a short ride up to Maine for an open-air lobster shack like the Clam Shack in Kennebunk or Five Islands Lobster Co. overlooking the rocky coast.
Fun Activities for Lobster Season
To make the most of lobster season in Boston, consider these fun activities:
- Take a lobster fishing cruise to see how the pros catch lobsters
- Attend the Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland, Maine
- Have a traditional lobster bake right on the beach
- Check out the impressive 25-foot lobster statue at the Prudential Center
- Eat your way through lobster rolls at lobster shacks along the North Shore
How Climate Change Impacts Lobster Season
Lobster populations and behaviors are sensitive to the ocean temperature. Rising ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Maine have caused lobsters to move further north and mature earlier. This has impacted the timing and length of lobster season.
Warmer waters have contributed to boom in Maine’s lobster harvests over the past couple decades. However, as oceans continue warming, lobster populations are projected to eventually decline. For now, we can still enjoy plentiful lobster in Boston during the summer season! But lobster season in the future may look different.
No matter when you visit Boston, eating lobster is a must on any seafood lover’s itinerary. By targeting your trip during the peak lobster season months, you can dig into the freshest lobster this city has to offer! Let your lobster feast commence!
Phase 2: How to Eat Lobster Claws, Knuckles, & Legs
Now, you’re ready to move on learning how to eat lobster claws and legs. These are actually easier than the tail. Just follow three more easy steps:
1. Use your right hand to bend back the large part, or “thumb,” of the claw while twisting it at the same time. Hold the lobster body with your left hand again. (Of course, switch hands if you’re left-handed. ) This should enable you to pull out the claw meat in one delicious piece. You can use the small fork to do this. The small round pieces of knuckle meat should have come out with the claw meat. If they haven’t, twist the knuckle to separate it from the claw and pull the meat out. Now, dip the lobster claw and knuckle meat into some melted butter and enjoy eating it.
2. Move on to the legs—first break them off, and then snap each joint. If you’re in a fancy restaurant, use the little fork to pull out the meat. Otherwise, just suck it out.
3. Continue moving around the body until you’ve devoured all of the claw and leg meat.
Phase 1: How to Eat a Lobster Tail
Find the two tools that might be most useful: a nutcracker-shaped object and a very small fork or a sharp, pointy stick. Now, follow these three easy steps to learn how to eat lobster by first extracting the tail meat:
1. If you’re right-handed, put your left hand over the lobster’s body to hold it down. You don’t want the lobster to fly across the restaurant, trust us. Now, with your right hand, break off the tail by bending it up until it snaps. (If youre left-handed, do this with reverse hands. ) Salt water and juices may spurt out – be thankful you’re wearing the bib.
2. Using the nutcracker instrument, break off the flippers at the end and twist the tail slightly. A large chunk of lobster tail meat will normally slide right out. Sometimes you may need to use the fork or stick to push out the meat. Make a cut with a knife along the center top of the tail and pull the dark vein that looks like the digestive tract out with the tip of your knife, just like you would when deveining a shrimp.
3. You can use a fork if you’d like, but most Bostonians are using their hands by this point. Dip the lobster tail meat into the melted butter. Drizzle on some lemon juice. And now for the best part! Pop it into your mouth. Close your eyes, and savor the blissful taste . imagine blue summer skies . endless golden beaches . the faint sound of waves lapping at the shore. Melted butter is dripping down your chin and onto your bib but do you care? No!.
Where Do Boston University’s Lobster Night Lobsters Come From?
When is lobster season in Boston?
The main fishing season runs between late June and late December when the lobsters are active. Lobsters are also caught in winter and early spring but in smaller numbers. We recommend ordering them during the high season. In Boston, this period falls between mid-May and mid-November.
When to buy lobster in Boston?
Lobsters are also caught in winter and early spring but in smaller numbers. We recommend ordering them during the high season. In Boston, this period falls between mid-May and mid-November. Something wrong?
When are lobsters harvested?
Lobsters are harvested year-round, mostly in Maine and New Hampshire. The main fishing season runs between late June and late December when the lobsters are active. Lobsters are also caught in winter and early spring but in smaller numbers. We recommend ordering them during the high season.
When is the best time to buy lobster?
The best month of the year to buy live lobsters is usually May. However, in 2024, due to a lobster shortage, many folks will be eating frozen processed meat from Canada in May. Some experts predict that it will be July before you can get fresh lobster for your lobster rolls.