The Lobster Roll: Lunch in Napeague

When you open a restaurant just a stone’s throw from not one, but two bodies of water, odds are, you are gonna have access to some of the freshest seafood around!  And when you are also located off a remote highway in, arguably, the most scenic part of Long Island, it’s gonna be a memorable place, indeed!  For foodgoers and vacationers alike, that place for over the last 40 years has been The Lobster Roll, also known as Lunch.

Situated on Rt. 27 (Sunrise Highway) in the small hamlet of Napeague, just one town away from the eastern most town of Montauk, Lunch has been a Hamptons institution that has been providing some of the best seafood in Long Island, maybe in all of USA!  As you drive through the dune-swept landscape of Napeague, you notice a red, white, and blue awning that just sticks out, just across the highway from the Long Island Railroad’s Montauk branch.  Certainly, the colors are bright and a great way to flag down hungry motorists.  Parking, however, can be a problem; a limited number of spaces is available.  If full, you might wanna try to park on the side of the highway.  If you happen to have a home around Napeague, Lunch is perfectly within walking distance (1 to 2 miles from most major neighborhoods).

The food is indeed something!  As the name would imply, the signature item takes center stage at this eatery.  The lobster roll, a native dish of New England, combines cold lobster meat inside a New England-style roll (a toasted hot dog bun) with a little lettuce, mayo, and sometimes, garnished with paprika and/or a pickle.  This version in Napeague does their version sans paprika and pickle.  And while it may be a little pricey, locals will tell you that it is totally worth it!

For me, my favorite dish is the old fashioned fish and chips.  Cold water cod is batter fried in a tempura batter, served with tartar sauce, cole slaw, lemon wedge, crinkle-cut fries, and an orange wedge.  YUM!  Be sure to ask for a bottle of malt vinegar.  If that doesn’t sound delicious enough for ya, than can I interest you in an order of “Puffers ‘N Chips”?!  This more heartier version of fish and chips gives diners the same tempura fried goodness as the former dish, but with a twist.  The fish features shrimp tails, but with a taste that evokes the fried cod of fish and chips.  This version, however, features a creamy remoulade sauce that adds to the decadent deliciousness of the puffers and chips.

If you should find yourself wandering the dunes around Napeague, if your stomach should start rumbling en route to Montauk, then keep your eyes open for the tri-colored awning sporting the best seafood this side of the Atlantic.  Which is literally, a few steps away!