Maine's lobster is the finest in the world. The cold, clean waters of the Gulf of Maine — one of the most productive fishing grounds in the world — produce lobsters with sweet, tender meat that is far superior to lobster from warmer waters. The state's lobster industry is one of the most carefully managed fisheries in the world, with strict regulations that have maintained healthy lobster populations for generations.

But Maine's seafood culture extends far beyond lobster. The state's oysters, clams, mussels, scallops, and fish are all exceptional — the product of the same cold, clean waters that produce the world's finest lobster.

Here's your complete guide to eating seafood in Maine.

Eating a whole lobster is a hands-on experience that rewards patience and a willingness to get messy. Here's the basic technique:

1. Twist off the claws — hold the body and twist each claw off at the joint
2. Crack the claws — use a lobster cracker or the back of a knife to crack the claw shells and extract the meat
3. Separate the tail — hold the body and tail and twist them apart
4. Remove the tail meat — use a fork to push the tail meat out of the shell
5. Remove the tomalley — the green substance in the body cavity is the liver; it's edible and has a rich, intense flavor
6. Extract the leg meat — bite the end of each leg and suck out the meat

The Bib: Most lobster shacks provide bibs — wear one. Lobster eating is messy.

The Drawn Butter: Drawn butter (clarified butter) is the traditional accompaniment for whole lobster. Dip each piece of meat in the butter before eating.

The lobster roll is the most iconic Maine food — a toasted hot dog bun filled with lobster meat. There are two styles:

Maine Style (Cold): Cold lobster meat with mayonnaise, sometimes with a little celery and lemon. This is the traditional Maine style and the most common.

Connecticut Style (Warm): Warm lobster meat with drawn butter. This style is more common in Connecticut but is also found in Maine.

The Best Lobster Rolls:

• Red's Eats (Wiscasset) — the most famous lobster roll in Maine, piled so high with lobster meat that it's almost impossible to eat. The line can be long, but it's worth it.
• Bite into Maine (Portland) — excellent lobster rolls with creative variations, including a Maine-style roll with brown butter
• The Clam Shack (Kennebunkport) — a beloved lobster shack with excellent lobster rolls and a beautiful harbor setting
• Thurston's Lobster Pound (Bernard) — a beautiful lobster pound near Acadia with excellent lobster rolls and stunning views

Maine lobster is available year-round, but the peak season is summer (July–September), when the lobsters are most abundant and the prices are lowest. The fall (October–November) is also excellent, with large, hard-shell lobsters that have been feeding all summer.

Maine's oysters are among the finest in the world — plump, briny, and sweet, with a flavor that reflects the cold, clean waters of the Gulf of Maine. The state's oyster farms produce several distinct varieties, each with its own flavor profile.

Best Maine Oyster Varieties:

• Pemaquid — a classic Maine oyster with a clean, briny flavor and a firm texture
• Glidden Point — a beautiful oyster from the Damariscotta River, with a sweet, complex flavor
• Belon — a European flat oyster grown in the Damariscotta River, with a distinctive metallic flavor

Where to Eat Maine Oysters:

• Eventide Oyster Co. (Portland) — the finest oyster bar in New England, with an exceptional selection of Maine oysters
• J's Oyster (Portland) — a beloved Portland institution with excellent oysters and a lively atmosphere
• Damariscotta River Grill (Damariscotta) — excellent oysters in the heart of Maine's oyster country

Steamed Clams: Maine's soft-shell clams (steamers) are excellent — sweet, tender, and best eaten steamed with drawn butter and clam broth. The traditional way to eat steamers is to pull the clam from the shell, remove the dark skin from the neck, dip in the broth to rinse, then dip in butter.

Fried Clams: Fried whole-belly clams — with the clam belly intact — are a New England classic. The best fried clams are made with fresh, local clams and fried in clean oil until golden and crispy.

Mussels: Maine's blue mussels are excellent — sweet, tender, and best steamed with white wine, garlic, and herbs.

New England clam chowder — a rich, creamy soup with clams, potatoes, and salt pork — is one of the great American dishes, and Maine's version is among the finest. The best Maine clam chowder is made with fresh local clams, good cream, and a light hand with the thickening.

Best Clam Chowder:

• Eventide Oyster Co. (Portland) — exceptional clam chowder with excellent local clams
• The Lobster Shack at Two Lights (Cape Elizabeth) — excellent chowder in a beautiful coastal setting
• Moody's Diner (Waldoboro) — a beloved Maine institution with excellent clam chowder and classic diner food

Maine's fish — particularly the cod, haddock, and halibut from the Gulf of Maine — are exceptional. The state's fishing industry has been carefully managed to maintain healthy fish populations, and the quality of the fresh fish is extraordinary.

Best Fish Dishes:

• Fish chowder — a rich, creamy chowder with fresh local fish, potatoes, and cream
• Fried haddock — a New England classic, with fresh haddock in a light, crispy batter
• Baked stuffed haddock — a traditional Maine preparation, with haddock stuffed with a seasoned breadcrumb mixture

Portland is one of the finest food cities in New England, with a remarkable concentration of excellent restaurants, craft breweries, and artisan food producers.

Must-Visit Restaurants:

• Eventide Oyster Co. — the finest oyster bar in New England
• Fore Street — a landmark Portland restaurant with exceptional wood-fired cuisine
• Duckfat — famous for its Belgian-style fries cooked in duck fat
• The Honey Paw — creative Asian-influenced cuisine with Maine ingredients
• Scales — exceptional seafood in a beautiful waterfront setting

For more Maine adventures, see our Maine Coastal Guide, Acadia National Park Guide, and Maine Outdoor Adventures.