17 best lobster dishes in Boston

Try this: Buttered lobster toast

At chef Will Gilson’s intimate oyster bar in Inman Square in Cambridge, you can indulge in a buttered lobster toast that features a savory lobster and scallop mousse generously spread on toasted bread. The rich creation is topped with clarified butter and a sprinkle of fresh chives and sliced neatly to share.

Try this: Whole lobster tempura

This Japanese izakaya-inspired restaurant inside the posh Four Seasons One Dalton takes jet-setting flair to a new level with this show-stopping dish. Offered during Zuma’s acclaimed brunch, split, deep-fried lobster is served with spicy ponzu, lemon wedges and wasabi mayo sitting sidecar. What more can you ask for?

Try this: Lobster pizza

Chef Lydia Shire is the culinary mastermind behind many successful restaurants and dishes, but her most notable contribution to the Boston dining scene might just be her lobster pizza. The culinary grande dame currently serves a version of this specialty at Scampo in the Liberty Hotel. The thin-crust pie is coated with cream sauce and piled high with caramelized shallots and garlic, plenty of lobster, fresh ricotta and Parmesan. Pair it with a bottle of French rosé for a seriously decadent splurge.

Try this: Lobster ravioli

An East Boston institution, Rino’s Place is a small, family-run restaurant known for authentic Italian food—and especially the homemade lobster ravioli. You’ll find chunks of lobster in the sauce, as well as in the ricotta that fills these fist-sized pockets. Expect long lines for a table at this no-reservations spot, but it’s worth the wait.

Try this: Maine lobster salad

A unique spin on the classic, this Asian-influenced lobster salad features cashews, snow peas, radishes, Napa cabbage and Thai-style dressing. It’s a colorful, textured match to a chilled plate of raw oysters for which this Back Bay eatery is known. They also have a fully dressed Maine lobster on the menu for heartier appetites.

Try this: Lobster popover

The brunch-only lobster popover at Woods Hill Pier 4 nestles luscious lobster salad in a warm, flaky popover. Paired with mixed greens and Old Bay chips, this dish is balanced with creamy, crunchy and savory elements: The meat is dressed just right with crème fraîche, celery and red onion. Add in the harbor views, and you’ve got a great brunch experience.

Try this: Lobster and waffles 

Alongside its extensive collection of smoked fish and tinned seafood, Saltie Girl is renowned for its hot take on the chicken and waffles trend. Here, the kitchen perches big chunks of fried lobster tail (in lieu of the customary poultry) atop tasty waffles, before completing the masterpiece with spicy maple syrup and sweet corn butter. Other menu highlights include gourmet lobster rolls (served as your choice of hot or cold) and 1.5-pound lobster frites.

Try this: Lobster broil

Alcove restaurateur Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli has lobster lovers hooked on his new Fan Pier spot, which boasts a gorgeous waterfront setting and an adjacent seafood market. Available whole or just half, Hook + Line’s broiled lobster is simple yet tasty and served with an herb salad side. The magic is all about the lobster roe bechamel sauce that tops the broiled crustacean.

Try this: Zucchini blossoms

An Italian classic, stuffed zucchini blossoms can be found on many menus in the North End. At this seafood spot, the delicate flowers are richly filled with creamy ricotta and lobster meat. Order the dish on the awesome outdoor patio, which is outfitted with firepits and has a retractable roof for year-round enjoyment.

Try this: Lobster bake

Consider this individual clambake your own little taste of summer by the sea. Keeping with tradition (and executive chef Robert Sisca's seasonal and seafood-centric menu), the Banks serves a heaping plate of lobster, clams, mussels, shrimp, chorizo, potatoes and charred corn. You can also order your lobster stuffed and baked, or perfectly steamed from this Back Bay spot.

Try this: Lobster mac and cheese

For a decadent lobster dish, head to Yankee Lobster in the Seaport for baked lobster mac and cheese. It’s comfort food at its finest, with chunks of chopped lobster, elbow macaroni and oven-roasted tomatoes that add a little punch to the white cheddar and Parmesan sauce—and it’s all finished off with a crunchy panko topping. If you’re not quite in the mood for mac and cheese, there are plenty of other lobster choices on the menu (hence the name of this place).

Try this: Broiled twin Maine lobster

Located at the bustling intersection between the Back Bay and Theatre District, Ostra serves sophisticated seafood with a Mediterranean spin. There are plenty of big-ticket items available at this white-tablecloth establishment, making it a great place for special occasions and celebratory business dinners. Among those splurge-worthy dishes: Ostra’s three-pound broiled lobster, which is served with seasonal vegetables, fines herbes, drawn butter and lemon. 

Try this: Lobster and shrimp bao

Helmed by Time Out Market Boston chef Michael Schlow, this seafood restaurant inside Encore Boston Harbor charts a new course for classic New England flavors. Classy, creative dishes dress up local ingredients for a memorable night out. Lobster and shrimp bao are an instant-classic appetizer, pairing sweet meat with pickled fresno peppers, cucumber, yuzu aioli and togarashi in a soft, few-bite bun.

Try this: Lobster spaghettini

Chef Michael Serpa’s seafood spot on Newbury Street goes old-school with a menu that serves as an ode to the seaside clam shacks and raw bars of the New England coast. The lobster spaghettini takes it in an Italian direction with chunks of succulent lobster, homemade pasta and roasted tomato ragu topped with toasted garlic breadcrumbs, basil and shaved Parmesan.

Try this: Lobster mashed potatoes

Mastro’s Ocean Club offers a luxurious surf-and-turf dining experience alongside stunning views of Boston Harbor. Sizzling steaks and fresh seafood dishes are decadent enough, but there’s no harm in getting a side of its lobster mashed potatoes. A helping of these chunks of delicious lobster meat, creamy mashed potatoes and rich gravy will take any meal over the top. 

Try this: Chicken fried lobster

Located within Boston's political epicenter right by State Street, the Oceanaire Seafood Room unites the North and the South with its must-try chicken fried lobster. There is something so homey and satisfying about these tender pieces of lobster, which feature a light and crispy coating and are served on a bed of cheesy grits with truffled honey and house hot sauce. Other lobster options at this upscale establishment include a divine surf and turf, lobster fried rice and lobster mac and cheese.

Try this: Traditional New England clambake

The clambake is a quintessential New England experience that showcases sea-kissed goodies without the frills. At the Barking Crab, you can get in on the fun with this massive dish, which includes a 1.25-pound, ruby-red lobster—plus a traditional hodgepodge of tender clams, corn on the cob and potato salad. Secure your bib and prepare to get your hands dirty.