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Your Guide to Wineries in Maine, Tastings, Tours, And Wine Festivals

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Everyone thinks of Maine for its  lobsters . But there is another lush delicious product, plucked from the vines instead of the sea in Maine. While Maine’s wine scene isn’t as distinguished as California, Oregon or Washington, it’s worth visiting a few Maine vineyards and taking in a Maine wine festival or two during your time in Vacationland, and chekc out  Maine’s hopping beer brewing scene too .  There are now 24 wineries across the great state. Maine wines have evolved and improved, as wine should, over the years. Maine fruit wines were once the only drink you could find. Sweet blueberry, blackberry, pear and apple wines were the Maine stay.

Now grape growers in Maine are having grand success harvesting grand cru wines from grapes of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, merlot and shiraz, grown by the sea in the hills of Camden and Bar Harbor. Some vintners and wine tasters say you can taste the sweet salty air and the wildflowers in Maine wines, flavorful and fun. And like California, with over 3,000 miles of coastline, visiting Maine wineries is a great pastime, with beaches and lighthouse visits along the way, and bits of lobster rolls to cleanse the palate.

Maine Wineries

Cellardoor Winery has brought probably the most fame and notice to the wine scene in Maine. Largely because of the winery owner Bettina Doulton, who left Wall Street in 2007 to invest in her passion for wines. She throws lavish parties, Pop for a Cause fundraising events at her winery in Lincolnville, set on an incredible 68 acre property featuring a two hundred old farmhouse and barn. Cellardoor offers a beautiful tasting room in the restored 1790 barn, near  Camden , where you can sample many of their wines.

Cellardoor has had success handcrafting small batch vintages of Amorosa, Apple, Blue Lobster Blue made of 100% Blueberry, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cantina, Cayuga White, Chardonnay, DeChaunac, Fumoso Bianco, Pearro – a pear wine, Perfect Stranger, Queen Anne’s Lace, Reisling, Sweetheart, Valentina and Vino DiVine.  A visit to one of Cellardoor’s Tasting Rooms, in Lincolnville and Cellardoor at the Villa – a second tasting room in  Rockport , and the latest Cellardoor at Thompson Point in Portland. If you get the chance to attend one of Bettina’s Cellardoor Wine events during your trip to Maine, take the time to revel in the festivities.

Cellardoor presents top bands and entertainers at concerts on the coast from  Kennebunkport  to  Portland  and Camden. Cellardoor also offers frequent wine and cheese tasting events, themed Maine wine dinners and cooking classes that are simply idyllic in this Maine setting near the sea in a grand old barn or a big top tent.  Bartlett Winery in Gouldsborough, east of  Ellsworth , is off the beaten path but makes extraordinary Maine wines. Bartlett Winery has a tasting room, where you can sample aperitifs, reds, whites and dessert wines and sweet honey meads. The white wines are made from chardonnay grapes with notes of apple or pear. Bartlett winery reds come from local 100% pure hand-raked blueberries, putting a Maine twist on hearty but sweet red wine flavors. Bartlett Maine Estate Winery also makes Rusticator Rum that has fetched gold tasting medals.

Blacksmith Winery in South Casco, near Sebago Lake, has a tasting room in a charming old Blacksmith Shop. Blacksmith Wines was the first winery in Maine to produce fortified wines, both port and blueberry, and Maine fruit wines including cider, blueberry, cranberry, elderberry and raspberry.

Bar Harbor Cellars Winery at Sweet Pea Farm started in 2003, and now produces wine from European and local fruit (cranberry, blueberry and apple) including hybrid grape varieties. The Bar Harbor Farm Winery offers free tastings in a Civil War era barn, just outside downtown Bar Harbor on Route 3.  eighteen twenty wines , Tasting Room, is located in Yeast Bayside at 219 Anderson Street, Portland, Maine.  They make a vaierty of wines made from Maine grown rhubarb. They set out to make a good wine with a crop that grows very well in our unique climate. 

Also visit: 

Savage Oakes Vineyard and Winery – Union  Breakwater Vineyards – Owls Head  Sweetgrass Winery – Union  Tree Spirits Winery & Distillery – Oakland

At Maine’s best restaurants, the wine list is primarily European and Californian, but a few bold chefs feature Maine wines on their menu. Particularly popular are Maine dessert wines and meads crafted from sweet blueberry, pear, and apple. Maine made whites go well with seafood, buttery lobster and shrimp or local clams and mussels. Hard cider and fruit wines are delicious with homemade Maine blueberry pie or apple crisp in season.

Maine Wine Festivals

Maine is host to numerous wonderful food and wine festivals, many of them charitable so you can feel good as you sip, or chug for charity. Kennebunkport Festival is now a decade old tradition in June, featuring Maine chefs, fine art and wine served by the river in this chic seaside community. The  Kennebunkport Festival  benefits Share our Strength, and all funds stay in Maine. You should reserve lodging now for this sell out event in  Kennebunkport .  Portland’s Harvest on the Harbor in October features Maine beer and wine to accent Maine’s best chefs and music – all enjoyed by the waterfront in the Old Port. Bangor’s Maine Harvest Festival in early November promotes farm fresh food with local wine and beer, plus music, endorsed by the Maine Winery Guild. The Maine Wine Trail Passport is another great way to taste your way around 20 Maine Wineries. The Maine Wine Trail map, produced annually by Maine Winery Guild, allows you to be entered into a drawing, the more wineries you go to, the better the prizes include lodging and diner in Bar Harbor. Similarly, Maine has a  Maine Beer Trail  with over 50 breweries. As you wine your way through the beautiful state and sample some Maine wines from salty to sweet, remember to drink and drive responsibly, or settle in to a bed and breakfast for the night in walking distance of your wine dinner. Perhaps Vacationland could be nicknamed VineyardLand… well, maybe not just yet. Lobster and  Lighthouses  still dominate the state as edibles and  attractions .

Bartlett Winery | 175 Chicken Mill Pond Road  Gouldsboro 207.546.2408  Blacksmiths Winery | 967 Quaker Ridge Road  South Casco 207.655.3292 Bar Harbor Cellars | Route 3  Bar Harbor 207.288.3907  Breakwater Vineyards | 33 Ash Point Drive Owls Head 207-594-1721 Catherine Hill Winery | 661 Blackwoods Road Cherryfield 207-546-3426 Cellardoor Winery & Vineyards | 367 Youngtown Road Lincolnville  207.763.4478  Dragonfly Farm Winery | 1069 Mullen Road Stetson 207-296-2226 eighteen twenty wines l Tasting Room l 219 Anderson Street, Portland, ME 207-517-0820 Fat Friar Meadery | 39 Meadow Ridge lane Newcastle 207-563-5382 Maine Mead Works | 51 Washington Ave Portland 207-773-6323 Prospect Hill Winery | 318 Orrills Hill Road Lebanon 207-651-9335 Royal River Winery | 56 Ryder Road Yarmouth 207.712.4500  Savage Oaks Vineyard & Winery | 174 Barrett Hill Road Union 207-785-2828 Shalom Organic Farm & Winery | 158 Eastbrook Road Franklin 207-565-2312 Sow’s Ear Winery | Brooksville 207.326.4649  Sweetgrass Farm & Wine Distillery | 347 Carroll Road Union 207-785-3024 Two Hogs Winery | 186 Mudget Hill Road Vassalboro 207-660-5594 Winterport Winery | 279 South Main St. Winterport, Maine 04496  207.223.4500 Wild Fern Winery | 235 Farmington Falls Road Farmington 207-778-5276 Younity Winery & Vineyards | 317 Albion Road Unity 207-948-7777

The VisitMaine.Net team is the small team of authors and editors that research and write our in-depth guides throughout the site and update past articles to make sure they're still super valuable to you. We have one goal: to help you fall more in love with the state of Maine!

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FEATURED WINES

A Winery in the Country – and in the city.

Cellardoor Winery & Vineyard

A destination winery experience with picturesque views of our vineyard, located ten minutes inland from Camden in Lincolnville, Maine. Sip on a glass of handcrafted wine, tour the vineyard, savor a delicious cheese plate, and browse our gift shop.

Described by the New York Times as “A bacchanalian playground for wine lovers and casual day-trippers alike.”

Cellardoor Winery Portland

Escape the hustle and bustle of the Old Port and find a peaceful paradise here at our Middle Street tasting room. Come expand your palate with a wine tasting and discover your new favorite wine at Cellardoor while enjoying snacks with friends and family.

Our Portland tasting room and bottle shop is open year-round from Thursday to Sunday; we offer hosted tastings on Fridays and local delivery with Carhop .

Recent News

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Estate Vineyard

About cellardoor winery, award-winning wines from maine, made in maine, our award-winning wines are created in small, handcrafted batches with grapes sourced from our vineyard and premier vineyards nationwide. with over 20 handcrafted wines, from award-winning chardonnay to a rich and complex cabernet sauvignon to a delectable dessert wine, cellardoor has something for everyone. whether you’re a wine connoisseur or just getting started in the world of wine, you’ll find a bottle to satisfy your taste buds. and with our welcoming and knowledgeable tasting room staff, you’ll always leave the winery feeling like you’ve had an unforgettable experience. join us for a wine tasting in lincolnville or portland, maine., follow and share on instagram.

Savor every sip and bite, and treasure every moment.

Live your life. Be who you are. Drink good wine along the way.

The winery & vineyard.

THURSDAY 12 - 5 PM FRIDAY 12 - 5 PM SATURDAY 12 - 5 PM SUNDAY 12 - 5 PM MONDAY 12 - 5 PM

We will be closed Thursday July 4th

367 Youngtown Road Lincolnville, Maine 04849 (207) 763-4478 Directions

WEDNESDAY 3 - 7 PM THURSDAY 12 - 7 PM FRIDAY 12 - 7 PM SATURDAY 12 - 7 PM SUNDAY 12 - 5 PM MONDAY 12 - 5 PM

127 Middle Street Portland, Maine 04101 (207) 536-7700 Directions

To get online notifications about Cellardoor news & events, please fill out the form below. Let's stay in touch.

© 2024 Cellardoor Winery .

Give us a Call!

If you would like to order wine for pick up in Portland, give us a call at (207) 536-7700 and we will run a card over the phone. Pick up times are during regular business hours; please let us know if you’d like to arrange an off business day and we’ll do our best to accommodate your request.

If you would like to order wine for pick up in Lincolnville, give us a call at (207) 763-4478 and we will run a card over the phone. Pick up times are during regular business hours; please let us know if you’d like to arrange an off business day and we’ll do our best to accomodate your request.

To get online notifications about Cellardoor news & events, please fill out the form below. Let’s stay in touch.

adjective 1. A structural component of wine that provides character and texture and frames your drinking experience.

noun 2. A wine shop and tasting lounge in Portland, Maine.

Grippy Tannins’ mission is to make wine more approachable by creating a space to learn about and taste small production wines from all over the world before taking them home to enjoy.

Through a thoughfully curated selection, we hope to introduce you to exciting new wines and passionate emerging winemakers that will keep you curious and wanting to taste more.

Find us at 16 Middle Street in Portland’s East End neighborhood. 

Grippy Tannins is a wine shop and tasting lounge in Portland’s East End neighborhood. We feature a curated selection of wine from classic wine growing regions around the world.  All of the wines we have in stock are available for enjoyment in the lounge or for purchase to go.

For in-store tastings , we have a rotating list of wines available by the glass and 1/2 glass and we feature a curated flight that changes weekly.  Upcoming flight themes can be found here .  Cheese and  charcuterie  boards are offered to enjoy while tasting in the lounge. 

Custom tastings are available for groups of 4 or more  and must be reserved at least 24 hours in advance .  For these tastings, the lineup is customized based on your group’s preferences and you are formally guided through your flight of 5 wines.

To make a reservation, order  a curated selection of wine for pick up, or to order a gift card please call the shop 207-747-4524 or email  [email protected] .

For more about events and weekly flight themes check out the  Events Section .

Interested in wine education? Grippy Tannins is home to Maine’s only Wine and Spirits Education Trust Certification Program . Registration for the 2024  WSET Level 3 Certification is now open! It will be held on Tuesday evenings from 6-8 pm starting in October.   Registration is now open at CommonwealthWineSchool.com .   Space is limited to 15 students.

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DAILY TASTINGS

The retail shop and lounge is open for tastings Monday through Saturday from 1 pm – 6 pm and after 6 pm by reservation. Wine by the glass and half glass are available when the lounge is open. Reservations are not required before 6 pm, but are recommended for larger groups.  To make a reservation call 207-747-4524 or email   [email protected] .

Custom tastings are available for groups of 4 or more. Custom tastings include a guided tasting through a line-up of 5 wines plus a spread of cheese and charcuterie. The line-up is pre-selected based on the group’s preferences or interests. Reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance.  To make a reservation call 207-747-4524 or email [email protected] .

Weekly Curated Flights  

* Themes are subject to change based on wine availability. The cost for 4 x 1/2 glasses ranges from $30-$40

• week of July 22 – exploring Galicia, Spain
• week of July 29 – exploring Sicily
• week of Aug 5 – exploring Montsant vs Priorat
• week of Aug 12 – exploring Mallorca

LOUNGE UPDATES

Tuesday, July 23     The lounge and shop will close at 6 pm

Thursday, July 25     The lounge and shop will close at 6 pm

Saturday, Aug 10     The lounge and shop will close at 6 pm for a private tasting

Follow us on  Instagram  and  Facebook  for shop updates and  event notifications.

PRIVATE EVENTS

This modern, relaxing tasting lounge was designed to make you feel like you’re in your own living room. Surrounded by wine and fellow wine enthusiasts, it’s a welcoming space to host your next celebration, team building event, or networking function.

Your tasting experience can be customized to fit your needs. We provide wine, education, nibbles, and a place to mingle and shop. Email [email protected]  or call the shop at (207) 747-4524 to see how we can enhance your next event.

Pricing varies depending on party size – contact us for a quote and availability.

16 Middle Street Portland, ME 04101

monday – saturday 1 pm – 6 pm

(open after 6 pm by reservation)

sunday – closed

Street and garage parking is available.

Wine pick-up + delivery

To order a curated selection of wines for pick-up, please call 207-747-4524 or email [email protected] . 

If you’ve placed an order over the phone and want to pick-up curbside, park in front of our Middle Street entrance, give us a call, and we will bring your wine out to you. The name on your ID  must match with the name on the order.

Visit  carhopme.com  for a selection of wines available for delivery.

Lindsey Murray, Owner [email protected] (207) 747-4524

Get updates from Grippy Tannins

Open for shopping, curbside pick-up, and tastings

• The retail shop is open for in-store shopping and curbside pick-up Mon-Sat from 1 pm – 6 pm.
• custom tastings are available for groups of 4 or more. Call 207-747-4524 or email to book in advance.
• For a list of events, upcoming flight themes, and general updates visit the Events section
• Gift card purchases can be made in-store or by calling the shop at 207-747-4524.

Maine Wine TRAIL

The Maine Winery Guild invites you to meet our members, visit our tasting rooms, and sample the wines and spirits we so proudly produce.

The Maine Winery Guild invites you to travel along the Wine Trail , visit our tasting rooms, and sample the wines and spirits we so proudly produce

Join us at one of our multiple wine events around the state! Our hope is to advance the prosperity of the Maine wine industries and the farms that support them.

Breweries, Distilleries + Wineries

Cheers to a taste of maine.

Greater Portland has the highest rate of Breweries per capita than any other city in the country. Here you can enjoy a wealth of choices from porters, to stouts, to sours, and everything in between—experiencing them all is an adventure in itself.

Learn More On The Blog

Our Portland location is a love letter to Maine – filled to the brim with lodge-style décor and comfortable, cozy spaces to enjoy our sumptuous menu.

Enjoy our crafted beer and cocktails, fresh Maine-caught seafood, Neapolitan-style pizza, and an outdoor patio overlooking the Old Port’s working waterfront.

Renowned for our full spectrum of beer styles and mouthwatering Detroit-style pizza, our welcoming tasting room is open year-round for guests to visit.

With 10+ spirits distilled on-site and a farm-to-table restaurant with live music, there's always a reason to visit.

Embracing our “Better Beer for a Better Future” philosophy, we craft exceptional, naturally gluten-free beer with a commitment to social and environmental justice.

Visit Maine's largest brewery and tasting room.

Located on the lower level of The Lincoln Hotel, Batson River Biddeford is both a tribute to the past and a celebration of the future. 

New England's 1st Craft Brewery! Taste the brews that started it all. Visit our tasting room and beer garden.

Located just down Route 1 from Maine’s best outlets, Gritty’s Freeport Brew Pub and Restaurant is the perfect destination for the whole family. 

Enjoy fine, small-batch ales brewed on-premise, great pub fare and a real old world pub atmosphere.

Enjoy our Maine craft beer and cocktails at Rock Row's Quarryside beer garden in Westbrook, Maine.

All-inclusive tours providing guests a behind-the-scenes look at Maine’s breweries, distilleries, wineries, and more.

Nonesuch is a brewery, restaurant, and event venue located in a picturesque beach town.

Rising Tide Brewing Company is a family-owned craft brewery located in Portland, Maine specializing in small batch ales.

Engage with the brewers in our open access brewery or simply feel free to take a self-guided tour.

Brings together people for genuine and joyful gatherings through the sustainable distillation of craft rum & spirits.

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I tried 5 of the most famous lobster rolls in Portland, Maine. Here's how they all ranked.

I recently visited Portland, Maine, for the first time and tried five local lobster rolls.

They all ranged in price and preparation, though I tried most of them in the classic Maine style.

My favorite lobster roll had the best signature seasoning.

Nothing says summer quite like a lobster roll on a seaside dock, the sound of seagulls cawing overhead.

However, an authentic Maine lobster roll doesn't come cheap.

On a recent trip to Portland, Maine , I set out to find the absolute best lobster roll around. Most of them were at least $30 — a price that may be too steep for some of the millions of tourists who venture to Maine's coastline each year to indulge in regularly throughout the summer.

So if you're only going to try one, you'll want to know which one is the absolute best.

I tried lobster rolls from five of Portland's most famous spots and ranked them. All except one were traditional Maine-style rolls , which meant they were served cold and with mayonnaise. The other most popular style of lobster roll is Connecticut, which comes warm with melted butter.

Here's how the lobster rolls ranked based on price, taste, and atmosphere.

The first stop on my lobster roll tour was The Highroller Lobster Co.

Highroller may have started out as a simple hot-dog cart, but it has since grown into an institution in the heart of Portland. In its Best of 2024 Awards, Portland Old Port named Highroller Lobster Co. the best lobster roll in the city, making it a must-try spot on my list.

Located on Exchange Street, the building's exterior beckoned me with its can't-miss red branding and playful sidewalk sign.

In addition to indoor and outdoor dining, guests can also order takeout or grab some merch at the restaurant's adjoining gift shop, which I thought was unique and geared toward Portland's many tourists.

The interior of The Highroller Lobster Co. was modern and reminded me of a vintage diner.

The restaurant had an ordering stand where you could place orders with an employee, as well as QR codes on every table that allowed you to place orders online and have them delivered to your table.

The design style of the dining room reminded me of a '50s diner, with a modern twist thanks to the black wood floors and glittering disco ball overhead. It was a warm day, so I decided to sit out on the back patio to eat my lunch.

The lobster rolls from Highroller were able to be completely customized.

The Highroller Lobster Co. was unique in that practically every element of the lobster roll was customizable, from the amount of lobster meat to different flavors of mayonnaise and other sauces, such as mango habanero mayo, garlic mayo, and lobster ghee.

However, for the sake of this ranking, I decided to keep it classic.

I ordered the four-ounce lobster roll with regular mayonnaise. The lobster roll cost $30, excluding tax and tip. I also ordered a side of fries for an extra $5 and a soda for $3.

The toasted brioche bun impressed me, but the thick layer of mayonnaise on top of the roll threw me off.

While I do like mayonnaise, and don't really have a preference when it comes to Maine-style versus Connecticut-style lobster rolls, I thought there was just a touch too much mayonnaise on this roll.

It also veered on the thick-and-gloopy side, rather than simply dressing the lobster meat.

I'd still come back to Highroller, but I'd probably customize my lobster roll differently next time.

I thought the mayonnaise covered up a lot of the flavor of the lobster meat itself, which was a shame considering the meat was juicy and thick. However, the toasted bun had a delightful crispiness to it and held the roll together perfectly.

Overall, it was a solid lobster roll, just not quite my favorite.

While I wasn't ranking the fries, they were perfectly seasoned and crispy. They were, without a doubt, my favorite of all the sides I tried throughout this ranking.

My fourth favorite spot was Portland Lobster Company, located right in the heart of the Old Port.

Portland Lobster Company was also nominated this year by Portland Old Port for the best lobster roll category. It has won multiple "Best in Portland" awards in the past, including best lobster roll and best place to take out-of-towners.

Centrally located to many of Portland's biggest attractions, from dockside dining to boat tours, the restaurant was right on the water.

I could imagine this was a very popular spot for tourists to grab lunch since it was right on the pier on one of the busiest streets in the city.

It was prime lunchtime on a Saturday, but I was still able to grab a table outside overlooking the water.

A live band was playing on the outdoor deck. By far, this spot had the most classic New England atmosphere, from the casual seating to the ordering counter and tables overlooking the Portland pier.

To my surprise, Portland Lobster Company's signature lobster roll was served with warm butter.

The menu said the lobster roll was made with meat from a one-pound lobster brushed with sweet butter. The lobster meat came on a classic roll with lettuce, lemon wedges, and fries on the side.

It was labeled on the menu as market price, but I got it for $27.99, excluding tax.

I thought the lobster meat really stood out.

No other ingredients, like the mayonnaise in the last roll, were competing with the lobster to be the star of the show. I liked the warm butter, which coated the bun and enhanced its flavor.

However, while the lobster meat did have a nice flavor, I thought the texture was just a touch on the rubbery side.

This was a good, classic lobster roll, but it wasn't anything unique.

This lobster roll was a good, classic sandwich I could see myself getting again the next time I'm in Portland. It hit many of the marks, especially when it came to price and the restaurant's ambiance.

However, there wasn't anything especially unique about this lobster roll. While Highroller wasn't my favorite either, I at least appreciated that they were taking some risks with their flavor offerings. At Portland Lobster Company, there was only one way to order this roll — and it wasn't even served in the classic Maine style with mayonnaise.

To me, the best part of choosing this spot was the location. From the convenience of being located right downtown to the waterside seating and seagulls cawing overhead, I couldn't imagine a better spot to grab a lobster roll in the summer.

Bite Into Maine, located slightly outside downtown Portland, landed in the middle.

Named by Food & Wine as offering the best sandwich in Maine, Bite Into Maine has multiple locations in the area, including a food truck near Portland Head Light, the oldest lighthouse in Maine, in Cape Elizabeth.

We stopped by the location in Munjoy Hill, the restaurant's only brick-and-mortar location.

The restaurant looked like a shipping container and was located next to other businesses. The overall vibe of this part of town felt industrial, rather than the historic, classic New England feel I got downtown.

The restaurant was modern, and it was easy to place my order.

I ordered at the counter and waited at a nearby table for my name to be called. The restaurant was bright and clean.

However, I admittedly missed some of that classic seaside feel I got at Portland Lobster Company and the other locations. I could have been anywhere in the country, from Ohio to Maine, inside this restaurant.

I was really impressed by Bite Into Maine's classic Maine lobster roll.

I ordered the 6-ounce Maine lobster roll for $37.95, plus tax, making it the most expensive roll I tried.

Even though the Maine-style roll is served with mayonnaise, all the buns at Bite Into Maine are butter-grilled, which I thought gave me the best of both worlds.

The lobster meat was spilling out of the roll when it arrived.

It came topped with green onion, which made the lobster roll beautiful to look at. The lobster meat was perfectly dressed with mayonnaise — it was light and fresh and enhanced the flavor rather than detracting from it.

I thought the extra-large size was definitely enough to feed two people.

I loved this lobster roll, but the ambiance at the restaurant was lacking for me.

I had no complaints about the lobster roll and thought the price was worth the amount of meat it contained.

However, I couldn't get over the fast-food feel of the restaurant — but I know this was just my personal preference and opinion. When I'm in Maine eating a lobster roll, I want to really feel that vibe.

The next time I come back to Maine, I'll stop by one of the chain's food trucks, especially the one near Portland Head Light. I think that would dramatically improve my experience, and could even take this lobster roll all the way to the top of my ranking.

The Cousins Maine Lobster food truck is located right at the base of Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth, just across Portland Harbor.

Cousins Maine Lobster is one of the most recognizable lobster brands in the country, with more than 50 locations across 26 states. The only Maine location is a food truck located in Fort Williams State Park, a popular site for Portland visitors and the location of the oldest lighthouse in Maine.

In addition to lobster rolls, the food truck offers other menu items, such as lobster tacos and lobster tater tots, which appeared to be popular options for families wanting to split something.

The location really blew me away.

Situated right at the base of the lighthouse, the food truck was in proximity to walking trails and spots to look out over Portland Harbor and Maine's rugged coastline. It didn't get any more New England than this.

I ordered the classic Maine-style lobster roll.

The lobster roll came with a lemon wedge and was served chilled on a roll with a "touch of mayo," the menu on the side of the food truck stated. It cost $23.99, excluding tax.

The meat was succulent and juicy and came with just the right amount of mayonnaise.

To me, this lobster roll exemplified the best of what makes a classic lobster roll good, as well as an excellent location and price.

The large pieces of lobster meat practically melted in my mouth, and I thought the light smearing of mayonnaise inside the roll brought it all together.

I'd be perfectly satisfied if this was my only lobster roll of the summer.

From the prime seaside location to the price and the classic nature of this lobster roll, it truly did hit all of the marks.

My only complaint, however, was with the roll. I think I preferred the butteriness of some of the other rolls, and while this one was adequate, it wasn't my favorite.

My favorite lobster roll came from Luke's Lobster, located right on Portland Pier.

The Portland Pier location is Luke's Lobster 's flagship location, though the chain actually started in New York City with a tiny lobster shack.

There are now restaurants all across the northeast, but the Portland restaurant is well known for its dockside location with panoramic views of the harbor.

It's also gained quite a reputation around town . In 2023, local residents  voted it  the best lobster roll in Portland .

When I told locals I would be trying different lobster rolls and determining the best one, nearly all of them had the same question: "Have you been to Luke's yet?"

This certainly set the stage for what I hoped would be a memorable lobster roll.

I thought Luke's Lobster had the best atmosphere out of all the places I tried.

There was lots of seating inside and outside the restaurant when I went on a weekend, so I think it's pretty easy to get a table — something that's valuable when it comes to peak tourism season in Portland.

Inside the restaurant was clean, modern, and bright, but warm wooden accents and views of the water prevented the space from feeling clinical.

I ordered the Maine-style lobster roll, which Luke's Lobster calls its "claim to fame."

It came with chips and a pickle on the side and was available in two different sizes.

Like the other places I tried, I ordered the largest size available, which was the 6-ounce roll. It cost $37, excluding tax.

The lobster roll came piled high with meat, which was dusted in the restaurant's signature seasoning.

Luke's signature seasoning is made with celery seed powder, sea salt, and garlic powder.

The seasoning on top of the roll really amplified the salty, briny flavor, giving this lobster roll a unique taste.

This lobster roll certainly lived up to the hype.

The meat was succulent and plentiful, and though there was a light mayonnaise dressing holding the meat together, the lobster really spoke for itself. The bun was crispy, and I thought the chips also had a delightful crispy texture that complemented the roll.

From the location to the price to the roll itself, Luke's Lobster really impressed me. It was classic, with a unique twist, and it came with harbor views that really made me feel like a Mainer.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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