This enclave of small towns hides some of the best seafood rolls in New England

Here's where to exit off I-95 for the ultimate seafood detour this summer.

A seafood roll is a summer staple, and no one knows how to make them quite like in the Northeast where buns are slathered in butter, split open, grilled, and stuffed full of everything from fresh-caught lobster (buttered in Connecticut, dressed in mayo in Maine) to creamy crab or brimming with crispy clam strips. 

Cape Cod, Maine, and the Hamptons on New York’s Long Island grab much of the spotlight, but the Connecticut shoreline holds its own. And most travelers unknowingly breeze right past along the I-95 corridor (where many will be stuck in traffic this summer).

Related: 6 Standout Seafood Shacks From Connecticut to Maine

In small enclaves tucked between New Haven and New London, you’ll find everything from pared-down beach shacks to sleek restaurants serving unique spins on the classic dish. I grew up here and spent the past few decades devouring nearly every option; from south to north, exit 59 to 67, these are the rolls most deserving of a detour.

01 of 05

Guilford Lobster Pound (Guilford, Connecticut)

Perched along a small dock facing the Long Island Sound, Guilford Lobster Pound has been open since 1991. Owner Bart Mansi still heads out in his boat each morning before sunrise pulling lobster traps for the beloved fare served at this seasonal spot. 

Grab a seat at one of a slew of picnic tables and order a hot lobster roll. Each comes filled with 4 ounces of hearty claw and knuckle goodness. The meat is gloriously doused in butter and somehow still manages to feel light and luscious. Just know it’s cash-only and BYOB, should those not driving wish to pair their rolls with a favorite rosé. 

02 of 05

Lenny & Joe’s Fish Tale (Madison and Westbrook, Connecticut)

I’ve been eating at Lenny & Joes for my entire life. It’s the kind of place you’d wax nostalgic about too if you spent your summers outside watching the carousel spin while holding drippy soft-serve cones. But unlike seasonal spots, this one stays open year-round.

The menu is larger than most, with everything from broiled chicken teriyaki dinners to hot dogs and burgers. The specialty, however, remains firmly squared around seafood. 

The rolls on offer are robust, studded with everything from buttered lobster to fried oysters, shrimp, or sea scallops, as well as the signature clams, either in strips or whole belly format. The roll menu differs a bit based on location. I grew up in Madison and gravitate to that outpost, but it’s worth the drive over to Westbrook for the hot buttered crab roll if you’ve tired of lobster. Whatever you order, don’t skip coupling it with the creamy, lightly sweet coleslaw.

03 of 05

Donahue’s Clam Castle (Madison, Connecticut)

Seafood is royalty at Donahue’s Clam Castle, a no-frills Madison spot with diner-style booths inside and outdoor picnic tables facing a busy road and gas station parking lot. But the environs matter little. The seafood offerings are exhaustive and excellent, especially when it comes to those stuffed inside a bun.

For classic lobster, there’s both Connecticut- and Maine-style varieties, in sizes ranging from a tiny 3 ounces that equals about three bites, to a more filling 6 ounces, and even 2- and 4-foot monster styles fit to feed a large party (with a supersized bill to boot). 

Venture out with buttery seared scallops served fried, blackened, or broiled; fresh-caught cod, shrimp, and soft shell crab; or the namesake specialty: clams. There’s whole belly or — my pick — strips. Fill your bun with creamy tartar sauce, dig in, and bow down to the clam king.

04 of 05

Lobster Landing (Clinton, Connecticut)

Lobster Landing is easy to spot, located at the tip of the road where the pavement meets the Long Island Sound. Here, a clapboard shack painted white and red overlooks the water alongside a pop-up tent preparing rolls and flipping dogs.

Locals eagerly queue up every summer and for good reason. The menu features sausage subs, cups of corn, and creamy soups, but lobster is the star. Order it in a roll (double for an extra-large portion), which arrives wrapped in foil, steaming hot, and bathed in butter. The long bready roll has a nice heft to soak up all that liquid gold. 

The low-key spot invites guests to bring snacks, sides, drinks, or even meals, so long as it’s not served on-site. That’s pretty easy since the menu runs lean. Harder is snagging a table at this popular hangout, or even more so, a parking spot.

05 of 05

Fresh Salt (Old Saybrook, Connecticut)

While most of my go-to rolls are served at laid-back spots where you can roll up in your still-sandy swimsuit, another top choice is far more elevated. Part of Saybrook Point Resort & Marina, Fresh Salt merges upscale waterfront dining with plenty of maritime motifs, and the lobster roll is among the best I’ve tasted.

A grilled brioche roll is filled with five large ounces of lobster — pretty much all claw and tail, might I add — and served one of three ways. There’s tropical style, which mixes cold lobster meat with a mango-avocado salad, cilantro, scallions, and lime; plus chilled and lightly dressed with mayo like in Maine; or my favorite, classic Connecticut buttered. 

With the latter, the butter is drenched so heavy, the soaked brioche tastes nearly like a fresh-baked croissant. Simple but decadent, it’s all that’s needed with such a generous serving of lobster. Be sure to ask about daily specials — whole belly clam rolls are known to grace the menu from time to time.

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