Left: Warm lobster and brioche roll, drawn butter, French fries and dill pickles. Right: Cold lobster salad and potato bun with coleslaw and kettle potato chips.
Whether you like your lobster roll warm with drawn butter on a toasted brioche bun or chilled with mayonnaise and herbs on a hot dog roll might not be just a matter of taste. Where you’re from—or where you first sampled this summer classic—likely has a lot of do with how you “roll.”
In Connecticut, lobster rolls are served warm. Die-hard fans of this style think it so superior to its cold Maine counterpart that they call that a lobster salad roll. It’s a pretty accurate moniker: in Maine, lobster rolls are served cold with mayonnaise, often with celery and fresh herbs atop some bibb lettuce nestled in the bun.
While many people consider the Maine style to be the definitive lobster roll, it’s far more likely that lobster served on buttered bread was first served warm, not cold, having been cooked in an age prior to refrigeration. Torn between trying the OG local version or the chilled Maine variety? Enjoy them both! Perhaps indulge in the warm style in cool weather and the cold kind when it’s hot outside. Better yet, combine the two. This lobster lover likes nothing better on a sizzling summer’s day than cold lobster in a hot and toasted buttered bun.
Lauren Braun Costello, a native New Yorker and now Westport local, is a classically trained chef, author, expert food stylist, and the force behind It’s Lauren, of Course! She has helped countless people become better cooks with her 100 days of cooking live on Instagram. Lauren can be found in her sunny kitchen cooking, of course, or @itslaurenofcourse
Lauren Braun Costello’s Lobster Roll Recipes
Connecticut Lobster Roll Recipe, AKA The Hot Lobster Roll
Warm, buttered lobster on a toasted brioche bun.
1 pound cooked lobster meat
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
kosher salt to taste
4 brioche buns, toasted and buttered
Place the butter in a large sauté pan and set over medium heat. Once melted, add the lobster meat, and toss well to coat. Stir in the lemon juice, parsley, and Old Bay. Season to taste with kosher salt. Divide the warm lobster among the toasted and buttered buns. Serve immediately.
Maine Lobster Roll Recipe, AKA The Cold Lobster Roll
Chilled lobster salad with mayonnaise and herbs on a hot dog roll
1 pound cooked lobster meat, chilled
¼ cup finely diced celery (optional)
3-4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
kosher salt and ground white pepper to taste
4 Bibb lettuce leaves (optional)
4 hot dog buns, toasted and buttered
In a large mixing bowl, combine the lobster meat, optional celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives and Old Bay. Toss well to coat. Season to taste with kosher salt and ground white pepper. Place an optional lettuce leaf on each toasted and buttered hot dog bun. Top with the lobster salad and serve immediately.
Lauren’s Top 3 Lobster Roll Tips
Toasted and Buttered Bun
No matter the type of roll, always serve it on a toasted and buttered bun, not only for superior flavor but to prevent the roll from becoming soggy.
Large Pieces of Meat
The smaller the lobster, typically the sweeter the flesh, yes, but serve the tail and claw in large chunks for the most decadent appearance and best bites.
Old-School Old Bay
A sprinkling of Old Bay seasoning offers that je-ne-sais-quoi flavor to any lobster roll, hot or cold. Leave it out and you’ll know something is missing.