Meredith and I were reading that today is National Lobster Day, so in celebration of this super savory sea creature, we thought it’d be fun to highlight some of our favorite ways to enjoy lobster in Maine.

A couple of years ago we did a round-up of our favorite lobster rolls in Maine, a post we still stand by today. In addition to our list, the comments readers left were quite helpful and have guided us to many new locations up and down the coast. If you’re new to the Portland area or planning a trip to Maine, a roll at Fort Williams from Bite Into Maine is a quintessential Maine experience with views of Casco Bay behind the iconic Portland Headlight.

When friends come to town we love the tradition of going to Alewive’s Brook Farm in Cape Elizabeth and picking out our own fresh lobsters from the tank. No trip to the farm is complete with our friends posing for a photo with the largest lobster in the tank, of course. Typically we cook them with a bag of steamers (clams), but we’re planning on giving this grilled split lobster recipe from Bon Appetit a try this summer.

If we’re not cooking it on our own or enjoying it to go, the following are a few lobster dishes around town that have caught our eye: the chilled Maine lobster tail with house mayonnaise at Petite Jacqueline, the lobster tartine at The Honey Paw, and the lobster dumplings at Empire. Seasonal lobster dishes at places like The Well and Vinland should also be on your radar.

If a lobster meal is on your summer bucket list, hopefully this post has given you some inspiration, and If you have any suggestions of lobster rolls, meals, or recipes that we may have missed, please don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments below.

All photos by Meredith Perdue for Map & Menu.