Port Lobster Co.

Kennebunkport is a happening place in the summer. Boutiques sell beach bric-a-brac and ice cream. People hungry for lobster are spoiled for choice. Among the many worthy options for a basic lobster fix, Port Lobster Co. offers the best value. This has kept it popular since the 1950s.

Selling live lobsters to residents is the bulk of business at the little family-owned pound. But it also sells lobster rolls and clam chowder, both done exceedingly well.

The lobster rolls are pool-fresh and made either cool with mayo or hot with butter. This being Maine, the default is mayo, unless you request otherwise. The rolls simply are expertly cooked, chopped up meat, including tail, with mayo acting as a binder.

The “extra-large lobster roll” is locally famous: a footlong bun filled with the meat from several lobsters. If you’re feeling peckish, it’s an amazing value. This lobster torpedo costs scarcely more than scant, three-ounce lobster rolls do in trendy urban eateries.

The chowder is thinner than we expected, but its flavors are rich and the clams are tender, making it hard to put down. The soupier texture actually ends up lending it an elegance compared to a more typically hearty, fork-thick New England chowder. It is good enough to make us rethink our chowder viscosity preferences.  Anyway, it is easily thickened with oyster crackers.

The food leaves little to complain about, but because it is a fish market, there’s really no place to eat it, other than a bench in the parking area. We recommend eating in the car while parked. It’s not a great idea to eat chowder and drive.

If you do happen to be staying in the area, Port Lobster Co. will cook any lobster from the pound for no extra charge. Judging by the cookery of the meat on the lobster rolls, you might want to take them up on that service.