The Sweet Meat Sandwich: A Little Lobstah Love from New England to Siesta Key

By Scott Dolan

Before we dive claws first into today’s lobster roll craze, let’s take a quick swim back in time. The lobster roll first made waves in the 1920s in Milford, Connecticut, when a restaurant named Perry’s decided to pile fresh lobster meat onto a buttered, split-top bun. The rest is history. Maine later made its mark with chilled lobster meat lightly dressed in mayo, while Connecticut stayed loyal to the warm, buttery version. However you may like it, this “sweet meat sandwich” became a New England icon that perfectly balances simplicity and indulgence.

Now that you know the history of the lobster roll, or as I like to call it, the sweet meat sandwich, let’s talk about why it matters to us. Lobster roll love has blown up on Siesta Key, and why not? It’s the perfect sunny-day, poolside treat. It may not be caught off our coast, but those Maine lobsters come from the USA or Canada, which is local enough for me. Especially when they are shipped overnight straight from the Boston fishing pier to fish markets all over Florida.

If you’re craving the real deal, check out The Lobster Pot which serves chilled lobster rolls or Big Water Fish Market. Big Water is now serving both hot and cold lobster rolls daily, so you can have your pick.

Fair warning though…lobster rolls are not for folks with gator arms, meaning those who can’t quite reach their wallets. People from Boston love to claim they can get rolls back home for fifteen bucks or less. Lies, all lies. I was just in Boston and didn’t pay anything under thirty-five, even in Gloucester. So go ahead, trust your gut, trust your taste buds, and go get yourself a lobster roll. You deserve it.

Speaking of sweet meat, October brings back the local stone crabs, fresh cobia, and an abundance of king and Spanish mackerel for the smoker.

Live well, eat fish and lobster.