Eating Lobster at Abbott's, Costello's and.....Ford's
A good friend loaned us his cottage in the tiny town of Noank, Connecticut along the coast of Long Island Sound. So we picked our daughter up in Boston and headed south for a long weekend. The cottage came with kayaks so we spent a morning kayaking and we took day trips to Block Island and Mystic, Connecticut. And we did the must-do in Noank -we went for lobster at one of the three waterfront seafood restaurants there.
The first waterfront restaurant we came to was Ford's Lobsters, which started out as a hot dog cart and is now a sit-down seafood restaurant. It's small - and every table was full. It gets fantastic reviews so we thought it might be a long wait. So we decided to move on down the road.
Our next stop, Abbott's Lobster in the Rough, was just around the bend from Ford's and is easily the most famous thing to do in Noank. Founded in 1947, Abbott's is a casual, waterfront, order-at-the-window seafood establishment serving lobster, clams, oysters, shrimp and various seafood rolls. Dining is "first come, first served" with no alcoholic beverages served - but you may bring your own. Even though it was a balmy 55 degree June evening, Abbott's was quite crowded. So we went around the bend again to Abbott's sister restaurant, Costello's Clam Shack.
Costello's is another seafood restaurant located on the Mystic River with waterfront dining. There was hardly anyone here dining so we decided this was our spot - good thing, too, as we were out of restaurants at this point! We ordered our food at the window and waited for our number to be called. While waiting, we watched the river start to churn from the cold winds and wished we had worn warmer clothing. Costello's also lets you bring your own alcoholic beverages so we dined on our seafood - well, some of us - and drank our wine under the plastic tarp covering to shield us from the wind and rain. Not a perfect evening but I very much enjoyed it. I'm not a seafood lover so I'm not the best person to ask how the food was - but Mr. UR said his was good. So there you have it. How many times can you dine at a lobster pound on the Mystic River (unless you live there of course)? For me, only once! But I'd love to go back - there is so much of New England I haven't seen!
How about you? Have you ever dined at a lobster pound? How was your experience?
This post is part of a link-up with: Travel Photo Thursday at Budget Travelers Sandbox, Weekend Travel Inspiration at Reflections Enroute, The Weekly Postcard at Travel Notes and Beyond and Weekend Wanderlust at A Brit and A Southerner!
The first waterfront restaurant we came to was Ford's Lobsters, which started out as a hot dog cart and is now a sit-down seafood restaurant. It's small - and every table was full. It gets fantastic reviews so we thought it might be a long wait. So we decided to move on down the road.
Our next stop, Abbott's Lobster in the Rough, was just around the bend from Ford's and is easily the most famous thing to do in Noank. Founded in 1947, Abbott's is a casual, waterfront, order-at-the-window seafood establishment serving lobster, clams, oysters, shrimp and various seafood rolls. Dining is "first come, first served" with no alcoholic beverages served - but you may bring your own. Even though it was a balmy 55 degree June evening, Abbott's was quite crowded. So we went around the bend again to Abbott's sister restaurant, Costello's Clam Shack.
Costello's is another seafood restaurant located on the Mystic River with waterfront dining. There was hardly anyone here dining so we decided this was our spot - good thing, too, as we were out of restaurants at this point! We ordered our food at the window and waited for our number to be called. While waiting, we watched the river start to churn from the cold winds and wished we had worn warmer clothing. Costello's also lets you bring your own alcoholic beverages so we dined on our seafood - well, some of us - and drank our wine under the plastic tarp covering to shield us from the wind and rain. Not a perfect evening but I very much enjoyed it. I'm not a seafood lover so I'm not the best person to ask how the food was - but Mr. UR said his was good. So there you have it. How many times can you dine at a lobster pound on the Mystic River (unless you live there of course)? For me, only once! But I'd love to go back - there is so much of New England I haven't seen!
How about you? Have you ever dined at a lobster pound? How was your experience?
This post is part of a link-up with: Travel Photo Thursday at Budget Travelers Sandbox, Weekend Travel Inspiration at Reflections Enroute, The Weekly Postcard at Travel Notes and Beyond and Weekend Wanderlust at A Brit and A Southerner!
This area sounds like seafood heaven. I like the story about the restaurant that started as a hot dog stand. What a development!
ReplyDeleteI always wish I liked seafood when I go to New England! And Ford's was a hot dog stand only 20 years ago - crazy, huh? Thanks for visiting The Unpaved Road, Ruth!
DeleteYes, love the seafood in that area! Especially the lobster. Although, when I do go to Mystic, I also have to try and stop by Mystic Pizza, love that place too. It's such a lovely area. Thanks for linking up with #theWeeklyPostcard!
ReplyDeleteI also love Mystic Pizza!And it is such a lovely area! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteWe like Abbotts. Their lobster rolls are very good and their raw shellfish. We'll ha e to try the other two. Now And mystic have plenty of other good do it too! #wkendtravelinspiration
ReplyDeleteIt does - I really like the Mystic/Stonington area. Thanks for visiting, Eileen!
DeleteYes, yes, yes! I love lobster pounds and al fresco dining along the dock in New England! We were in Connecticut this summer, as we are most summers, but didn't get to the coast. Thanks for bringing me there Jill! #wkendtravelinspiration
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that you missed it this summer - it's such an enjoyable thing to do, even if it was 55 and rainy when we were there :) Thanks for visiting!
DeleteI love lobster but I've never eaten it at a restaurant like these. Hubby says he used to go to Woodman's in the northeast for lobster and fried seafood but that was many years ago.
ReplyDeleteWe've also been to lobster pounds in Maine - lobster is one of my husband's very favorite foods so we tend to seek out restaurants like these. When we knew where we were staying, then it was just obvious that we would spend an evening at one of these 3. I'll have to look at Woodman's for him. Thanks for visiting, Rhonda!
DeleteThis post makes me so envious. I love seafood, but we don't get lobster often where I live. I'd like to try all of the places!
ReplyDeleteI hope you make it somewhere like here someday so you can eat all the lobster, Jan! Thanks for visiting!
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