THE SOUTH COUNTY LOBSTER BOIL: A SALTWATER TRADITION Here in South County, a lobster boil isn’t just dinner — it’s an event. Black, red, white, and yellow are the colors of a lobster boil. Music, waves, and the clang of lobster crackers are the sound. And the distinct aroma of fresh cooked seafood lets you know that more than a meal awaits you, time slows and memories are made.
But this iconic New England feast has a deeper history than most visitors realize.
BACK WHEN LOBSTER WASN’T FANCY A couple hundred years ago lobster was considered trash food — washed up in piles on the beach, used as fertilizer or fed to prisoners. Indigenous tribes like the Narragansett cooked lobster and clams in stone-lined pits covered with seaweed. Early New England settlers learned the method, but for a long-time lobster was eaten only for survival.
Eventually city folks got a taste of what is now a delicacy. In the 1800’s railroads, and canning, made lobster shippable. A new industry emerged from what we were hauling off the coast.
Fun Fact: 1842 -- Lobster canning started in Eastport, Maine. In 1843 a one pound can (meat from 3 ½ pounds of live lobster) sold for 5 cents.
BOILS VS. BAKES Locals talk about boils and bakes almost interchangeably — but the lobster boil has its own rhythm. No pit-digging or layers of seaweed needed. Just a big pot, fresh-caught lobster, sweet corn, potatoes, clams, and maybe some linguica or sausage. It’s simple, fast, delicious, and designed to feed a crowd.
MORE THAN A MEAL — IT’S A SOUTH COUNTY SUMMER SCENE Today, a South County lobster boil is pure coastal charm. Picnic tables covered in paper. Butter dishes everywhere. Cold beer or a Del’s Lemonade in hand. No frills, no forks — just salt air, good company, and food freshly pulled from our waters.
Treat yourself to a lobster boil at one of these establishments as a reminder that here in South County, we do summer right.
The Shamlot Lobster Boil- A classic New England dinner in a relaxed outdoor setting with live music, outdoor games, and your favorite summer cocktails. July 19th, 2025
Annual Leyden's Farm Vineyard & Winery Clambake- Corn hole, food, friends, live music, lobster, & Leyden Vineyard's wine. July 26, 2025
Ocean House Lobster Boil- A traditional New England Lobster Boil on a pristine white sand beach. Indulge in the freshest seafood while the uplifting rhythms of a live steel drum band set the scene for a perfect night on the Atlantic ocean. 7/18/2025, 7/26/2025, 8/1/2025, 8/8/2025, 8/15/2025, 8/22/2025
Weekapaug Inn Labor Day Lobster Boil- Enjoy a delicious buffet dinner featuring fresh lobster, barbecue favorites, and classic summer sides. Relax with lawn games, mingle with fellow guests, and soak up the last moments of summer on Quonnie Pond as live music fills the air. August 31, 2025
Nordic Lodge- Not a lobster boil per se, the Nordic is a family-run lakeside spot known for an all you can eat buffet including lobster, steamers, mussels, shrimp, fish, crab legs, prime rib & specialty desserts.
Fun Fact: In 17th-Century Europe, when men and women were invited to dinner at a nobleman’s house, it was expected that they would take their own bibs to protect their clothing (dry cleaning was some years away).
