Lobster Roll at Governor's - Ellsworth, Maine

A post shared by MonsterMunching (@monstermunching_oc) on Sep 26, 2017 at 6:10pm PDT

Did you know that the McDonalds' in Maine sell lobster rolls? It's true. But unfortunately, it does so only up to Labor Day. We found this out after stopping into McDonald's that had neglected to take down the special from its marquee.

Though disappointed we missed it by a week, it did get us thinking: If McDonald's offered lobster rolls, then every run-of-the-mill place must also.

One night, after a tiring but fulfilling day exploring Acadia National Park, we decided to test our theory. We found a restaurant called Governor's that was directly across from our hotel. It looked like the New England version of Spires or Norms--a diner chain that catered to retirees and other regulars whom the wait staff knew by name.

We sat down into one of their cushy booths, and there it was on the menu: lobster roll. And it turned out to be as good a lobster roll as we had the entire trip. The traditional split-top bun was lightly toasted, and aside from a tiny piece of lettuce, it was stuffed with an abundance of chilled lobster meat.

Eating it, I realized what I should've realized when I saw that McDonald's offered them: to us, lobster rolls were a rarity, a special treat; but to the locals, they might as well be tuna sandwiches.

So if you're in Maine and searching for a lobster roll, don't go where a tourist would go; go where the locals would normally get their tuna sandwiches, because it won't cost that much more. Either that or just time your visit when McDonald's has it.

Governor's
253 High St.
Ellsworth, ME 04605

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