Dining Out!
Dining Out! is the Mike McCann Team’s new column about all of the great places to eat in Philly, from the classic spots to the hidden gems. Read up on all of these fantastic restaurants that keep our city de-licious!
Luke’s Lobster
Luke’s Lobster is a casual, Center City eatery that focuses on serving up mouthwatering seafood and creating a satisfying dining experience that keeps their customers coming back for more. They have deep ties to the Maine lobster industry and the founder, Luke Holden, actually worked as a licensed lobsterman before getting into the restaurant business. As a company, they have had nothing but explosive success and we are absolutely thrilled that they have made their way to Philly! We had the opportunity to speak with Ben Conniff, co-founder and Vice President, about everything that makes Luke’s Lobster so amazing.
The Style
“We are a traditional Maine lobster shack. That means we have a casual, inviting atmosphere where you order and pick up your food at the counter, sit at communal tables, and enjoy delicious food and good company, just as you would on the coast of Maine. Our decor is made from reclaimed New England barn wood, recycled lobstering gear, and other nautical elements that help transport guests away from the city.”
The Food
“Our most popular dish is the lobster roll. It’s made in traditional Maine style: a buttered and griddled split-top bun with just a bit of mayo, filled with a quarter pound of the most tender and sweet lobster meat you will ever find, then topped with a splash of lemon butter and dash of our secret seasoning. It’s great because we buy our lobster at the docks in Maine, cook it immediately to an exactly perfect temperature, and handle it with care all the way to the sandwich. We add no fillers to distract you from the glory of the lobster flavor, and the simple quality of the ingredients shines through. We also serve crab and shrimp rolls prepared the same way, and a New England clam chowder that’ll knock your socks off. We only buy the best and most sustainable seafood, and we trace it from the ocean floor all the way to the table through our very own Maine seafood company, so guests can be 100% sure it’s the best tasting lobster they can buy, and the healthiest choice they can make for the planet and the hard-working lobsterman who hauled those lobsters up.”
The Service
“Luke’s is committed to our community–our team, our guests, and our neighbors. We love working and eating together, and that attitude imbues every interaction, making our guest experience one of a kind. Our team is super approachable and friendly, makes helpful suggestions, and loves talking about Maine and traceable seafood. While we’re a counter-service joint, we still make it out to the tables, check on everyone, and make sure your experience is personalized. And we have a loyalty card program, with signed finished cards from our amazing regulars all over the walls as recognition of how important they are to our success.”
Special Features
“We serve organic, fair-trade sodas from a company called Maine Root based in Portland. They make the best root beer on earth along with half a dozen other flavors, and we’re proud to serve such an awesome product. We’re also working on getting another Maine soda company, Green Bee, down to Philly. They sweeten their drinks with Maine honey, so it’s healthier than the average soda and an inspiring supporter of small business. We happily encourage BYOB with no corkage fees, and we encourage you to check out the amazing selection of craft beers from Maine available around Philly. We also have a cookbook coming out in April! It’s called Real Maine Food, and it celebrates the fisherman, foragers, home cooks, and chefs that make authentic, natural, incredible food in Maine. It has 100 recipes to try out at home.”
There you have it, folks! From the ports of Maine to Center City, Philadelphia, Luke’s Lobster is serving up some phenomenal grub that you should not pass up. Ben Conniff and the Luke’s Lobster staff made sure to let us know how much they love the people in this city and I recommend showing them that we love them back by picking up a lobster roll today. If you love dining out as much as we do, then Luke’s Lobster is for you.
Written by Patrick Kaisinger
(Mike McCann Team Blogger Extraordinaire)
