New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

Lobster rolls are part of the New England dining fabric, especially in the good old summertime. We've tasted some pretty good lobster rolls through the years, but these five come to mind when thinking of the best in New England -- based on taste and quantity: Markey's Lobster Pool, Seabrook, N.H. Kelly's Roast Beef, Revere Beach, Mass. Maine Diner, Wells, Maine George's of Galilee, Narragansett R.I. Howard's Drive-in, West Brookfield, Mass. We also recently ran a poll on our New England Vacations Facebook Fan Page , asking which New England restaurant makes the best lobster roll. To date, the Town Docks in Meredith, N.H., leads the pack, followed by Bob's Clam Hut in Kittery, Maine, Knapp's Landing in Stratford, Conn., the aforementioned Maine Diner and Abbott's Lobster in the Rough in Noank, Conn. Other mentions: The Raw Bar in Mashpee, Mass., Petey's Summertime Seafood in Rye Beach, N.H., the Harbourside Lobstermania in East Greenwich, R.I., Rob

Article and photo by Eric H. Just got word from our friends at George's of Galilee, in Narragansett R.I., that September is "Lobsterfest" month at this southern Rhode Island seaside restaurant. George's will be offering lobster in traditional, creative and offbeat forms -- steamed, baked stuffed, grilled, "Galilee Style," lobster boils, lobster and steak combos, lobster alfredo, lobster sauté, lobster rolls, lobster clubs, lobster thermidor, lobster casserole, lobster cocktail, and even lobster ale! They are even offering lobster ice cream -- not sure how this would work but we'll let you know in a future post! The great thing is that during this tough economy, George's is keeping the prices down with, at this writing, lobsters like twins for $25 or triples for $39. Additionally, George's location couldn't be better, situated by George's Beach and Salty Brine State Beach. This time in September actually might bring you some of the warme

Article and photo by Eric H. The Maine Diner in Wells, Maine, goes way beyond just typical diner food, specializing in local New England favorites like seafood chowder, lobster pie, lobster salad, clam cake plate, fresh fried clams, and some of the best homemade Maine wild blueberry pie you'll ever taste. We often prefer the Maine Diner over most of the fancier Maine waterfront restaurants specializing in seafood. You won't get any coastal ambiance at the Maine Diner as it is located on inland commercial Route 1, but the breakfast, lunch and dinner selections are so good, it doesn't matter for many of us. You can read a review on the Maine Diner by clicking on the link above. Maine Diner 2265 Post Road, Route One, Wells, Maine Tel.: 207-646-4441

Article and Photo by Eric H. The Tan Turtle Tavern in Northeast Harbor, Maine (Acadia National Park), serves an amazing 1 1/2 lb. lobster roll that is not only ample, but high on the taste quality meter. At this writing, the Tan Turtle Tavern lobster roll costs a reasonable $16.95 (subject to change, of course) -- not a bad price for the best lobster roll we've tasted and in this day of age where everything seems more expensive. With many restaurants cutting back and offering lobster rolls that are just a "shell of itself," the Tan Turtle Tavern gets high marks from us on bringing more of what we like (lobster) to the table. If, by the way, you don't like lobster rolls, the Tan Turtle Tavern offers just about everything under the sun on its extensive menu, including a phenomenal steak dinner, mixed greens salad with salmon, and a wonderfully creamy, New England clam chowder. Tan Turtle Tavern, 151 Main St., Northeast Harbor, Maine. Tel. (207) 276-9898 Read a dining r