Scouting Massachusetts for great lobster rolls

Look up “quintessential New England summer food” in the dictionary and there should be a picture of an ice-cold fresh-shucked New England lobster roll.

You know the top spots: The long-time local-owned clam shack on your local waterfront. The upscale city spot that charges a bit extra but delivers. The seafood restaurants with world name recognition. You can count on them to deliver.

But there are some other special locales to scarf down a fantastic lobster roll. Here are some perhaps surprising spots to savor that New England classic.

At a landmark: We’re talking beloved Fenway Park. For the most part, I’m anti “other types of food” at the ballpark. Chowder at a Sox game? Nah. I’m all about the classics: Kettle corn, peanuts, Hoodsies and of course, Fenway Franks.

So it was a delicious surprise when, while at a recent game, I opted to tuck into a Luke’s Lobster lobster roll.

Perfection. It’s a buttery roll stuffed full with sweet, fresh and meaty lobster seasoned with a tiny bit of mayo and a few secret spices Luke won’t divulge. They’re sublime.

And lobster rolls pair perfectly with a Red Sox game. Sure, a roll (with a bag of chips) will cost you $38 at the game. But hey: with a fountain lemonade ringing in at $10.50 at Fenway, that feels like a value.

Behind the barn: The big red barn at the fork of Sandwich and River Streets in the Chiltonville section of Plymouth has been many things over the years. Carpentry center, penny candy stop, farm stand,  and ice cream spot are just a few of its iterations, and always under the same family, the Bramhalls.

This generation of Bramhalls have taken that classic red barn and ramped it up to a must visit for their out-of-this-world lobster rolls.

Bramhall’s butters and toasts a fresh roll and then fills it with super fresh shucked meat (so fresh, they can name the lobsterman/woman who dropped them off that very morning). They leave the seasonings to you, giving you a little mayo, salt and pepper to make your own choice. It works. The fresh sweet lobster meat is – as it should be – the star.

You’ll dine at simple picnic tables under shade trees  (or down the street looking out over the beach and ocean). Pro tip: follow it with one of Sally’s fresh and made on site ice cream sandwiches. www.bramhallscountrystore.com

Off a truck: When it come to serving fresh, local and perfect lobster rolls, the Lobsta Love Truck, created and operated by award-winning chef Stephen Coe (chefstephencoe.com) – who “Beat Bobby Flay” and is in development for his own food series – is a sure thing.

Lobsta Love pops up all over – city streets, small town beer gardens, fundraisers and more. You might spot it pulled into a firehouse: Coe and Lobsta Love believe in serving those who serve us.

Coe, who calls the South Shore home and is a believer in shopping local, fresh and sustainable, has direct links to lobster boats right on the docks of the South Shore.

When the boats pull in, Coe and his team pick up their lobsters, cook them and let them sit and chill for a day before mixing in his own secret dashes of this and that – enough to amp up flavor but let the fresh, cold lobster meat shine through.

Find them and dig in.