Lobster rolls, lobster risotto, lobster mac and cheese—this coming week is a lobster lover’s paradise.

With National Lobster Day falling on September 25, Maine’s most celebrated crustacean is on the menu from September 19 – 25 all over the state for Maine Lobster Week.

“We partnered with the organizers of Maine Restaurant Week to create Maine Lobster Week in order to help drive traffic to local restaurants and online lobster shippers as the peak summer season winds down,” said Marianne LaCroix, Executive Director of Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative. “The week gives tourists and Mainers alike the chance to show their appreciation for local lobstermen and restaurants while enjoying some delicious dishes”

Just like Maine Restaurant Week, more than 45 eateries around the state have customized either a prix fixe three-course menu or a special menu dish that’s affordable to the average customer.

The price of lobster hit unprecedented highs this summer due to the combination of limited supply, high demand, and the reopening of the economy during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Associated Press. That translated into some Maine stores selling lobster for $17 or $18 a pound and lobster rolls going for the inflated price of $35.

This is a good time of year to eat lobster, according to local lobstermen. The shells on lobster are just starting to harden up, so it’s the best of both worlds with the tenderness and the sweetness of lobster, but more yield—essentially more lobster within the shell.

The Sea Dog in Camden is the only Midcoast restaurant participating in Maine Lobster Week so far; the majority of restaurants are located in and around Portland.

A typical menu for Maine Lobster Week might include:

1st Course - Lobster Bisque
2nd Course - Lobster Fritters
3rd Course- choice of:
Steamed Lobster ($55) or 1.25lb Baked Stuffed Lobster ($65).

That happens to be Boone’s Fish House & Oyster Room in Portland, which also offers additional lobster choices such as a lobster roll, lobster mac & cheese, and a Boone’s Bloody Mary with a Lobster Claw.

With three courses ranging from $45 to $65, this is an economical way to get your lobster fix. Other lobster shacks and restaurants prefer to sell their lobster dishes by the appetizer, entree, or by the lobster roll at a set price.

“We want to promote lobster shacks, diners, or any restaurant that routinely serves lobster to be part of this promotional campaign, so the prix fixe menu doesn’t work for everyone,” said spokesperson Gillian Britt.

Maine Lobster Week isn’t just a boon to restaurants now that the summer season is over, but it also helps the men and women who lobster fish into the fall, providing them and their families with an extra boost of income as the nation continues to navigate a tricky economy during the pandemic.

Britt said restaurants, diners, and lobster shacks that still haven’t joined up yet, still have time to do so, and may register their establishment is free. Just go to the website’s “Register Your Restaurant” link to sign up.

For more information and to see which restaurants in Maine are participating visit: https://mainelobsterweek.com

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com