Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound

The road to Acadia National Park is littered with lobster rolls. And while there is no shortage of competently executed options, transcendent ones are rare. At Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound, located just before the bridge to Mount Desert Island, biting into a hot, drawn butter-drenched Connecticut-style lobster roll is good enough to put you off less specimens for life. 

All the crustaceans are boiled to order in seawater in immense, iron-sided kettles set over wood fires. The resulting meat has a clean, oceanic tinge to it that needs little adornment. It’s best warm, although devotees of the Maine-style of the genre will appreciate the chilled, lightly dressed iteration speckled with celery.

Either way, it comes set in a bun that’s a tad richer than the de facto supermarket variety, without veering too far into brioche territory, accompanied by kettle-cooked chips and a wedge of lemon.

Little has changed about the joint since George and Gertrude Gascon set up shop in 1956. As their website proudly declares, you’ll find “no linen tablecloths or fancy glasses” here. The menu sticks to the essentials: steamed mussels and clams, creamy lobster stew and clam chowder, along with hot dogs, PB&Js and mac n’ cheese for the kids. For dessert, there are whoopie pies, of course, along with homemade blueberry pie.