Cooks Lobster house

If you want to enjoy your lobster dinner in surroundings that are a bit more upscale than a ‘shack,’ move on up to Cooks Lobster House on Bailey’s Island. Cooks has been voted the #1 seafood restaurant in mid-coast Maine since 1995, and for good reason. My first visit to Cooks was 1986 and the amazing combination of great food in an exceptional setting has kept me coming back for over twenty years.

The restaurant sits on a little peninsula and is surrounded by water on three sides. You can even look out upon the granite cribstone bridge while enjoying lobster! If its nice out, they have a small porch where you can dine (can’t see the bridge from there, however), though most of the time you will likely opt to sit indoors. During our last visit in August, 2008 we were pleasantly surprised to learn that Cooks will now be open year round. This is astonishing, because this is really a remote location – but I suppose a reflection of their ability to lure customers in spite of distance and weather.

Cooks is a great stop to highlight your Maine visit – both for the food and stunning drive to get there.