Middlebay Lobster Company

During our latest return to Maine we were disappointed to learn that Holbrook’s, an incredible lobster shack on the water at Cundy’s Harbor, had closed down. However, it didn’t take long to pin down a new favorite. The Middlebay Lobster Company is not something you will stumble across easily (a little over a mile after you turn onto Cundy’s Harbor Road off of 24 South), but their lobster stew is heaven!

This delightful lobster shack is operated by Jeff and Elizabeth Hurd – Jeff is the lobsterman and Elizabeth the cook. The diner is a converted garage down an unpaved driveway off Cundy’s Harbor Road, but the food is fantastic. Like I said, the lobster stew is what really stands out, but we were equally impressed with our chasers: Kim had the lobster-clam plate and I sampled the stuffed haddock.

Unlike most other lobster shacks, Middlebay has a full bar with a decent wine selection. They opened for business back in 1999 and starting in 2004 placed a world map on the wall so patrons could indicate where they came from. It is fun to check out the annual maps – despite being located in such a remote area, this joint garners quite a cosmopolitan crowd over the course of a year. So now you are tuned in to ‘Maine’s best kept secret’ (even though it was included in USA Today’s list of the ‘ten best seafood shacks in America’)--- don’t pass it around!