When you spend this much time overanalyzing food, sometimes it’s important to get back to the basics. Though I’m sure much of the Orient’s readership is well acquainted with Libby’s Market, it seems only right to remind everyone that Brunswick’s best offering is available year-round, even in the dark midterm days leading up to Spring Break. Located only a few blocks away from Maine Street on Jordan Avenue, Libby’s serves a no-nonsense lobster roll that could easily be considered the best Maine has to offer.
The modest setting—a small clapboard structure with the appearance of a gas station sans gas pumps—enhances the culinary surprise that waits behind the counter. Food-obsessed Orient writers before me have questioned Libby’s supremacy with mentions of Red’s Eats, Brunswick Diner, and other crustacean-peddling competitors. I would just like to throw my hat in the ring with an emphatic endorsement of Libby’s as the ideal lobster roll experience just so happens to be the most convenient option as well.
Though the convenience store interior may seem like the typical place to stop for soda and chips during a long car ride, a few more dollars can buy you a generous helping of fresh-caught lobster in a toasted hot dog bun. Though it may lack the maritime décor of Maine’s quintessential seaside restaurants, the real spirit of the state is alive and well at Libby’s. The Libby family’s approach to food—all quality, no kitsch—makes for great food, great conversation, and limited seating. Don’t worry though; devouring the whole roll while standing at the counter is by no means discouraged.
Aside from some butter on the toasted bun (which is potato bread, of course), Libby’s roll is all juicy lobster meat with just a touch of mayonnaise for cohesion, rather than the dousing of mayo and celery too often used to compensate for a lack of shellfish. Many laud the inclusion of a claw in the roll at Red’s Eats, but we should all be honest and admit that the rubbery pincer meat is more of an aesthetic gimmick than a gustatory treat.
Libby’s doesn’t advertise at all, nor does it feature the press clippings and banners characteristic of its competitors, but the impressive quality of their product has made it an accidental attraction. Locals, enlightened Bowdoinites, and Yelp-savvy tourists come to the counter year round, but a small, yet noticeable price-hike accompanies the arrival of warm(er) weather every year. In the off-season, Libby’s rarely ever sees lines out the door, so winter is an ideal time to get your lobster fix in a hurry.
The birthday of my dear roommate Jake Reiben ’17 occasioned my most recent visit to Libby’s. Arriving just before the 7 p.m. closing time, our group was rewarded with free chips and challenged to a homemade dice game—a chance to win the contents of that day’s tip jar—while waiting for our rolls. Dan Libby shamed me into buying a female friend’s lobster roll, citing chivalry as a major part of his successful marriage, and the meal that followed was undoubtedly worth the doubled price. When the texture of the golden-brown potato bun contrasted perfectly with the smooth lobster chunks, the stars aligned, and I had a spiritual encounter with a three-ingredient sandwich. Simplicity, in both quality food and friendly atmosphere, is what truly makes Libby’s the best around; and fortunately, it doesn’t look like that will be changing any time soon.