When most people think of great seafood in America, their minds drift to expensive restaurants in Manhattan, upscale spots along San Francisco’s waterfront, or trendy establishments in downtown Seattle. There’s something appealing about the idea that the best food must come from the most sophisticated places, served on white tablecloths with a hefty price tag to match.
But the truth is more stubborn than that romantic notion suggests. The best seafood in America isn’t hiding behind velvet ropes or requiring reservations made weeks in advance.
It’s being served in towns you might drive through without slowing down, prepared by people who’ve been working with the same fish for decades, sold at prices that would make city dwellers suspicious of the quality. These places don’t need to announce their excellence — they’ve been proving it quietly, one plate at a time, long before food critics discovered them.
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor delivers lobster the way it was meant to be delivered. No ceremony, no confusion about what you’re there for…