Portland Food Heads

Have you eaten at Luke's Lobster? Be sure to leave a comment about your experience!

Chances are that if you've spent more than your fair share of time in Portland (or anywhere else in Maine, for that matter), you've either lost interest in the beloved tourist treat that is the lobster roll or have at least gained a sense of ambivalence towards it. With so much competition as to who can put out the best and least expensive roll in the area, it has truly become iconic of the state of Maine, yet is so often taken for granted by locals.



Luke's Lobster, located at 93 E. 7th street in NYC, is the brainchild of Luke Holden, a former lobsterman and resident of Cape Elizabeth, ME. His concept of bringing Maine lobster to the streets of New York has been phenomenally successful so far, and with the help of his business partner Benjamin Conniff, has created quite a stir in the area. I was fortunate to get a quick Q&A with Luke about his history on the water in Maine, how he supports Portland lobstermen and why no restaurant - no matter the size - should ever be considered "small-scale."

Q: Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Cape Elizabeth and I graduated from Cape Elizabeth High School in 2003.

Q: What do you see as the major difference between Portland and New York City?

There are not very many similarities! In my opinion, Portland wins in a face off.

Q: How & when did you decide to open Luke's Lobster?

The idea first surfaced in February 2009, when business on Main Street and Wall Street were both slow. My dad, Jeff, and I put our heads together to come up with a project we could work on together. I fleshed out a business model, combed Manhattan's streets for sites, and a few months later we were up and running. It was a whirlwind and we're still tweaking things here and there, but people have been really receptive to our food, our brand, and our mission.

Q: In what ways do you support Portland fisherman through running the shop?

We're running a campaign that donates a dollar to the Maine Lobstermen's Association (MLA) for every seafood roll that we sell every Tuesday of each week. It's our way of giving back, since my dad and I were both lobstermen.

Q: Where do you see the shop in 3 years?

Tough call. We're making changes and learning new information each and every day.

Q: Do you have any advice for those looking to open their own small-scale restaurant?

First, there is no such thing as a "small-scale restaurant." Whether you're offering lemonade or Moroccan tangia, if you cannot meet or exceed the expectations of the consumers, you will fail. Launching Luke's has been an amazingly awesome challenge for myself and the team and we have only been able to achieve such success by means of hard work, asking lots of questions and always keeping an open mind.

Q: What would be your last meal?

A lobster roll from Luke's, with sea salt Miss Vickie's chips and a Maine Root blueberry soda. What else?!

For contact info, hours and more about Luke's Lobster, check out their website by clicking here.