Bostonians have another spot to feast on their favorite crustacean now that Luke’s Lobster is open in the Seaport.
The popular fast-casual chain, which already has a pair of locations in Back Bay and Downtown Crossing, debuted its latest shack in Boston’s waterfront neighborhood on Nov. 29. The new Luke’s Lobster is located at 53 Northern Ave. and is one of several recent additions to the ever-expanding One Seaport area.
Co-founder Luke Holden tells Metro that Boston has been one of the strongest markets for Luke’s Lobster, which has more than 20 locations across the U.S. and Japan. The Maine native is excited to bring his brand to the Seaport’s constantly growing food scene.
“There is a wonderful demographic and guest space here,” says Holden. “Boston itself has been a great market for us. They’re fans of super, high quality seafood and we just feel very privileged to service that market.”
Although Holden hails from New England, he opened his first shack in New York’s East Village in 2009. Luke’s Lobster quickly became a hit, which inspired Holden and his partner Ben Conniff to expand their efforts to other metropolitan areas.
Part of the chain’s popularity stems from its focus on fresh Maine seafood and sustainable practices.
“We only source seafood from sustainable resources,” Holden says. “Our lobster, crab and shrimp are all coming from wild resources that have been certified as being sustainably harvested.”
The theme of sustainability extends to the behind-the-scenes business practices at Luke’s Lobster. Holden reveals that they try to prioritize long-term decisions that benefit everyone involved over maximizing profits in the short-term.
“We employ a stakeholder instead of a shareholder type approach,” Holden says. “We constantly try and find win-wins. For us, we look at who’s providing our beverages, soups and chowders, and our fishermen. We look at all those folks as partners.”
In addition to offering lobster, crab and shrimp rolls, the new Luke’s Lobster will have several winter items on its menu, including lobster grilled cheese, crab grilled cheese and lobster mac n’ cheese. Visitors can also try Luke’s Blueberry Lemonade, made with Maine blueberries and honey from New England bees, courtesy of Green Bee Craft Beverages.
If you go:
Luke’s Lobster, 53 Northern Ave., Boston, lukeslobster.com
