LDI Lobster in Deer Isle
When Anneliese Riggall and her husband spotted a piece of land just below the Little Deer Isle Sedgwick Bridge, they knew it was special. They were boaters who often passed under the bridge, imagining what it might be like to own that stretch of shoreline. In 2015, they purchased it, and by 2018 LDI Lobster opened for its first small season.
At the beginning, the menu was little more than lobster rolls and burgers. Word spread quickly, and what began as a modest experiment soon became a gathering place where families could eat by the water and watch the bridge rise above them. “The COVID years really put us on the map,” Anneliese recalls. “People could spread out, meet friends by land or by sea, and still feel safe. That’s when they started realizing we were more than just lobster rolls.”
Her menu balances Maine classics with a few surprises. The lobster roll is simple and perfect: a buttery brioche bun, toasted to order, filled with a quarter pound of fresh tail, knuckle, and claw meat, finished with mayonnaise and a drizzle of butter. The mussels, sautéed with tarragon, garlic, tomato, and white wine, are another favorite. There are crisp salads, grain bowls, burgers, and shakes that showcase local flavors like 44 North coffee, Wyman’s blueberries, and Maine maple.
What makes the experience unforgettable is the setting. Customers sit at picnic tables beside the bridge, kids take turns on the rope swing, and the air feels like summer distilled into a single moment. “I hardly ever get to sit down myself,” Anneliese admits, “but when I do, I think, this is what our guests see—and it feels pretty magical.”
She also credits her small, steady crew with making the place what it is. “We joke about being the old ladies who keep it all going,” she says, “but we have fun together. That matters just as much as the food.”
FAMOUS FOR:
Lobster rolls on buttery brioche, mussels in tarragon and white wine, homemade shakes, and one of the most memorable waterfront settings on the Maine coast.
ADDRESS:
202 Little Deer Isle Rd in Little Deer Isle, ME
WEBSITE:
ldilobster.com
photos by Peter Logue
