Food Worth a Drive in Maine: Shacks and Diners

Food worth a drive in Maine tends to come with a view of water, a paper plate and a line of cars in the parking lot. The coast stretches for hundreds of miles, and Route 1 links lobster shacks, clam stands, bakeries and diners, such as Red's Eats and Moody's Diner, into an easy itinerary for a long weekend.

What is the best food worth a drive in Maine?

Start with lobster. It is the state's signature, and it appears in rolls, in stews, on plates with corn and potatoes and in pies. Then add clams, fried or steamed. Then add something sweet, such as a whoopie pie or a slice of blueberry pie.

You can eat all of that in a single day if you plan carefully. A good itinerary picks three or four stops and allows time to wait at each.

Which Route 1 lobster rolls get attention?

Red's Eats, in Wiscasset, is a shack at the foot of the main street on Route 1, and it is seasonal, so check its opening dates. Its lobster rolls draw long lines, and visitors say the line is part of the experience. One visitor found it closed when they arrived, so check the hours before you go. Another reviewer found the rolls massive and enjoyable but disliked that mayo and butter came on the side.

If a line is too long, there are many other roadside stands.

What are Maine clam shacks like?

Maine clam shacks serve fried clams, clam rolls and onion rings from a window, with picnic tables nearby.

Fried clams come two ways: whole belly, with the soft body included, or strips, which are chewier and milder. If you like a strong sea flavor, ask for whole bellies.

Where do you find diners and pies?

Moody's Diner, in Waldoboro, is a roadside diner famous for traditional comfort food, a homey atmosphere and homemade pies and whoopie pies. A road-trip reviewer picked its whoopie pie as the one they would choose if forced to pick just one, calling it the most traditional.

A slice of pie and a coffee at a counter is a good way to break up a drive. Pies change by day, so ask what is fresh.

What are Maine whoopie pies?

A whoopie pie is two soft, cake-like rounds of chocolate with a sweet cream filling in the middle. Maine has a long history with them, according to Food Network. A Maine Diner in Wells is mentioned for a lobster pie, which is a different dish, with lobster meat baked in a creamy sauce.

A whoopie pie travels well, so buy one for the road. Eat it within a day or two, since the cake dries out.

When is Maine blueberry season?

Wild blueberries are a Maine crop, and they ripen in summer. Roadside stands sell them by the pint, and bakeries use them in pies, muffins and pancakes. Pick-your-own fields operate in some areas.

Dates vary with the weather, so ask local stands. A blueberry muffin from a bakery at the start of a drive is a pleasant breakfast.

How to plan a Maine coast road trip

Give yourself time. Route 1 is slow in summer, with traffic through every town. Start early, eat lunch before the noon crush and finish at a place with a view of the water.

Check hours before you leave. Many shacks close on weekdays after Labor Day, and some shut for the winter. Bring cash, a cooler for pies and a jacket, because the coast is cool even in July.

Pack for the coast, not the kitchen. A small cooler keeps a pie or a jar of jam from melting in the car, and a roll of paper towels solves most roadside problems. Keep a bag for trash, because many shacks have no bins and the picnic tables fill up. If you are traveling with children, add a ball or a deck of cards for the wait, and plan to share one large order rather than ordering several small ones.

What to remember about lines

Lines are a feature of Maine summers. A good rule is that a long line at a famous place is worth it once, and a short line at a small place is worth it every time. If the wait is more than an hour, pick another.

Ask the people ahead of you what they ordered. They will tell you.

What else should you read around New England?

The best oysters in Portland Maine page covers a city stop, the New England regional foods guide explains chowder and baked beans and the Vermont maple creemee and cheddar guide continues the journey. The US guides page lists more cities.

Tags in the Mosey app record what a visit was like, a quick roadside lunch or a long dinner with the family, for instance. Add one when you rate a lobster roll or a pie, and your own notes will show which stops suited which kind of day.

A road trip leaves a blur of rolls and pies. Get the Mosey app, rate each stop you make for freshness, bun and view, and build a Maine list so you remember which shack was worth the line.