Guide To Lobsterbake & Clambake Caterers in Connecticut

Summah. Lobstah. Chowdah. Did you notice that all of these “words” end in “ah”? Ahhhh, guess there is a reason. Summer, with it’s blazing sunshine and easy and delicious seasonal eats, is perfectly ahhh-inducing. One of great things about this time of year is the fresh seafood. Does anything really compare to a New England clambake with all the trimmings? Fresh, sweet lobster, briny clams, crunchy fresh corn, succulent mussels, creamy red potatoes…wait! Don’t forget the buttah. There’s that “ah” again. We hope you have many of these enjoyable shared meals with friends and family in the beautiful, warm months ahead. Here’s a list to help you on your way…

Clambakes of Connecticut (Shelton)

www.clambakesofct.com

Called “the Kings of Clambakes” and featured by Clinton Kelly of ABC TV “The Chew”, Clambakes of Connecticut is a full-service catering company specializing in lobster bakes, BBQ, and cookouts. They offer an expansive catering menu to suit your tastes and can provide all the assistance you need with bartending, wait staff, and planning. Big party, small gathering, doesn’t matter the size or scope! Your selected menu will be freshly prepared at your site or venue so that you can enjoy your party and know that your guests are being treated well. Cheese and veggie platters, shrimp skewers, smashed potatoes, steamed lobster and clams, Black Angus steak, and chowders-from appetizers to desserts, they will provide a comprehensive, delicious memorable meal. Clambakes of Connecticut combines creative and delicious cooking with beautiful presentation and decorations for all of your weddings, corporate parties, anniversaries and everything in between.

Capt’n Johns Clambakes (Norwalk)

www.captainjohns.com

Celebrating our 40th season, folks have been enjoying classic New England clambakes from Capt’n John’s for decades! For small to medium sized groups, you can take home and cook a Travelin' Clambake, where The Capt'n will pack you all the fixin's (lobster, clams, mussels, corn, potatoes and sausage) right in the pot, which is yours to keep. All you do is add water and heat, and then take all the credit! For even larger groups, have the Capt'n do every bit of the work for you; arrive with fresh food, cook onsite, clean up and take away any hint of even being there. Definitely sounds like a stress-free gathering, now doesn’t it? “You provide the guests, we’ll provide the rest” couldn't ring truer. For fully catered parties (25+ guests), their clambake comes with 1.5 lb Maine lobsters, mussels, potatoes, corn, and juicy watermelon. If you want to branch out beyond “the classic”, there is also Surf & Turf, Texas-style BBQ, and picnic parties. There is something for every party you could dream of having. It’s also pretty great to see a company endure for so many years and successfully embark on a new generation of providing excellent products and employing local people, wouldn’t you agree? 

Flanders Fish Market (East Lyme)

www.flandersfish.com

Featured in Coastal Living Magazine’s list of the “Best Clambake. Companies in America”, award-winning Flanders Fish Market & Restaurant has been perfecting classic New England style Clambakes on custom- built trailers since 1983. Guests delight in delicious regional fare such as creamy or brothy clam chowder, mussels, steamers, a 1¼ pound lobster (or prime strip steak), BBQ chicken, corn on the cob, red potatoes & slaw. They even have a special kids’ clambake available. Live Maine lobsters are handpicked from the famed Boston Fish Pier & brought straight to you for what Coastal Living Magazine calls “your best bet for a catered clambake in southern New England”.

Choose to couple your experience with fresh raw bar options (including your own personal shucker chef) and any additions from Flanders’ extensive catering options. From corporate parties to intimate family affairs, they cater anywhere in New England & the Tri-state area (happily traveling longer distances too!). Custom trailers allow for cooking on-site, bringing the most delicious food to wherever your heart desires. At the office? On a beach? In your backyard? No problem! Flanders Fish keeps it fresh - wherever you are - since 1983.

Fjord Fish Market (Cos Cob)

www.fjordfishmarket.com

For over 25 years, Fjord has been Fairfield County’s favorite clambake and raw bar caterer, serving up serious amounts of premium ingredients to recreate New England’s finest traditional clambake. Guests can receive a firsthand experience without moving a muscle! They offer three options to choose from, each including steamed Maine Lobster, Littleneck Clams, PEI mussels, corn on the cob, potatoes, and sliced watermelon. If a standard classic clambake experience isn’t enough, they also have a variety of additional add-ons to complete your experience including a raw bar, sushi station, signature seafood platters, Hawaiian Poke Bar, and hors-d'oeuvres that are sure to please! 

Aside from the top-notch seafood selection, Fjord makes sure you are taken care of in every step of the process from planning to partying by appointing a personal event planner to cater to all of your needs. Fjord works to meet all your expectations and provides the cooking equipment, buffet tables, linens and more, including staff if you need them. Whether in your backyard, on the beach, your child’s graduation party, rehearsal dinner or even a bachelorette party, Fjord can help you host an unforgettable seafood feast!

Clambake Connection (Stamford)

www.clambakeconnection.com

The Clambake Connection makes it easy and offers both catering and to-go options for their clambakes, BBQs and pig roasts, so there is absolutely no excuse for not that throwing that party. Who knew you could even get a pig roast to-go?? Charcoal, spit, pig, instructions…bingo! Clambake Connection also happily caters events and can help you round out all aspects of your event, from entertainment to rentals of linens, plates and tents. Their catered and to-go menus offer a variety of sides and dietary preferences, so all can and will enjoy the fun.

Cyr BBQ (Middletown)

www.cyrbbq.com

CYR BBQ is a mobile catering service that offers an array of packages to fit all of your summertime catering needs. They will happily deliver a clambake to your home or office (they also do pig roasts-a little fyi). Just like a beach clambake but without the hassle of the sand and that pesky pit, Cry BBQ layers all the goodies in their smoker and ka-pow, it’s a clambake! Want a bit of a Portuguese flair? They will pile on chicken and Linguica sausage.

Hammonasset Clambakes & BBQ Company (Madison)

www.hamclam.com

From pig roasts to oysters to lobster to clams, Hammonasset Clambake & BBQ Company has a large, diverse array of summertime catering packages. They even have options for people who want to shuck their own!

The Lazy Lobster (Milford)

www.thelazylobsterrestaurant.com

Are you landlocked? The Lazy Lobster will come to you, wherever you are in New England. Catering traditional New England clambakes is their thing, and they will take it on the road to you, whether you be in CT, VT, MA or NH (take that, Amazon).  Succulent, sweet lobsters steaming amongst the seaweed, mussels and steamers, 48-hour dry rubbed ribs, salads (macaroni, potato, slaw), “chowdah”, lobster bisque, sourdough rolls, lemonade, watermelon...it’s what they call “The Lazy Lobster Lifestyle”. 

Outdoor Cookers (Norwalk)

www.outdoor-cookers.com

Outdoor Cookers believe in high quality food, tailored menus to reflect your event, unique venues, fun decor, and great entertainment (which they will help you with)-add it all together and you’ve got the makings of a fabulous event! This boutique catering company serves up lobster and clam bakes, complete with crowd-pleasures such as steamer clams with broth, mussels with white wine, garlic, and herbs, NE clam chowder, chilled gazpacho, steamed lobsters with butter and lemon, and many delicious accompaniments.

Pagano’s Seafood (Norwalk)

www.paganosseafood.com

Simple, fresh, classic clambakes to go! Are you thinking that some lobsters would be great out on your boat or on a picnic blanket this weekend? Call in advance and Pagano’s will have it all ready for you…fresh Maine Hard shell lobster, mussels and Littleneck Clams, summery corn on the cob and creamy, crunchy coleslaw. Pick the size lobsters you want (ranging from 1/4 lb to 2 lb) and a tasty summery dinner will be yours in a flash. Note: Closed Sundays.

Sea House Clambakes and Catering (Fairfield)

www.seahouseclambakes.com

Sea House’s seafood is so darned fresh that it jumps from the sea to their hands the very same day. These guys love local, organic and high-quality food and at Sea House, all the recipes are created by them, so add “truly homemade” to their list of positive traits. Sea House will gladly help you find venues, supply all dinnerware and even cook all their seafood separately so as not to muck up the enjoyment for those with allergies. Classic clambakes, Custom Clambakes, Surf-and-Turf, Raw Bar and Kid’s Menu..they’ve got it all.

Sheffield Island Clambakes (Norwalk)

www.seaport.org

Hop on a boat, cruise through the picturesque Norwalk Harbor to your destination: Sheffield Island for a Thursday night clambake! Enjoy lobsters, clams and traditional clambake fare under their tented pavilion on the lawn of this beautiful historic Norwalk lighthouse. Non-seafood and vegetarian options are available and then cap it off with summery Strawberry Shortcake under the stars and a boat ride back to land.

Stew Leonard’s (Norwalk)

www.stewleonards.com

For more than 40 years, Stew's has been your local, farm-to-store source for fresh produce, quality meats and fish, and just-baked cookies, croissants, and more. As summer swings into gear, Stew's in-house culinary team can help with everything for enjoying a classic beach-front New England Lobsterbake (lobsters, mussels, steamers, corn, watermelon basket!). Rest easy knowing that every bite is backed by Stew's unbeatable commitment to customer service.

Szabo’s Seafood (Shelton)

www.szabosseafood.com

Szabo's Little Red Seafood Truck brings the clambake to you! Start with appetizers like shrimp cocktail and steamed clams, then work your way to the Lobster rolls, Grilled Salmon, NY Strip and, of course, steamed lobsters! Potatoes, corn, watermelon, rolls and slaw will all magically appear out of this lobster-red truck.

Thimble Islands Lobsterbakes (Branford)

www.thimbleislandlobsterbakes.com

It’s not a clambake, it’s a Lobsterbake says Lobster Mike. This guy’s even got a Lobstermobile (this is serious business). Book your event and the lovely Lobstermobile will sally on up and unleash a buffet the likes of none other. Cherrystone clams, lobsters (of course), chowder and bisque, strip steaks, chicken, and even vegan and vegetarian options for those not partaking in ravishing, red crustaceans. You can also enjoy your bake in different ways; Lobster Mike can come to you, you can get carry-out service (after they prepare it all), or you might have it served on a Thimble Island boat (their preferred venue).

Westfair Fish and Chips (Westport)

www.westfairfishandchip.com

Westfair offers a traditional array of clambake yummies (lobster, Maine steamers with broth and butter, mussels steamed in garlic and white wine, rolls, corn, watermelon) but  substitutions of tenderloin, swordfish, tuna, salmon, or chicken can happily be made. In addition, side items such as skewered beef and chicken, baked stuffed clams, Caesar salad, sausage and peppers and Maryland crab cakes will complete the dining experience. And for parties of fifty or more, raw bar is also offered.