Hi - looking for recommendations for dinner post-Crane’s Beach tomorrow - been to Woodman’s so looking for something different. Thanks!
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How far and in which direction do you want to/will you be traveling?
If you are looking for seafood, there is the Clam Box and Choate Bridge Pub in Ipswich.
Or north on Rte 1 to Newburyport, Michael’s Harborside or Bob’s Lobster on Plum Island.
I have been to Clam Box and Bob’s and would recommend either. The others are second hand recommendations, so can’t say for sure.
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We enjoy CK Pearl (across the street from Woodman’s). Extremely popular with the local crowd as well as vacationers, especially on summer weekends, so I highly recommend that you reserve a table if this appeals. We’ve found that service can be “in the weeds” at peak times so in fairness I should mention that too.
If you’re willing to go a little farther afield to Gloucester, we also enjoy The Azorean for Portuguese/Azorean fare. Likewise I suggest reserving there if you go.
We’ve been to both this season—late lunch at The Azorean just last weekend—as well as Woodman’s. Woodman’s is mandatory for us at least once every summer.
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2nd Choate Bridge. Lunch on the bar side is our post Crane’s standard.
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Depending on your homeward direction, if you head inland on Rte. 133 after eating, you will come to Benson’s Ice Cream, a little spot on your right. Their variety includes housemade ice cream from local fruit in season, so they are bound to have at least strawberry. It’s great.
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Tried Benson’s last year on the way home from Crane Beach last summer. Was excited to sample their ice cream. Sorry to report that we had a very poor experience. The ice cream was flavorless, and we each had different kinds (which I can no longer recall). Pandemic staffing or supplies at fault, maybe?
Fingers crossed that our experience was an outlier.
That said, even the ice cream at our favorite local place, Kimballs (not in the vicinity, of course), was somewhat uneven last year though still good.
We enjoy DownRiver Ice Cream in that area.
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@uni - Down River ice cream is so good!
Thanks for all the recommendations. We’re headed south on 128 to 95 to MetroWest Boston. Would love to eat outdoors and I will be with two teenagers - one of whom loves lobster rolls
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Kimballs in Westford if you are near there was good the last I was there, as was Johnson’s Drive in Groton-but that was years ago!
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Farnham’s on 133 in Essex; old fashioned casual family kind of place. Picnic table seating on the marsh. Really good food.
Head east on 133, don’t miss the left turn past the YMCA to continue to Essex.
Easy access to 128 when you head home.
Any place you go tomorrow will be crazy busy.
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Was there yesterday for their native red raspberry ice cream. Sold out of native strawberry for the day. Today they will have their black forest ice cream. We go for their native fruit flavors and yes, discovered them driving Rte 133 home from Good Harbor.
After Crane Beach we’ve gone to Ipswich Ale Brewery - no lobster rolls, but lively outside spot and Ithaki as well for outside seating. You do need a reservation. Blue Boat on Rte 1 has closed. Has anyone tried Fox Creek Tavern on Rte 133 west? Menu looks worthy of an outing. Lobster roll on their menu as well as trio of seafood themed sliders.
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Oof, if a lobster roll is a must then I probably took a swing and a miss with my suggestions that were based on recent experiences. CK Pearl does have them (The Azorean doesn’t) but they’re super pricey this year as at so many other places.
When we dined at CK Pearl several weeks back I think the market price was north of $30–so we ordered other food.
Last time we drove by Choate Bridge Tavern, they didn’t have outdoor tables on the sidewalk like they did last year.
So I’m thinking maybe The Clam Box or JT Farnham’s if the desired combo is lobster roll + outdoor seating and not Woodman’s? More seating at The Clam Box because Farnham’s is a smaller spot. (Checked both websites and “market price” but no actual price is listed on both menus.)
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Thirds. Great clams and typically no wait.
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Thanks everyone! I would have loved CK Pearl but we couldn’t get a reservation. Clam Box was fantastic - long wait but wonderful lobster rolls - $30! Same with a box of clams, which we didn’t get. Happy to have done it, don’t need another lobster roll this season…
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That’s a loaded roll!
(I still have to get my fix this season… meant to when I was on the south shore a couple of weeks ago but couldn’t fit it in.)
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it was DELICIOUS - I was impressed by the quality of the meat. As you can probably see, I got mine with butter while the teens got their lobster rolls with mayo. Bun was perfectly toasted, and with lettuce!
@Saregama - any good food while you were here?
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We also love Ipswich Ale (and Choate Bridge Pub). Ipswich has the cheekily-named “LGBTA” sandwich (or something like that)…a decadent lobster sandwich with avocado and bacon that B always orders. It scratches the lobster roll itch for B every time.
Edited to add: I just checked their website - the sandwich is no longer on the menu! I won’t tell B and ruin his vacation. 
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Thanks for the pics! Crane’s beach is so pretty!
But can you really get through the summer with just 1 lobster roll? 
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