Alive & Kicking Lobsters
Where waterfront means a block from the Charles River
If you’ve turned down driveway that looks like your aunt’s hosting a summer BBQ in front of her powder blue single family home, you may have come to the right place. If you leave with fresh, plump lobster meat between two slices of buttered, toasted scali bread, you’ve definitely made it. Alive & Kicking Lobsters welcomes you, grab that bag of Utz potato chips and enjoy.
Alive & Kicking Lobsters is located on the outskirts of Cambridge’s Central Square, on the busy intersection of River Street and Putnam Avenue. Inside, there’s a modest seafood counter with a classic menu of New England’s greatest hits from the sea. There are tented picnic tables laid out for seafood fiends to eat in, or grab your sandwich to go and walk a quarter mile up the road to eat alongside the Charles River. Either way, note you’ve found a seafood oasis in the middle of the city, pat yourself on the back, and take a bite.
“ Call it a New England summer staple. Call it shucked meat on buttered toast. But don’t call it a lobster roll. Louis Mastrangelo believes his perfectly cooked. no-nonsense salad deserves a better base than a scrawny split-top bun, so he piles the low-mayo mixture between scali bread and dubs it a sandwich. The result- plus the kitschy crustacean decor around the picnic tables- makes it the quirkiest, and tastiest, version around.”
While we’re not ready to leave the split-top bun behind, we highly recommend the above lobster sandwich when you’re in the mood for some fresh seafood and unable to hit the coast. Open daily from 11 am to 6 pm. Accessible from the Central Square Red Line MBTA stop.
Nearby:
Since you’ve made it to Cambridgeport, why not stick around for another round? While you may be full from the lobster sandwich, we have enough faith in your professional food intake to suggest some nearby spots.
The Coast Café is a short walk around the bend on River Street. Open Wednesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner, this soul food spot boasts one of the more mouthwatering menus you’ll find from a takeout spot. From the Coast Waffle & Chicken to famous sides like their mac & cheese (one of the best in Greater Boston), collard greens with smoked turkey, or potato salad, you can’t go wrong at this counter-service spot.
The Field is wedged between the two entrances to the Central Square MBTA stop, also on River Street. This seemingly standard Boston-area Irish pub has a room for pool and a hidden patio out back that’s one of the better spots in the area to watch the Sox in summer months. Grab a Guinness, find some friends, and grab a perfectly respectable plate of chicken tenders and onion rings at The Field. .
The Cantab Lounge is the exact place you want to go after 10 pm to dance, drink, and end your night. With a green awning to guide you to the door and colored Christmas lights strewn across every ceiling beam to keep you coming back. Drink your beer in a bottle and pay only in cash. You’ll love it so much, you’ll be signing up for The Cantab Challenge in no time. There’s something going on here every night of the week, check their calendar to see what interests you!
