Lobster Dogs laughs in the face of the great butter vs. mayo debate, insisting diners can have it both ways. A swipe of mayo is applied inside their toasted split-top bun, and the lobster roll is drizzled with warm butter. Seafood lovers will appreciate the “ultimate dog,” which contains lobster, crab, and shrimp. Each order comes with a bag of chips. This North Carolina-based chain expanded to Portland this spring, popping up at local businesses in and around Portland in its roving food cart. For a weekly schedule, visit the cart’s Instagram page.

This local grocer has one of the most picnic-friendly lobster rolls you can find in town — order at the deli, where they will be conveniently boxed up and ready to accompany on-the-go diners along with grab-and-go sides, desserts, and drinks. The roll boasts a quarter-pound of North Atlantic lobster tossed with mayo, lemon juice, and herbs and includes a crisp leaf of butter lettuce to minimize bun sogginess for later consumption. Something to note: this lobster roll is available at all Zupan’s locations only on Fridays, starting at 10 a.m.

Chef Alexander Diestra, formerly of Andina, now runs this waterfront seafood restaurant within the Riverplace hotel. His take on the lobster roll doesn’t shy away from the seafood-salad model, pairing the lobster with crunchy complements like red onions and celery. The touch of dill doesn’t overpower the lobster, but adds a nice dimension to the overall roll; the sweetness of the kewpie in the mix plays off the shellfish’s natural sweetness. It all arrives on a brioche bun, paired with fries.

In Portland, Maine, the brown butter lobster roll at Eventide Oyster Company changed the game when it came to an inventive, bite-sized take on the classic. Câche Câche, tucked behind the Lil’ America pod in Southeast Portland, may offer the West Coast Portland’s version of that roll, bite-sized and truly creative in its approach. A toasty square of brioche, nutty with brown butter, arrives with a wallet slit stuffed with juicy lobster meat, tossed in aioli with just a hint of tarragon for a French touch. But to give the lobster some acidity without watering down the mix, chef John Denison finishes the roll with a dusting of sweet cream buttermilk powder. It’s exceptionally well executed without losing sight of the source material.

Petite lobster buns are regularly rotated on-and-off the menu at this charming seafood destination on Southeast Clinton. Cold, creamy lobster salad meets a warm butter-basted, crunchy-on-the-outside steam bun for a match made in heaven. Time your meal right and start off with dollar oysters, served every day from 5 to 6 p.m.

What started as a Washington food cart has become a Camas seafood house, with a focus on Midcoast Maine seafood. That means the shop’s take on a lobster roll is straight out of Rockland — A large, buttery roll, stuffed with fresh lobster tossed in little more than a little mayo. New England expats missing home, this is the closest you’re going to get. For something a little more bite-sized, opt for the slider.