Luke’s Lobster riffs on the traditional lobster roll with a Lobster BLT. | Photo courtesy of Luke’s Lobster
Lobster fans are happiest in summer, when lobster rolls, salads and entrees reach their peak on restaurant menus. We’re seeing that happen this year, as Memorial Day Weekend kicks off the season. But beef, in the form of steak, brisket and other cuts, is also getting a lot of play. And we are tracking an abundance of strawberries, a favorite summer fruit, showing up in sweets, beverages, baked goods and salads.
Lobster love
It makes sense that Luke’s Lobster, a 35-unit Maine-based concept, is all about lobster rolls year ’round. But for summer the restaurants are offering a Lobster BLT layered with in-season tomatoes, crisp bacon, romaine lettuce and fresh lobster, finished with mayo and a squeeze of lemon. The LTO sells for $24 with chips, a good deal compared to some beach towns, where a lobster roll can go for $35 and up even at roadside shacks.
Friendly’s got its start in New England, where the Atlantic Ocean borders the region and the area is home to many lobster fishermen. This summer, the family-dining chain is offering two types of lobster rolls for fans of each. The Connecticut Style Lobster Roll is filled with warm lobster and served with melted butter and fries, while the Maine Lobster Roll features lobster salad mixed with celery and mayo on a roll with fries; both start at $23.99. There’s also a Lobster & Shrimp Quesadilla with melted Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses on a warm tortilla; two are served with sour cream, salsa and fries for $17.99.
Panera Bread’s lobster items. | Photo courtesy of Panera Bread
The Lobster Roll at Panera Bread is the Maine version, made with lobster claw and knuckle meat tossed in a lemon tarragon mayonnaise-based dressing and piled on the traditional split hot dog roll priced at $23.99. Also returning to the fast casual’s menu is Lobster Mac & Cheese, a Vermont white cheddar macaroni and cheese topped with buttered lobster claw and knuckle meat and panko bread crumbs for $12.99.
Here’s the beef
A new flavor profile joins the churrasco parade at Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão. Spicy Steak uses the tri-tip cut, seasoned with a signature spice blend to deliver balanced heat, then fire-roasted to a tender, juicy finish. Several seasonal dishes also debuted on Fogo’s Market Table, including Apple & Jicama Salad, Mediterranean Green Bean Salad, Spring Radish & Egg Salad, Spring Hummus and a Superfood Herb Salad.
Steak ’N Sides is the latest lunch special at Logan’s Roadhouse. The value meal features mesquite-grilled steak tips with two sides for $9.99. Also available at lunch for the same price are Original Roadies—three mini steakhouse burgers with American cheese and pickles served on Logan’s scratch-made yeast rolls with a side of fries. For those who prefer a different protein, there are trios of Grilled Chicken Roadies, Fried Chicken Roadies and Pulled Pork Roadies, all for $9.99.
Panda Express introduces brisket for the first time. | Photo courtesy of Panda Express
Cantonese BBQ Brisket is summer’s limited-time offer at Panda Express. It’s the chains first-ever brisket preparation, slow-cooked to tenderize the beef cut, then cut into bite-sized portions and wok-seared in a Cantonese-style char siu-style barbecue sauce. Each serving provides 44 grams of protein, making it Panda’s most protein-rich dish. Although the item launches nationwide June 2, consumers living in cities named Canton in Georgia, Michigan, Ohio and Texas got a preview over Memorial Day weekend.
Beef is Taco Bell’s meat of choice, rolling out now in two items. The Shredded Beef Dipping Taco returns to the menu, featuring a white corn tortilla filled with braised shredded beef, a three-cheese blend and creamy jalapeño sauce, finished with a grilled cheese crust and served birria-style with red sauce for dipping. The same protein comes on Shredded Beef Nacho Fries, topped with pico de gallo, three-cheese blend, nacho cheese sauce and creamy jalapeño sauce.
Strawberries a menu pick
It’s Strawberry Freshtival time at Perkins Restaurant and Bakery, a seasonal event that’s been going strong for almost 20 years. The lineup this year features several house-baked treats, including fresh Strawberry Pie, Strawberry Muffins and Strawberry Crispers—lightly fried hand-rolled wraps filled with cream cheese and strawberries and dusted with powdered sugar. For breakfast all day, there are Strawberry Pancakes, and to sip, Strawberry Lemonade and Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cold Brew.
Strawberry Muffins are baked at Perkins. | Photo courtesy of Perkins Restaurant and Bakery
Known primarily for pizza, Grimaldi’s Pizzeria has jumped on the strawberry bandwagon this summer, too. The restaurant’s Strawberry Spinach Salad combines baby spinach with feta cheese crumbles, red onion, walnuts, and strawberries, tossed in strawberry vinaigrette, while on the dessert end, there’s Strawberry Cheesecake. Strawberry flavors also pop up on the cocktail list in the form of a White Strawberry Mule, a mix of vodka, white strawberry syrup and lemon juice, topped with ginger beer.
Sonic Drive-In launched a collection of Frozen Refreshers, one of which is Strawberry Passion Fruit, a mix of strawberries, passionfruit puree and green tea for a caffeinated boost of energy. Three more frozen refreshers flavors are also available: Mango Peach, Watermelon Peach and Berry Citrus, each with a green tea boost.
Strawberries and passion fruit in a frozen refresher at Sonic. | Photo courtesy of Sonic Drive-In
The Summer Strawberry Classic joined the cookie rotation at Insomnia Cookies; it’s a sugar cookie with a strawberry filling and strawberry crumb topping. Two other seasonal cookies include the Double Dip Crunch Classic, a brown sugar cookie with milk chocolate chunks, waffle cone pieces, roasted peanuts and peanut butter chips, and Éclair the Day Off Classic, a brown sugar cookie with chocolate cream filling and chocolate crumb topping.
Strawberries add red “freckles” to two boozy drinks at Red Robin. The Freckled Strawberry Daiquirita, available on the rocks or frozen, is made with rum, strawberries, agave syrup and lime, while the simpler Spiked Freckled Lemonade combines citrus vodka, lemonade, and strawberries.
Expect to see additional fruits of summer trending on menus as we move into June, and check out more food and drink news on this week’s Menu Tracker.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.
