Roadside Food Extravaganza

Abbott's has been serving lobster at its waterfront setting since 1947. Get the shore dinner, the chowder, the lobster roll or the gigantic LOL Hot Lobster Roll.

There are many excellent hot dog stands in Connecticut, but none has quite the roadside allure of Blackie's, which has been around since 1928. The menu is limited, but the relish is spectacular and the white birch soda on tap is a perfect complement.

Burgers, dogs, fries and shakes (20 flavors!) with plenty of outdoor seating by the side of Route 6. A solid 4-star rating on Yelp, Trip Advisor and Urban Spoon.

Not easy to get to, but well worth it once you do. Here you'll find lobster rolls and other casual fresh seafood served from a take-out window to eat at picnic tables with water views.

Located right on Boston Post Road (U.S. Route 1), the Clam Castle has long been the go-to seafood shack in this neck of the woods. Clam strips, scallops, lobster bisque, seafood rolls and more.

Not many places say “summer” the way Clamp's does. Maybe it's the roadside location (since 1939) on Rte. 202, or the picnic tables scattered in the shade, or the fact that it's open only in summer, with no website and no phone.

Danny's has been a fixture in Stratford since 1935, and its menu is a classic - 13 different hotdogs, 11 varieties of burgers and nearly as many sandwiches, platters and sides.

Everyone loves the hot dogs at Denmo's, but there are a lot of other things on the menu, too, such as great fried clams and scallops, good burgers and daily specials.

If you love the taste of burgers and dogs flame-broiled over charcoal, this is the place for you. In business on Route 10 for nearly 60 years, Glenwood also offers good lobster rolls, grilled cheese and signature onion rings.

Guida's has been manning its spot at the intersection of Rtes. 66 and 147 since 1946, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, including great hot dogs (try the meat chili-and-cheese topping) and prime milkshakes.

Looking for a real juicy burger? Harry's shapes its patties into a ball, puts them on the grill and then gradually flattens them with a spatula. The results have brought customers back every summer for decades.

Dine inside or out at Johnny Ad's, right on Boston Post Road, where the specialty for more than 50 years has been seafood. Go for the whole belly clams, lobster rolls, scallops or soft shell crabs.

Located right by the Stevenson Dam on Lake Zoar, this drive-in features loaded burgers such as That Dam Burger as well as a full summertime menu of hot dogs, fried chicken, sides and 7 varieties of fries.

There's no place quite like The Place, where you dine outdoors on tree stumps while a wood fire roasts your clams, smoky lobsters, sweet corn and many other treats.

They keep things simple at Rawley's, which has been around for decades and looks it. Terrific hot dogs and chili, hamburgers, and the black and white milkshake is a longtime favorite.

Located not far off I-84, Saint's serves breakfast (try the Saint's Sampler or Hash Mountain) and lunch, and it has been especially known since 1967 for its hot dogs and meat sauce.

It's easy to spot Sea Swirl as a former Carvel ice cream shop, but the focus now is on fried seafood, especially clams, scallops and oysters. The whole-belly clams are what bring fans back again and again.

They're always on a roll at Stowe's - lobster roll, shrimp roll, scallop roll, squid roll and fried clam roll. You'll like the across-from-the-beach ambiance and that you can take fresh fish or lobsters home to cook yourself.

Fabulous franks here at Super Duper Weenie and an amazing assortment, including the New Englander, New Yorker, Chicagoan, Californian and many more. Fabulous fries, too.

The Sycamore has been known since 1948 for its steak burgers and homemade root beer, as well as its carhops and original ambiance. Be sure to check out their website for cruise nights.