One restaurant on my local must try bucket list is Winthrop’s gem Belle Isle Seafood restaurant. Current owner Jim Costin moved the business from their original East Boston 883 square feet space that served seafood for many years to their current 5,000 square feet industrial digs just over the Winthrop border in 2012. This spot is ideal to get unparalleled views of the Boston skyline, Logan Airport, Zakim Bridge and the Bunker Hill Monument. People travel all over to try their famous lobster rolls, which includes actress Mila Kunis amongst its fans. Even the late Anthony Bourdain visited their old East Boston spot in 2011 for his “No Reservations” TV show. He shared his appreciation for the simple décor, pure focus on fresh and tasty food that locals and tourists alike have come to love.
We arrived hungry after working up an appetite after our walk at nearby Deer Island Reservation. The dining room at one side had a full bar and television on the sports channel. Our friendly server told us the QR code to scan to get the weekend menu show up on our smart phone. Ravenous, we ordered the clam chowder, their famous lobster roll, the fisherman’s platter, and a side order of crab cakes.
We were first served their clam chowders ($4.99 for a cup) available on a seasonal basis. The cup came with oysters crackers. There were plenty of potatoes and clams with the proper amount of seasoning. For our personal preference, we wished the chowder was a tad bit thicker in consistency.
The author enjoys a medley of delicious and traditional Boston seafood dishes at Belle Isle Seafood in Winthrop: Fisherman’s platter, New England clam chowder, crab cakes, and lobster roll.
Next to the table was the award winning lobster meat roll ($28.99) (another option is the $33.99 lobster tail roll). A tall and generous heap of fresh and sweet lobster meat (made with ¼ lb. of knuckle meat and ¼ lobster tail with a touch of mayo) over a crisp and fresh iceberg lettuce in a hot dog bun with a side of coleslaw appeared before our stunned eyes. All the accolades are true: tons of gorgeous lobster meat highlighted by its simplicity with mayo was heavenly. The coleslaw was simple but tasty.
The crab cakes appetizer ($14.99 for three) came served with a choice of tartar sauce and cocktail sauce. Each crab cake was full of tender and sweet crab meat with minimal bread crumbs (unlike the usual style found in the Boston area) which were a tad bit saltier than expected.
Finally, the long awaited Fisherman’s Platter chock full of haddock, scallops, shrimp and fried clams ($26.99) with a tall mountain of crispy onion rings. We opted for another coleslaw and passed on the usual French fries served with it. As with the rest of our meal, everything was very fresh, tasty with a light and crispy layer of batter. The scallops were sweet, the haddock nice and flaky, and the fried clams with full bellies were sensational.
Service was friendly and attentive. Remember to bring cash and if you forget, there is an ATM machine nearby. We could see why this local favorite is worth the trek to Winthrop. Fresh and delicious seafood with generous portions, we were so full that we needed another walk after our lunch. We made sure to take in and marvel at the gorgeous views of Boston and the planes departing and arriving into Logan. If you are in the area, do check out Belle Island Seafood.
