Fraq's Lobster Shack

Fusing the rusticated charm of Maine’s fresh-from-the-briny lobster shacks with a good helping of Brooklyn hip and the buzz of Fitzrovia’s booming foodie scene, Fraq’s Lobster shack is a unique proposition in London. A passion project run by a third-generation Fraquelli family restaurateur, Fraq’s keeps things simple at its Goodge Street premises, with a restrained menu of delicious, quick seafood snacks, a couple of sweets, and a solid drinks list. The star of the show is, of course, the mighty Maine lobster.

Fraq’s diminutive, 34-cover premises along Fitzrovia’s Goodge Street are perfectly in proportion to this London seafood boutique’s modus operandi. Whether you snag a seat or simply come in to take away, the vibe inside is reminiscent of the New England wharves of yore when the boats were coming in – frenetic, not a little joyous, and certainly shot through with substantial hunger pangs. Fraq’s famous seafood delights include the the incredible whole lobster with a side of your choice like sweet potato fries or courgette fritters, the Soft Shell Crab Roll topped with wasabi mayo, and most perhaps most importantly, Fraq’s reason to live, the buttery, garlicky, spicy Boston Lobster Roll. For a bit of surf and turf action, order the incredible Fraq’s Shack Beef Burger, a meat-lover’s delight featuring premium dry-aged Angus beef piled high with American cheese, caramelised onions, baby gem lettuce and Fraq’s secret relish.

Fraq’s whole lobsters come with a side of your choice – house salad, sweet potato or criss-cut fries, courgette fritters – and are sourced from Maine, New England. This fishery is one of the most protected and sustainably harvested in the world (the New England fisherman having learned their lesson from the late 20th-century Atlantic cod disaster), so you know that you’re eating the freshest and most cared-for maritime delicacy possible at this Goodge Street outlet. Eating at Fraq’s satisfies your conscience and your hunger, an important thing for London’s cosmopolitan foodies. Wash it down with a glass of sauvignon blanc or viognier, classic Budweiser or the Californian Anchor Steam or Coloradan Blue Moon craft beer. Fraq’s Lobster Shack even does a line in boutique bourbon, with Four Roses on the shelf next to Fraq’s in-house Old Fashioned, infused with maple syrup. Don’t pass up an opportunity to snack at Fraq’s, Fitzrovia’s one and only lobster shack.