Wendell McKay and Victoria Hopkins of Capt. Kat’s Lobster Shack in Barrington Passage, winners of the 2025 Lobster Roll-Off. (Rick Conrad/File)

One of the signature events of the 2026 Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl cracks open in early February at the Quarterdeck Resort in Summerville.

Described by organizers as “marvellous mayhem with mayo”, the Lobster Roll-Off is scheduled for Tues., Feb. 3 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The good-natured but fierce competition invites chefs from around the South Shore to show off their lobster roll skills. The winner of the judged event will get bragging rights for their mouth-watering creation as the top roll on the South Shore.

National and international travel media make up the judging panel.

“This event is where culinary creativity, community pride, and the world’s best lobster come together,” Stephanie Miller Vincent, co-ordinator of South Shore Tourism Cooperative, said in a new release. 

“It’s not a competition, it’s a spotlight. And our chefs know how to rise to it.”

About 100 guests are expected for the fun- and lobster-filled event.

Restaurants who want to compete in the 2026 Lobster Roll-Off can register now. They must be a South Shore Tourism Cooperative member, serve the same lobster in-house for the whole month of February and be located on Nova Scotia’s South Shore.

Tickets are available at lobstercrawl.ca 

Wendell McKay and Victoria Hopkins of Capt. Kat’s Lobster Shack in Barrington Passage display their winning lobster roll on Sunday. (Rick Conrad)

Simplicity and consistency were the secret ingredients for Capt. Kat’s Lobster Shack on Sunday as it grabbed the title of best lobster roll on the South Shore.

It’s the third time the Barrington Passage restaurant has topped the competition in the annual Lobster Roll-Off as part of the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl. They won the first roll-off in 2018. And it’s always the same recipe, said Wendell McKay, the kitchen manager at Capt. Kat’s. 

“This is the same cold lobster roll that we’ve been making since before I was at Capt. Kat’s,” he said.

“It feels good to be back in the winner’s seat for sure. We don’t want to stray from what works. And we like to focus on the lobster and not adding too many bells and whistles. Sometimes the lobster gets left in the back of the palate that way.” 

The winning entry featured lobster meat, green onions, celery, mayonnaise, a bit of spinach on a buttered toasted bun.

Victoria Hopkins made the winning lobster roll.

“I am the cold roll mama,” she said. “And I am the one that makes the cold roll with lots of love.”

Eleven restaurants from around the South Shore competed Sunday afternoon in a blind tasting for the title of best lobster roll. They ranged from the traditional, like Capt. Kat’s, to the elaborate. 

Some rolls included Nova Scotia smoked salmon and pepperoni, or deep fried lobster macaroni and cheese in addition to lobster meat.

Four travel writers from outside Nova Scotia served as judges.

Stephanie Miller Vincent, the co-ordinator of the South Shore Tourism Cooperative which organizes the lobster crawl, said they bring in a new group of judges every year. And none of them eats a lobster roll at any of the competing restaurants before the big day.

“The judges come in through Tourism Nova Scotia. They’re completely different every single year. So it’s pretty unique that one restaurant’s won three times honestly.”

Second place went to the Quarterdeck Resort, which hosted the event this year. And Osprey’s Nest Public House in Petite Riviere finished in third.

Lobster lovers can vote for their favourite lobster roll for the whole month of February. Details, including the 11 participating restaurants, are on the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl website. 

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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