Maine's best, via New York

Meet anyone from Maine, and the first thing they'll tell you is how great their state's lobsters are, or at least you assume that's what they're saying, as those accents can be tough. Now bringing DC Maine's specialty: Luke's Lobster.

Having already straight-dominated NYC's casual crustacean scene, Luke's District iteration's a counter-style seafood faux-shack covered in buoys and traps, and ready to serve up freshness obtained via "longstanding relationships with lobstermen", which can be tough considering those dudes' first love is the sea. The clawed ones are pulled from the Vinalhaven coast before being steamed, individually wrapped, and flown in air-tight bags to meet their fate in buttered buns primed with a swipe of mayo, lemon, and a dash of secret spices, but not Old Spices, because again, they're already fresh. Other Maine-ly eats include similarly prepped shrimp or crab rolls, Empress Crab claws (served with cocktail sauce), plus liquid vittles like clam chowdah, spicy crab & sweet potato bisque, and lobster bisque, all of which're available in bread bowls and categorized as "Hurricane's Soups", though after one of those hits, isn't pretty much everything?

The beverages stay similarly true to the great ME, with Maine Root Soda and soon-to-come microbrews like Shipyard, Allagash, Geary's Peak, and Belfast Bay -- try them all, and just like taking a visit up North, you'll be in a state where no one understands you.