Photo: Lobster dinner at The Boatshop Steak & Seafood Restaurant, Prince Edward Island

Atlantic Canada has a well-deserved reputation as a culinary destination. In particular, Canada’s eastern-most provinces, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador are known for their prized Atlantic lobster offerings. So bountiful are Canada’s eastern waters that more than half of the world's supply of hard shell Atlantic Lobster comes from this region. 

Ready to dig in? Here’s a handy guide to some of the region's most popular places for lobster.

New Brunswick

New Brunswick’s Shediac, the self-proclaimed "lobster capital of the world," is home to the world's largest lobster (statue, that is) at 90 tons and 11 metres long.  Head further up the Acadian Coast to the charming fishing village of Caraquet and you will find La Homard Mobile, or the Mobile Lobster.  Lynn Albert serves up regional specialties from her food truck and locals swear by her fresh lobster and lobster poutine, an Acadian specialty.

For a more formal dining experience, try the charming Rossmount Inn Hotel Restaurant & Bar, a three-story manor house overlooking the Bay of Fundy.  For 14 years, award-winning Chef Chris Aerni has been preparing local lobster with herbs and vegetables from his organic garden. 

Newfoundland and Labrador

Located in northeastern Newfoundland on famed Iceberg Alley, Doyle Sansome & Sons Lobster Pool is situated wharfside in quaint New World Island near Twillingate. Here, guests pick out their lobster and after the staff cooks it, they can chow down on the restaurant's deck while enjoying the beautiful views of the Atlantic.  Watch icebergs floating by, whale watch or checkout the underwater fish cam while you eat.

In the quaint fishing hamlet of Quidi Vidi only five minutes from downtown St. John's, Mallard Cottage is housed in one of the oldest wooden buildings in North America, an 18th century Irish-Newfoundland style cottage. Here, Chef Todd Perrin of Top Chef Canada serves his signature broiled lobster with a mustard cream sauce.

Nova Scotia

Lobster takes center stage at The Lobster Shack, in Barrington Passage along Nova Scotia's Lighthouse Route, which won Taste of Nova Scotia's "Restaurant of the Year - Essence of Nova Scotia" award. Here, guests can order lobster steamed, baked, creamed, in a chowder or fondue, in nachos or in a spinach dip, on a bruschetta, and or cold on a roll.  The options are virtually limitless.

Halls Harbour on the Bay of Fundy is a quaint fishing village that dates back to 1779 when Captain Hall and his privateers used the natural harbor as a base. The historic buildings at Halls Harbour Lobster Pound & Restaurant have been a schoolhouse, church, general store, customs office and blacksmith's shop.  Today, it is one of Canada's largest lobster holding facilities. Food lovers can pick out their own lobster from one of the "floating pools" and dine dockside next to the very same fishing boats that delivered the fresh lobsters just hours earlier.  Locals highly recommend the lobster mac and cheese.

Prince Edward Island

With a shipbuilding history that dates back to 1790, it’s hardly surprising that PEI would house a lobster restaurant in an ancient boat shop. The Boat Shop Steak & Seafood Restaurant, in Northport, is housed in an authentic boat building shop where one of the Island's finest fishing fleets is based and unloads its catch daily. Lobster is served the traditional way and it is also the main ingredient for lobster cakes, linguini and sandwiches. Diners can choose to eat inside surrounded by aged wood, maritime artifacts and walls covered in memorabilia, or they can look out on the busy port and enjoy breathtaking views of Cascumpec Bay. On the patio, facing the harbor dock, fishermen might be landing a Giant Blue Fin tuna and at low tide, hundreds of Great Blue Herons come close to shore.

In Charlottetown's historic district, Water-Prince Corner Shop is an unassuming neighborhood place near the harbour.  A barrel by the door holds recently removed fisherman’s boots, your first sign that this place welcomes locals and guests. On an island that boasts plenty of great eating spots, many locals claim that this is the place to beat.

Follow @MonicaPoling