The Biggest Lobster Roll in Florida. At two feet long and piled with two pounds of fresh Maine lobster, it arrives at the table with all the subtlety of a great white breaching the surface. Guests hear it before they see it. Bells ring. Servers smile. Heads turn.
THERE ARE CERTAIN SOUNDS THAT INSTANTLY SIGNAL DANGER. A rattlesnake. A smoke alarm. The two-note theme from Jaws creeping through the water.
For me, there is another sound that deserves a place on that list: the crack of a lobster claw hitting a plate.
Once I hear it, resistance is futile.
I may be an Orlando native, but somewhere in my Florida-shaped heart lives a lifelong affection for the Northeast and the seafood traditions of New England. My mother grew up in Brooklyn’s Sheepshead Bay, and some of my favorite childhood memories were made on Nantucket. Summers were filled with clam shacks, seafood counters, paper-lined baskets, and enough butter to make a cardiologist nervous.
Lobster rolls, chowder, steamers, oysters, crab cakes, mollusk or crustacean, it has always been fair game on my plate.
So when whispers began circulating about a place in Apopka serving authentic New England seafood, I felt a familiar pull. Like Chief Brody spotting a dorsal fin slicing through the water, I knew I had to investigate.
The destination was The Nauti Lobstah, a restaurant that has quietly become one of Central Florida’s most beloved seafood destinations. Tucked inside a historic building in downtown Apopka, the restaurant combines New England coastal cooking with old Florida charm and enough hospitality to make first-time visitors feel like regulars.
The story begins with three hospitality veterans who decided to take a leap of faith during uncertain times.
Chef Mike Rumplik, his wife Cara Rumplik, and their longtime friend Christine Gonzalez spent decades building careers in hotels, restaurants, events, and hospitality leadership before opening The Nauti Lobstah in 2021. All three previously worked for Rosen Hotels & Resorts and brought decades of experience to the venture. Chef Mike served as Executive Chef at Rosen Centre Hotel for 15 years, while Cara and Christine built distinguished careers in hotel operations, events, and guest services.
The trio spent months searching for the right location.
“We looked at twenty-five different places before landing on this spot,” Chef Mike recalled.
Then they walked into the old Catfish Place.
Cara knew immediately.
“When we walked in, we knew this was the space,” she said. “It was so warm and cozy.”
The building itself has a story worth telling.
Chef Mike Rumplik, Owner and Chef – The Nauti Lobstah Restaurant.
Long before lobster rolls arrived in Apopka, the structure served as an oil depot connected to the railroad industry. Dating back nearly a century, the building once transported oil barrels through Central Florida. Over the decades it evolved into several different businesses before becoming the beloved Catfish Place, an Apopka institution that operated for nearly four decades.
Today, pieces of that history remain everywhere you look.
Original flooring still creaks beneath your feet. Vintage details have been preserved throughout the dining room. Outside, railroad tracks remain visible reminders of another era. Inside, a model train still circles overhead, delighting longtime guests who remember the building’s previous incarnation.
That sense of continuity was intentional.
The Catfish Place closed on a Sunday. The Nauti Lobstah opened that Tuesday.
Rather than erase the past, the owners embraced it.
When they acquired the restaurant, former owners Bob and Elaine Johnson shared many of their most cherished recipes. Several beloved menu items survived the transition, including the sweet potato casserole that continues to draw loyal customers years later.
The recipes were not the only thing they preserved. Many employees stayed. Two staff members have worked in the building for more than 30 years. For the owners, maintaining those relationships mattered just as much as maintaining the menu. “This place was part of people’s routines,” Cara said. “We have one couple who comes in once a day. Sometimes twice.” That loyalty becomes easier to understand after spending an afternoon there.
The atmosphere feels less like a restaurant and more like a gathering place. Guests stop to chat with the owners. Servers greet customers by name. Conversations flow between tables. The restaurant’s philosophy is simple: everyone is family. Of course, family can only carry a restaurant so far. Eventually, the food has to arrive. And when it does, you quickly realize this is not merely a seafood restaurant. It is a love letter to New England.
The real secret sauce at The Nauti Lobstah is their incredible leadership team, Cara Rumplik, Chef Mike Rumplik and Christine Gonzalez.
Chef Mike grew up in Rhode Island digging clams in Narragansett Bay, eating lobster rolls in Newport, and developing a lifelong appreciation for the seafood traditions of the Northeast. Those experiences now shape nearly every corner of the menu.
One of the first dishes to hit our table was Chef Mike’s signature Little Steamers. Embarrassingly, despite decades of seafood consumption, I had somehow never eaten steamer clams before. Fortunately, I was among patient company. Christine and Chef Mike offered a quick tutorial. The process, they assured me, was much easier than cleaning a blue crab. They were right. A quick dip, a little drawn butter, and suddenly I understood why generations of New Englanders have celebrated these humble shellfish. Briny, tender, and impossibly satisfying, they delivered a pure taste of the coast. The lesson came with a piece of advice. “If you don’t know how to eat something, just ask,” Christine said. That welcoming spirit defines the entire experience.
Then came the chowder. Or, as New Englanders would insist, the chowdah. Rich and creamy without becoming heavy, it is loaded with littleneck clams and built from scratch using Chef Mike’s Rhode Island-inspired recipe. The dish has developed a devoted following among transplanted Northeasterners searching for a taste of home.
The crab cakes also deserve special recognition.
Cara listed them among her favorite dishes, alongside the clam chowder and the Creekstone Farms steaks that have become a surprising signature of the restaurant. That is another thing visitors often discover. The Nauti Lobstah may specialize in seafood, but the turf receives just as much attention as the surf.
A true feast for the eyes, The Nauti Lobstah’s food is as pretty as it is tasty! This Lazy Man’s Style Lobster takes all the hard work out of the equation. Named for the guest who’s lucky enough to be served a lobster that requires no effort whatsoever! Your fresh Maine lobster will be cooked, cracked open, shelled and tossed in butter and white wine, topped with Ritz cracker crumbs.
All steaks are sourced from Creekstone Farms, a producer known for premium Black Angus beef. The result is a steak program that comfortably stands alongside the seafood offerings. Cara admits she is not a major seafood eater herself, which helped inspire the restaurant’s commitment to exceptional steaks.
Among staff recommendations, guests consistently hear praise for the ribeye, filet mignon, twin lobster tails, and whatever fresh fish special Chef Mike happens to be featuring that week. The menu changes frequently, often depending on what suppliers are bringing in and what seafood is at its seasonal peak.
The infamous lobster roll does not disappoint.
One item, however, remains the undisputed headliner. Cue the dramatic music. If the giant shark in Jaws was known simply as “Bruce,” then the star attraction at The Nauti Lobstah deserves a name of its own. The Biggest Lobster Roll in Florida. At two feet long and piled with two pounds of fresh Maine lobster, it arrives at the table with all the subtlety of a great white breaching the surface. Guests hear it before they see it. Bells ring. Servers smile. Heads turn. The colossal sandwich makes its ceremonial journey through the dining room while nearby tables pause to admire the spectacle. It is impossible not to stare. Served Connecticut-style, the roll features warm lobster meat, warm bread, and an abundance of drawn butter. The custom bread is baked exclusively for The Nauti Lobstah by a local bakery. The restaurant estimates the roll serves two to four people. After attempting to tackle one ourselves, I can confirm that estimate is accurate. Perhaps conservative. The thing is enormous. And for those seeking an even greater challenge, guests can double the lobster portion to a staggering four pounds of Maine lobster. That is less a sandwich and more a maritime achievement. The lobster roll has become such a phenomenon that visitors now travel from around the country specifically to try it. Some arrive directly from Orlando International Airport before heading to area attractions. Others build entire road trips around the experience. Of course, traditionalists can order their lobster roll New England-style as well, served chilled with herbed dressing. Either way, you win.
For diners seeking the ultimate lobster experience, Chef Mike’s Lazy Man’s Maine Lobster dinner offers another indulgent option, featuring pounds of expertly prepared lobster meat without the work normally associated with dismantling the shell.
No New England seafood feast would be complete without something to drink, and The Nauti Lobstah delivers there as well.
Another must-try is the chowdah, pictured here with three Rhode Island Clam Cakes.
The full-service bar offers wine, beer, cocktails, and mocktails.
Among the most popular options is Christine’s family sangria recipe (it was our favorite too)!
We asked for details.
We received none.
Some secrets are apparently more closely guarded than the location of Amity Island’s beaches during shark season.
With seating for approximately 125 guests and dedicated event space available for private gatherings, the restaurant has become a popular destination for birthdays, anniversaries, reunions, and celebrations of all kinds. The owners’ decades of hospitality experience are evident in how effortlessly those events seem to unfold.
What makes The Nauti Lobstah special, however, extends beyond lobster rolls, chowder, or giant crustacean spectacles.
It is the feeling that the owners have created something increasingly rare. A neighborhood restaurant with a genuine sense of place. A place where history matters. A place where longtime employees remain part of the family. A place where guests become regulars and regulars become friends.
For New England transplants, it offers a nostalgic taste of home. For Floridians, it provides a delicious glimpse into another coastal tradition. And for one Orlando native with a lifelong weakness for seafood, it delivered exactly what I hoped it would. The next time you hear the distant clanging of bells and spot a towering lobster roll making its way through the dining room, don’t panic. Unlike the shark in Jaws, this creature comes in peace. Though you may still need a bigger boat.