People often think of seafood as being best-suited for dinner. Fish and other seafood is seen as luxurious and maybe even a bit too filling for lunch. But if you happen to find yourself in a seafood restaurant around the lunch hour, you should not walk out or just order the burger. Here are a few seafood dishes that are well-suited to the lunch menu for a small to moderate-sized appetite. 

Crab Cakes

Crab cakes are often served as an appetizer at dinnertime, but they can make a light lunch if you're in the mood for something crispy and fried. Crab meat is mixed with seasonings and sometimes some creamy dressing, coated in bread crumbs, and fried lightly. The cakes are served with a light dipping sauce — sometimes a cocktail sauce or a creamy lemon sauce. Pair them with a salad for a tasty and complete lunch.

Shrimp Scampi

If you're not opposed to the idea of eating pasta for lunch, shrimp scamp is a good choice because it is light and refreshing. Shrimp and linguine are tossed in a nice sauce made from garlic, lemon, and chicken broth. Some restaurants serve the lunch time version with a little less pasta and some green beans or asparagus to lighten the dish up a little bit.

Clam Chowder

If you're in a restaurant that has clam chowder on the menu, that's the perfect thing to order for lunch -- especially if they serve it with a healthy portion of bread to dip in the soup. Now, there are two kinds of clam chowder, so you'll want to confirm which version you're ordering. New England clam chowder is a creamy, indulgent soup, sort of like a bisque. Manhattan clam chowder is a tomato-based soup more like a chowder. Both are absolutely delicious and served in a shallow bowl.

Crab Puffs

Another appetizer-like seafood dish, crab puffs are typically made with crab that has been pureed, mixed with seasonings and a creamy sauce, and then battered and fried. They are richer and creamier than a crab cake. They may be served alongside a salad or some vegetables for a lunch portion. Although a bit rich, they are often served in small quantities so you won't feel overwhelmed by the heaviness of the meal.

You can visit a seafood restaurant for lunch without ordering a big, heavy meal like the surf and turf. The options above are excellent choices!