Category: Maine

National press keeps rolling in about the Maine food scene. Here are the most recent highlights:

• Andrew Zimmern called out Fore Street as one of his favorite US restaurants in an article for the BBC.
• Wine Enthusiasts showcases the Janara walnut liqueur from Luce Spirits in Rockland and the A7 Americano aromatized wine from Maine-based winemaker RAS in an article that asks Is American Amaro the Next Big Thing?
• FSR Magazine has published an interview with Mimi Weissenborn who is the chef at Sur Lie in Portland, Gather in Yarmouth and Cat Face in Biddeford.
• Whiskey Advocate highlighted a selection of 7 Destinations for Whisky Lovers in Portland.

New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:

• Lee Frank has leased the former Gravy location in Wells (321 US Route 1, above left) where he plans to open a second location of his eponymous restaurant Lee Frank’s (website, facebook, instagram). The menu, branding and concept is expected to remain the same in Wells as at the original Lee Frank’s which opened in South Berwick in 2021. Brooke Frank will be the general manager of both restaurants. The Franks hope to open the Wells location in late August and expect they’ll seasonally close the restaurant in January and February. While there are no definite plans, they may expand to other communities in the future.
• Aragosta (website, facebook, instagram) on Deer Isle and its chef/owner Devin Finigan are the subject of a feature article in the August issue of Food & Wine magazine (above right). The April issue of F&W had named Aragosta to their list of the Top 20 Restaurants in the United States.
• The Bangor Daily News published a report about The Key Room (facebook) a new cocktail bar that opened this week in Bangor. Owners Tan Tai, Katie Ratchatavech and Jira Rustana also operate Umami Noodle Bar which is next door to the bar.
• Avery Yale Kamila has assembled a round-up of Maine plant-based food news for the Maine Sunday Telegram.
• Cat Biggar and chef Derek Ronspies have announced they’ll be closing down Black Goat Test Kitchen in Warren later this year and moving to Europe to launch a new business. Additional details on the timing of their departure and where they’re relocating to are still TBD.
• Chef/owner Christian Hayes announced he’ll be closing his restaurant The Garrison. Tonight is the Yarmouth restaurant’s last night in business.

For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

Chef Khristoher Hogg opened his new Swanville restaurant Circumstance (website, instagram) in early June. It’s open for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights, Saturday afternoon for snacks and wine, and for Sunday brunch.

For dinner Circumstance customers have a choice between a 3- or 6-course menu. Wine and cider are available by the glass or bottle along with an optional set of pairings to go with your meal. Here’s a look at the restaurant and some of the dishes from a meal last weekend:

• The entrance to the barn/restaurant in Swanville 
• A bowl of fennel soup with oyster cream and dried scallop flakes with a glass of Oyster River Winegrowers Morphos from the Midcoast
• A bread salad made with fermented Japanese knotweed, radishes, roasted garlic and feta
• Day Lilies stuffed with a pork rillette with carrot and browned honey sauce
• A glass of Iapetus Tectonic wine from Vermont
• Pork and chanterelle sausage with confit leeks and chanterelles
• The full menu for the dinner
• Chef/owner Khristoher Hogg at work in the open kitchen

Circumstance is open now through early October. See their website for more information on the menu and details on making dinner reservations.

New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:

• The Waterville Morning Sentinel has a report on the sudden closure of Big G’s in Winslow. The restaurant launched in 1986 in town and had been at its current location since the mid 1990s.
• The Bangor Daily News reports that a new “Sicilian-inspired” restaurant called My Buddy’s Place (instagram) has opened in the space formerly occupied by Friar’s Brewhouse Tap Room which closed last year. My Buddy’s Place is open Tuesday through Saturday 11 am – 8 pm and Sunday 8 am – 3 pm.
• Harbor Burger Shack (instagram) opened last week in Kittery. They’re located at 355 US Route 1. Mainebiz reports that the restaurant is part of the First Serve Hospitality Group which include Bob’s Clam Hut and Mabel’s Lobster Claw. Harbor Burger Shack will be open daily, 11 am – 9 pm.
• Mainebiz also has a report on the Black Moon Public House (facebook) in Ellsworth which opened in early June.
• A recent Forbes article about Biddeford and Kennebunkport highlights Magnus on Water, the White Barn Inn, Palace Diner, Elements, Fish & Whistle, Nibblesford, Dizzy Birds Rotisserie, Vietnamese Que Huong, the Chinese Happy Dragon Restaurant, The Jewel of India, Thai ME, Layalina, Batson River, and Mexican Coco Bar & Grill.
• The Press Herald reports on the relaunch of Dennett’s Wharf (website, facebook, instagram) in Castine.

For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:

• The Bangor Daily News reports that a new cocktail lounge called Barliman’s is under construction in Bangor and expected to open in August. “Barliman’s, a new restaurant and bar that will serve cocktails, hearty farm-to-table snacks and plenty of nonalcoholic options, is the brainchild of local developers and a former co-owner of The Fiddlehead, a shuttered Bangor restaurant.”
• Uncle Willy’s Candy Shoppe in Camden has closed. The building recently sold and the new owner will be using the retail space for a different business. Uncle Willy’s itself has been for sale and remains on the market. According to a report from The Courier-Gazette, July 7th was the last day in business for Uncle Willy’s.
• The Bier Cellar has announced they’re closing their location in Gorham. “We hope this message finds you well. We wanted to take a moment to express our gratitude for your unwavering support over the past 5 years. It is with a heavy heart that we must inform you that we will be closing the Gorham store at the end of July, with our last day being Sunday the 21st.”
• The June edition of Down East included articles about Northern Maine Kolache in Van Buren and Alsace restaurant in Union, and the July edition includes an article about the new restaurant in South Berwick, Secundo.

For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:

• The Courier-Gazette reports that the owners of the Sterlingtown Public House are planning to open a second location for their restaurant The Spot (instagram) in Rockland. The original The Spot is located in the town of Washington.
• The Bangor Daily News reports that the Northern Maine Kolache Co. has begun construction on a new building in Van Buren. Owner Donita Ayotte expects to move her business to the new location in 2025.
• Tuesday’s segment of Maine Calling on Maine Public Radio explored listeners Favorite Eats in Maine with guests Press Herald food editor Peggy Grodinsky and author Mike Urban.
• The Lincoln County News has published an article about the new Aekeir Brewing tasting room in Wiscasset.
• Clifford’s Donut Stop in Phillips launched this week.
• The Bangor Daily News reports that a new business called Mainely Juice is under construction in downtown Bangor and expected to launch next month.

For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:

• Whittle Bird Coffee Co (website, instagram) have opened their new coffee shop and cafe. They’re located at 44 North Main Street in Guilford in the space formerly occupied by Craft Cafe. Their hours are open Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 8 am – 3 pm, and on Sundays 8 am – noon. Stop by this weekend for the launch of their Sunday brunch service (menu).
• James Beard nominated chef Ben Jackson is now working at the North Haven Inn & Market (website, instagram) where he’s preparing a weekly Monday night 3-course prix fixe dinner. Reservations open weekly on the preceding Wednesday.
• Today is the opening day of Rue 77 (instagram) in Damariscotta. The cafe is being launched by Roger and Prudence Kiessling who own the home goods shop The Kingfisher & The Queen right next door. Rue 77 will be serving Stumptown Coffee, baked goods from Solo Pane e Pasticceria in Bath and gelato from Gelato Fiasco. Their hours today will be Tuesday through Sunday, 7:30 am – 5 pm.
• Bissell Brothers Brewing announced they’ll be closing their brewery, tasting room and restaurant in Milo at the end of this summer. The full text of their letter explaining the decision is available on the Three Rivers website. It beings, “We are writing with immensely heavy hearts to communicate some very sad news. Summer 2024 will be the last season of operations at Bissell Brothers Three Rivers. This has been the hardest decision we’ve ever had to come to grips with as owners of Bissell Brothers…”
• Mainebiz has published an article about Sweets & Co, the new gluten-free bakery under construction in Saco.
• The Sun Journal reports that My Dad’s Place in Jay (facebook) will be featured on the Food Network television show America’s Best Restaurants. A film crew was onsite yesterday.
• The Press Herald has published a review of the Saturday smash burgers at the Kennebec Meat Company in Bath.

For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:

• Brewer/owner Jeremy Myers opened the new Aekier Brewing (website, facebook) tasting room in Wiscasset in early June. Aekeir is located at 111 Main Street. It’s open Wednesday/Thursday, 2 – 8 pm, and Friday/Saturday, 2 – 9 pm.
• The new Walter’s Cafe (website, instagram) opened in Brunswick on May 12th. It’s located in the Tontine Mall and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 8 am – 3 pm. (photo above)
• Mainebiz has published a report on the Lewiston restaurant community. “More than seven months after the mass shootings there, restaurants in Lewiston are still struggling to regain their customer base and make the dining scene as comfortable as possible for their patrons…”
• The Pen Bay Pilot reports that a new food truck called Taco Joe’s recently launched in Rockport.
• The new Midcoast edition of the Portland Food Map pocket guide launched earlier this week. You can pick-up a free copy of the guide at 8 different location in the Midcoast (and 2 in Portland). Packs of 25 copies of the Midcoast pocket guide are for sale online for anyone who may need them for an event or for their business.