Category: Maine

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

• Aki (instagram) has leased space at 10 School Street in Freeport where they hope to open a Japanese fusion restaurant. Aki was formerly located in Brunswick and closed in the summer of 2023. The new edition of Aki will serve favorites from their Brunswick menu plus a tapas menu. Aki will also feature a Boba bar.
• The Black Point Inn has hired Michael Bergin to be their new executive chef. Bergin has worked at Del Posto in NYC and L’Espalier and Coppa in Boston, and was the executive chef at The Fat Hen and at The Salty Pig in Boston. In Maine Bergin has worked for Big Tree Hospitality and at Wandby Landing in Kennebunk.
• Central Maine reports that former judge and mayor Tom Nale has taken over the former Lebanese Bakery building on Temple Street in Waterville where he plans to open a new Lebanese restaurant. Nale has renovated the building and in collaboration Jim Veilleux and Melissa Grant plans to launch Mezza (facebook) later this spring.
• The Bangor Daily News published an article about Doug Hufnagel who passed away recently at the age of 78. Hufnagel operated the Coffeeman food cart at the Common Ground Fair and in Belfast.
• The latest issue of The Lincoln County News includes an interesting article about the owners of the 220 Market & Deli in Waldoboro.
• The Bangor Daily News reports that the Black Moon Public House (facebook) is under construction in Ellsworth and expected to open later this month.

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

• Malcolm Bedell launched his new restaurant Honey’s (website, instagram) this week. The menu features a variety of fried chicken sandwiches (shown above is the Classic) as well as fries, chicken tenders, snacks and sides. Honey’s is located in Bird Plaza in Thomaston. It will be open Monday through Saturday,  11 am – 7 pm.
• A new restaurant called Katahdin Kitchen (instagram) is scheduled to open next week in Veazie. The team at Katahdin Kitchen are taking “a fresh approach to Indigenous and American comfort foods with local ingredients.” The menu includes dishes like a wild rice bowl and a Sisters Salad made with roasted corn, beans, squash, beets, herbs and scallions served over greens. Katahdin Kitchen is located at 1492 State Street.
• Chef Brandon Montes has joined the team at The Waterford Inne. Innkeeper Kember Vanderblue shared that she and Montes “will continue to focus the spotlight we shine on our homegrown produce and that of hyper-local farms, but Brandon brings with him knowledge of sustainable wild foods, and invasive species coming from both the oceans and deep woods of Maine” that will further develop the culinary program. Montes most recently worked with chef Bowman Brown at Elda and Jackrabbit. The inn’s restaurant Tallulah’s (website, instagram) is open seasonally serving pre fixe dinners on Fridays/Saturdays. Vandeblue expect to expand the days open and range of events and menus in the coming year.
• The Bangor Daily News reports that a new restaurant called A Different Point of Brew Bistro is under construction in downtown Houlton. Owners Shyann Miller and Shelby Fitzpatrick plan to offer coffees, teas and energy teas as well as soup, salads and sandwiches.
• A team from The Dunn Bar in Biddeford are launching a new Italian restaurant called Vin Santo in the space adjacent on Washington Street.
• Coastal Wine in Ogunquit is relaunching today as Coastal Alchemist adding cocktails, draft beer, and a new food menu to their existing wine program.

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

• Downhill Bagel Company (instagram) opened for business yesterday in Springvale. They’re located at 446 Main Street. Owner Billy Nichols and his team are serving a menu (see below) of breakfast and lunch bagel sandwiches as well as weekend options like pastrami on rye. Downhill reopens this week on Saturday; they’ll initially be open Thursday/Friday 8 am – 2 pm, and Saturday/Sunday 9 am – 2 pm.
• Lil Jam Cookies (website, instagram) recently opened their new bakery in Brunswick. They’re open Wednesday through Saturday 8 am – 4 pm and Sunday 8 am – 2 pm. Lil Jam is located at 146 Maine Street next to Maine Street Bistro.
• The owners of Ann’s Book Bistro have opened a second restaurant in Damariscotta. Koko’s Sandwich Bar (website, instagram) is located at 603 Main Street. They serve a menu of pressed sandwiches, soups and salads. You can learn more about Koko’s from this recent article in the The Lincoln County News. Koko’s is open daily 11 am – 3 pm.
• A new restaurant called Cormier’s Dog House (facebook) is under construction in Windham. They’ll be serving “Chicago style hotdogs and more”.
• Black Tie has published the schedule for their 2024 Graze dinner series which takes place at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester.
• Gneiss Brewing has announced plans to shut down their brewery. Their last day in business is still to be determined, in the meantime their tasting room in Limerick will be open on Saturdays, noon – 6 pm.
• Mason’s Brewing will be opening a new location in Machias in the former Bluebird Ranch Family Restaurant space at 78 Main St.
• Sublime Taco announced that they’ll be taking over the kitchen and menu at Mick’s in Biddeford. Sublime closed their taco shop in downtown Biddeford late last year.
• Baker/owner Lesa Beck has announced plans to launch Pine Tree Bakery (website, instagram) on April 10th. The bakery is located at 1557 Bridgton Road in Windham.
• The new Don’s Lunch (facebook) cafe in Westbrook opened on Monday.

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

• Bagel Cafe (website, facebook, instagram) has taken over the former Boynton-McKay space on Main Street in Camden. Owners Mark Senders and his family expect to move Bagel Cafe to 30 Main Street this spring. On a parallel track, Bagel Cafe will be moving the cafe’s production bakery to 5 Colcord Street near the intersection of Limerock Street and Virginia Avenue. Bagel Cafe hopes to also operate a second cafe out of the bakery during peak season with 12 seats inside and picnic table seating outdoors.
• After The Pour Farm (website, facebook, instagram) closed last year its future was uncertain. However, word is out now that the brewery in Union will be reopening on March 29th. Brad Frost and Anna Frost who formerly worked at Waterman’s Beach Brewery are joining the team at The Pour Farm as the head brewer and general manager. The tap list is will include a mix of established TPF beers and ones developed by Brad Frost.

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

• Provender in Ellsworth is launching Little PKB, a lunchtime sandwich cafe which will be open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 am – 3 pm. For additional information read this article in the Bangor Daily News.
• Alex d’Emarese opened his new bakery/cafe in Baker Bru (instagram) in North Berwick this past Monday. d’Emarese is channeling his South African and Italian heritage selling a menu that includes breads, croissants, tarts, cookies, and South African meat pies. Baker Bru also has ready to eat sandwiches and prepared meals to go.
• Toast, a gluten-free sandwich shop in Kittery, has announced they plan to close. April 6th will be their last day in business.
• A new restaurant called Nanny’s opened Tuesday in Old Town.
• Down East magazine has published an article about Tao Yuan.
• The Place Bakery in Camden has launched a $15k crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to add a walk-in refrigerator to their bakery. So far they’ve raised $9,655 towards their goal.
• The Backwoods Burger Shack is under construction in Gorham.

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

• Congratulations to Black Goat Test Kitchen. The Midcoast restaurant is one of 47 establishments selected for the USA Today 2024 Restaurants of the Year list.
• A bakery called Pine Tree Bakery (website, instagram) is under construction at 1557 Bridgton Road in Windham. Owner/baker Lesa Beck is hoping to launch in April when she’ll be selling desserts and pastries (e.g. scones, muffins, cakes, cookies, tarts, Danish, quiche, and cinnamon rolls) as well as hot breakfast sandwiches, espresso-based coffee, soups, salads, and sandwiches.
• Silly’s fans will want to know that the Silly’s food truck is in operation in Standish. Follow their instagram account for details.
• The Courrier-Gazette reports that the restaurant Foda in Appleton has closed as the result of a serious accident that befell chef/owner Brian Beggarly in early December. The restaurant and the property it’s on is for sale.
• The Lincoln County News reports that The Contented Sole is moving to a new location after their original building in Pemaquid Harbor was severely damaged by the storms in January.
• Green & Healthy magazine has published an article about Community Plate. CP is a non-profit organization that’s organizing potluck dinners all across Maine with the goal of bringing “together people of all ages and backgrounds who gather for unforgettable evenings of homemade food, deep conversations and heartfelt storytelling.”
• Mainebiz has published an article about Baker Bru, a new bakery under construction in North Berwick which is set to open in March.