Category: Openings

George + Leon’s (instagram) is holding their Grand Opening on Saturday July 8th. The new Westbrook restaurant is being launched by Logan Abbey the owner of the George’s North Shore food truck. George + Leon’s is named for Abbey’s dog (George) and son (Leon).

In addition to the Super Beef and Jr Beef sandwiches served on the George’s North Shore food truck, the menu at George + Leon’s will include other sandwiches like a mushroom and swiss and a steak and cheese as well as a salad, broccoli bites, tenders, fries, onion rings, and pizza rolls, plus cake, pie and cupcakes for dessert. George + Leon’s will have a full bar and a wine list focused on natural wines.

The new restaurant is located at 9 Cumberland Street in the building that was the former home of the Brea Lu Cafe.

Miyake (website, instagram) reopened for lunch today. The menu (see below) includes their bento box which was the much loved item from the lunch menu the Fore Street restaurant served before the pandemic.

Shown here is today’s chef’s choice bento which was served with miso soup. Bottom to top: sauteed mackerel, shrimp and broccoli tempura, sashimi, tuna and avocado roll, pork and onions, potato salad topped with corn.

Miyake is serving lunch Wednesday through Friday, 11:30 – 2; walk-ins only. The flagship Miyake restaurant reopened for dinner last December after an extensive renovation.

A new bar and grill called Volcano (website, instagram) has opened at 155 Riverside Street in the space formerly occupied by Seasons Grille. The menu consists of salads, apps, pasta, pizza, burgers and entrees including lamb chops, steaks and chargrilled salmon.

The owners of Volcano are George and Jossie Papanikolaou who also own Stacks Pancake Company. Stacks opened in July 2021. Prior to moving to Maine the Papanikolaou’s operated restaurants in New York and New Jersey.

Volcano is open daily, 4 pm – 11 pm.

The 2023 Portland Food Map Pocket Guide is now available. This handy paper reference highlights a wide selection of the restaurants, bakeries, breweries, coffee shops, cocktail bars, and cafes that make eating and drinking in Portland so compelling. This year it includes an expanded selection of Maine restaurants as well.
The Pocket Guide is a snapshot in time of the food community. Check back here for the latest information and updates on openings as well as the full list of independent eateries in the city…and check with restaurant websites for the latest on days and hours of operation.
Many thanks to the Pocket Guide sponsors. Their support plays an essential role in making the guide available: Evergreen Credit Union, The Press Hotel, the Canopy by Hilton Waterfront hotel, The Boulos Company, Wine Wise and Vertical Harvest.
While supplies last you can pick-up a free copy of the guide at these local businesses: Portland Trading Company, Rose Foods, Tandem Coffee, Onggi and Oxbow Brewing Company on Washington Ave, the Portland Yoga Collective, the Ugly Duckling, Bresca and the Honey Bee in New Gloucester, Rabelais in Biddeford, Table Bar in Gardiner, and The Alna Store in Alna. Unfortunately, we don’t have the capacity to mail copies of the pocket guide.
The pocket guide wouldn’t be as good as it is, in fact it wouldn’t exist at all, without the skills and contributions of Dawn Hagin from Rare Bird Strategic and graphic designer Sofija Razgaitis. Congratulate them on their work the next time you see them in town.

Big Tree Hospitality is opening the new South Freeport Village Market (website, instagram) this weekend. The building is owned and recently renovated by Mary Beth and Chris Lorenz, and is located a few blocks away from the Freeport Town Wharf and Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster.

The South Freeport Village market has been a staple in the community since the 1950’s and we are excited to be a part of this revitalization project. The market will have a café and a bean to cup coffee program featuring Rwanda Bean. Offerings will include pastries and breads from Little Spruce Baking Co. The Market will focus on breakfast and lunch as well as, local produce, beer and wine, fresh flowers and sundries.

The market will be open daily 7 am – 8 pm.

Big Tree Hospitality bought Hugo’s from Rob Evans and Nancy Pugh and launched Eventide Oyster Company in 2012, they opened The Honey Paw in 2015, and then Eventide Fenway in 2017. In addition to the South Freeport Village Market they also operate the Higgins Beach Market in Scarborough and the Town Landing Market in Falmouth.

Lecha (instagram), the new bubble tea cafe and ice cream shop in Deering Center, is scheduled to open this Saturday. Lecha is located at 502 Stevens Ave near Pat’s Meat Market and Norimoto Baking.

Owners Som Mantasut and Genko Stanilov will be serving a selection of hard serve ice cream from Gifford’s, house made Thai ice tea and vanilla soft serve, bubble tea (their brown sugar bubble tea shown above), and coffee. Later this year they hope to add some baked goods to the menu including waffles.

Starting this Saturday Lecha will be open Thursday through Tuesday, 11 am – 7 pm.

To get caught up on all the new restaurants, bars and other hospitality businesses in development visit our Under Construction List.

The new Eaux (website, instagram) food truck is set to open this Thursday at 4 pm. Eaux will be located  in the Oxbow/Hardshore parking lot. Here’s an advance look at the menu:

Chicken and Waffles – with Steen’s cane syrup, pickled fresno chiles, fried sage and apples.

“Hen” and Waffles – Maitake mushrooms, Steen’s cane syrup, pickled fresno chiles, fried sage and apples.

Pimento Cheese and Firecrackers – Smoked Gouda, roasted garlic, pimento peppers and crystal hot sauce, served with baked and seasoned saltines.

Khmer Kitchen (facebook) opened last week initially serving a selection of Cambodian sandwiches. Shown above is a delicious Pork Belly sandwich from the opening week menu.

The menu has been expanding and starting Tuesday, chef/owner Khanya Mimande will begin serving three different types of Katiew soup (Phonm Penh, Sach Ko, Sach Muon), a beef stew with noodles, and Bah Bor which is a rice porridge dish served with chicken, fried garlic and sprouts.

Khmer Kitchen is located on the 2nd floor of the Public Market House in Monument Square. Their hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 am – 9 pm.

Owl & Elm (website, facebook, instagram) in Yarmouth has transitioned to a new set of owners and is scheduled to open next week, Tuesday through Saturday, 4 – 9 pm. The restaurant sports a cozy neighborhood restaurant vibe and has outdoor seating along Main Street and on a back deck.

There is a full bar with a set of house designed cocktails like the Hey Jealousy (Barr Hill Gin, Strega, Cynar, Lemon and Honey Syrup, Saline), mocktails, wines by the glass and draft and packaged beer. The menu of apps, salads, entrees and desserts includes a number of gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options as well as the option of kids-sized portions for the entrees.

The new team from Scorched Earth Hospitality are Alli Bibaud, Jenna Croteau, Adam Croteau, and Christopher Doughty who bought the restaurant from its founders.

Owl & Elm was founded by Caitlin Henningsen and Keith Johnson in 2016. Henningsen has recently launched Little Bird (instagram) a gluten-free bakehouse in Yarmouth.

To get caught up on all the new restaurants, bars and other hospitality businesses in development visit our Under Construction List.