Category: Openings

SMCC and HospitalityMaine are launching a kitchen apprenticeship program.

Apprentices would be required to work 2,000 hours in the industry and earn between 24 and 28 college credits toward an associate or bachelor’s degree. The program is designed so students can take online and classroom courses in late fall and winter and work full time in the summer, the busiest season for restaurants and hotels in southern Maine. While employed, workers concentrate on learning skills needed for careers in the industry.

Mr. Tuna (instagram, facebook) held a soft opening Friday, and I’m happy to announce that beginning today they will be serving their excellent sushi hand rolls in their sleek new space in the Public Market House, 11 am – 7 pm, 7 days a week.

Owner Jordan Rubin launched the business in 2017 as a food cart on Commercial Street. Mr. Tuna joins a long list of Portland food businesses that have gotten their start as a mobile operation before making the leap to brick and mortar.

Prior to Mr. Tuna, Rubin had worked at Uni Sashimi Bar in Boston and Solo Italiano in Portland.

A new bar called the Portland Zoo (instagram) opened this week at 41 Fox Street. Portland Zoo is open 7 days a week starting at 2pm each day.

They’re opening draft list includes beers from Oxbow, Lone Pine, Rising Tide, Fore River, Allagash, Orono Brewing, Foundation, and Battery Steele.

All Those Who Wander(website, facebook, instagram) the coffee shop under development at the corner of inner Washington and Marion Street, is slated to open Monday, October 22nd.

Owners John-Henry and Cynthia Mlyniec moved to Portland from Providence where they worked in the coffee industry. They will be sourcing their coffee from Parlor Coffee in Brooklyn.

Root Wild (website, facebook, instagram) were granted their brewery license last night by the City Council and is scheduled to open to the public this Saturday, noon – 8 pm.

Root Wild is located at 135 Washington Ave adjacent to A&C Grocery.

The Maine Oyster Company (website, facebook, instagram) opened yesterday afternoon serving Birch Island, Blackstone Point, Dingley Cove, Eider Cove and MDI oysters as well as lobster rolls and clam chowder. The oyster bar is located at 38 Portland Street in West Bayside.

Crunchy Poké (facebook, instagram) is scheduled to open on Wednesday. The shop is located at 426 Fore Street in the space that formerly housed East End Cupcake. CP will serve poké, sushi and ramen.

The Maine Oyster Company (website, facebook, instagram) has announced plans to open on October 12th. The new oyster bar is located at 38 Portland Street, just down the street from Isa and Back Bay Grill. The 30-seat eatery will be serving oysters, lobster and crab rolls, and clam chowder.

Maine Oyster Co. will be open 4 – 9 pm, Thursday through Saturday.

Two new businesses opened this week:

• Hero’s Subs (facebook, instagram, twitter) opened on Tuesday. This Portland extension of a Lewiston sandwich shop is located at the corner of Wharf and Union Streets.
• The Cheese Shop of Portland (instagram, facebook) opened on Friday. Owners Mary and Will Sissle met when working at Cowgirl Creamery in San Francisco. Will Sissle is an ACS Certified Cheese Professional. In addition to cheese the shop sells sandwiches and a wide range of specialty food items. The shop is located at 93 Washington Ave.

With these two openings, the Under Construction List is now barely breaking past 20 businesses. It had consistently been at over 40 for the last few years but fewer new ventures got underway this year.

Sweetgrass will be releasing their Maine barley single malt whiskey, Sunk Haze, next week. The 7 year old whiskey will be available in their store on Fore Street starting on October 4th.