Roost is the name of a new juice bar under construction on Free Street. According to their website they plan on opening this Spring and will sell:
Word surfaced today of several new businesses under construction:
Chocolatier Sweet Marguerites is in the process of setting up shop in South Portland. In addition to be a production kitchen and retail shop the new store will also offer coffee, hot chocolate and a selection of desserts.
According to a report from the Munjoy Hill News, Leigh Kellis, owner of The Holy Donut, has leased the old Terroni’s Market on Park Ave with plans to open a retail location for her business.
“I’m passionate about it. Donuts are cheap thrills,” said a likeable Leigh Kellis, this afternoon as she discussed the remarkable growth of her 7 month old business during 2011. The growth has been so fast that Leigh has just leased the former Terroni’s Market at 194 Park Avenue from where she will sell retail/wholesale 12 varieties of her Holy Donuts. She plans to have the new location up and running within several months.
The Munjoy Hill News has posted an update on Crema, a new coffee shop under construction on Commercial Street.
“We wanted a coffeehouse in the business district and now we are looking forward to being in the tourist district,” said Kathy Walsh this afternnon. Walsh was referring to the opening of Crema, an Italian themed coffeehouse which is expected to open early in February on the Portland waterfront – 9 Commercial Street…
A new restaurant named Sabor Latino is under construction on Saint John Street. Sabor Latino will serve a menu of Mexican, Salvadorean, and Cuban food. They submitted a 7 page draft menu (see page 56) as part of their liquor license application.
Construction is proceeding at 9 Commercial Street on the future home of Crema the new coffee shop/bakery owned by Art Bannister and Cathy and John Walsh from Arabica.
Henry Steinberg has withdrawn his liquor license application for Lamplighters Tavern. According to the Press Herald, several residents of the Pleasant Street neighborhood objected at the City Council meeting last night and in response Steinberg has cancelled his plans.
The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes an interview with Tony Bourdain about his upcoming appearance with Eric Ripert at Merrill and lingering ill will generated by the Maine episode of his TV show No Reservations,
If comments on social media are any indication, Mainers sure know how to hold a grudge. While some loved Bourdain’s view of Maine through the eyes of his cameraman Zach Zamboni (who grew up in Milo), many others are still wondering more than a year after the show aired: Why wasn’t Portland more prominent in the show, given its growing reputation as a food town? Why didn’t Bourdain go to (fill in the blank) restaurant in Portland? And why was he so mean to restaurateur Dana Street when they were having dinner at his Portland restaurant, Street and Co.?
And for an article in today’s paper food reporter Meredith Goad lands interviews with owners of Gorgeous Gelato and Gelato Fiasco. Gelato Fiasco is in the process of opening a shop at 425 Fore Street almost directly across the street from their local competition.
“It’s not a very clever move in business strategy,” [Gorgeous Gelato co-owner Donato Giovine] said. “If I were them, I’d go to Boston. The only thing I think is, they want to kill us as a business.”
[Gelato Fiasco co-owner Josh] Davis denies that. He says he and [business partner] Tropeano have looked at 80 different locations in the Portland area during the past two years, “and have just not found the place we thought would make it work.”
When the Fore Street spot became available, Davis said, they both thought it was perfect for their business. It has “great foot traffic,” he said, as well as outdoor seating.
For additional commentary on the Gorgeous Fiasco issue see the Portland Examiner.
Bull Jagger Brewing Company has been added to the food map. Portland’s newest brewery plans on specializing in lagers. Their first product, Portland Lager, is billed as “a crisp golden, premium lager modeled after the traditional Helles beers of Bavaria.”
They will be debuting at the Harvest on the Harbor and Portland Lager will go on sale Friday at RSVP on Forest Ave and Downeast Beverage on Commercial Street.
For more information visit their website or “like” them on Facebook.