Category: Under Construction

Here’s a pair of new under construction updates:

• Rosemont Market will be expanding their Brighton Ave store to across the street to the corner with Woodford Street into the old location of the Rosemont Pharmacy.
• Hilltop Coffee Shop has changed hands. Guy and Stella Hernandez from Bar Lola have bought the coffee shop, joining the growing ranks of multi-business restaurant owners in Portland. (Thanks to Kate from The Blueberry Files for the tip.)

According to a report from The Forecaster, last night the Portland Planning Board approved the project which will see the Jordan’s Meat plant replaced with a hotel and the new home of Sebago Brewing which is presently at the intersection of Middle and Market.
Also in the article is mention that the Espo’s on Allen Ave is slated to be demolished in order to build a Bangor Saving Bank branch on the lot.

There’s a few new under construction details to report:

• Portland Psst is reporting that Masa Miyake has signed a lease for 188 State Street where he plans on opening a noodle bar. One of the best meals I had in 2009 was the noodles Miyake prepared for the Food Film Series showing of Tampopo so I can hardly wait for opening day!
• Also from Psst, Bubble Maineia is going to open a noodle bar in the old Morrisons space on Temple Street.
• Havana South has published some photos of the construction site for their new restaurant on Wharf Street.
• Siano’s is getting close on their new pizzeria on Fore Street but the opening date has slipped out a little further to April 22.

There’s a few new under construction details to report:

• Portland Psst is reporting that Masa Miyake has signed a lease for 188 State Street where he plans on opening a noodle bar. One of the best meals I had in 2009 was the noodles Miyake prepared for the Food Film Series showing of Tampopo so I can hardly wait for opening day!
• Also from Psst, Bubble Maineia is going to open a noodle bar in the old Morrisons space on Temple Street.
• Havana South has published some photos of the construction site for their new restaurant on Wharf Street.
• Siano’s is getting close on their new pizzeria on Fore Street but the opening date has slipped out a little further to April 22.

Today’s edition of the Portland Daily Sun includes some additional details on the combined Spartan Grill/Zarra’s and the owner’s plans for a ice cream shop on Cumberland Ave.

“The new name is going to be ‘A Victory Cafe,’ in deference to our Lady of Victory, featuring Spartan Grill. We’ve been in the square for six years, so people know who we are,” Roylos said.

According to the Forecaster, the Cookie Jar bakery “a fixture on Shore Road [in Cape Elizabeth] for decades, is being renovated and is expected to reopen in a couple of months.”

Today’s Portland Daily Sun has a report on what’s delaying the launch of chef Lee Farrington’s new restaurant Figa.

At issue is this: although Farrington owns her space at 249 Congress, her water is piped through an adjacent building owned by Alice Dunn. For the previous owner of 249 Congress, a hair salon, Dunn installed a “sub-meter” in the basement that kept track of how much water the salon consumed…Dunn says she’s unwilling to allow Farrington access to water line because she’s worried that higher water usage from the restaurant could create water-pressure issues for her other tenants, who share the water line.

Here’s a collection of recent Under Construction updates:

• Andrew Pettingill is back working on his project from last year to start-up a gluten-free specialty store/cafe.
• The Portland Farmer’s Market is mulling “some changes at the Deering Oaks market to accommodate the addition of new vendors in an effort to expand the Portland Farmers’ Market in the future.” They are asking for public comment on a proposal that would shift some parking across the street.
• Siano’s is planning on opening their new pizzeria on Fore Street on April 1. They’ve posted some photos of the construction at the new site online.
• Construction is underway at the site of the former Roma restaurant in the West End. There’s no word yet on what business will be moving into the building.
• According to this week’s edition of The Forecaster, the Kosher Meals on Wheels program is expanding its service area (Scarborough, Old Orchard Beach, Portland) to include Falmouth.