Category: Under Construction

DiMillo’s has announced plans to launch a food truck this year called DiMillo’s on a Roll. The truck will be serving “lobster rolls, clam chowder and some sweet treats” and will be located in the front of the DiMillo’s lot on Commercial Street. DiMillo’s hope to launch their truck by the end of May.

They are not alone in seeing opportunity in opening a mobile business this year. Vy Banh Mi launched in March and there are at least another 15 new food trucks aiming to operating in the Portland area this year: Boomin Burrito Bus, Cheese the Day, Curbside Comforts, DiMillo’s on a Roll, Hi Bar Brunch Truck, Highroller Lobster Co., Hunt & Alpine, Iron Clad Eats, La Fritanga, Paddy Wagon, Snowology 207, Sok Sabai, The Pink Waffle, The Shuck Wagon, and Wicked Fresco.

So many new food trucks are launching that WGME’s Dustin Bonk has reported on the 2021 Food Truck Surge, and Nick Schroeder from the Bangor Daily News has reported on services that help customers find the food trucks that are in business on any given day.

Two businesses have found a new home:

Eighty8 Donuts (website, facebook, instagram) has leased 225 Federal Street, the longtime location of Federal Spice in the Old Port. Owners Ellen O’Keefe Garrett Champlin hope to open the new donut shop by early June. The new shop won’t mean the retirement of the Eighty8 food truck ‘Rosie’ which will still be at events and on the Eastern Prom on Sundays.

Sugar Giant (website, instagram) is moving into the Clark Street space in the West End formerly occupied by Roll Call. Sugar Giant is a takeout bakery concept launched by Little Giant restaurant during the pandemic.

Zephyr Ice (instagram) has leased 129 Spring Street, the former home of the Maine Juice Co. Owners Julie and Don Martin plan to use the space as a commissary kitchen for their food cart. Early this summer they hope to also open up as a takeout retail location for their shave ice treats.

129 Spring Street was the original location of Miyake before moving to Fore Street and subsequently was home to the Miyake Diner izakaya and Home Catering.

Here are some updates on the 2021 food truck season:

Starting in May Cheese the Day (facebook, instagram) is planning to be at Bunker Brewing on Tuesdays, Battery Steele on Wednesdays, and Foundation Brewing on some Thursdays. They also plan to make a monthly stop on Saturdays at Three of Strong. The concept for Cheese the Day is “grilled cheese for adults made with regionally sourced, seasonal, fresh, quality ingredients, with a bit of indulgence.”

A new food truck called the Meme’s Burrito (instagram) is under construction and the owners hope to launch sometime in May. Here’s a look at their menu. Update: Since this report, Meme’s has since been rebranded as Bayside Burrito.

Another new food truck called The Salty Moose (instagram) is also under construction. Owner Taylor Stanton is the former chef de cuisine at David’s KPT in Kennebunkport and executive chef at Tides Beach Club in Goose Rocks Beach. Stanton plans to be located in Limerick at the Gneiss Brewing Company Friday – Sunday, and hopes to launch in May. The truck menu will include gluten free and vegetarian options.

The Portland Phoenix caught up with owner Joe Fournier about the evolution of A&C Grocery and his search for a new location.

Fournier said he’s not in a rush to find a new home for the business, since his lease won’t expire until next February. But he said he wants the new space to continue to be a “reflection of what Portland is,” which he described as a “melting pot of personalities and weirdness.”

He said he’s keeping an open mind on where the next phase of A&C Grocery, which is named after his two daughters, will be. But he did say he’d prefer to find something closer to downtown rather than staying on Munjoy Hill.

 

Big Tree Hospitality—the restaurant group that includes Eventide, The Honey Paw, XO, and Hugo’s—are the new owners of Higgins Beach Market (webiste, facebook, instagram)  in Scarborough. Big Tree intends to operate the seasonal market much like it has been with no plans to convert it to an outpost of their Middle Street restaurants.

It is our hope that Higgins Beach Market continues to be the well-loved local mainstay it has been for many seasons’ past, serving the Higgins Beach community and beyond. In keeping with the market’s previous offerings we will have breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, as well as grab-and-go options, local produce, beer and wine, fresh flowers, and some sundries. 

Higgins Beach Market will be  open 7 days a week, 7 am – 8 pm starting on Memorial Day weekend.

Two different eateries have recently announced that they’re needing to find a new home:

In late March Roll Call shared that “for reasons beyond our control, we’re no longer able to sublet 81 Clark Street. We are *so* grateful for our wonderful customers + their patronage thus far and Ian Malin of Little Giant for his support.” Roll Call is currently looking for a new space and has launched their food truck for the season.

A&C Grocery owner Joe Fournier has announced that he’ll need to find a new location when his lease is up in February 2022. “I have some irons in the fire, and fear not my beautiful friends, I’m actively hunting for a new home and hope to have an update sooner rather than later.”

The Press Herald reports that Rosemont Market and Harbor Fish are collaborating on a new 4,800 sq ft market in Scarborough.

Alfiero said he’ll bring a lot of the same concepts from the Custom House Wharf market to Scarborough, but there will be some changes. The Scarborough Harbor Fish will sell a lot more prepared foods, such as lobster rolls, crab rolls and chowders, he said, and he plans to continue the line of foods the market has been selling during the pandemic, including calamari salads, pates, seafood salads and poke bowls.

The market will be located in a mixed use development at the site of the former Oak Hill police and fire department building.

Last month when owner Mark Ohlson announced he’d be closing MJ’s Wine Bar he ended his post with “And now, it is time to move on. Not because MJ’s wasn’t a success, but because I have a new idea in my head and it won’t leave me alone unless I bring it to life. See you in May, I hope you like to dance…”

Ohlson is now working on launching a cocktail bar and dance club in the MJ’s space called Citrus (instagram). In his liquor license application to the City Council Ohlson shared,

Citrus is a breath of fresh air away from the dive bars, brew pubs and dark prohibition cocktail bars. Citrus will serve fresh, familiar drinks, in fair portion sizes in an open air environment. Then, starting at 9pm we will offer DJ entertainment for dancing until 1am all the while offering the same menu and items.