Category: Under Construction

Craft/Craft Curbside Under Development

| Posted in Under Construction

A new restaurant called Craft is in the early stage of  development with plans to be located in Windham. In the near term, co-owners Chase Rochon and Dylan Duran Stafford are launching Craft Curbside (instagram) a “hyper locally sourced prepared food and cocktail mixer shop”.

Rochon is  the front of house manager at Liquid Riot where he works with Stafford who is the bar manager. Joining them will be chef Tyler Reinhart who is Johnson & Wales graduate and a Liquid Riot alum.

Craft will be a restaurant with craft cocktails and a catering arm. Rochon is a Certified Cider Professional and plans to work with Maine cider makers on some special house blends.

 

Hi Bar Bakery Food Truck

| Posted in Under Construction

Hi Bar Bakery is in the process of building out and launching a food truck. Hi Bar launched in 2018, and is one of the businesses operating out of Fork Food Lab. They hope to have their food truck out on the road in July.

DSO Creative is working on converting a truck to Hi Bar’s needs. The plans include “[n]ew service windows and awnings going in first followed by new interior paneling, new kitchen layout, counters, hood installation and various other new additions.”

Pizzeria Radici Opening This Summer

| Posted in Under Construction

Randy and Ally Forrester are making progress on renovating the former Terlingua space. If the remaining work goes as plans they’re on track to open Pizzeria Radici (website, instagram) by the end of June.

The word “radici” means root in Italian and indicates the restaurants intent to pair ancestral food traditions with the “sustainability and versatility of Maine’s harvest from the land and sea”. The Forresters hope to open the pizzeria this coming summer.

The Forresters moved to Portland from Allentown, New Jersey where they operated Osteria Radici. Osteria Radici was a James Beard awards semifinalist for Best New Restaurant in 2018, and Randy Forrester was a semifinalist for Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic in 2019.

Arabica Closes Commercial Street

| Posted in Under Construction, Closings

Arabica Coffee has permanently closed their location on Commercial Street. They are relocating their bakery to their Free Street coffee shop which is scheduled to re-open on June 1st.

Arabica is also in the process of leasing a new space for their roastery which will also include a new coffee bar. Additional details on the new location will be released later.

Definitive Brewing Expanding to Kittery

| Posted in Under Construction, Beer

Boston magazine reports that Definitive Brewing is expanding to Kittery.

For Definitive Brewing Company, the past month has been a rollercoaster. The almost-2-year-old brewery has temporarily closed its Portland, Maine taproom, and completely changed its business model to focus on to-go sales and home delivery in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The owners have also continued to oversee buildout of a second Definitive location in Kittery, which cofounder and CEO Michael Rankin expects to open soon after the government allows businesses to reopen.

Haole Ice Launching This Spring

| Posted in Under Construction

A new food cart selling Hawaiian shaved ice will be opening this spring. Haole Ice (instagram, facebook) is the creation of Julie and Don Martin who got inspired to open the cart while on a trip to Hawaii for a wedding. They plan to serve “the traditional pineapple, strawberry, lychee and mango to macha tea, sage and passion fruit, basil, sweet corn, and – in tribute to Maine – blueberry and maple.” according to a report in the Press Herald.

Opening Season Starts Early

| Posted in Under Construction, Openings

It looks like Opening Season may be starting early this year:

  • A new vegan restaurant in Biddeford called  Robin’s Table (website, facebook, instagram) will be opening Monday March 2nd at 7:30 am. Robin’s Table with serve breakfast and lunch  as well as offer cooking classes to “teach the ‘hows and whys’ of vegan transitioning” and provide a meeting space for community events. Owner Robin Adams plans to serve familiar, home style dishes and baked goods that just happen to be vegan.
  • Mr. Tuna (website, instagram) will re-open their sushi bar in the Public Market House on Tuesday March 3rd at 11:30 am. The new Mr. Tuna will feature 16 seats (up from 6) and an expanded menu including sashimi and nigiri flights and a mini-omakase option.
  • Judy Gibson (website, instagram) a new restaurant in South Portland serving a menu of contemporary American cuisine will be opening on Wednesday March 4th at 5 pm.
  • Solo Cucina Market (website, facebook, instagram) is in the final stages of construction and the owners are aiming to open in mid-March. The market is a collaboration between the owners of The Farm Stand in South Portland and Solo Italiano. The market will incorporate up to 10 seats and a small bar featuring bakery and espresso drinks. Solo Cucina will sell prepared food to go in addition to the meats, dairy, wine, beer and produce that The Farm Stand has become known for.
  • Leeward (website, instagram) is aiming to open by mid-March. Leeward is being launched by Jake and Raquel Stevens. The Stevens are planning a 50+ seat restaurant with a full bar and wine program that’s focused on minimal intervention wines. Handmade pasta will be the primary focus of the menu but it will also include vegetable, meat and seafood based entrees. It’s located at 85 Free Street.
  • Via Vecchia (instagram, facebook, website) plans to launch in late March. The restaurant will be located in the former Vignola/Cinque Terre building and will be a “modern take on a European bistro serving small plates Italian food, classic cocktails, and Italian wines” with a focus on the bar and cocktail program. It’s’ being opened by Joshua Miranda who owns Blyth & Burrows.
  • Ramona’s (instagram), the new Philly-inspired breakfast and lunch hoagie shop being launched by Chad Conley and Josh Sobel is aiming to open during the last week of March.
  • Owl & Whale (website, facebook, instagram) has been making good progress on the retail shop they have under construction at 158 Saint John Street and have shared that they plan to open on May 1st.

Many other restaurants, brewers, bakers, coffee shops, etc are still under construction—here’s the full list.

Helm Oyster Bar & Bistro

| Posted in Under Construction

Helm (website, instagram, facebook), the new oyster bar and bistro under construction on first floor of the new WEX building on Thames Street, has applied for a liquor license. Here’s a look at the draft menu and floor plan.

Helm will be holding a pop-up at the West End Tandem on Sunday March 8th. Details and tickets are available on the Helm website.



The floor plan includes an oyster bar and outdoor seating: