Vina Ann’s (website, instagram) has leased the gazebo on Commercial Street where they plan to open a takeout cafe business serving sandwiches, salads and sweets with a focus on Maine products and classic Maine desserts like blueberry pie.
Owners Liz Tavares and Hannah Maltby hope to launch Vina Ann’s in the next few weeks and to operate into the fall.
Owner John DiSanto has announced plans to reopen Anjon’s Ristorante, the longtime Italian restaurant located on Route 1 adjacent to the Scarborough marsh.
Well it’s official the cat is out of the bag I am reopening Anjon’s Ristorante, I have missed it so much as much of you already know, and I wanna die there figuritively speaking and pass the legacy on to my family, I am shooting for a June 15th opening date it’s gonna be tough but I think I can pull it off, working with a shoestring budget so I am looking for help with money to paint the building, inside and out, new point of sale system, pave parking lot, pots, pans, dishes and glassware etc. etc.anyone willing to help me will get VIP treatment for reservations and seating plus your money back at the end of the summer, private message me if you can help, buon appetito manjard and just FUHGEDDABOUDIT
Anjon’s had been in business for more than 60 years when it closed in 2019.
Update: The opening has been delayed to mid-August.
A fish and chips shop called Lil Chippy (instagram) is under construction at 52 Washington Ave in the space formerly occupied by Radici (and before that Terlingua).
Owners Ashley Wolf and William Durst hope to open Lil Chippy by the end of June. Fish and chips will be the signature dish at the 30-seat counter service restaurant but Durst and Wolf also plan for a menu that also features seafood-centric small plates, sandwiches and a selection of wine and beer.
Wolf is currently the GM of Liquid Riot and when the couple lived in Vermont she was the GM at Hen of the Woods in Waterbury. Durst also worked at Hen of the Woods, and was the original chef at Bistro Leluco is South Portland when it opened in 2023.
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Cocktail Mary (website, instagram) founder Isaac MacDougal along with Jake Bosma, Brecken Macdougal and Zach Myers and have leased the former Guitar Grave space at 441 Congress Street where they plan to open the Supper Club Cocktail Lounge (instagram) in early fall.
In creating Supper Club Cocktail Lounge we hope to add an anchor of community life in the heart of downtown Portland. Our aim is to become the “third place” for people living in Portland by offering hearty, affordable, locally sourced whole foods coupled with thoughtfully executed, delicious cocktails.
Our wine list will host producers from underrepresented communities making wine with sustainability in mind as well as a comprehensive champagne list for curious palettes and special occasions. Our beer menu will be composed of package and draft domestic and imported beer. Our cocktail menu will cover a wide range, with highballs that capture affordability and mindful ABVs, and martinis of every kind, for celebrations large and small. There will also be a variety of alcohol free options representing each of these categories.
The 2,400 sq ft space will have (see floor plan below) a main dining room with a 10-seat bar and banquette seating along the opposite wall with two large tables for communal seating in the front of the room. A curtain enclosure will enable the left side table to be a semiprivate space. An additional lounge area with its own 6-seat bar will be available for special events, private dinners, and overflow seating on busy nights. Outdoor seating is also part of the plan.
Isaac MacDougal grew up in Portland where his family owned and operated Vaughan Street Variety. He launched Cocktail Mary on November 8, 2019. Prior to returning to Maine he worked in the restaurant industry in NYC including time at Maialino, WD-50 and Diner. Bosma will serve as the beverage director for Supper Club, Brecken MacDougal as its operations manager and Myers as its contractor and facilities manager.
Supper Club is just starting to build out their team. Anyone interested in becoming part of “an organization that fosters community through breaking bread and social engagement” should contact them at info@supperclubcocktaillounge.com.
Even when factoring in for the normal rapid base of developments in the Portland restaurant scene, there’s been a lot going on this spring. If you’re feeling like nearly every day there’s a new opening or news of another new business development, well that’s because that’s not far off from being the case.
To get caught-up and to see the scale of what’s been happening, here’s a summary of recent/upcoming opening:
And here’s a quick list of other business changes in Portland that have emerged in April and May:
The Press Herald reports that a new restaurant called Loco Taco (website, instagram) is under development at 849 Forest Ave. The business is being launched by Ahmed Abbas and Mohammed Abbas from Dina’s Cuisine.
Though the restaurant is small, the menu will be large, Abbas said. In addition to tacos (on a choice of tortilla), it will serve quesadillas, fajitas, nachos and burritos. Filling choices will include classic Mexican tacos and an array of global flavors, such as chicken tikka masala, teriyaki, falafel, Greek gyro tacos, shawarma, cheeseburger and more creative flavors. There is something for vegetarians, too: fried tofu or fried vegetable tacos.
Updated: Photograph and instagram account link added on August 23, 2024.
A new restaurant called Finestkind (instagram) is under construction in Saco. It will be located at 17 Pepperell Square in the building formerly occupied by The New Moon. Finestkind is being launched by Victoria and Tom Barthelmes along with their business partners Chris and Paige Gould.
The 26-seat counter service restaurant will be open for breakfast and lunch. Finestkind will also have outdoor seating and their menu will be available to order online for takeout. The breakfast menu will offer an assortment of egg sandwiches like the Red and Black Lumberjack (egg, house smoked brisket, horseradish sauce sandwiched between two crispy hashbrowns) Options for lunch will include an assortment of sandwiches, soup, and salads plus mac and cheese. The team plans a in-house bakery program—think oatmeal-raisin cookie sandwiches filled with Italian buttercream and caramel crullers. The beverage menu will include beer, wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks with a full coffee program featuring Tandem Coffee Roasters coffee.
The Barthelmes shared that Finestkind is a culmination of their work and life experiences.
It’s going to draw some inspiration from the cafe we fell in love at 12 years ago, the standards and technique we developed cooking in New York, and the meaningful relationships we’ve made in the Maine community since moving here 9 years ago. A meal we ate at Central Provisions was among the reasons we moved to Maine in the first place, so to be able to call Chris and Paige our friends, mentors, and now business partners is particularly special for us.
The Goulds are the owners of Central Provisions and Tipo. Victoria Barthelmes is the GM of Tipo and will continue as the wine director of both restaurants. Tom Barthelmes is kitchen manager at Central and Tipo. The Barthelmes met when attending The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park and worked together at the Apple Pie Bakery Café. In New York City, Victoria worked in the pastry department at Lincoln Ristorante where she produced pastry for the Metropolitan Opera and wedding cakes for the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Tom worked at Lincoln before moving to Per Se where he worked for Thomas Keller.
Renovations are already underway with hopes to launch Finestkind this summer. When it opens, the restaurant will be open Thursday through Monday, 7:30 am – 2 pm.
Liquid Riot has been sold to Michael Fraser. According to a report from Portland Old Port, Fraser plans to rebrand the Old Port brewpub and distillery as Camp Pennant (instagram). Watch for changes to the menu and to the line-up of beer and spirits which will be released under the Pennant Brewing and Distilling brand.
Fraser is the owner or co-owner of Roma, Bramhall, Nosh, Nosh Tacos, CBG and Paper Tiger. Liquid Riot was founded in 2013 by Eric Michaud under the name In’finiti. The name was changed in Liquid Riot in 2015. Michaud was also the founder of Novare Res which launched in 2008.
Stonewall Kitchen (website, facebook, instagram) has leased a 2,327 sq ft space at 215 Commercial Street where they plan to relaunch their Old Port retail shop.
This new larger Stonewall store will enable an wider range of Stonewall products and gifts to be available. The space is under construction and they hope to have the new store stocked and open to the public in mid June.
Stonewall Kitchen had been located on Middle Street across from Bard Coffee for many years. They moved out in early 2022 to make way for the construction going on in the building.
Mary and Will Sissle, the owners of The Cheese Shop on Washington Ave, have shared plans to open a new business called Sissle and Daughters (instagram).
Expect espresso drinks, wine & light fare in the café, and the same great retail offerings you find at The Cheese Shop with the addition of take-and-heat prepared meals made from those same quality ingredients in the market. So stop to see us on your way to work for a cappuccino & a bite, then in the afternoon for a glass of wine, and grab everything you need for a delicious dinner at home while you’re at it.
The all-day cafe, wine bar and market will be located in the former garage at 634 Forest Ave in Woodfords Corner. They hope to open Sissle and Daughters this fall.