Today’s Press Herald reports on the growing number of restaurants that have opened or are in development along Forest Ave.
But there’s also a new hunger in off-peninsula neighborhoods for quality food served at family-friendly restaurants that are within walking distance – especially as these neighborhoods transition to homeowners of a younger generation. Millennials love to dine out, and expect more from the restaurants they frequent than their parents may have.
A new food cart called Mr. Tuna (instagram, facebook) is under development. Owner Jordan Rubin plans on serving a menu of sushi burritos, hand rolls and bowls wish vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Rubin has worked at Uni Sashimi Bar in Boston and Solo Italiano in Portland.
He hopes to finish final inspections soon and be out on Commercial Street next week.
A new coffee shop has leased 1,400 sq ft on Wharf Street. Higher Grounds Cafe will be located at 51 Wharf Street and be taking over a portion of the space formally occupied by 51 Wharf.
In conjunction with Fore Street Partners, NAI The Dunham Group is reaching out to the market in search of restaurants, arts or retail users to fill the remaining space and complete the goal of transforming this block of Wharf St. The owner is flexible and welcomes creative ideas to help turn this area into a destination for food, coffee, retail and pubs. The remaining 3,500 s/f is available for lease. It can be subdivided into two smaller spaces and features a fully built-out kitchen for food users.
A new coffee shop called Little Woodfords (website, instagram, twitter, facebook) is under construction in Woodfords Corner at 643 Forest Ave in the IOOF Building.
The 1,000 sq ft LW is self described as “a tiny shop serving up coffee, snacks and community”.
Owners Andrew Zarro and TJ Quinn live in the neighborhood. They signed the lease for the space just a few days ago and hope to make quick work of the renovations to open by the end of August.
Zarro and Quinn have been in touch with a number of roasters and are narrowing down for a final selection. The finalists are coffee roasters that aren’t currently served in Portland and so would bring something new to the broader coffee loving community of Portland.
An outpost of the Terra Cotta Pasta Co. is under construction in North Deering at 64 Auburn St.
Terra Cotta was founded in New Hampshire and opened their first store in the Portland area several years ago in South Portland. This will be their first store in the City of Portland.
Here’s a look around Chaval (website, instagram, twitter, facebook), the new restaurant under development in the former Caiola’s space in the West End.
Owners Ilma Lopez and Damian Sansonetti are getting Chaval ready for their opening day. Chaval is scheduled to open to the public sometime in the next week or two.
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Here’s a look inside the construction site for Rose Foods (website, facebook, instagram), a bagel shop and delicatessen project by chef Chad Conley, co-owner of Palace Diner. Conley’s vision for Rose Foods is as a,
counter-service bagel shop, neighborhood cafe, and retail store, featuring food from New York Jewish cuisine. Smoked seafood and other specialty products will be featured for retail sale and on bagel sandwiches, alongside deli classics like sour pickles, pastrami sandwiches, matzo ball soup and a variety of salads.
The shop is named after Conley’s wife’s (Rachel Schlein) great-grandmother. It’s located at 428 Forest Ave in the former Brea Lu Cafe building, and is on track to open in August.
Portland-based interior designer Brett Johnson from Maine Street Design Co. is working on a prominent new restaurant in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood called Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar. Johnson has designed interiors for several Maine restaurants including Fore Street, the White Barn Inn, The Edge and Stripers.
Johnson’s work in Chicago is an example of a trend of Maine hospitality and design expertise being exported beyond the state’s borders. Branding and design firm Might & Main worked with chef/owner Michael Scelfo on the launch of his new restaurant Waypoint, both in Boston. Eventide is expanding into the Boston market this year, Boda opened a second location in Portsmouth last year, and the Brewers Guild built and delivered the Maine Beer Box to Iceland.
Maine agricultural and fishery products (lobster to China, native blueberries, glass eels and urchins to Japan) have been widely sought after for some time. It’s nice to see homegrown talent and concepts following their foot steps to have impact in the wider food world as well.
Cong Tu Bot (facebook, tumblr, instagram, twitter) is gearing up in time to participate the Inner Washington Block Party. They’ll be serving “cà phê sữa đá and a tiny-we’re-not-sure-if-we’re-ready-but-hey-let’s-ride-menu of snacks“. The initial snack menu will not include Phô.
They’ll open with a full(er) menu and regular schedule of hours at a too be determined later date.
