Category: Under Construction

Falmouth deli Leavitt & Sons is opening a second location in Bayside, according to a report from the Press Herald, at 200 Kennebec Street.

 

David Levi is working on a new restaurant called Trattoria Fanny in the former Rossobianco space in Bramhall Square. Levi’s plan is for the new restaurant to be “Simpler, more rustic, and more affordable than its last incarnation,” serving food from  Northern Italy with a few Roman classics in the mix. He has hired Roman native Siddharta Rumma as the chef.

The new restaurant is named Levi’s grandmother, Fanny Levi, who was born and raised in Milan and immigrated to New York  City in 1939.

Levi plans to open the restaurant in February, serving lunch weekdays and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, and will eventually add a brunch  service.

Update: Urban Eye has posted some additional info on Trattoria Fanny.

The Bangor Daily News has published a report on the growing number of mobile food operators that have expanded to include a brick and mortar establishment or traded in their truck as they grew into a traditional restaurant.

As more and more of Maine’s food trucks morph into bricks-and-mortar eateries, their owners offer a variety of reasons that shifting from four wheels to four walls suddenly makes sense: The “right space” became available, tight quarters came to feel too stifling, the initial venture was successful enough to bankroll a bigger, more traditional restaurant.

The most recent development was Bite Into Maine’s decision to open a location on in Scarborough. Bite Into Maine will join fellow mobile food vendors Mami, Small Axe/East Ender, Love Kupcakes/Baristas+Bites, Hella Good Tacos, Mainely Burgers, Urban Sugar and CN Shawarma/Baharat in converting to or adding a brick and mortar capacity.

Urban Eye has posted an update on Coffee Me Up, a new coffee  shop and cafe under construction at 221 Cumberland Ave.

It’s not an art show, but the images streaming from Coffee ME Up pack a graphic punch. When Portland’s newest coffee shop opens Jan. 29 on Cumberland Avenue, unicorns, bears and kittens will magically appear in your lattes.

The Press Herald reports that Island Creek Oysters has leased space at 123 Washington Ave—in the same building as the new Maine Craft Distilling—where they plan to operate a retail shop and restaurant.

Island Creek Oysters, based in Duxbury, Massachusetts, plans to open a retail shop and restaurant at 123 Washington Ave., just a couple of doors away from Roustabout and Oxbow Brewing, the company announced Monday. The new business is expected to open sometime between April and June.

Bite Into Maine (website, facebook, twitter, instagram) is in the process of converting a brick and mortar space in Scarborough to serve as a commissary kitchen and lobster shack.

The building is located at 185 US Route 1 #2. It will seat approximately 15 as well as serve take-out. The menu is still under development but will larger than that on offer at the original Fort Williams food truck. Owners Sarah and Karl Sutton hope to open the new retail space in time for summer when they also hope to launch a second food truck at Allagash Brewing.

Bite Into Maine will join fellow mobile food vendors Mami, Small Axe/East Ender, Love Kupcakes/Baristas+Bites, Hella Good Tacos, Mainely Burgers, Urban Sugar and CN Shawarma/Baharat in converting to or adding a brick and mortar capacity.

I think this is an indication that the vision for Portland food trucks as incubators of small businesses was a sound one.

A and C Grocery (website, facebook), a “neighborhood one-stop grocery shop” is under construction at 131 Washington Ave.

Open seven days a week, we will offer the amenities of a super market at a scale that fits the neighborhood. Specializing in sustainably produced ingredients, we will provide Munjoy Hill and East Bayside with a welcoming place to find and enjoy prepared foods, hand-crafted bread, fresh produce, groceries, beer, wine, dairy, eggs and specialty food items.

Tipo (facebook, instagram), the new restaurant from the owners of Central Provisions, has announced plans to open January 11th at 4pm.

Mami Food Truck has leased the former Mainely Wraps space at 339 Fore Street where they plan to open a brick and mortar restaurant.

Here it is guys…. We’re going brick and mortar! We want to thank you all for supporting the food truck for the past year and half. We cannot express our gratitude enough for all of the friendships we’ve made, the events we’ve been part of, and the really kick ass times we’ve had!!! The truck will also continue to operate, so you can still find us at all the regular haunts !!

This will be the 6th food truck that converts to/adds-on a brick and mortar business. Small Axe/East Ender, Love Kupcakes/Baristas+Bites, Hella Good Tacos, Mainely Burgers and CN Shawarma/Baharat are the other five.