Category: Under Construction

Fire & Co (website, facebook, instagram) has leased the former Taco Trio space a 1706 Forest Ave where they plan to open Noble Barbecue.

The 25-seat barbecue shop will serve smoked meats, sandwiches and will have an 8 tap draft list featuring local beers. Their menu will be available either at the shop or for take-out.

Owners Richard and Ryan Carey hope to open Noble Barbecue in early June.

Fire & Company will join fellow mobile food vendors Bite Into Maine, 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.

Amato’s is proposing to expand their shop on India Street. A 1,400 square foot “dining room and bar” which will include a “display about the origin’s and history of Amato’s” is planned to replace the outdoor seating area on the corner of Newbury Street.

Boda has a food truck under development. The truck is expected to launch in late spring serving up Boda’s signature approach to Thai cuisine on the streets of Portland—bringing their “street vendor inspired tapas + skewer bar” back full circuit out onto the road. The Boda truck will also be available for catering and special events.

Urban Eye has published an update on BRGR Bar, the New Hampshire casual restaurant that’s scheduled to open their second location Monday in Portland.

Just when you thought Portland’s dining scene had no holes left to fill, along comes BRGR Bar. Opening Monday in the former Margaritas space on Brown Street, this sleek, art-filled burger bar is a modern Golden Arches for urbanites.

“Famous Chef and colorful character” Jonny St. Laurent has announced plans to reopen Uncle Billy’s Bar-B-Que (facebook, twitter). Details on timing and location are still TBD.

Saint Laurent last operated a restaurant in Portland called Uncle Billy’s Resto-bar at 653 Congress Street in the space currently occupied by Kushiya Benkay. Uncle Billy’s closed in 2007. He also had run restaurants in South Portland, Portland and Yarmouth in the past.

For more background on Saint Laurent and the history of his restaurants see this 2015 article in the Press Herald.

Saint Laurent is the co-author of the book Uncle Billy’s Downeast Barbeque Book.

Joe’s Super Variety, aka Joe’s Smoke Shop, is planning to open in their new building this April.

Cara Stadler has announced the hire of two key personnel to the staff at Lio (instagram, facebook), the new wine-focused restaurant she has under development on Spring Street.

• Ian Driscoll – has been hired as Stadler’s Co-Chef. Driscoll has worked at Duckfat, Hugo’s and Eventide and helped open Central Provisions where he eventually held the position of Chef de Cuisine.
• Patrick McDonald – has been hired as the Bar Director at Lio. He’s worked at a number of Portland venues including Gingko Blue and Central Provisions where he was the Bar Manager.

The Press Herald has published an update on the new restaurant slated to replace Joe’s Boathouse in South Portland,

Laura Argitis, owner of the Old Port Sea Grill, said the dockside, two-level 43North is named after the location’s latitude. The chef will be Stephanie Brown, who is now executive chef at the Woodlands Club in Falmouth. Brown previously owned Sea Grass Bistro, a small restaurant in Yarmouth that is now closed.

The owners of 43North hope to open in early summer.

Restauranteur Tom Barr has submitted a liquor license application for Lazzari, a new Italian restaurant he has under development at 618 Congress Street, the former location of Mesa Verde. The space has been completely renovated and the kitchen now includes a wood-fired pizza oven.

Barr has submitted a draft menu (pages 156-157) with the application. Here’s a section of it:

Cheevitdee has submitted a liquor license application to the City Council. Cheevitdee is a Thai restaurant and is under construction at 363 Fore Street at the corner of Fore and Market Streets.

The materials submitted by owners Nuttaya Suriyayanyong and Darit Chandpen include a draft menu: