Trent Pheifer author of the blog Store Bought Is Fine has published a dining guide with his 30 favorite restaurants in Portland.
With a population of 68,000, Portland punches well above its weight when it comes to its food scene and the options are constantly expanding. If you’re leaving Portland unsatisfied in the food department, I think you did something wrong. 🙃
Sisters Sophia Normantas and Marie Grasser have leased space at 20 Alfred Street in Biddeford where they plan to open a new bar called Apéro (instagram).
The 40-seat establishment will serve light bites, charcuterie, cocktails, mocktails, and wine. The cocktail list is still under development but is expected to offer a diverse seasonal selection of with all their drinks to be topped off “with a dazzling garnish.”
Renovations are underway with the hope to open Apéro in October. As they shared in an online video they “want it to be moody, sexy, fun” and create a place where customers can “sit with a beautiful cocktail in a gorgeous environment” and enjoy time with friends.
Normantas and Marie Grasser shared that they have always wanted to create a business together. Grasser is also the owner of Charcutemarie (instagram) a business that prepares charcuterie and cheese boards for weddings and events.
Sprudge has published an article about Portland’s Another Round board game cafe as part of the Build Outs series that reports on new business developments.
The Portland Food Map archive provides a chronicle of the past 17 years of the Portland restaurant scene. While a lot of the reporting here is about what’s happening now and coming next, we thought it would be fun to take a look back each month at what the hot topics were from 5, 10 and 15 years ago.
Here’s are highlights from August 2009, 2014 and 2019:
WCYY reports that the Old Port bar Lincolns has opened a new location in Denver.
Lincoln’s Denver officially opened over the weekend. While it’s a new location on new turf, the concept hasn’t changed. The menu remains five bucks. And as with the other two Lincoln’s locations, it’s a speakeasy whose location needs to be found, not told.
The Portland location launched on June 15, 2015.
A new cafe called Second Rodeo Coffee (instagram) is under construction in Ferry Village. Owner Lana Cooney has leased the former Knitting Nook space at 124 Sawyer Street where she hopes to open Second Rodeo this fall.
Cooney shared,
The concept and imagination behind Second Rodeo Coffee comes from my personal experience of finding community in coffee shop environments. There is something special about knowing customers by name and/or order, and having the ability to introduce folks to one another. I find there to be major transformative potential in these interactions! We’ve seen so many of these third spaces disappear for countless reasons over the last few years. I believe they’re the cornerstones of our communities, and I’m excited to be able to foster one in my own community of South Portland.
The counter service cafe will offer a full line-up of brewed coffee and espresso-based drinks prepared with Vivid Coffee and and will also serve a rotating selection of other roasters. Cooney is Canadian and is planning to have some roasters from Montreal in the line up. The menu will include pastries, breakfast sandwiches and lunch sandwiches. The 20-seat cafe will be organized into several casual seating areas decorated with vintage furniture and lighting in different styles. The 1,200 sq ft space will also have a small stage for musical acts or readings.
The name of the cafe is a reference to her own career path which transitioned in 2020 from being a drummer and vocalist with the band Caveboy to working in the hospitality industry. Leading up to launching her own business Cooney has worked at Little Woodfords, Solo Cucina and Ugly Duckling.
Follow the Second Rodeo Coffee instagram account for progress updates. To learn more about other new food and dining businesses under development visit our Under Construction page.
A sports bar called Oddfellahs is under construction at 55 Market Street in the space that was occupied by The Big Easy which closed in 2013. Oddfellahs is being launched by the owners of the Portland Regency Hotel.
Co-owner Michael Cianchette shared in the cover letter submitted with the Oddfellahs liquor license application,
Right now, there are few locations in the downtown area that truly capture the community and camaraderie that come with watching sports. We look forward to creating a space that can build that for the future.
In addition to operating as a sports bar, the owners plan to operate a betting parlor. Also from Cianchette’s cover letter, “We have been closely coordinating with several of Maine’s Wabanaki tribes to find opportunities to help mutually advance the market in a responsible manner that benefits Mainers.”
Wednesday – San Diego cocktail bar Mothership will be at Crown Jewel for a pop-up.
Saturday – The Maine State Cake Decorating Contest is taking place in Paris, Maine.
August 27 – Yardie Ting will be reopening in their new spot on the first floor of the Public Market House.
August 29 – Black Goat in Warren will be holding 4-course dinner in collaboration with Eve’s Cidery.
August 30 – The Messy Cookie is holding the grand opening for their weekly retail bakery. Moving forward they’ll be open Fridays, 9 am – 2 pm.
August 30 – September 1 – The Maine Apple Camp is taking place. Circumstance in Swanville will be holding a 5-course cider dinner with Eve’s Cidery; email info@circumstancemaine.com for a reservation.
September 6-8 – The 4th Annual Mycology Outside mushroom retreat is taking place.
September 8 – The Maine Cheese Festival is taking place in Pittsfield.
September 19 – Mrs. Gee Free Living and Sur Lie are collaborating on a gluten-free dinner.
September 20-22 – The Common Ground Fair will be taking place.
September 28 – The Maine Needham Festival is taking place in Wiscasset.
October 13 – The 16th Annual Open Creamery Day is taking place.
October 23 – Mrs. Gee Free Living and Sur Lie are collaborating on a gluten-free dinner.
October 24-26 – Harvest on the Harbor is taking place.
 Planning a wedding, holding a business event, or hosting visitors from away? Our printed guides are a great resource to help your guests explore the Maine restaurant scene.25-packs of the Portland and Midcoast pocket guides are now available on our online store. |
The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of Mesa Grande Taqueria.
This 50-ish seat, affordable Mexican spot encourages diners to linger, enticing them with margaritas (stick to the rocks version), desserts like fudgy chocolate flan, and a range of savory dishes that are, unexpectedly, both scratch-made and high-quality. Barbacoa, carnitas and grilled chicken are all prepared with skill. Ask the well-trained staff for suggestions, and they’ll guide you, recommending smoky pulled pork and beef in the soft tacos, and the grilled chicken in the quesadilla.
New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:
For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.