4 Star Review of Paella Seafood

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes a 4 star review of Paella Seafood.

His Valencian-style, traditional paella is smokey (even without chorizo), with patches of crusty soccarat rice on the bottom and precision-cooked proteins (chicken, shrimp, calamari, mussels) that highlight why this deserves to be the restaurant’s eponymous dish. Other standouts include dill-flecked seafood soup; a sandwich of fried pollock nestled into a home-baked roll; and turmeric-tinted, deep-fried whole belly clams served scattered with almost translucent discs of thin-sliced jalapeno peppers. Paella Seafood might be under the radar for the moment, but it won’t be for long.

Today’s paper also includes an article on how distilled spirits prices are set in Maine and on the variety of taco options available in the Portland area.

Restaurant Real Estate: May 2024

Welcome to the May 2024 edition of the Portland Food Map restaurant real estate listings sponsored by The Boulos Company—a commercial real estate brokerage that has helped Maine’s restauranteurs buy and lease restaurant spaces since 1975.

This resource gathers in one convenient place the spaces available in Portland (and a few in the surrounding area) that could be potential sites for restaurants and food producers and retailers to locate their next business. Finding the right spot is one of the crucial early challenges in launching a new business and hopefully this resource will make that step just a little bit easier.

West End/Parkside

867 Congress St – the 3,200 sq ft former church that had been slated to be a new home of Vena’s is for sale for $725,000.

Arts District

553 Congress St – the commercial kitchen in the former Five Fifty Five space (now leased by the Core Cannabis Museum) is available to a co-tenant for $2,000/month (MG).

554 Congress St – 1,621 sq ft former Dunkin’ Donuts space with hood for $2,301/month (NNN).

594 Congress St – the 2,592 sq ft space in the Upper H. H. Hay Building formerly occupied by Starbucks is available for $28/sq ft (MG).

600 Congress St – for lease signs are in the window of the ground floor space at the corner of High and Congress. The Schwartz Building has been under renovation for a decade. For more info call (207) 773-7100.

Bayside/Inner Washington

73 Cove St – a 5,519 sq ft industrial space in East Bayside is listed for $35/sq ft; it’s expected to become available later this year.

52 Hanover St – On the first floor of a new building will be 1,500 – 4,500 sq ft retail space available for $30/sq ft (NNN). One spot in the building has earmarked for a coffee shop.

178 Kennebec St – 2,644 sq ft of space are available in a newly constructed Bayside building for $25/sq ft (NNN).

52 Washington Ave – the 1,020 sq ft space formerly occupied by Radici (and before that by Terlingua) is for lease for $3,500/month (NNN). Text/call (207) 400-0405 to learn more.

55 Washington Ave – this 7,815 sq ft space is in the Nissen Bakery building right in between Cong Tu Bot and Hardshore Distillery. It’s available for $13,715/month (NNN).

Old Port

1 Canal Plaza – 4,284 – 14,412 sq ft of ground floor retail space will be available as part of upcoming renovations; $30/sq ft (NNN).

185 Commercial St – a new building under construction will include 2,334 sq ft of ground floor retail space that will be available in 2024 for $55/sq ft (NNN).

215 Commercial St – 2,327 sq ft of retail space near the corner of Commercial and Dana Streets is available for $65/sq ft (MG).

383 Commercial St – 1,193 – 4,805 square feet of space in a newly constructed building on Commercial Street is available for $28/sq ft (NNN).

201 Federal St – 2 retail spaces will be available in the new 18-story building under construction at the corner of Temple and Federal Streets. The 527 and 2,300 sq ft spaces are listed at $40/sq ft (MG).

420 Fore St – the space formerly occupied by the Old Port Slice Bar is for lease. The 1,100 – 2,600 sq ft space is available for $40/sq ft (MG).

477 Fore St – the 1,134 sq ft space formerly occupied by B + B Bakery is available for $25-30/sq ft (MG).

40 Free St – a 1,511 sq ft space in the new building constructed by JB Brown is available for $27.50/sq ft (NNN).

28 Market St – the 850 sq ft space formerly occupied by Lucky Juju is available for lease for $2,250/month (MG).

46 Market St – the 2,100 sq ft space formerly occupied by Petite Jacqueline is for lease for $42/sq ft (NNN).

55 Market St – this 3,700 sq ft space on Market Street was formerly occupied by the Big Easy. It’s available for $18/sq ft (NNN).

111 Middle St – the 1,622 sq ft former Cabana building is for lease for $3,500/month (NNN).

121 Middle St – a 2,482 sq ft retail spot is available for $45/sq ft (MG).

157 Middle St – 1,091 – 5,155 sq ft of retail space is available for $27.95/sq ft (MG).

184 Middle St – this newly renovated space becomes available in August. It includes 1,169 sq of first floor retail and 808 sq ft of basement storage space all for $75/sq ft (MG).

5 Milk St – this 2,199 sq ft former hair salon is available for $28/sq ft (NNN).

1 Monument Square – 1,500 sq ft of first floor space adjacent to Cera is available for $25/sq ft (MG).

28 Monument Square – with the opening of their new location this year, the Mr. Tuna space in the Public Market House will become available.

25 Pearl St – 1,689 sq ft former Subway space available for $30/sq ft (MG).

66 Pearl St – 5,796 sq ft of space—the former Bull Moose retail shop—is available for $15.75/sq ft (MG).

24 Preble St – the original Arcadia space is available. The 2,835 sq ft storefront near Dutch’s and Slab is listed for $20/sq ft (NNN).

3 Spring St – the space formerly occupied by Stage Cannabis is for lease; 2,000 sq ft for $15.50/sq ft (NNN).

144 State St – 2 retail spaces are available in the former Mercy Hospital building on State Street. The 1,100 and 2,566 sq ft spaces are available for $20-24/sq ft (MG). Chocolate Passions occupies the 3rd commercial space in this new development.

23 Temple St – a 947 sq ft retail space in the Temple Street garage is available for $26/sq ft (MG).

53 Wharf St –a 1,600 sq ft space on the corner of Wharf and Union Streets is available for $30/sq ft (MG).

India Street Area

144 Fore St – the former VA building is near the Portland Foreside development and adjacent to several new office buildings off Thames Street. It has 1,560 – 10,620 sq ft of space available for $22-29/sq ft (NNN).

Outer Forest Ave

503 – 509 Forest Ave – the exterior of this building is slated to be restored to its historic design. It has 4,500 – 9,500 sq ft of space available for $10/sq ft (NNN).

701 Forest Ave – 3,147 – 6,405 sq ft of space in a former Walgreens building is available for $16/sq ft (NNN). The building has its own parking lot.

Deering

164 Veranda St – the 1,000 sq ft former location of Other Side Deli is available for $2,500/month (Gross).

550 Washington Ave – 2,000 – 2,400 sq ft of the former Botto’s bakery is available to lease for $18/sq ft (NNN).

Elsewhere in Portland

Northgate Shopping Center – 2,000 to 3,500 sq ft of space is available.

Westgate Shopping Center – three spaces are for lease 1,400, 3,800 and 5,000 sq ft.

Other Spaces – some vacated restaurant spaces haven’t yet been formerly listed for by the owner. Check the closing announcements for the latest information.

Outside of Portland

Trudy Birds, North Yarmouth – The business, land and both building are for sale for $1,925,000.

358 Main St, Yarmouth – the building that had housed a collection of gluten-free baking businesses is for sale for $499,000.

Ferry Village – The building that’s been home to the Knitting Nook will be available starting on June 15th.

188 Lincoln St, Lewiston – this 2,371 – 5,554 sq ft former fire station has been renovated for use as a retail/restaurant space. It’s listed at $5-14/sq ft (NNN).

Fuzzy Udder Creamery, Whitefield – the business and property are for sale for $595,000.

60 Mile Rd, Wells – an 8,684 sq ft turnkey restaurant in Wells is for sale for $2,450,000.

Glossary

MG – Modified Gross which indicates that the operating expenses (taxes, insurance, maintenance, etc.) for the property are included in the lease rate. The tenant would pay its own utilities, which sometimes includes heat.

NNN – Triple Net which indicates that operating expenses are not included in the lease rate, and the tenant will pay them separately. They are often referred to as CAM (Common Area Maintenance) charges and taxes, which are expressed as $/sf. The tenant is also responsible for utilities.

Gross – Gross indicates all expenses including utilities are included in the lease rate. The tenant would be responsible for phone and internet access, as well as interior janitorial.

Model T Coffee Now Open

The Model T Coffee Company (facebookinstagram) opened for business today. They’re located at 620 Congress Street in the former Coffee by Design space opposite the State Theater. They’ll be open daily 6 am – 3 pm.

Matthew and Stephanie Morgan and their family will be serving Coffee by Design coffee, donuts from Tony’s Donuts as well as baked goods from some other local producers. The Morgans also operate the Bru-Thru Coffee Shack (facebookinstagram), a drive through coffee shop in Cumberland.

Sissle and Daughters

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.

Top 10: Maine Day Ventures

Maine Day Ventures has been named to their list of the 10 Best Food Tours in America by USA Today.

Explore traditional seafood standards and gourmet bites along with craft breweries and artisanal distillers on this collection of tours with Maine Day Ventures. “Savor & Saunter Portland’s East End” is a tour featuring kale handrolls, kombucha, and more, or go traditional and learn about lobsters on an “Old Port Seafood Lovers'” tour. One of their several options is sure to get you salivating, including the “Doggy & Me” tour for you and your pups.

Interview with Danielle Camarata

Mainebiz has published an interview with Danielle Camarata, an owner of B + B Bakery. The business recently moved to Cape Elizabeth from Fore Street in Portland.

MB: Why Cape Elizabeth?
DC: Our Portland location was good for visibility, but we didn’t have great parking for pick-ups and looked around at what our options were for moving. We knew our lease was coming up there, so we opted for Cape Elizabeth for the convenience. It’s still close enough to Portland, and there’s great parking and it’s convenient for employees. We live in Cape Elizabeth, too.

Magissa Opening in May

Magissa (instagram), the new Greek restaurant under construction in East Bayside, is making good progress towards an opening day. Owners Nancy Klosteridis and Emily Otero have completed a renovation of the former Baharat/Full Turn space at the corner of Anderson and Fox Streets and hope to open by the end of May.

Magissa will initially be open 11 am – 10 pm, Thursday through Monday serving a menu (see below) of contemporary renditions of traditional Greek dishes with mezze, small plates, entrees and flexible gyro and salad options. Across the board the menu taps into the Klosteridis’ family recipes and taste memories as a guide. The bar program will include Greek-inspired cocktails, draft wines by the glass/carafe,  a bottle list and draft beer.

The layout of Magissa is similar to Baharat with a central bar, dining room to the right. The bar itself has been moved further back freeing up room in the front of the restaurant, and a banquet seating area (see above) has been built into the back of the dining area. The kitchen has been expanded and reorganized for a more efficient workflow.

Follow the Magissa instagram account to stay up to date on the restaurant and their opening plans.

3 Good Food Award Winners from Maine

The Good Food Foundation announced the winners of their 2024 awards program last night. Of the 8 finalists from Maine, three were named as award winners:

  • Coffee by Design for their Costa Rica Danilo Salazar Finca San Cristobal Natural coffee
  • Maine Beer Co. for their Woods & Waters beer
  • Speckled Ax for two of their coffees – Costa Rica La Guaca Natural and Guatemala La Bonita

You can see the full list of award winners on the Good Food Foundation website.

Thames Landing

Mark and Renae Roy have leased the former Helm space on Thames Street where they plan to open a new restaurant called Thames Landing. They shared part of their vision for the restaurant,

Thames Landing brings you solidly good food in an airy and beautiful modern atmosphere. The restaurant will offer classic New England fare—satisfying portions centered around seafood, local meat, and seasonal vegetables—served with contemporary flair and warm hospitality. We aim to be your new go-to, for after work drinks with a co-worker, a meltdown-free lunch with the kids, a spontaneous date night, or a leisurely weekend brunch with friends.

Their plans included an expanded outdoor seating area and they hope to have the restaurant open this summer.

The Roys are the owners of Navis Cafe which they opened on August 14, 2020. Helm launched in early 2021 and went out of business just last month.