Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes a feature article on Bubba’s Sulky Lounge and a review of The Happy Clam in Tenants Harbor.
Two in Barr Hill Competition
Two bartenders from Portland are semifinalists in the Barr Hill Royal Jellies competition: Jack O’Brien the creative director at Blyth & Burrows and Olivia Watts a bartender at Luna.
They’ll be competing this on Sunday with six other bartenders in Montpellier, Vermont. The competition challenges the participants to develop and mix variants of the classic Bees Knees cocktail. Author Robert Simonson, Justin Sajda (aka @ThirstyWhale) and last year’s winner Patty Burns are judging the competition.
Watts’ creation is the Beez Nuts which is made with Barr Hill Gin, Tom Cat Gin, Honey Pistachio Orgeat, Lemon, Dry Curacao. O’Brien’s drink is Everything But The Hive which is made with Barr Hill Gin, Black Garlic Vodka, Toasted Sesame Orgeat, Honey, Lemon.
Tickets for the event are still available.
SBIF Portland Dining Guide
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. 🙃
Apero in Biddeford
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 Goes for Another Round
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.
Looking Back at August 2009, 2014, and 2019
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:
- In 2009 Bon Appétit named Portland the Foodiest Small Town in America.
- The Press Herald reported on restaurant’s use of a new social media platform called Twitter.
- Mainebiz took a look at the claim that Portland has “highest or second highest number of restaurants per capita behind San Francisco.”
- A new Maine law required wine tastings to “be conducted in a manner that precludes the possibility of observation by children.”
- In 2014 word broke that chefs Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier, founders of the former Arrows in Ogunquit, were going to headline a restaurant in the new Press Hotel.
- The Portland Phoenix published a set of reviews of Vena’s Fizz House written by young students taking a food writing workshop put on by The Telling Room.
- Deen Haleem and Carol Mitchell leased the 7,000 sq ft space in the Courtyard by Marriott hotel with plans to open a restaurant called Tiqa.
- Bon Appétit selected Central Provisions and Palace Diner for their 2014 list of the Best New Restaurants in America. Central Provisions would go on to be recognized as #6 on the Top Ten list and Hunt & Alpine was named one of the five Best New Cocktail Bars in America.
- A new local market called Farm Stand opened at 161 Ocean Street in South Portland. It was a collaboration between Farmers Gate butcher shop in Wales and Jordan Farm in Cape Elizabeth. The space would later become Solo Cucina Market which closed in 2023.
- Ten Ten Pie opened for business. It was located in the building on Cumberland Ave that’s now home to Banh Appetit. Atsuko Fujimoto was the chef at Ten Ten Pie.
- O’Maine Studios began construction of a media kitchen at their location on Danforth Street.
- Dobra Tea announced plans to move to Exchange Street from their original location on Middle Street.
- Renovation of the former Down Home Cookin’ space got underway to open the restaurant we know as Dutch’s.
- Zagat included Blue Rooster, Central Provisions, Duckfat, Eventide, Fore Street, Hunt & Alpine, Lolita, Piccolo, Slab, Timber, and Vinland in their list of the Ten Hotest Restaurants in Portland.
- Lindsay Sterling learned how to make Russian Beef Tongue from Yulia Converse and Alla Zagoruyko for the latest article on her website Immigrant Kitchens.
- Uncle Andy’s Diner in South Portland was featured in an episode of Restaurant Impossible. The diner closed in 2020.
- Tandem Bakery opened on Congress Street.
- Father and son team of Katsuaki and Cory Suzuki began construction of Ramen Suzukiya, and Natalie DiBenedetto began development of her West End takeout restaurant that would eventually be known as Figgy’s.
- The inaugural Maine Seaweed Festival took place.
- In 2019, Po’ Boys and Pickles opened a second location on Federal Street in the Old Port, the Cider House opened on Brackett Street, a new food cart called Chula Elotes launched, and the Brighton Ave location of Crooked Mile Cafe opened,
- The Food Coma podcast featured an interview with Andrew Knowlton.
- Word broke that Helm was under development in the WEX building on Thames Street, as did news that Uncharted Tea was going to be located near Longfellow Square.
- Erica Asimov wrote an article for the New York Times about the Maine blueberry wine producer Bluet.
- Conde Nast Traveler published a set of travel guides to Portland.
- The owners of Lolita announced plans to close the Munjoy Hill restaurant in early September, and Colleen Kelley shared plans to close the Silly’s restaurant on September 1st, and Brian Boru closed at the end of August.
Lincolns in Denver
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.
Second Rodeo in Ferry Village
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.
Oddfellahs Sports Bar
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.”
Upcoming Food & Dining Events
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. |