Alex Marchesini has leased 111 Middle Street where he plans to open a 20-seat wine bar called Franciska (website, instagram). The space is under renovation and Marchesini hopes to launch the business in early April.

The wine program at Franciska will highlight small producers from Argentina. Marchesini plans to  showcase the diversity of Argentinian wines beyond the Malbec grape varietal that the country is best known for. He shared that his goal is to offer an “innovative selection that surprises and delights [with] a fresh perspective on South American wines.” The wine list will also include some American wines as well as Old World wines from Italy, Spain, and France.

The menu is still under development. It will feature Argentine Bodegón-style cuisine which often includes options like Spanish tortilla made with potatoes and onions, gnocchi, a schnitzel like dish called milanesa, picadas, and desserts like flan and soft cheese with membrilllo.

Franciska is a wine bar dedicated to Argentine Bodegón cuisine, a culinary tradition deeply rooted in Spanish and Italian influences brought by immigrants to Buenos Aires at the turn of the century. In our intimate 20-seat space in Portland’s Old Port, we bring people together over thoughtfully crafted dishes made with New England-sourced ingredients and house-made specialties. Our mission is to create a warm, welcoming space where good food, good wine, and good company come together. 

Marchesini has worked in the industry for many years, initially as a wine professional and then as a restauranteur and hospitality consultant. In Portland, Oregon, he co-founded Arden and Thelonius Wines. In California, he was a partner at Varro in Venice alongside Bill Chait and chef Leo Lanussol, and in Los Angeles he was a partner in the launch of The Hideout. In Maine he’s worked as a consultant at the Camden Harbour Inn, a Relais & Châteaux property in the Midcoast.

111 Middle Street was most recently occupied by Cabana which closed in late 2023. The building has been home to a number of notable establishments like Piccolo, Bresca and, in the 1980s, The Vinyard.

Reservation for Franciska are available on OpenTable.

Taj’s owner and bar manager, Sai Guntaka and Jim Baldi, have leased the former North Point space in the Old Port where they plan to open  Silver Street by Taj (instagram) this spring.

The ~40-seat cocktail bar will serve a range of cocktails as well as wine, and local draft beer including the Sai Lager produced in collaboration with Oxbow Brewing Company. Cody Brann will be head bartender and will developing the beverage menu.

The food menu is still under development but expected to include some popular dishes from the Taj menu like their samosas as well as egg rolls, tacos, and cheese boards.  Desserts such as creme brullee and chocolate mousse will round the menu. Customers looking for the full Taj menu and takeout will find their needs met at the South Portland restaurant.

The 1,000 sq ft space is under renovation and will have a touch of the look from the Taj restaurant design in a more casual overall feel. Guntaka shared that their aim is to create a moderately priced hangout spot for locals and people who work in the Old Port.

Guntaka and Baldi plan to use a portion of the profit from the Silver Street bar to fund Taj’s ongoing efforts to feed people in need.

PhoEver Maine (website, facebook, instagram) has purchased the former Ananaia’s building  on Congress Street. The Huynh family plans to renovate the 4,000 sq ft building and move their Vietnamese restaurant to there from its current space on Larrabee Road in Westbrook. They hope to open the new restaurant by summer.

The Huynhs launched the PhoEver in 2013. The menu includes banh mi sandwiches, appetizers like spring rolls, beef skewers and shrimp toast, rice and noodle dishes, salads and, of course, several versions of pho. Several of the menu items reference names of famous Mainers like a pair of Margaret Chase Smith Soups (wonton soup and crab egg drop soup) or the George Mitchell rice plates. The new location will serve a similar menu along with some additional new items.

The lease, space and equipment for the restaurant in Westbrook is for sale for $125,000. Anyone interested can contact Jen Hunynh at (207) 807-6178 for more information or for a tour of the property.

Anania’s owners Ed and Barbara Anania shared their plans to retire and sell the building late last year. The Anania family had operated markets in Portland since 1963.