2023 Pocket Guide Now Available

| Posted in Openings

The 2023 Portland Food Map Pocket Guide is now available. This handy paper reference highlights a wide selection of the restaurants, bakeries, breweries, coffee shops, cocktail bars, and cafes that make eating and drinking in Portland so compelling. This year it includes an expanded selection of Maine restaurants as well.
The Pocket Guide is a snapshot in time of the food community. Check back here for the latest information and updates on openings as well as the full list of independent eateries in the city…and check with restaurant websites for the latest on days and hours of operation.
Many thanks to the Pocket Guide sponsors. Their support plays an essential role in making the guide available: Evergreen Credit Union, The Press Hotel, the Canopy by Hilton Waterfront hotel, The Boulos Company, Wine Wise and Vertical Harvest.
While supplies last you can pick-up a free copy of the guide at these local businesses: Portland Trading Company, Rose Foods, Tandem Coffee, Onggi and Oxbow Brewing Company on Washington Ave, the Portland Yoga Collective, the Ugly Duckling, Bresca and the Honey Bee in New Gloucester, Rabelais in Biddeford, Table Bar in Gardiner, and The Alna Store in Alna. Unfortunately, we don’t have the capacity to mail copies of the pocket guide.
The pocket guide wouldn’t be as good as it is, in fact it wouldn’t exist at all, without the skills and contributions of Dawn Hagin from Rare Bird Strategic and graphic designer Sofija Razgaitis. Congratulate them on their work the next time you see them in town.

New CEO of Rosemont Market

| Posted in People

Rosemont Market has announced the hire of a new CEO. Mark Law is taking on leadership of the the market and bakery from the longtime co-owner and CEO John Naylor.

“Mark shares my core values in operating a business that cares about people,” said Rosemont co-owner John Naylor, “As well as my passion for food and our mission to encourage people to eat the best quality food, and whenever possible from where they live. This past year, Mark has served as a consultant to our business, giving me full confidence that with Mark at the helm of Rosemont, we will strengthen our commitment to the community, our customers, and our food producing partners.”

Mark Law (linkedin) was the COO of New Seasons Market in Portland, Oregon for six years, and worked in a variety of leadership roles at Whole Foods in Boston and Boulder for twelve years prior to that.

Naylor will remain involved as the president of the company and chair of the board of directors while stepping back from overseeing day-to-day operations at Rosemont. Naylor will be redirecting his energies to working with local non-profits such as Farms for Food Equity and Fork Food Lab.

Rosemont has seven locations. The first market and bakery opened on Brighton Ave in the Rosemont neighborhood in 2005 by co-owners Scott Anderson and John Naylor.

Little Pig on Walker Street

| Posted in Under Construction

A new restaurant called Little Pig (website, instagram) has moved into the former Figgy’s location in the West End.

Owners Michael and Piyathida Macdonnell will be serving a menu of what they’re calling “Thai-ish” cuisine—dishes that bring together elements of their Maine and Thai backgrounds.

We hope to bring a little bit of our family’s dinner table to yours with our first take away location. In our blended family of South East Asian and East Coast folks, we try to bring a lot of fun and a lot of flavor.

Food on the streets have been some of our favorites. If we can achieve just a little bit of that far-east feeling here in Portland, our hearts will be full.

We plan on offering some familiar classics and some new ideas. Our goals are to always be approachable and always be full flavored.

While they’re still working on a full menu and launch, the Macdonnell’s will be holding Little Pig pop-up (see menu below) this coming Saturday through Monday, 2 pm – 6 pm. Little Pig is located at 722B Congress Street on the back side of the Yordprom Coffee building.

To get caught up on all the new restaurants under development visit our Under Construction List.

Upcoming Events

| Posted in Events

All Week – Portland Wine Week launches today and runs through Sunday. Visit the PWW website to get details on the 56 events and weeklong offerings taking place.

Thursday – The Forsythia Tea Project and baker Kassandra Martinez are holding a tea and cake pop-up at Belleville – preorder available.

Friday – Empanada Club is teaching an empanada making class at Fork Food Lab.

Saturday – the annual Ales for Tails event is taking place at the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse in South Portland.

Saturday-Monday – Little Pig is holding a pop-up.

June 19 – Crispy Gai and 11 bakers are collaborating on a Juneteenth bake sale benefiting the Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition – preorder online.

June 19-25 – four restaurants and bars are holding a hot dog crawl and related events called Wurst Week Ever.

June 22-24 – The Holy Trinity Church is holding their annual Greek Festival.

June 24 – Lauren Radel will be the guest chef at a 5-course Peruvian dinner at Nina June in Rockport.

July 6 – Author and cooking teacher Viola Buitoni will be the guest chef at a 5-course Italisn dinner at Nina June in Rockport.

July 15 – Cook, author, and immigrant rights activist Louisa Shafia will be the guest chef for a Persian dinner at Nina June in Rockport. Shafia will also be teaching a pair of cooking classes at Nina July on July 9th and 10th.

July 23 – Maine Open Farm Day is taking place, and Maine Bakers for a Cause are holding an event at Ugly Duckling.

August 23 – An Outstanding in the Field dinner is taking place at Dandelion Spring Farm with guest chef Neil Zabriskie from Regards.

September 10 – Maine Cheese Festival.

September 24 – The Saltyard is holding a cocktail brunch at Wolfe’s Neck Center in Freeport.

September 30 – Tender Table is holding their 3rd annual food and art fair in Congress Square Park.

October 8 – Maine Open Creamery Day is taking place.

November 5 – Chaval is holding a late harvest dinner at Wolfe’s Neck Center in Freeport.

Review of Lenora

| Posted in Reviews

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes a review of Lenora, and

Chef Rian Wyllie’s Mexican-street-food-inspired menu features the dishes you’d expect, served on cute, funky melamine dishes you might not. Baja fish tacos, housemade tortilla chips to dunk in green-apple-and-tomatillo salsa cruda or guacamole, and a Oaxacan twist on a Nashville hot chicken sandwich are all standouts, as are cocktails like the grapefruity Luna Rosa.

a a round-up of vegan/vegetarian food news from around Maine.

With summer in the air, seasonal spots selling plant-based eats are open. At the same time, Maine entrepreneurs are adding vegan products and expanding vegan menus. Here’s the latest vegan and vegetarian news from Maine.

Fire on Exchange Street

| Posted in General News

The Press Herald reports there was a fire Friday night at on Exchange Street. The damage seems to have been limited to The Grill Room. A statement from the restaurant on imstagram reads,

We regret to inform our customers that our restaurant is closed until further notice due to a fire incident. Our priority is always the safety of our customers and staff, and we are currently assessing the damage and working with the authorities to investigate the cause of the fire. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding during this difficult time. We will update you as soon as possible on when we will be able to reopen and serve you again.
Thank you for your support.

South Freeport Village Market

| Posted in Openings

Big Tree Hospitality is opening the new South Freeport Village Market (website, instagram) this weekend. The building is owned and recently renovated by Mary Beth and Chris Lorenz, and is located a few blocks away from the Freeport Town Wharf and Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster.

The South Freeport Village market has been a staple in the community since the 1950’s and we are excited to be a part of this revitalization project. The market will have a café and a bean to cup coffee program featuring Rwanda Bean. Offerings will include pastries and breads from Little Spruce Baking Co. The Market will focus on breakfast and lunch as well as, local produce, beer and wine, fresh flowers and sundries.

The market will be open daily 7 am – 8 pm.

Big Tree Hospitality bought Hugo’s from Rob Evans and Nancy Pugh and launched Eventide Oyster Company in 2012, they opened The Honey Paw in 2015, and then Eventide Fenway in 2017. In addition to the South Freeport Village Market they also operate the Higgins Beach Market in Scarborough and the Town Landing Market in Falmouth.

Portland Beer Hub to Reopen

| Posted in Under Construction

Zachary Poole, Joey Joseph and David Phillips have bought the Portland Beer Hub (website, instagram) and plan to reopen the business early this summer. The new Beer Hub will retail packaged beer, wine and prepared foods. Customers will also be able to enjoy a menu of drinks and snacks at the Beer Hub. The 10-tap draft system will serve beer, wine, cider and seltzer, and they plan to also serve a limited range of bottled wine.

Poole and Phillips are the co-owners of the Maine Brew Bus. The Portland Beer Hub is located at the corner of Pearl and Fore Streets in Boothby Square.

A Maturing Beer Industry

| Posted in Beer

This week’s Tap Lines article in the Press Herald provides an overview of the developments in brewery industry in Maine.

Bart Watson, the chief economist for the Brewers Association, projects brewery openings and closings to become “more balanced” in the coming years. Writing in The New Brewer, Watson says this is “not a sign of a collapsing market or bubble bursting, but the realization of a longer trend toward a more mature market.”