Newly Opened: Sushi & Mobile Coffee

| Posted in Openings

Another two food businesses have launched:

Tokyo Sushi Ramen (website, instagram) opened on Monday. They’re located in the former BRGR Bar space at 11 Brown Street. The menu includes an extensive list of offerings including sushi, ramen, pad thai, tempura, teriyaki, poke bowls and more.

A new mobile coffee cart called La Mega (instagram) launched last week. Owner Joe Radano is serving a menu of coffee and espresso based drinks as well as baked goods from Standard Baking. You can find La Mega Friday on Spring Street, in Deering Oaks on Saturday, and in Congress Square Park on Sunday.

Restaurant Revitalization Fund

| Posted in General News

Today’s Press Herald includes an article about the challenges facing restaurants and an effort to refund the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

At first glance, Maine’s restaurant industry is healthy – a strong tourism season has led to packed patios and dining rooms, long lines for takeout and crowded beer gardens.

But just under the surface, industry insiders worry that a resurgent pandemic fueled by the delta variant, crippling staffing shortages and soaring business costs will hobble a fragile recovery. Lobbyists and restaurant owners are pushing Congress to pump more money into a relief fund that ran dry this summer after grants were awarded to just one-third of applicants nationwide.

Vogue Portland Travel Guide

| Posted in Reviews

Vogue has published a guide to Where to Stay, Eat and Play in Portland.

Portland is Maine’s most populous city, perched on a coastline of pure beauty. Whether you’re looking to enjoy the last moments of summer on the beach or simply eager to explore a new seaside scene, Portland provides the best of both worlds. Sandy coves on the rocky shorelines offer secret summer escapes without the crowds, while downtown, the streets are lined with alfresco dining and beer gardens.

The article highlights High Roller, Scales, The Honey Paw, Little Woodfords, Blyth & Burrows, Via Vecchia, Terlingua, Maine Beer Company, Oxbow, the Eastern Prom and the Thompson’s Point.

Restaurant Real Estate: September 2021

| Posted in Real Estate

Welcome to the September 2021 edition of the Portland Food Map restaurant real estate listings sponsored by The Boulos Company. This monthly column gathers in one convenient place the spaces available in Portland that could be potential sites for restaurants and food producers/retailers to locate their next business.

Even in these tough times for the hospitality industry some people are pursuing their dreams and opening new food businesses. Finding the right spot is one of the crucial early challenges in launching a new business and hopefully this new resource will make that step just a little bit easier.

West End

722 Congress St – the building that’s home to Yordprom Coffee and the now closed Figgy’s is for sale for $650,000.

101 York St – a 15,000 sq ft sub-dividable space in the new building on the corner of York and High Street is available for $15-20/sq ft (NNN). The space already has a hood vent and grease traps installed.

Arts District

555 Congress St – the former Five Fifty-Five building is for sale for $2,400,000.

44 Oak St – 4,347 sq ft on first and basement floors for $30/sq ft (MG).

Bayside

170 Anderson St – 2,000 – 3,500 sq ft in East Bayside available for $15/sq ft (NNN).

15 Chestnut St – the 14,000 sq ft building that was the former home of Grace is for sale for $3,730,000.

360 Cumberland Ave – two spaces (900 sq ft on Cumberland Ave and a 1,000 sq ft space in a building set back from the street) are available for $24-25/sq ft (NNN).

31 Diamond St – this 2,800 – 22,034 sq ft industrial space in East Bayside is available for $16/sq ft (NNN).

25 Portland St – 2 spaces in the Flat Iron Block (600 and 725 sq ft) are available for $1,300 and $1,500/month respectively.

34 Portland St – the 4,256 sq ft building that was formerly occupied by Candy’s is available for $3,500/month.

Old Port

1 Commercial St – the original location of Benkay at the corner of Commercial and India Streets is available. The 2,494 sq ft is for lease at $35/sq ft (NNN).

30 Danforth St – 3 units (1,800, 1,881, 2,900 sq ft) are for lease at $2,475 – $3,950/month (MG).

88 Danforth St – a 1,231 sq ft free standing building on Danforth Street is for sale for $320,000.

18 Exchange St – 1,800 sq ft of retail space for lease at $6,950/month (MG).

446 Fore St – 1,600 – 3,400 sq ft in the former Pearl space with entrances on Wharf and Fore Streets is available for $30-40/sq ft (MG).

505 Fore St – The 2,996 sq ft former Pizzarino space is available for $24/sq ft (NNN).

40 Free St – A new building is under construction on Free Street by JB Brown. The first floor will have 4/5 storefronts ranging in size from 1,358 to 3,067 sq ft. The construction is expected to be completed in 2021. The rate is $30/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 $24/sq ft (NNN).

111 Middle St – this 1,600 sq ft space has a storied past as the former location of Piccolo and before that Bresca. It’s available for $3,500/month (NNN), the building is also for sale.

1 Monument Square – 1,500 sq ft of first floor space for $3,125/month (MG).

28 Monument Square – the former Coco Cones space in the Public Market House is for lease. Contact the Market manager at (207) 939-0980 for information.

1 Pleasant St – 850 sq ft of space adjacent to Hi Bombay for $4,000/month (NNN).

2 Portland Square – the turnkey former Walter’s is on the market. 3,219 sq ft for $28/sq ft (MG).

3 Portland Square – This new building will include 2,500 – 20,000 square feet of retail space for$28.50/sq ft.

3 Spring St – the 2,554 – 3,500 sq ft former Lio space is available at $19/sq ft (NNN).

41 Wharf St – the former Jager space is available; 1,107 sq ft for $43/sq ft (MG).

42 Wharf St – this 3,770 sq ft space in the Old Port includes a 2,000 sq ft patio, $45/sq ft (MG).

India/Washington Ave

47 India St – the former Lois’ Market; 1,000 – 3,300 sq ft for $3,000 – $8,200/month (NNN).

100 Fore St – 3,184 sq ft are available in the new WEX building for $27 – 30/sq ft (NNN).

22 Hancock St – 978 sq ft for $2,300/month (MG).

Forest Ave

333 Forest Ave – a 2,468 retail space is available for $16/sq ft (MG).

701 Forest Ave – this former Rite Aid building is being converted and has 4 retail spaces available for $20-25/sq ft (NNN).

1190 Forest Ave – located right in the center of Morrill’s Corner. 3,000 – 5,082 sq ft at $12 – 20/sq ft (NNN).

1569 Forest Ave – a 1,400 sq ft “soon to be completed restaurant/retail building” is available on outer Forest Ave.

Other

865 Brighton Ave – a 1,232 sq ft former gas station/quick market is for sale for $400,000.

1041 Brighton Ave – 1,500 -7,000 sq ft of space available in the strip mall that’s the longtime location of Panda Garden. The space is available for $10-13/sq ft (NNN).

441 Congress St – The 2,400 sq ft former home of Guitar Grave across the street from 1 Monument Square is available for $20/sq ft.

155 Riverside St – the Season’s Bar & Grille and Banquet Center is for lease. The 23,750 sq ft facility includes parking and all furniture, fixtures and equipment.

240 Saint John St – 1,600 – 10,000 sq ft in Union Station Plaza for $12-14/sq ft (NNN)

Westgate Shopping Center – two spaces are for lease at $17-37/sq ft (NNN).

158 Pickett St, South Portland – the former home of 158 Pickett Street Cafe is for lease. Call (207) 615-2858 for more information.

23 Lincoln St, Biddeford – a 12,600 sq ft space divided equally on two floors, each floor has a kitchen with hoods is available for $11/sq ft (NNN). Contact Tony Delois for more information at anthony@uncommongroups.com.

Gather, Yarmouth – Owner Matthew Chappell has put his Yarmouth restaurant, Gather, up for sale.

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

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.

The Fizz: Sean Turley on Apples and Cider

| Posted in General News

For this week’s edition of The Fizz Margot Mazur has an extensive conversation with Sean Turley about Maine’s history of apple agriculture, its budding cider industry and the challenges/opportunities for the industry as it moves forward.

Cider is a local product that reflects a place. You can get into a conversation around terroir and other parts of it that are really interesting, but you don’t get those conversations if everyone’s just taking dessert fruit and putting it in cans and selling it like a cool, goofy, mango habanero or something. Then people think oh “cider is only this thing you buy in cans and crush”. Cider can be a really interesting and conversation driving thing to drink. That’s what I’d like to see.

Dylan Webber, 31

| Posted in People

Dylan Webber, the co-founder of Definitive Brewing, has passed away at the age of 31.

We are deeply saddened to share the news that our co-founder, creative mastermind, and friend Dylan Webber has passed away suddenly. We join his girlfriend Laura, his mother Katie, father Chuck, and the rest of his family in mourning his loss, and celebrating his remarkable life.

See today’s article in the Press Herald for additional reporting.

2nd Annual Backyard Cider Project

| Posted in Events

Anoche (website, instagram) has announced plans for the 2nd Annual Backyard Cider Project. This exciting community-oriented initiative will be gathering apple donations from the public, and work with Après Cider House (website, facebook, instagram) in East Bayside to press, ferment and bottle a “unique cider that showcases the terroir of Maine”.

All across our state, apple trees abound on public and private property, and a large portion of these apples go to waste. With the apple harvest being upon us, we are asking any and all who have access to apple trees to bring us your fruit! SO, bring whatever you can:

Blemished apples, small apples, crabapples, you name it! Because cider apples don’t typically taste good to eat—the more bitter and sour, the better! You can drop your apples off at Anoche any day of the week from 4pm to 9pm, or at Après Thursday through Sunday from noon to 8pm.

If you bring a bushel or more (40+ pounds) you’ll qualify for our raffle. The winner will receive an apple tree from a local nursery so that we can keep the tradition going for years to come!

Drop-off Schedule: Apples for the Project can be dropped off at Anoche 4 pm – 9 pm daily, or at Après noon – 8 pm (Thursday through Sunday).

As in 2020, Anoche will be noting down the harvest locations of the apples so when the cider is released we can see the unique geographic fingerprint of where the fruit came from. The 2020 Backyard Cider Project cider is expected to be released later this year.

Maine Heirloom Apple Guide

| Posted in Farming

September has arrived and with it the leading edge of the Maine apple season. Take a look at the updated Maine Heirloom Apple Guide for detailed information on where and when to find dozens of heirloom apple varieties grown at fourteen outstanding Maine orchards.

The guide is a coproduction of Portland Food Map and The Righteous Russet (instagram). We hope this provides you with all the information you need to go out for a self-directed exploration of Maine orchards and the many heirloom apples they offer. Use it throughout the fall to go exploring so you can take advantage of the entire season.

Ben St. Jeanne

| Posted in People

The Portland Phoenix has published an article about chef Ben St. Jeanne and his business the Big Bad Food Truck.

Five years ago, owner and chef Ben St. Jeanne woke up in a hospital bed to doctors telling him he would never work in a kitchen again. St. Jeanne and his girlfriend, Molly, who is now his wife, had been in a head-on motorcycle accident while on vacation in Canada.

Before the accident, St. Jeanne’s star was rising in the seacoast New Hampshire food scene. He had recently been hired as executive chef of the now-closed Mambo in Portsmouth.