Cafe Louis to Close

Cafe Louis (websitefacebookinstagram) has announced plans to close their South Portland restaurant. Their last day in business will be February 2nd. In a post on instagram the owners shared,

We are nearing the end of our lease on Ocean St and have decided to take the opportunity to move on and realign our focus to recalibrate our home and personal lives. While this is a bittersweet post, the decision was incredibly difficult. We’ve shared amazing meals, drinks, memories and friendships in this tiny little room and truly believe we achieved far more than we ever set out to, and some…We are truly grateful for everyone who played a role in making this place what it is and have been honored to exist in this amazing Portland food scene.

When reached for comment chef/owner Evan Richardson expanded on the statement to say he’s making the change to spend more time with his two children.

Cafe Louis opened in July 2021. Richardson had previously operated Eaux on Exchange Street which grew from a food cart he launched in 2017. A second Cafe Louis restaurant named Costa Media (website, instagram) launched in Camden in late 2023 and will remain in business.

Radial Coffee Now Open

Radial Coffee Company (website, instagram) opened for business this morning. Radial is located at 383 Commercial Street in the Hobson’s Landing building, and will be open Wednesday through Sunday, 7 am – 2 pm.

They are serving a full line-up of espresso-based and brewed coffee options as well as tea, hot chocolate, chai and an assortment of baked goods from Bread & Friends. Radial makes all their coffee syrups in-house and plans to begin roasting the coffee for the Portland cafe on site in about a month.

This is the second Radial location. Owners Steve Brodrick, Dipen Shah, and Dean Rohan launched the first Radial cafe in Vernon, Connecticut in December 2023.

Upcoming Food & Dining Events

Friday/Saturday – E. Wales Hospitality (the former Blue Spoon team) is serving a 5-course dinner at the Norumbega in Camden.

Saturday – Good Medicine Collective is hosting a dinner in collaboration with chef Felicia Dumont.

SundayOxbow and the Duckfat Frites Shack are launching a weekly Sunday Brunch this weekend.

January 14-16 – The Maine Agricultural Trades Show is taking place in Augusta.

January 21 – Chef Ana Castro from Acamaya in New Orleans will be Mr. Tuna for a collaboration dinner.

January 30Community Plate will be holding a potluck dinner at Maine Mechanics Hall.

February 1Portland on Tap is taking place.

February 2Rafael Zimmerman from Magnus on Water⁠ will be the guest chef at a 2025 Flanagan Farm Supper Club dinner.

February 8Adrian Arvizu from Big Tree Hospitality⁠ will be the guest chef at a 2025 Flanagan Farm Supper Club dinner.

February 13Devin Finigan from Aragosta⁠ will be the guest chef at a 2025 Flanagan Farm Supper Club dinner.

March 2Sara Jenkins, Dustin Martin, and Lauren Radel from Nina June will be the guest chefs at a 2025 Flanagan Farm Supper Club dinner.

May 17 – The Maine Wild Wine Fest is taking place in Freeport.

May 30 – June 1 – The Maine Fungi Fest is taking place.

September 14 – The Maine Cheese Festival is taking place in Pittsfield.

October 12 – The Maine Open Creamery Day 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.

Reviews: Mr. Tuna and Finestkind

The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a 4½ star review of Mr. Tuna.

 Jordan Rubin’s menu continues to showcase some of his greatest hits. And in nearly every case, they are indeed great: gingery, Sriracha-fired spicy crunchy shrimp maki, lush and oniony toro takuan packed with offcuts of incredible fatty tuna. Most maki can also be ordered as conical hand-rolls. Don’t call it a throwback. Look further and you’ll discover that, from its neon and pastel, blond wood and Scandinavian pop-inspired digs, this evolution of Mr. Tuna is a fully realized restaurant. The Rubins serve nuanced cocktails like the margarita-like Mrs. Tuna, alongside sake, wine, beer and nonalcoholic drinks.

The Bollard has published a review of Finestkind in Saco.

My wife ordered the Red & Black Lumberjack ($15): smoked brisket, fried egg and horseradish sauce sandwiched between hash browns. The combination of flavors and textures was amazing, and I could have eaten an entire plateful of the lean, fall-apart-tender meat. 

Two for East Bayside: Minibar and Luna

Two businesses are under construction in East Bayside. Both are located in the former World’s Gym space on Marginal Way.

Naomi Hall, co-owner of the former Omi’s coffee shop, is launching a new cafe. Luna (instagram) will be co-located within the new Salud Portland fitness facility. In addition to serving coffee, snacks and smoothies, Luna will also offer drop-in childcare “providing caregivers a chance to relax, recharge, or enjoy a fitness class while their little ones have fun in a supervised play space.”

Kevin Moschella has leased 15,288 sq ft of space where he plans to open Minibar (instagram) which will feature an 18-hole indoor minigolf course and a 125+ seat sports bar and restaurant. Chef Josh Berry is consulting on the menu for Minibar. Some ideas for the menu are dishes like arancini, north shore roast beef sliders, lobster roll sliders, mac and cheese balls, and burgers. Minibar will have a full bar featuring boozy milkshakes, local beers and spirits, and craft cocktails. Moschella’s vision is to create a venue with a wide appeal for people of all age that can also be a destination for group outings, celebrations and corporate events. He hopes to launch Minibar in early June.

Restaurant Real Estate: January 2025

Welcome to the December 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/Valley/Libby Town

87 Brackett St – the 1,077 sq ft former OhNo Cafe is for lease for $2,700/month +utilities (MG). The space also includes a 825 sq ft basement area. It is available as of February 1, 2025.

919 Congress St – the 9,540 sq ft former Salvage BBQ building is available for $20/sq ft (MG).

270 Saint John St – a 2,714 sq ft space in Union Station Plaza is available for $17/sq ft (NNN).

211 Valley St – a 1,260 sq ft former garage and the .13 acres it is on are for sale on Valley Street for $1,300,000.

235 Vaughan St – the former Vaughan Street Variety storefront in the West End has been completely renovated. The 620 sq ft space is available for $2500/month (MG). Call (207) 650-0846 for more information.

Arts District

511 Congress St – the 2,875 sq ft former Golden Lotus space is available for $16.50/sq ft.

554 Congress St – 1,621 sq ft former Dunkin’ Donuts space for $17.04/sq ft (NNN).

555 Congress St – the 1,908 sq ft former Five Fifty-Five dining room and mezzanine are available to lease for $20/sq ft (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).

602 Congress St – The ~1,500 sq ft ground floor space at the corner of High and Congress is available to lease. For more info contact Joe Atwood at (207) 899-7373.

77 Free St – the space previously occupied by the Free Street restaurant and bar is available. The 8,500 – 17,000 sq ft space is for lease for $5/sq ft (NNN). Call (207) 761-6500 for additional details.

Bayside/Inner Washington

52 Hanover St – On the first floor of the Armature is 1,500 – 3,000 sq ft of retail space available for $30/sq ft (NNN). One spot in the building has been 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).

114 Preble St – The 4,424 sq ft former Coals building is for sale for $1,475,000.

186 Washington Ave – the 7,620 sq ft Am Vets building is for sale for $1,600,000. See the listing for photos of the bar and seating area.

Old Port

0 Canal Plaza – the 1,350 sq ft former Nosh Taco building in Canal Plaza is for lease for $60/sq ft (NNN).

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).

15 Chestnut St – the building that was home to Grace restaurant is for sale. It includes the property, business assets and all FF&E. The restaurant seats 175 and features a large circular bar on the first floor of the former church. The building has 14,358 sq ft of space. It’s for sale for $2,595,000.

185 Commercial St – a new building on Commercial Street has a 2,334 sq ft ground floor retail space that is available for $55/sq ft (NNN).

266 Commercial St – a 6,689 sq ft retail space is available in this new construction building for $20-22/sq ft (NNN).

327 Commercial St – the 6,981 – 7,981 sq ft space currently occupied by Tiqa is available for lease or to buy. The lease rate is $30/sq ft (NNN). The sale price is $3,500,000.

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).

8 Exchange St – 1,800-3,600 sq ft of space formerly occupied by The Bar & Bites on lower Exchange Street is available for $34.99/sq ft (MG).

85 Exchange St – The space that had previously been the home of Dobra Tea is back on the market. The 1,350 sq ft space is available for $45/sq ft (MG).

201 Federal St – a 2,300 sq ft space in the new 18-story Casco building is available for $40/sq ft (MG). The building owners are seeking a business to open a market in that space.

340 Fore St – a 932 retail space at the corner of Fore and Silver Streets is available to lease for $35/sq ft (MG).

433 Fore St – a 930 sq ft space on the first floor of the Hyatt is for lease for $60/sq ft (MG).

477 Fore St – the 1,361 sq ft space formerly occupied by B + B Bakery is available for $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).

127 Marginal Way – the 3,040 sq ft former All Speed bicycle shop space across the parking lot from Trader Joes is available for $35/sq ft (NNN).

100 Middle St – a 350 sq ft cafe space on first floor of an Old Port office building is available for $850/month (G).

115 Middle St – the 2,065 sq ft space formerly occupied by Beach Boys Cannabis is for lease for $39.75/sq ft (MG). Back in the 1970s it had been the home of Model Food Importers which retailed wine, cheese and other imported foods.

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

157 Middle St – 2,039 – 5,155 sq ft of retail space is available for $27.95/sq ft (MG).

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

15 Monument Square – the 1,000 sq ft former Sisters Gourmet Deli space is available to lease for $30/sq ft (NNN).

28 Monument Square – a number of spots on the first and second floors of the Public Market House are available.

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

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

35 Silver St – The North Point closed in October. The business is now for sale for $75,000.

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

54 York St – a 1,605 sq ft space is available for $30/sq ft (MG). It’s located in the same building as the new Weldon Hotel at the corner of York and Maple Streets.

Old Port Bar – an undisclosed 1,160/sq ft bar/restaurant in the Old Port is for sale for $175,000.

Outer Forest Ave

546 Deering St – the 2,198 sq ft former Dunkin Donut building in Woodfords Corner is for lease for $35/sq ft (NNN).

332 Forest Ave – a 1,962 sq ft space in a building at the corner of Bedford Street and Forest Ave is available for $16/sq ft (NNN).

503 – 509 Forest Ave – When renovations are completed this year, this building will have 1,268 – 6,313 sq ft of space available for $10-15/sq ft (NNN). See this feature article for more information.

630 Forest Ave – a 1,440 sq ft retail space in Woodfords Corner is available for $17 (NNN).

1871 Forest Ave – the former Tortilla Flats is for sale. The 8,771 sq ft building is on 3.43 acres of property and is listed for $1,750,000.

631 Stevens Ave – the 1,000 sq ft cafe space inside the Stevens Square Community Center is for lease.

Elsewhere in Portland

239 Congress St –the 780 sq ft space formerly occupied by Tiny Tims is available for $2,500/month (Absolute Gross). It’s nearby Cocktail Mary, The End of Portland, Quanto Basta and LB Kitchen.

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

Northgate Shopping Center – 1,500 to 2,000 sq ft of space is available.

Westgate Shopping Center – three spaces are for lease 1,440, 3,800 and 5,000 sq ft. The lease rates are negotiable and the property owner has a strong interest in finding a restaurant tenant for the shopping plaza.

Other Spaces – some vacated restaurant spaces haven’t yet been formerly listed for by the owner. Check the closing announcements for insights on where those opportunities may be.

South Portland

740 Broadway, South Portland – the 1,200 sq ft former Two Fat Cats space is available for $2,494/month. Contact info@twofatcatsbakery.com for more information.

449 Main St, South Portland – The former Rudy’s Diner and an adjacent home are for sale for $849,000.

60 Ocean St, South Portland – The restaurant space currently occupied by Taco Trio is for lease. The 6,006 sq ft space is available for $19.98/sq ft (NNN). Taco Trio is returning to their original location at 119 Ocean Street in early 2025.

145 Ocean St, South Portland – The ~1,000 sq ft former BenReuben’s space in South Portland is available for $3,000/month (MG). Contact Josh at (207) 408-3879 for more information.

239 Ocean St, South Portland – the 1,621 sq ft former Pizza Joint building in South Portland is for sale for $895,000.

Elevation Burger, South Portland – the business franchise, infrastructure, equipment and lease for 2,600 sq ft space are for sale for $250,000. Call (207) 838-2274 for more information.

Elsewhere in Maine

100 Larrabee Rd, Westbrook – the owners of Phoever are looking for someone to takeover their space when they move to a new location.

The Downs – A 2,019 sq ft restaurant space is for sale in The Downs a 577-acre mixed use development in Scarborough.

881 Route 1, Yarmouth – Shared kitchen space formerly utilized by MaineFlavor before they moved to the West End is available.

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). See this instagram article for additional information on the building and the neighborhood.

60 Mile Rd, Wells – The former Varano’s Restaurant building and a 2 bed room apartment are for sale for $2,095,000. See this instagram article for additional information on the building and the neighborhood.

Billy’s Chowder House – Both the building and business of Billy’s Chowder House in Wells is for sale. The ~200 seat restaurant comes with a 62-car parking lot and sits on Mile Road which connects Route 1 with Wells Beach. See this instagram article for additional information on the building and the neighborhood.

111 Bath Rd, Brunswick – The Fat Boy Drive-In business and property is for sale for $875,000. Fat Boy has been in business since 1955.

Bayley’s Seafood, Scarborough – This 3,018 sq ft turnkey seafood restaurant is available to lease for $24/sq ft.

1200 Portland Rd, Arundel – An undisclosed turnkey 9,938 sq ft restaurant is for sale for $2,500,000.

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.

Maine Food & Dining News: Hampden, S Thomaston, Lewiston, Liberty, Waterville, Freeport

New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:

  • Marsh Island Brewing is opening a second location in Hampden which will include a full restaurant. In the lead up to an opening later this year they’re holding pop-ups at the Hogan Road Deli to share items from the menu which has been created by chef Joe Robbins.
  • The latest issue of the Midcoast Villager includes a feature on South Thomaston’s “Oyster Doctor” Ralph Hamill who in addition to being a cardiologist runs the Weskaeg Oyster Company.
  • Lewiston’s fine dining restaurant Bon Vivant (photo above) has permanently closed. Their message on instagram reads in part, “The national trends in the restaurant industry combined with the physical and financial climate of downtown Lewiston has proven not ready for a high-end restaurant. We had hoped to bring it forward but in the end it was not supported well enough.” Bon Vivant opened in July 2023. Their cocktail bar Sonder and Dram continue to be open. For additional reporting see this article in the Sun Journal.
  • The Bangor Daily News includes a feature on a bakery in Liberty called Cyri’s Panadería (facebook). “A Liberty-based family of five, headed by matriarch Liv Sanchez, is bringing a taste of its home country delicacies to the midcoast from the comfort of their own kitchen.”
  • The Waterville Sentinel has published a profile of Straight Jamaican Cuisine in Waterville. “Jamie Pomerleau and Clayton Whyte opened Strait Jamaican Cuisine in June. The pair began planning last year to build a restaurant out of the back of Pomerleau’s house, intertwining her Maine-based restaurant experience with Whyte’s decades of cooking at hotels, restaurants and Jamaican street stalls.”
  • Stars & Stripes Brewing in Freeport has closed. There last day in business was December 31st. Their Portland tasting room closed in late February.

For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

Imbibe 75: Sanabria and Lucky Cheetah

Congratulations to LyAnna Sanabria and Lucky Cheetah on being included in the 2025 Imbibe 75 list.

LyAnna Sanabria, the co-founder and beverage director of Papi was recognized for the mentoring program she established. “Unofficially dubbed TiTi as a play on the Spanish word for ‘auntie,’ the seasonal program focuses on giving active Puerto Rican, Caribbean, and Latino bartenders the chance to upskill their abilities within Papi’s high-volume environment rather than building new bartenders from the ground up. Sanabria also intends to use the still-evolving program to promote greater inclusivity within the bar community, a desire stemming from her experience as a fledgling bartender in San Francisco.”

The new Old Port bar and restaurant Lucky Cheetah was also highlighted in the list. “Opposite the storied cobblestone way of Portland, Maine’s Wharf Street, a modest staircase leads to an unlikely subterranean world ensconced in cheetah carpeting, scarlet millwork, and Slim Aarons high-society artwork. This is Lucky Cheetah, a fusion of Victorian-era Hong Kong dim sum houses and 1950s Monte Carlo grandeur, with a Champagne and dumpling menu to match.”

The Imbibe 75 is an annual list put together by the magazine’s editors of the “75 inspiring people and places that will shape the way we drink in 2025.” The full article isn’t yet available on the Imbibe website.

Yuri’s Desserts Now Open

Yuri’s Desserts (instagram) is now open. It’s located in the 2nd floor space formerly occupied by Stars & Stripes and previously by Lio at 3 Spring Street. Yuri’s will be open 7:30 am – 4 pm on January 2nd.

The menu at Yuri’s include items like cream cakes, tiramisu tart, macarons, bingsu shaved ice, croissants and donuts. Shown above is a slice of berry tart and the chocolate dipped croissant.

Yuri’s serves Counter Culture coffee with a full line-up of espresso drinks and other drinks like tea, yuzu lemonade, grapefruit ade and green grape/apple ade.

Bakers Yuri Kim and Gunsang Park have a combined 37 years of baking experience including work for Paris Baguette and Tous les Jours in South Korea and in the US.

Yuri’s will be open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 am – 4 pm, and Friday/Saturday 7:30 am – 6 pm.

Ross and Kamila Depart

The Press Herald has shared that restaurant critic Andrew Ross and Vegan Kitchen columnist Avery Yale Kamila are moving on. Kamila has been reporting on Maine’s plant-based food scene since 2009, and Ross has been writing restaurant reviews for the paper since 2016.

With the new year, we are making some changes in the Press Herald’s Food & Dining coverage. We’re sad to see three longtime columnists go. But we’re pleased to announce that another veteran columnist will be rejoining us later this month. Also, The Wrap column, which summarizes the week in food news, will move from Wednesdays to the Sunday Food & Dining section.

The announcement also shared the departure of Maine Gardener columnist Tom Atwell and the return  to the paper of Christine Burns Rudalevige and her Green Plate Special column.