Upcoming Food & Dining Events

| Posted in Events

All Week – Maine Restaurant Week is taking place.

Monday – Chicago Filipino restaurant Kasama will be at Bar Futo for a collaboration dinner.

Thursday – Chaval is holding a Vegan wine dinner featuring wines from Italy.

Friday – The New England Craft Brew Summit is taking place.

Thursday-Saturday – The traveling Edgar Allen Poe Speakeasy will be in Portland for three nights.

Saturday – Seconds Bakery will be holding a pop-up event in Falmouth. The 4th Annual Freeport Chocolate Fest is taking place all day.

Sunday –Maine Restaurant Week’s Flavors of Maine event is taking place at Coffee by Design.

March 11 – Barak Olins and Atsuko Fujimoto are the featured guests at a Maine Voices Live event at One Longfellow Square.

March 16-23 – Biddeford & Saco Wine Week is taking place.

March 20 – Winemaker Hervé Villemade will be at Maine & Loire for a tasting event. Regards will be hosting a pop-up by their future neighbor Benny’s. Benny’s is a new restaurant being developed by Ramona’s owner Josh Sobel.

March 22/23 – Maine Maple Sunday Weekend is taking place. Visit the Maine Maple Producers Association website to find a sugar shack or two to visit.

March 23 – The Casco Bay Chef’s Association is holding their annual dinner.

March 24 – The Native Maine Food Show is taking place.

March 30 – Dinner x Friends is holding a pop-up at Lambs.

April 10 – The Gulf of Maine Research Institute is holding a film screening and panel discussion about the ongoing efforts to restore alewives to the Presumpscot River.

April 26 – SeaFest will be taking place in Westbrook.

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.

September 19-21 – The Common Ground Country Fair is taking place in Unity.

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.

Restaurant Real Estate: March 2025

| Posted in Under Construction, Real Estate

Welcome to the March 2025 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.

189 Brackett St – The 520 sq ft space that was the original location of Chocolats Passion is for lease for $1,400/month (MG). Contact Amber Dorcas (amber@redfernproperties.com) for more information.

919 Congress St – The 4,770-9,540 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

486 Congress St – A 2,400 sq ft former cannabis retail space is available for $22/sq ft (NNN).

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

554 Congress St – A 1,621 sq ft former Dunkin’ Donuts space is available 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).

600 Congress St – Two spots in the Schwartz Building at the corner of Congress and High Street are available. The 2,200 sq ft corner unit is listed at $23/sq ft (MG) and an 800 sq ft space facing Congress Street at $27/sq ft (MG).

649 Congress St – The 3,000 sq ft space formerly occupied by Rebel Muchies and Libations is available for $22/sq ft (MG).

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.

133 Spring St – The 2,002 sq ft former Bao Bao restaurant space is available for $25/sq ft (MG). It includes a fully equipped kitchen, bar and dining room.

Bayside/Inner Washington

115 Cumberland Ave – The 600 sq ft former Sticky Sweet space on the corner of Cleeve Street is available for $1,750/month (MG).

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

178 Kennebec St – A 2,644 sq ft space is 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 $2,450,000.

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).

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 – The 1,800-3,600 sq ft space formerly occupied by The Bar & Bites on lower Exchange Street is available for $60/sq ft (MG).

28 Exchange St – The 1,000 sq ft retail space formerly occupied by Gus & Ruby’s is available for $5,500/month (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.

433 Fore St – A 930 sq ft lounge 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 – The 1,358 sq ft space formerly occupied by Auntie’s House is available for $27/sq ft.

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 (Gross).

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).

151 Middle St – the 2,741 former Anthony’s Italian Kitchen space is available.

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

191 Middle St – The 1,500 sq ft retail space formerly occupied by Crystal Joys is for lease for $60/sq ft (MG).

5 Milk St – A 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 – The building owner is seeking someone to lease the Public Market House and develop the food hall as an incubator space for new food businesses. The 8,064 sq ft space spans the 1st and 2nd floors and has a commercial kitchen in the basement. The well-loved Jamaican restaurant Yardie Ting already occupies part of the first floor with the remainder of the building vacant and already built out with kitchen infrastructure needed for new businesses. 28 Monument Square is listed at $12/sq ft (NNN). For more information on the building and its history see this post on instagram.

25 Pearl St – The 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).

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 Area

49 Dartmouth St – A 1,310 sq ft retail space adjacent to Bow Street Beverage is available for $21.98/sq ft.

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).

448 Forest Ave – The 1,675 sq ft former Pizza Joint space is available for $25/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.

629 Forest Ave – A 575 sq ft retail space near Woodfords Corner is available for $950/month (MG).

634 Forest Ave – the 1,364 former Sissle & Daughters wine bar/cafe is for $3,000/month (NNN). The property includes 13 parking spots and a fully built out kitchen and cafe space.

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

1041 Brighton Ave – 1,815-4,711 sq ft of retail space off Brighton Ave is available for $15-18/sq ft (NNN).

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 bar, 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 – 1,700 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.

448 Cottage Rd, South Portland – The 4,433 sq ft former Elsmere BBQ is for sale for $1,395,000. The property includes a fenced in outdoor patio and seating area, a warehouse portion with drive-in door, and on site parking.

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 that had been occupied by Taco Trio is for lease. The 6,006 sq ft space is available for $16.98/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.

171 Ocean St, South Portland – A 707 sq ft commercial kitchen is available to lease for $1,200 per month.

239 Ocean St, South Portland – The 1,621 sq ft former Pizza Joint building in South Portland is for sale for $795,000.

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. They’ll be moving to 1227 Congress Street by this summer.

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.

60 Mile Rd, Wells – The former Varano’s Restaurant building and a 2 bed room apartment are for sale for $1,895,000. 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 $825,000. Fat Boy has been in business since 1955.

42 Maine St, Brunswick –The 1,220 sq ft space formerly occupied by the Great Impasta is now available for $3,500/month (NNN). The Great Impasta is in the process of moving to 11 Pleasant Street.

94 Maine St, Brunswick – The 550 sq ft basement tasting room space for Crooked Keg Brewing is available.

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

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, Swanville, Brunswick, Westbrook

| Posted in Maine

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

  • Joe Robbins has joined the team at Marsh Island Brewing as the executive chef for Marsh Island Kitchen at the new location they have under construction in Hampden. The restaurant will have a comfort food like poutine, burgers and wings and include salads, sandwiches, fish and chips and both a pan-roasted rib eye and an herb-crusted house filet. The indigenous inspired dishes which Robbins has become known for will be in rotation as daily specials. Robbins was a 2024 Beard Awards semifinalist in the Emerging Chef category, and has cooked at the White House Tribal Nations Summit in 2023 and 2024. Until it closed last year, he had been the chef at Bissell Brothers in Milo.
  • The American Cider Association has recognized Khris Hogg with an award for Individual Excellence in Cider Hospitality. Hogg launched his restaurant Circumstance in Swanville last May and previously operated a cider bar called Perennial in Belfast.
  • Michelle Corry was recently interviewed for an episode of Restaurant Unstoppable. Corry and her husband Steve were the founders of Five Fifty-Five, Petite Jacqueline and the Portland Patisserie, and are partners in 555 North in Brunswick.
  • As reported earlier this week, The Frog and Turtle in Westbrook is closing. Their last day in business will be March 2nd.

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

Room in 50 Best Discovery

| Posted in General

Room for Improvement has been recognized for the excellence of their Old Port bar by the 50 Best Discovery organization.

With Room For Improvement, proprietors Arvid Brown (of Baharat and Crispy Gai) and Nick Coffin set out to change the perception of the bar scene on Wharf Street in Portland’s Old Port, the city’s notorious tourists-only corridor. A dialed-back menu of “hot and tasty” hot dogs and other bar snacks keep the wolf from the door and, if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you could order a $28 Flaming Scorpion Bowl that’s full of a carcophany of drinks that embrace irreverence. Think mind erasers, picklebacks, cheap beers and playful updates on an array of classic cocktails…

50 Best Discovery is an offshoot of the organization to publishes the annual World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Bars selected for 50 Best Discovery recognition have received a “significant number of votes” from the organizations 50 Best Bars Academy which is comprised of “more than 680 international drinks experts, including bar owners and bartenders, drinks writers and cocktail aficionados.”

Room for Improvement was launched by Arvid Brown and Nick Coffin in 2023. The 36-seat bar and is located at 41 Wharf Street. It is open daily 5 pm to 1 am. Coffin, Brown and some additional business partners will be launching a new all-day bar called Cuties later this year.

NuMarket Campaign for Benny’s

| Posted in Under Construction

Ramona’s owner Josh Sobel has launched an $80k NuMarket to help fund the launch of his new restaurant Benny’s.

We’ll be serving lunch and dinner in Portland’s Arts District, a neighborhood we are proud to be part of. But we need a little help, so we’re turning to you, our loyal guests, to help us open our doors and fund what’s ahead (and we promise, it’s going to be really, really good). Your support in this campaign will help cover startup costs, including leasehold improvements, kitchen equipment, initial inventory, marketing expenses, and working capital. In return, you’ll receive 120% in credits to use once we open. That means a $100 contribution now and gets you $120 in credits that don’t expire to spend at Benny’s toward food, drinks, merch and more.

Benny’s is expected to be ” a nostalgic take on classic Italian-American comfort food” which Sobel hopes will be a “go-to spot for lunch breaks and your favorite hangout for dinner.” He expects to launch Benny’s sometime in April.

Looking Back at February 2010, 2015 and 2020

| Posted in History

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 interesting to take a look back each month at the news from 5, 10 and 15 years ago.

Here’s some notable news from February 2010, 2015 and 2020:

  • 2010 – Boda opened for business on February 4th, and Katahdin reopened at their then new space on Forest Ave.
  • Portland Food Map published a list of restaurant groups that had more than one location or where the owners ran more than one restaurant.
  • A group of food bloggers and journalists began eating their way through (and reviewing) all fourteen Thai restaurants that were then operating in Portland. First up was Sala Thai on Washington Ave. Portland Food Heads, Appetite Portland, the Portland Daily Sun, Edible Obsessions, The Blueberry Files and Where is Jenner’s Mind all participated in this first round.
  • Silly’s and Bayou Kitchen tied for first place at the Cajun Cookin’ Challenge.
  • The list of the 2010 Beard Awards semifinalists were released with six from Maine.
  • The Winter Farmers’ Market debuted. It was located at 85 Free Street in the space now occupied by Leeward.
  • 2015 – The Food Network published an eating guide to the Portland area which highlighted Bite into Maine, Blue Rooster, Duckfat, Emilitsa, Eventide, Five Fifty-Five, Lolita, Pai Men Miyake, Small Axe, and The Well in Cape Elizabeth.
  • Pete Sueltenfuss opened the Other side Delicatessen on February 5th at 164 Veranda Street.
  • Conde Nast Traveller published a Restaurant Guide to Portland which includes: Caiola’s, Empire, Eventide, Holy Donut, Miyake, OhNo Cafe, Petite Jacqueline, Piccolo, Slab, and Zapotecca.
  • Sangillo’s closed permanently after 62 years in business after the State of Maine did not renew of their liquor license. The building is now home to Tomaso’s Canteen.
  • The Beard Foundation released the 2015 list of awards semifinalists which included seven from Maine.
  • 2020 – The Brew Bus has announced a merger with Dave’s Travel and Events from Sydney, Australia.
  • The 9-seat Ishi Ishi Ramen opened for business on Friday 7th.
  • The Mexican/Salvadoran restaurant called Dos Naciones opened February 15th. It was located at 649 Congress Street in the space that had been occupied by Local Sprouts.
  • Chef Bowman Brown announced plans to relocate Elda to Building 19A in the Pepperell Mill Campus in Biddeford. The news also included first mention of what would become the Jackrabbit cafe.
  • Azure in Freeport closed after almost 18 years in business.
  • The Beard Foundation released their 2020 list of awards semifinalists. That year their were 11 overall including seven in the Best Chef Northeast category.
  • Bob’s Clam Hut announced plans to close their Portland location.

Frog and Turtle Closing in March

| Posted in Closings

Chef/owner James Tranchemontagne has announced that he’s  closing The Frog and Turtle in Westbrook. The restaurant’s last day in business will be March 2nd.

I wanted to take a moment to let everyone know we have made the hard decision to close the restaurant. Our final day will be March 2nd.

The City is requiring us to put a sprinklers system next door. Without it our spaces are unrentable. The added financial hardship of no rent mixed with the other financial challenges in today’s market have led to our difficult decision.

Thank you to all who have enjoyed our pub over the years. It has been a great joy cooking for you all and sharing the love of music. Thank you to the great musicians who have shared their talents.

Thank you to the amazing staff, past and present. Our current group are some of the best people I have ever worked with.

Tranchemontagne opened Frog and Turtle in 2008. He had previously operated Cafe Uffa in Longfellow Square before taking the chance of moving to Westbrook with a new concept and in a new town. A 2008 review in the Maine Sunday Telegram gave The Frog and Turtle four stars, a rating the restaurant earned again in 2016 when it was reviewed for a second time.

Franciska at 111 Middle Street

| Posted in Under Construction

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.

Upcoming Food & Dining Events

| Posted in Events

Tuesday – Luke Holden from Luke’s Lobster will be the featured speaker at the Portland Regional Chamber’s Kegs and Issues event.

Thursday – Black Betty’s Bistro will be holding a pop-up at Lambs.

Friday – Bissell Brothers is serving a 5-course vegetarian dinner.

Saturday – Norimoto is hosting French Canadian pop-up.

March 1-12 – Maine Restaurant Week is taking place.

March 2 – Sara Jenkins, Dustin Martin, and Lauren Radel from Nina June will be the guest chefs at a Flanagan Farm Supper Club dinner. Duckfat and Oxbow are holding a chili competition as a benefit for Maine Needs.

March 3 – Chicago Filipino restaurant Kasama will be at Bar Futo for a collaboration dinner.

March 6 – Chaval is holding a Vegan wine dinner featuring wines from Italy.

March 6-8 – The traveling Edgar Allen Poe Speakeasy will be in Portland for three nights.

March 8 – Seconds Bakery will be holding a pop-up event in Falmouth.

March 11 – Barak Olins and Atsuko Fujimoto are the featured guests at a Maine Voices Live event at One Longfellow Square.

March 16-23 – Biddeford & Saco Wine Week is taking place.

March 20 – Winemaker Hervé Villemade will be at Maine & Loire for a tasting event.

March 22/23 – Maine Maple Sunday Weekend is taking place. Visit the Maine Maple Producers Association website to find a sugar shack or two to visit.

March 23 – The Casco Bay Chef’s Association is holding their annual dinner.

April 26 – SeaFest will be taking place in Westbrook.

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.

September 19-21 – The Common Ground Country Fair is taking place in Unity.

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.

Review of Low Stakes Lodge

| Posted in Reviews

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes a 3½ star review of Low Stakes Lodge.

The kitchen delivers strong takes on classic steakhouse comforters like French Onion Soup, and simple sides like green beans and mashed potatoes — mere afterthoughts at lesser operations — are executed here with thought and care. The chefs can also be counted on to serve your steak to textbook medium rare. If you’re splurging, the prime-grade ribeye is a must, while the more budget-friendly bavette steak fully satisfies at about half the price. Leave room for baker Jacky Gerry’s rotating selection of layer cakes.

This is the first review written by Tim Cebula who is now the paper’s restaurant critic.