Many hospitality businesses have closed temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most will re-open, but not all. We won’t know the full scale of the impact to the industry for many months to come.
It’s been my experience that the loss or gain of a single individual can dramatically change the nature of a team. Similarly, the Portland and Maine food scenes will be significantly impacted by every location and company that closes, and by each business that had been under development that never opens its doors as planned.
Throughout the remainder of the pandemic, this page will document the closings as they happen.
- Blue Spoon Cafe and Catering, located in the West End, has closed. Owners Liz Koenigsberg and Will Lavey have consolidated their catering business to the Blue Spoon on Munjoy Hill. (4/30/2020)
- Arabica Coffee has permanently closed their Commercial Street location. They will be consolidating bakery operation to Free Street and are in the process of leasing a new space for a roastery and coffee bar. (5/1/2020)
- Farm to Coast Cafe permanently closed their brick and mortar cafe in Biddeford and is “reevaluating their business” overall. (5/3/2020)
- 3rd Annual Portland Wine Week was cancelled but the organizer Erica Archer is confident the celebration will be back in June 2021. (5/4/2020).
- On the Marsh Bistro in Kennebunk has permanently closed after 20 years in business. (5/4/2020)
- MOFGA decided not to hold the Common Ground Fair in 2020. They’re exploring holding a virtual event. (5/5/2020)
- The Maine Cheese Guild has cancelled the 2020 Maine Cheese Festival (5/5/2020)
- Uncle Andy’s in South Portland will permanently closed at the end of May. They’ve been in business for 66 years. (5/8/2020)
- The 2020 Saint Peter’s Italian Bazaar was cancelled for 2020. This would have been the 95th Annual Bazaar. Organizers fully intend to bring the event back in 2021. (5/12/2020)
- LB Kitchen has permanently closed their West End location on York Street. (5/20/2020)
- Wild Burrito has permanently closed. (5/24/2020)
- Pearl Ultra (5/17/2020)
- Royale Lunch Bar (5/29/2020)
- Miller Brothers Seafood (5/29/2020)
- The Cider House has closed their West End cider bar permanently because the owner “can’t see a viable path forward”. (6/17/2020)
- Woodhull Public House in Yarmouth. (6/22/2020)
- The 2020 Holy Trinity Greek Festival was cancelled for 2020. Organizers fully intend to bring the event back in 2021. (6/30/2020)
- Old Port Sandwich Shop (6/25/2020)
- Piccolo has closed permanently after 6 years in business. (7/5/2020)
- Milk & Honey Cafe in Portland has closed. (7/10/2020)
- Drifters Wife has closed permanently…such a terrible loss. (7/24/2020)
- The Sip of Europe cafe has closed permanently but the business will continue producing cakes at Fork Food Lab. (7/27/2020)
- Vinland has permanently closed. (8/21/2020)
- Cellar Door Winery has permanently closed their location on Thompson’s Point. (9/11/2020)
- Salt Pine Social in Bath permanently closed on September 26th. (9/26/2020)
- Harvest on the Harbor will not take place in 2020 but will return in 2021. (9/26/2020)
- Lio has permanently closed. (9/27/2020)
- The Old Port location of Po’ Boys and Pickles has permanently closed. (10/7/2020)
- The Holy Donut will permanently close their Exchange Street location on October 19th. (10/13/2020)
- Flood’s has vacated their space on Congress Street and has permanently closed. (10/25/2020)
- Brewery Extrava, which has been for sale since August, has permanently closed. (10/30/2020)
- Ernie’s Pool & Darts has closed after 25 years in business. (11/11/2020)
- More & Co. closed December after 8 years in business. (12/20/2020)
- The Yarmouth Clam Festival is cancelled for the second year. (2/16/2021)
- Bill’s Pizza closed their Old Port Location at the end of February 2021 (2/28/2021)
- Cheevitdee will be closing on February 28th. (2/28/2021)
- After 2 decades in business 158 Pickett St Cafe has permanently close (8/17/2021)
- Big Sky in the Public Market will close on November 24th 2021. (11/9/2021)