Twins & Triplets
The recent launches of Boda and Sonny’s are reminders that a growing number of Portland area food business are tied together by some degree of common ownership. Some of the connections are readily apparent such as Harding Lee Smith’s three ‘Room’ restaurants which share a single website and others are little less visible.
Note: I’ve continued to keep this list up to date as the business landscape continue to evolve (March 2011).
Here are the budding food empires that I’m aware of:
- The Front Room, The Grill Room and The Corner Room
- Fore Street and Street & Co.
- Five Fifty-Five and Petite Jacqueline
- Foreside Tavern and Grace
- David’s and David’s 388
- Hugo’s and Duckfat
- Bard Coffee and Wicked Joe Coffee
- Aurora Provisions and the Museum Cafe
- Green Elephant and Boda
- Local 188 and Sonny’s
- Nosh and Taco Escobarr
- Walter’s and Gingko Blue
- Gogi and Slainte
- Shay’s and the Crooked Mile Cafe
- Havana South and Havana in Bar Harbor
- Big Sky Baking Co. and Pie in the Sky Pizzeria
- Maine Beer and Beverage and Market House Coffee
- Pat’s Pizza and Grille 233 in Yarmouth
- Old Port Sea Grill and Falmouth Sea Grill
- The Dogfish Cafe and The Dogfish Bar & Grill
- Shipyard Brewing, Casco Bay Brewing, Sea Dog Brewing and The Inn on Peaks Island
- Bar Lola and Hilltop Coffee Shop
- Free Range Fish & Lobster and Ocean House Market in South Portland
- Vignola and Cinque Terre
- Miyake and Pai Men Miyake are both owned by Masa Miyake
- Pom’s Thai Taste and its 3 sisters
- There’s a family connection that links the owners of DiMillo’s Floating Restaurant, G&R DiMillo’s and Bruno’s
- And there are the many businesses with multiple locations that have the same name like Coffee by Design, Federal Spice and Rosemont Market
There are probably others, what am I missing?
February 12th, 2010 at 8:30 am
I thought that Pat’s and the Cafe at Pat’s were under entirely separate ownership, just sharing the building.
February 12th, 2010 at 8:41 am
Thanks for the correction Bob. I’ll remove them from the list.
February 12th, 2010 at 9:20 am
Standard Bakery and Two Fat Cats are related to Fore Street/Street and Co.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:26 am
How about pom Thai on congress?
February 12th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
Cinque Terre & Vignola
February 12th, 2010 at 8:23 pm
Are you sure that Standard and Fore Stree are connected besides the location?
Shay’s was opened by the owners of the Crooked Mile but they sold it but the name is still the same.
February 13th, 2010 at 8:35 am
I love that you keep track of stuff like this, Anestes!
February 13th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
Didn’t they open Standard in response to demand for the bread?
http://www.forestreet.biz/en/Other-Restaurants
Ooh i miss Scales!
February 14th, 2010 at 8:30 am
Looks like we have the website for Pat’s in the old port, still under construction….
http://patspizzaoldport.com/
February 14th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
With Havana South opening at the former Iguana’s space, Mike Boland is at the top of this list with 6-8 locations!
February 14th, 2010 at 1:50 pm
What are his other restaurants beyond Havana and Havana South?
February 16th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Standard, I believe, use to be where the bar of Street and Company currently stands. Street and Company was also using 2 Fat Cats pies.
February 25th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
I think Sengchai Thai on Forest Ave. and Thai Chef Buffet are the same, but it doesn’t matter now cause I think the buffet is closed.
April 21st, 2010 at 9:36 am
I would add Seadog to the Shipyard list…
April 21st, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Bar Lola and Hilltop Coffee added 4/19/2010
Seadog Brewing added 4/20/2010
May 23rd, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Free Range Fish and Lobster and Ocean House Market added 5/23/2010
December 12th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Walters and the soon to be opened gingko blue
December 12th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Good one, I’ll add them as soon as Gingko Blue opens.