Grassroots Organic, aka GRO, plans on opening for business this morning at 8 am. The menu is a mix of salads, sandwiches,  juices and soups; most items are raw or lightly cooked.

Bard Coffee Roasters is scheduled to open this morning at 7 am. Bard is located in the Old Port near the intersection of Middle and Exchange Streets. The interior looks really nice. I’ve heard that they’ll have free wi-fi and (relatively) late night hours on the weekend.

Bard Coffee Roasters is putting the finishing touches on their Middle Street location in preparation for opening this Monday.

Barava, an “African and Middle East” restaurant had their grand opening today at 3pm. The sandwich boards out front advertises a $10 fee. According to a post on Portland Psst! thats for all-you-can eat Somali food.

Chef Jeff Landry opened his new restaurant The Farmer’s Table tonight. For a look at the restaurant and tonight’s menu read the latest post from Portland in a Snap.

According to a twitter post from Peak Brewing, The Farmer’s Table is planning on opening tonight (via a post on Portland Psst!).

If true, that has to be one of the fastest restaurant start-ups in recent memory.

Pazzano’s Coffee Shop opened for business last night in Bramhall Square. Hopefully they can bring a little life to that corner that was hit by a fire that knocked out Binga’s Wingas and Al-Mustaqim Halal.

Jubba Internet Cafe has opened for business on Veranda Street. According to Portland Psst!, “In addition to the inexpensive finger food for the early afternoon, they also have a full menu for lunch and dinner–with goat, beef, and spaghetti.”

The Bollard has a report on some ongoing changes at The Freaky Bean Coffee Co.  including the spin-off of the Yarmouth and Falmouth locations back to the original owners of Maine Roasters Coffee and the opening of a new location in Scarborough. According to the article, last September when Freaky Bean was “in every town around Portland, it seemed just a matter of time before the company would enter Portland proper and challenge local favorite Coffee By Design on its home turf. But in the months since that article appeared, the cup has gone cold.”

After some delay, Port City Music Hall has opened for business. According to PCMH’s blog, State Senator Justin Alfond was a great help in getting their liquor license. The music hall is currently operating on a 30-day temporary license.

Papou’s Kitchen is now open for business. They offer a short menu of gyro and falafel wraps.

I was in the Old Port today for lunch at Paciarino (an excellent meal of goat cheese ravioli) and spotted this Stop Work order in the window of Wasabi, a new sushi restaurant (not) being constructed at 7 Exchange Street.

John Robinson, who sold Hugo’s to Rob Evans in 2003, is revamping Finch’s, his Falmouth restaurant, as  Johnny’s Bistro & Bar.

According to a post on Hilly Town (via Original Portland), the Papaya King on Dana St in the Old Port opened for business last Thursday.

“The space is bright and spacious – obviously much more so than the cart that the company had been operating in Deering Oaks Park this summer. According to the staff, they opened up last Thursday (1/8/09) and were still working out their menu and signs.”

The Borealis Breads Bakery & Bistro is scheduled to open today. Governor Baldacci will be on hand for a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 am.

PeRx-U-Up Cafe is now open in the first floor of the InterMed building.

Joe’s New York Pizza has opened for business on Fore Street in the location formerly occupied by Granny’s Buritos.