Maine Food & Dining News: Brunswick, Wiscasset, Yarmouth, Westbrook, Hallowell, Falmouth, South Portland, Bucksport, Cape Elizabeth, Rockport, Bethel, Jonesboro

| 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:

  • A new bakery/cafe called Baked on Maine (facebook, instagram) opened for business in Brunswick (right photo) on Friday. It’s located at 41 Maine Street in the space formerly occupied by the Great Impasta. The menu includes breakfast options like pancakes, avocado toast, sausage biscuits and gravy, and a variety of breakfast sandwiches. For lunch they offer a wide range of sandwiches for lunch like beef on Weck, a caprese panini and a chicken parm. Baked on Maine also offers baked goods from Wildflours Bakery in Brunswick. They’ll initially be open Friday through Monday, 8 am – 2 pm.
  • Stacy and Ryan Linehan have sold their business Treats (website, facebook, instagram) in Wiscasset (center photo). The new owners are Joeseph Swifka and Emily Hughes. The couple have most recently worked at the Costal Maine Botanical Gardens where Swifka was the executive chef and Hughes worked in the garden shop. The Linehans themselves bought the business and have operated it for the last 20 years. The founders were Helen and Denny Davis. Hughes and Swifka will be the fifth set of owners of Treats.
  • Chef Christian Hayes has launched the Sparhawk Tavern (instagram) in Yarmouth in the space he formerly operated his restaurant The Garrison. The Garrison closed in July 2024. It’s currently open for takeout only Wednesday through Saturday, 4 – 8 pm with a menu of pub standards like nachos, burgers, fried chicken sandwiches, and wings along with salads, beer, wine and cocktails. Hayes expects to open the dining room for indoor dining soon.
  • A new business called Town Line Diner (facebook) is under construction on Route 302 (left photo) in Westbrook. The diner will be occupying the former Pine Tree Bakery building. It’s being launched by Kori Reece who has been the chef at Lenny’s at Hawkes Plaza and Josh Gelston, the owner of Duck Pond Variety. The menu will have a selection of what Reece is calling greasy spoon classics like omelettes, corned beef hash and biscuits and gravy as well as “silver spoon specialties” like chocolate banana foster pancakes, haddock Benedict’s and “monster” sized sandwiches. The team hopes to launch the 45-seat diner February 1st. When it does will be open Wednesday through Sunday, 6 am – 1 pm.
  • Juiced in Hallowell has announced they’re closing “due to factors related to the sale of our building and its rising rents.” Their last day in business will be January 17th. Juiced opened for business in May 2014.
  • John Paul Gagnon sold his Falmouth restaurant JP’s Bistro (website, facebook, instagram) to Christa Kelly and Bernie’s Foreside owner Adam Shapiro late last year. Long time sous chef Richard Carey is now the executive chef at the restaurant.
  • The Barkery (web, facebook, instagram) is planning to hold their grand opening for their South Portland restaurant and dog park on February 5th. with a community preview day on January 31st.
  • The Bangor Daily News reports that a food truck turned restaurant called Salsa Shack (website, facebook) has opened in Bucksport. It’s located at 84 Main Street in the space formerly occupied by My Buddy’s Place. Salsa Shack is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 am – 5 pm.
  • Jason Williams, the chef/owner of The Well in Cape Elizabeth was interviewed for the Atlas Obscura podcast.
  • Sara Jenkins, the chef/owner of Nina June in Rockport, was interviewed for the Flipping the Table podcast.
  • Meryl Kelly from A Longer Table Homestead in Bethel was interviewed for the Maine Famous podcast.
  • As reported yesterday, La Laiterie (website, facebook, instagram) is under construction in Jonesboro. Chef Ross Florance and McKenna Koledo hope to soft launch the restaurant this spring and be fully operational in May. Read this article to learn more about their plans.

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.

La Laiterie in Jonesboro

| Posted in Maine

Ross Florance and McKenna Koledo have purchased a building in Jonesboro where they plan to open La Laiterie (website, facebook, instagram) an all-day bakery/cafe. The couple shared that they’re excited to launch the restaurant and serve “accessible and approachable French food to Washington County.”

The restaurant’s menu will be draw its inspiration from the culinary traditions of Brittany. La Laiterie will offer a wide range of options from convenient grab-and-go items to dishes like moules-frites, oysters on the half shell, and classic French sandwiches like jambon-beurre for a sit-down meal. French baked goods and pastries, buckwheat crepes, and quiches will be available for breakfast. Additionally, La Laiterie will host Florance’s tasting dinner series Flora.

La Laiterie will be located on the first floor of the 2,500 sq ft building at 749 Route One in Jonesboro. Koledo and Florance are renovating the space which will have a bar in addition to table seating. They shared that the vision for the renovations is to create a room that feels ” warm, cozy and classy” with accents of Brittany culture.

Koledo and Florance hope to soft launch the restaurant this spring and be fully operational in May. La Laiterie will be a year round business and initially be open Thursday through Sunday, 8 am – 4 pm.

Florance’s resume includes several years spent working for chef Thomas Keller at Bouchon Bistro in California and Per Se in NYC, and for chef Eric Ripert at La Bernardin. He operated a previous iteration of La Laterie in Machias in 2023 and 2024. Koledo has a background in marketing and business management. She most recently at SpotCo with a roster of clients from Broadway.

Photo: From a Flora pop-up dinner held in Calais this past August.

Playmakers Pizza and Pub

| Posted in Under Construction

Tom Minervino, Michael Barton and Matthew Reid have leased space at 512 Warren Avenue where they plan to open Playmakers Pizza and Pub. The space was formerly occupied by Turf’s Sports Pub. Playmakers is expected to seat around 100 and will have a room for events.

The draft menu includes pizza by the slice and full pies as well as wings, burgers, chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, nachos, snacks like mozzarella sticks and fried pickles, and desserts. They anticipate being open week days 4 – 10 pm, and weekends 11 am – 10 pm.

Barton and Minervino are owners of Legends Rest Taproom and Paper City BBQ in Westbrook.

Quanto Basta Closing

| Posted in Closings

Chef/owner Betsy Spinillo has announced she’s closing down her restaurant Quanto Basta. You can see her full statement on this instagram post. It reads in-part,

5 years ago, I had an idea for a food truck. It was fulfilling and exciting, and I wanted more. 3 years ago, I had an even crazier idea and got to work on opening up this little pizzeria. It has been successful beyond my expectations, wildly exhausting, and endlessly inspiring. But something inside of me changed this past year. The things that 1 loved most about being a sole-owner/ operator, the drive that once sustained me and gave me the energy every day to show up and be the right kind of boss, friend, server. listener, maker, greeter, educator – it was waning.

It was becoming harder and harder to live up to the expectations / had set for myself in this space, and harder to push away the nagging voice in my head that was telling me that somethings got to give…Throughout my time here in Portland, both personally and professionally, I’ve learned how incredibly important it is to honor that voice. It has guided me towards making some of the most profound decisions that have led to an even truer, richer life than I could have ever imagined for myself…

Spinillo also wrote that, “On February 1st, 249 Congress St. will have a new tenant, but I will let them share that news with you all when they are ready. What I can say is that I feel incredibly honored that they were interested in taking over my space, with that beautiful oven being put to use in ways you have yet to see…”

Spinillo launched the Quanto Basta food truck in 2021. The Quanto Basta restaurant launched in July 2023. The Maine Sunday Telegram gave Quanto Basta 4 star rating.

Upcoming Food & Dining Events

| Posted in Events

Monday – Visit Portland, the Portland Regional Chamber, and HospitalityMaine are launching their Winter Weekdays program. Running through to April 30th, it brings together on winterweekdays.com weekday pricing specials at restaurants from around Maine.

January 15 – Chef Andrew Taylor will be serving a public family meal at the Local 188 event space.

January 17 – Chef Damian Sansonetti will be teaching a Coq Au Vin cooking class and Burgundian wine class at Chaval.

January 20 – Turamali (instagram) will be holding a pop-up at Luncheonette.

January 24 – Courtney Loreg from Woodford’s Food & Beverage will be the guest chef at a Flanagan Farm Supper Club dinner. Asher Boisvert is teaching a vermouth class at Chaval.

January 30 – Adrian Arvizu from Big Tree Hospitality will be the guest chef at a steakhouse themed Flanagan Farm Supper Club dinner.

February 7 – Chef Damian Sansonetti will be teaching a pasta & negroni class at Chaval.

February 8 – Ilma Lopez and Damian Sansonetti will be the guest chefs at a Flanagan Farm Supper Club dinner where they’ll celebrate the menu of their former restaurant Piccolo.

February 13 – Devin Finigan from Aragosta on Deer Isle will be the guest chef at a Flanagan Farm Supper Club dinner.

March 1 – Chef Damian Sansonetti will be teaching a Whole Hog Butchery class at Chaval.

March 6 – The Maine Craft Brew Summit is taking place. Natalie Cilurzo, co-owner and President of Russian River Brewing Company, will be the keynote speaker.

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.

The Portland and Midcoast pocket guides are now for sale in packs of 25 on our online store.

Restaurant Real Estate: January 2026

| Posted in Real Estate

Welcome to the January 2026 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/Libby Town/Parkside

867 Congress St – A former church which at one time was slated to be the future home of Vena’s is for sale for $549,000. The interior has already (see photos on listing) been partially renovated to include a bar/counter.

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

Arts District

11 Brown St – The 5,352 sq ft restaurant space currently occupied by Tokyo Sushi Ramen is for sale for $1,200,000. It comes with a fully equipped kitchen.

540 Congress St – The 27,800 sq ft building formerly occupied by Reny’s is for lease for $9.50/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).

582-584 Congress St – The 680-1,555 sq ft space formerly occupied by Harmon’s is for lease for $2,500 – $5,850/month (NNN).

Bayside/Inner Washington

52 Hanover St – 1,500 sq ft of retail space on the first floor of the Armature building is available for $30/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 $27/sq ft (NNN).

65-67 Portland St – The 2,750 sq ft former Thai Esaan/Back Bay Grill space is available for $16/sq ft (MG).

114 Preble St – The former Coals building is available to lease. The 4,424 sq ft turnkey restaurant is listed at $26/sq ft (NNN) and includes onsite parking and outdoor seating.  For more information on the building and its history see this post on instagram.

Old Port

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).

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).

10 Cotton St – The 4,606 sq ft former Thistle and Grouse is available for $19.05/sq ft (MG). It has a fully built out kitchen and the dining room was recently renovated.

58 Exchange St – The 1,314 sq ft space formerly occupied by the Cheech & Chong cannabis shop is available for $55/sq ft (MG).

373 Fore St – The 7,500 sq ft former Henry’s Public House building is for lease for $26.50/sq ft (MG).

425 Fore St – This 1,548 sq ft space had been built as a restaurant which never opened. It’s now available for $70/sq ft (MG).

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

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

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).

15 Monument Square – The 1,000 sq ft former Sisters Gourmet Deli space is available to lease for $3,600/month (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 and Bub’s Home Kitchen has moved in on the second 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.

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).

110 Thames St – Two spaces in the Sun Life building are available: a 5,772 sq ft space for $35/sq ft (NNN) and 2,575 sq ft space for $35/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  Weldon Hotel at the corner of York and Maple Streets.

Camp Pennant – this brewery, distillery and restaurant is for sale. Contact Karen Rich for more information at karen@malonecb.com or (207) 210-6637.

Outer Forest Ave Area

332 Forest Ave – A 2,309 sq ft space in a building at the corner of Bedford Street and Forest Ave is available for $16/sq ft (NNN).

683 Forest Ave – a space in Woodford’s Corner most recently occupied by a restaurant called Merveille is for lease. Call (207) 766-8845 for more information.

1569 Forest Ave – The Riverton Station Pizza, Bar & Grill and the property it is on are for sale for $1,700,000.

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

375 Riverside St – several retail spots ranging from 3,050 – 26,285 sq ft are available to lease for $16-19/sq ft (NNN).

123 Washington Ave – The 10,894 sq ft space formerly occupied by Maine Craft Distilling is available for $16/sq ft (NNN). It includes a restaurant, an outdoor seating area and onsite parking.

550 Washington Ave – 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.

Navis Cafe, Thames St – Navis Cafe is for sale for $1,299,000. The 36-seat 1,456 sq ft cafe is located in the WEX building along the Eastern Promenade Trail.

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

1422 Broadway, South Portland – This 1,440 sq ft restaurant building in Cash Corner is for lease for $27/sq ft (NNN).

333 Clarks Pond Parkway, South Portland – a 1,557 sq ft space near Taj in South Portland is for lease for $20-22/sq ft (NNN).

185 Cottage Rd, South Portland – The 2,647 sq ft former Mast Landing tasting room is for lease for $15.30/sq ft (NNN). It includes 20 parking space.

45 Huntress Ave, South Portland– Modestman Brewing is moving their tasting room and that’s freeing up this 2,016 sq ft space. It is available to lease for $4,500/month.

60 Ocean St, South Portland – The restaurant space had been occupied by Taco Trio is for lease. The 6,006 sq ft space is available for $9.99/sq ft (NNN). Taco Trio has returned to their original location at 119 Ocean Street.

Elsewhere in Maine

Bandaloop, Arundel – After 20 years in business the owners of Bandaloop have shared plans to sell the restaurant property. It’s priced at $2,100,000.

186 Main St, Auburn – A new building under construction along the Androscoggin River will include a 4,776 sq ft space that the owners hope to lease to a brewery or restaurant. It’s available for $18.50/sq ft (NNN). An additional 1,340 sq ft space will also be available when construction is completed.

111 Bath Rd, Brunswick – The Fat Boy Drive-In business and property is for sale for $775,000. Fat Boy has been in business since 1955.

7 Dunlap St, Brunswick – The 4,635 sq ft building currently occupied by Tonic at Bolos is for sale for $875,000. It includes all furniture, kitchen equipment and other furnishings.

137 Longwood Rd, Cumberland – A 2,110 sq ft building that’s been partially converted for use as a restaurant is available for $20/sq ft (NNN). See photos in the listing for a look at the current state of construction.

319 Main St, Cumberland – The 2,148 sq ft former Rise Pizza & Pub building is for sale for $850,000, or available to lease for $5,000/month (NNN).

267 Scarborough Downs Rd, Scarborough – Six retail spaces in a new building at The Downs are available. They range in size from 1,091 – 2,208 sq ft. They’ll be available to occupy in the spring of 2027.

60 Mile Rd, Wells – The former Varano’s Restaurant building and a 2 bedroom apartment are for sale for $1,695,000. See this instagram article for additional information on the building and the neighborhood.

863 Main St, Westbrook – The former Frog & Turtle and adjacent retail spaces are for sale for $1,790,000.

4 & 7 Dana St, Westbrook – 2 retail spaces are available in a new building that is under construction with plans to open in 2027. 1,250 – 5,085 sq ft of space (NNN).

10 & 16 Hardy Rd, Westbrook – The building, land and business of Lenny’s at Hawkes Plaza is for sale for $689,000.

161 Main St, Woolwich – The Taste of Maine restaurant on Route One is for sale.

1335 Route 1, Yarmouth – The 6,884 sq ft former Muddy Rudder building is for lease.

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.

The 2025 Year in Review

| Posted in Year in Review

Here’s a look back at the 2025 year in food. Read on for a refresher on what took place in Portland and all across the state, a look forward at the new opening that are in the pipeline for 2026, a list of the most popular news stories of the past year.

This is the 16th year we’ve produced a Year in Review report. Once you get a refresh on 2025 you can travel back in time to 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010.

Pop-ups – Local chefs have been holding these fun events to explore new ideas that they’re passionate about and to explore new business concepts. Some examples from 2025 are Cherie, Vagabundo, Dinner x Friends, Khao Laeng, Sleepy Fish and Pulutan. Some are one-off or intermittent experiences and others feel like the first steps towards the launch of a full-time business. Both Lambs in South Portland, and Big Tree’s Local 188 event space are hosting culinary pop-ups on a regular basis so watch their social media accounts if you want to try one out. We also list them in our weekly event summary posted on Mondays. For more thoughts on the local pop-up scene see this article in the Press Herald from September.

Exporting Culinary Culture – Portland’s food scene is so strong that we’re now exporting concepts to other locales. Two notable examples from 2025 were Peaks Island-based Il Leone’s opening of a second location of their wood-fired pizzeria in Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, and Crispy Gai’s plans to open a second location in Providence, Rhode Island.

Korean Food – Thai and Japanese restaurants have long been plentiful in Portland. While the country’s food is equally interesting and delicious, Korean restaurants haven’t gained a similar level of traction. Perhaps that’s changing? A new Korean food truck called K-Pop Kimbap is set to launch in 2026, and in the past year Luncheonette has been holding monthly Korean dinners and Sun Oriental Market and Mi Sen collaborated on a Korean pop-up.

Congress Street – The stretch of Congress Street from Monument Square to Longfellow Square has had its share of challenges and related press attention this year. There’s also been some developments in a positive direction. Benny’s, Flat Iron Coffee, Bub’s Home Kitchen, Fork in the Road Pizza, Wow India and the Bold magazine shop opened there in 2025. Under development and expected to launch in 2026 are Bad Neighbors, Y%F Cafe, Marquis Lounge, Paak and Supper Club Cocktail Lounge. There are still a number of empty storefronts but its encouraging to see new businesses opening up and placing bets on Congress Street’s future. Citywide 2025 was a quieter year for new business opening, and, thankfully, for closings as well with 39 business launches and 19 closings. Like 2024 there was a net gain in new food businesses with about a 2:1 open to close ratio.

2026 Openings –There’s a lot in the works to look forward to in 2026. Here are a few highlights to whet your appetite for the coming year:

  • Isaac MacDougal along with Jake Bosma, Brecken Macdougal and Zach Myers plan to open the Supper Club Cocktail Lounge on Congress Street.
  • Aomori restaurant opened in late 2025 and the adjacent conbini Aomori Kitchen and Market is slated to open in 2026.
  • The owners of Arcadia will be opening a listening bar called Bad Neighbors in the former Soakology space.
  • A French-inspired wine bar called Elizabeth, and a French-inspired cocktail bar called Marquis Lounge are both opening in 2026.
  • The highly anticipated hoagie shop Salvatore’s will be opening in the former Pizza Joint space on Forest Ave.
  • A new coffee shop called Y%F Cafe and a salad and smoothie shop called Paak are both under construction in the Arts District.
  • Rail Yard Brewing and the Rusty Rail will be holding their grand opening in Milo.
  • The Paper Plane cocktail bar in Camden will be relocating to Bay View Street in Camden this winter.
  • A new wood-fired bakery called Bagel Witch is under construction in Damariscotta.
  • The Rooting Pig will be opening their new restaurant in Bristol.

There are a number other exciting new projects in the works that haven’t gone public yet. Check back throughout the year for all the details as they become available.

Notable News IN PORTLAND

MAINE FOOD & DINING NEWS

The broader Maine food and dining scene continues to expand with opening and new developments in every single county. As you can see below there’s a lot going on. The list below just touches on some highlights—read the weekly Maine news reports from the past year for a more detailed view.

  • Bath/Brunswick – A Sicilian restaurant called Pomelia launched early in the year in Brunswick followed through the rest of the year with the opening of Elevenses, Ram and Bull, and Tern Coffee, and Porteur Bread. In Bath Solo Pane expanded their dining room and kitchen into the adjacent storefront and Brunswick-based Reverie Coffee opened a second location. Still under development in Brunswick are an Italian restaurant called Paolo’s and Baked on Maine which will be located in the former Great Impasta spot on Maine Street. ZaoZe Café & Market closed in November—it was the last of the businesses run by the Eighty Ate Hospitality group which once included Tao Yuan and Bao Bao.
  • Elsewhere the Midcoast – Panacea took over the space vacated by Yonder in Wiscasset. Schooner Landing reopened in Damariscotta after a fire the previous fall. The Crooked Spoon team moved into The Block Saloon space in Thomaston. Cafe Grazie, Olive Rose Chocolates, and Lemon Bar all opened in Rockland. The Midcoast Villager newspaper team launched the Villager Cafe in Camden. Spark Bagel opened their bakery in Northport and the Pulling Corks Wine bar opened in Belfast. Savory Meat Shop launched in the former Chacuterie spot in Unity, and Saint George Pizzeria launched in Warren. Sammy’s Deluxe was selected by the New York Times for their  2025 Restaurant List of the “50 best places in America right now”.  Daily Soup closed in Belfast, Wiley’s in Rockland announced they wouldn’t be reopening for the 2026 season, and The Hichborn closed in Stockton Springs. A fire destroyed Sweetgrass Winery & Distillery in Union.
  • Down East – The Pilgrim’s Inn on Deer Isle was selected by the New York Times for their 2025 Restaurant List of the “50 best places in America right now” and for the second year in the row Aragosta appeared on Food & Wine’s list of the Top 10 US Hotels for Food and Drink. MacLeod’s in Bucksport closed after 45 years in business, but the space didn’t remain vacant very long—Stowaway’s Town Tavern and Ugly’s Bar opened their doors there in October. A vegan food truck called Fancy Plants operated in Ellsworth during the summer and the Sri Lankan restaurant Serendib closed after 10 years in business. In East Machias Bold Coast Coffee opened a cafe.
  • Kennebec County – Waterville saw the launch of Cushnoc Cantina early in 2025 and of Charros Theater Mexican Restaurant in December. Belle Boulangerie relocated to Hallowell from Sebec. The food truck Bao & Beyond opened a restaurant in Augusta. Bucks Naked BBQ opened a new location in Gardiner and Gerard’s Pizza celebrated their 60th anniversary.
  • Lewiston/Auburn – Marvelous Macarons and Katie’s Confections opened in Auburn. Lewiston suffered the loss of Bon Vivant and the cocktail bar Sonder & Dram as well as of Cafe Obscura. The opening of Bene’s Beef on outer Lisbon Street and of Mancini’s Italian Deli in town were bright spots for the year.
  • Bangor Area – Bangor continued to see a number of new business developments. The most recent news was that a candy shop called Oh, Grow Up which is under construction at 21 Central Street. Perhaps the biggest story of all for the Queen City was the launch of Marsh Island Kitchen in Hampden with chef Joe Robbins at the helm. Something to look forward to in 2026 is Bangor’s plan to launch a shared commercial kitchen in the city which has the potential to help dozens of new packaged and service food businesses get their start.
  • Northern and Western Maine – Rail Yard Brewing and the Rusty Rail Pub took over the former Bissell Brothers space in Milo. A new coffee shop called Marmee Dearest Espresso opened in Kingfield, The Laughing Loon opened in Norway, Born Yesterday Bakery opened in Oxford, and Rolling Pin Bakery opened in Fort Fairfield. Additionally, Bonaventura Vineyards launched their tasting room in Hartford, and the team at Maine Grains launched The Biergarten in Skowhegan.
  • Southern Maine – Catbird took over the former Secundo space in South Berwick, Chez Rosa moved across the bridge to the Old Vines space in Kennebunk, and the Sea Salt Fry Company took over the former Lee Franks spot in Wells joining Baker Bru Cafe which had moved in just up the road from North Berwick earlier in the year. Kittery saw the closure of Anneke Jans, and the opening of Warren’s, Henry’s, and Salty Spirits. In Buxton Rooted Heart Cafe and Apothecary opened for business in January and Oak and Ember closed in April. Frog and Turtle closed and Wakie Wakie’s opened in Westbrook. Sebagels opened their bagel shop in Naples, Allagash launched the Allagash Bungalow at The Downs in Scarborough. Falmouth had some new energy in their food scene with the relocation of Sapporo from Portland and the launch of Revel and of a second location of Cafe Luna. Colleen Kelley has relaunched her well-loved restaurant Silly’s in Standish. Krista Kern Desjarlais relaunched The Purple House in North Yarmouth with a new menu and concept. South Portland saw a lot of change in the last year: Cafe Louis shut down as did the Mast Landing tasting room, Asia House moved into the space being vacated by Dok Mali Noodle Bar, Taco Trio re-relocated to their original spot Ocean Street. The Garden Bar opened a second location on Ocean Street, the owners of Yosaku shared plans to open a new restaurant in South Portland, and The Streetwich cafe opened.

Top ARTICLEs

The most popular articles we published on the website in the past year were:

  1. North Deering Tavern– Sam Minervino and a set of business partner’s opened a new pub in the space formerly occupied by Parker’s. (May 6th)
  2. Yuri’s Desserts– The opening of the new bakery and coffee shop on Spring Street. (January 2nd)
  3. Dry Dock – A first look at the newly renovated and relaunched restaurant on Commercial Street. (July 24th)
  4. Beard Awards Semifinalists – Announcement of the 10 chefs and restaurants that were 2025 semifinalists. (January 22nd)
  5. Garden Bar – Word that The Garden Bar was planning to open a location in Knightville. (March 30th)
  6. Cuties – Announcement of the upcoming opening of Cuties. (March 26th)
  7. Aomori Restaurant and Market – Word that Masa Miyake and his family planned to open a restaurant and conbini market in West Bayside. (March 24th)
  8. Catbird – Photos and menu from the opening of Catbird, a new restaurant in South Berwick. (October 16th)
  9. Y%F Cafe– Word about Y%F, a new cafe under construction in the space long vacant in Congress Square. (August 30th)
  10. Oak & Ember – The closing of Oak & Ember in Buxton. (April 11th)
  11. Silver Street by Taj – Photos and menu for the opening of Silver Street by Taj in the Old Port. (August 28th)
  12. Gill’s Bar – Word that Michael, Siobhán Sindoni and Rian Wyllie were going to launch a new bar in the former Bao Bao space on Spring Street (July 17th).
  13. Sodt – Announcement that a Nordic candy shop was under construction on Cumberland Ave. (April 3rd)
  14. Mandy and Matt’s – Opening announcement of a new breakfast and lunch cafe in Morrill’s Corner. (April 3rd)
  15. Henry’s – Announcement on the closing of Henry’s Public House (January 18th)

The Restaurant Real Estate listings, Maine Food Map, Thanksgiving List, Under Construction List, Beard Awards page and guides to Maine cider and Maine apples also received a lot of visitors last year.

Passings

The past year witnessed the passing of some members of the Maine food community.

  • Declan Perry, 27 – a long time team member and chef at The Grill Room.
  • Stacy Strattard, 64 – the co-owner of Birchwood Brewing in Gray.

Our Wonderful Sponsors

With the conclusion of 2025 and the start of the new year, we want to take a moment to recognize and thank the corporate sponsors of Portland Food Map. Their support makes all work we do to report on and celebrate the Maine food and dining scene possible. Please give them a follow and learn more about them and the work they do. They are: Evergreen Credit Union, The Boulos Company, Canopy by Hilton Waterfront, Wine Wise, Allagash Brewing Company, The Longfellow Hotel, Great Pine Financial Services, and Vertical Harvest.