Iron Pollo Moving to Portland

| Posted in Under Construction

Chef/owner Alberto Mateo is moving his food truck New England Iron Pollo (facebook, instagram) and catering business to Portland early this spring. Mateo serves a menu of cast iron broiled chicken and dishes such as empanadas and chicken and churro waffles along with sides like yuca fries and maduros.

Mateo launched the business in Bangor in the summer of 2023. As part of the move to Portland he is planning to hold a series of pop-up events starting in early March so keep a watch on the Iron Pollo social media accounts (links above) for information about upcoming events.

Blue Lobster Tasting Room Closed

| Posted in Closings

Blue Lobster Urban Winery (website, facebook,  instagram) closed down their East Bayside tasting room on Saturday. They plan to continue their wine making operations for sale to retail shops and to be served at restaurants and bars.

BLUW was founded in 2017 and for 7 years had been located in the Rockingham Electric building before opening the tasting room in the summer of 2024.

Upcoming Food & Dining Events

| Posted in Events

Wednesday – The next edition in Big Tree weekly Family Meal series at Local 188 will feature “Fried chicken & all the fixins” prepared by chef Colin Myers.

Thursday – The Barkery (web, facebook, instagram) indoor dog park and bar in South Portland is scheduled to open for business. Salvatore’s Hoagie Shop is scheduled to open at noon and they’ve begun taking pre-orders for the big day.

Friday – The Sinful Kitchen is holding a Filipino boodle fight dinner.

Saturday – Popular Rockland donut shop Ruckus Donuts will be taking part in the Lost & Found Market at Thompson’s Point this weekend. Chef Damian Sansonetti will be teaching a pasta & negroni class at Chaval.

Sunday – 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 10 – The team from Meat on the Street will be holding a 4-course Thai pop-up dinner at the Wharf Street Yacht Club.

February 13 – The Marquis is holding the grand opening for their cocktail lounge. Devin Finigan from Aragosta on Deer Isle will be the guest chef at a Flanagan Farm Supper Club dinner. Supper Club is hosting a pre-Valentine’s Day party in collaboration with Kiss Kiss. The Marquis Lounge (read more about them) is holding their grand opening.

February 21 – Luncheonette will be holding a Korean Night pop-up dinner at Palace Diner in Biddeford.

February 27 – Bakers Briana Holt from Tandem, Kristen Lamontagne from Plum Pizza, and Kerry Hanney from Night Moves Bread will be taking part a panel discussion about baking at Table Bar in Gardiner.

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.

May 16 – The Maine Wine Wine Fest (tickets) is taking place in Freeport.

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.

4 Star Review of Dry Dock

| Posted in Reviews

The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a 4 star review of Dry Dock,

The menu skews toward the usuals, but Carney and his team deploy skillful technique to make these seafood standards sing. Their Fish & Chips, Fried Cod Cheeks and Mussels are must-orders. Raw bar enthusiasts will be delighted by the variety of offerings and inventive ceviches and crudos. Perfectly pan-roasted fish makes the simple halibut entree shine, while the chefs flex their creative muscles with Catch of the Day specials like Orange-Glazed Cod in Sweet Potato-Guajillo Broth.

Restaurant Real Estate: February 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

383 Commercial St – 1,457 – 3,379 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.

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).

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

1041 Brighton Ave – 885 – 2,429 sq ft of space are available for $16-18/sq ft (NNN) in the same strip mall as Panda Garden.

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 – 2,722 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 – 1,340-4,921 sq ft of space are available. 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 $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.

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 $1,995,000.

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.

267 Scarborough Downs Rd, Scarborough – Six retail spaces in a new building at The Downs are available. They range in size from 1,091 – 5,248 sq ft. They’ll be available to occupy in the spring of 2027.

4 & 7 Dana St, Westbrook – A 5,085 sq ft restaurant space is available in a new building that is under construction with plans to open in 2027.

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.

Maine Food & Dining News: Waldoboro, Deer Isle, South Portland, Oxford, Camden, Sanford, Wiscasset, Presque Isle, Bangor, Belfast, Cape Elizabeth

| 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 business called Day Boat Cafe (website, facebook, instagram) is under construction in Waldoboro. Located at 17 Friendship Road (above) in the town center, Day Boat is the creation of Anna Hymanson and Kelsey Woodworth. They envision a menu that is “intentionally straightforward and comforting” which will include sandwiches, soups, salads, and baked goods like cookies, cakes, pies, cupcakes, and other sweet treats. A deli case will have ready-to-eat dinners like lasagna, chicken pot pie, bacon-wrapped meatloaf, vegetarian stuffed peppers, twice-baked potatoes, roasted vegetables, and pasta salads. The cafe will also offer catering services.
    They shared, “At Day Boat, our goal is simple: to create a space that feels welcoming to everyone. Two things we say often are ‘everyone deserves a nice thing’ and ‘we want to meet people exactly where they’re at.’ Whether you’re coming off a long workday, shuttling kids around, passing through town for an appointment, or visiting seasonally, we hope Day Boat feels like a place you can count on — where you can order your favorite sandwich the same way every time, treat yourself to something nice, and maybe even grab dinner to reheat later and take one thing off your plate.”
    Woodworth and Hymanson are renovating the space which will include 13 counter seats, two “jewel box” window booths, and a large community table in an open kitchen concept. Outdoor seating will also be available. Both owners have more than 15 years of experience in restaurants and hospitality. Hymanson is a whole-animal butcher as well as experienced working in front of house service. Woodworth is a 2012 Culinary Institute of America graduate who’s worked at a number of Midcoast Maine restaurants as well as a private chef in New York city and Los Angeles. They hope to launch Day Boat this spring, and expect to eventually add a weekend brunch service to their hours.
  • Aragosta chef/owner Devin Finigan has announced the upcoming launch of her first book, A Kitchen on Goose Cove. As she shared on instagram “A Kitchen on Goose Cove is a reflection of me at my core: a chef at home. It’s my love affair with Maine. Inside you will find more than 75 recipes for traditional Maine dishes, and new spins on the classics: Lobster Rolls, Scallops with Wild Ramp Sauce, Mussel Chowder, Grilled Vegetables with Fish Caramel, Tomahawk Steaks with Chanterelles, and Whoopie Pies to name a few.” You can pre-order a copy of the book which is expected to be out on May 19th.
  • Taj in South Portland has made the decision to make their free food program a permanent part of the restaurant. They had begun the current effort during the suspension of SNAP benefits in late 2025 and now stock the hot foods cabinet with 100 meals each day.
  • Born Yesterday Bakery (website, instagram) is holding a soft opening tomorrow. They’re located at 11 Mechanic Falls Road in Oxford just down the road from Oxbow Beer Garden and will be open 9 am to 3 pm.
  • The Swanville restaurant Circumstance (website, instagram) will be serving a 6-course pop-up dinner at the Villager Cafe on February 14th featuring locally sourced ingredients. Tickets are now on sale. Circumstance was launched in in the summer of 2024 by chef Khristopher Hogg.
  • News broke earlier this week that a group of investors have have stabilized the Fork Food Lab commercial kitchen and saved it from closing.
  • The Sanford Springvale News has a report on a new bakery instructor on staff at the Sanford Regional Technical Center. Kristen Perry has worked at several restaurants and bakeries in Boston before relocating back to Maine.
  • The Lincoln County News has published reports about the new owners of Treats in Wiscasset, the expansion of Delano Seafood in Waldoboro, and the new Cider Hill Farm Taproom in Waldoboro.
  • The Bangor Daily News reports that Shogun Japanese Restaurant (facebook) will be moving into a new space in Presque Isle, and that the new Bangor candy shop Oh, Grow Up (facebook) opened on Friday.
  • The Pen Bay Pilot published a report on Glo’s Market (facebook), a pan-Asian market that recently opened in Belfast.
  • Chef Gary Cooper will be serving a 5-course wine dinner at Dos Gatos (facebook, instagram) in Belfast on February 11th.
  • The Press Herald reports that Tacos y Tequila in Cape Elizabeth has gone out of business. It had opened for business in December 2020.

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.

Friday Service Industry Strike

| Posted in General News

A growing number of Portland area hospitality businesses are taking part in a one day shutdown strike on Friday including:

The stated goals of the strike include asking state and local government to take action, and legislation at the federal level to halt funding for ICE.

Additionally, other businesses plan to stay open and will be making donations to local organizations that are helping people impacted by the presence of ICE in Maine:

Portland Buy Local has issued a statement about businesses participation in the strike.