Restaurant Real Estate: April 2026

| Posted in Real Estate

Welcome to the April 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

785 Congress St – A 1,619 sq ft retail space near Bramhall Square is available for $23/sq ft (NNN).

867 Congress St – A former church which at one time was slated to be the future home of Vena’s is for sale for $525,000. The interior has already (see photos on listing) been partially renovated to include a bar/counter.

Arts District

11 Brown St – The 5,352 sq ft restaurant space currently occupied by Tokyo Sushi Ramen is for sale for $725,000. It comes with a fully equipped kitchen.

540 Congress St – The 25,800 sq ft building formerly occupied by Reny’s is for lease for $7.50/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

31 Diamond St – the 3,288 sq ft former Freedom’s Edge tasting room is available for $18/sq ft (NNN).

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).

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

327 Commercial St – The 6,981 – 7,981 sq ft space currently occupied by Tiqa is available for lease or to buy. The lease rate is $30/sq ft (NNN). The sale price is $3,250,000.

375 Fore St – The 2,500 sq ft central bar and dining area of the former Henry’s Public House is available to lease for $26.50/sq ft (NNN).

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).

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).

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).

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.

1435 Forest Ave – The 2,910 sq ft former Fortune Garden building is for sale for $599,000.

Elsewhere in Portland

144 Fore St – several retail space in the same building as Madrid’s are available. They run from 1,527 to 3,544 sq ft and are listed at $17.50 – $19/sq ft.

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 $17.50/sq ft (NNN).

Westgate Shopping Center – 1,340-4,921 sq ft of space are available. The lease rates are negotiable.

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).

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 spaces.

465 Maine Mall Rd, South Portland – a 6,250 sq ft restaurant building formerly occupied by Chili’s is available for $35/sq ft.

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.

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.

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.

130 Wardtown Rd, Freeport – The 2,400 sq ft North Freeport Store building, equipment and 3 acres of sorrounding land are for sale for $525,000.

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.

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: New Vineyard, Topsham, South Portland, Lincolnville, Cape Neddick, Jonesboro, Augusta, Thomaston, Shapleigh, Brunswick

| 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:

  • The Chametz (website, facebook, instagram) is scheduled to open on May 19th and has begun taking reservations. Founders Lina Mamut and chef Jared Rudnick plan to serve a locally sourced chef’s tasting menu with the option of alcoholic or nonalcoholic pairings. The sample menu on their website includes dishes like duck rillettes with poached peach, green strawberry and duck gribenes. For additional background information see our earlier report on the restaurant from December 2023..
  • Knead & Nosh (website, facebook, instagram) has leased space at 4 Bowdoin Mill Island in Topsham where they plan to open a retail shop and cafe. They hope to launch this June serving bagel sandwiches and coffee, and retailing NY-style bagels. The new space will also provide space to hold baking and cooking classes.
  • Makoto (see photos above) is now open for business and taking reservations on Resy. The Japanese restaurant has been launched by the owners of Yosaku at 448 Cottage Road in South Portland in the building formerly occupied by Elsmere BBQ. In addition to similar range of sushi options as Yosaku, the restaurant also serves a selection of wood-fired dishes like the mackerel shown above. You can see the full menu on their website.
  • Camp DeForest in Lincolnville plans to launch a cocktail bar this summer. Tiki Scout (instagram) is envisioned as a “spirited cocktail bar opening in July that brings a touch of tropical fun to the Maine woods. With playful tiki-inspired drinks and laid-back camp energy, the bar offers a lively new social hub for guests looking to toast the end of a day outdoors.” When it launches the 20-seat bar is will be open Thursday through Saturday evenings serving a menu of  “Maine-influenced tiki style pupu platters and nostalgic camp favorites.”
  • Swell House (website, instagram) has leased space adjacent to their coffee shop in Cape Neddick where they will open Swell Kitchen (instagram) this spring. They plan to offer grab-and-go foods as well a build-a-bowl option and house signature bowls. “Executive Chef, Mathew Barksdale and Operations Manager, Randy De Vega will be lining up Goldilocks’ favorite beds of eggs/breakfast potatoes, healthy starches, and mixed greens ready to be topped with fresh produce and proteins, unique toppings like house-made kimchis and dreamy dressings to pair so that it is JUST RIGHT.”
  • Ross Florance and McKenna Koledo have published some renovation photos of La Laiterie. The grand opening weekend for the Jonesboro cafe is scheduled for April 23-26. As reported back in January, the restaurant’s menu will be draw its inspiration from the culinary traditions of Brittany. Florance and Koledo plan to 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.
  • The Kennebec Journal has published a Q&A with Pear Nalaphas and Trever Cherette, the owners of Bao and Beyond, which launched in Augusta this past October. “For Nalaphas and Cherette the focus goes beyond serving food, it’s about sharing flavors and cultures that have helped shape their cooking, while also creating an experience that feels both approachable and exciting for the local community.”
  • The Midcoast Villager reports that a group of three residents have formed a nonprofit community development corporation to buy the Thomaston Grocery.
  • The Portsmouth Herald has published an article about Bob’s Ugly Bagels in Shapleigh.
  • Eating Though the Seacoast has published a selection of 15 Hotel Bars Worth Exploring in Maine.
  • Moderation Brewing has published an update on the new location they have under development in Brunswick

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.

Dinner and Drinks at Oun Lido’s

| Posted in Openings

Oun Lido’s (website, instagram) launched a bar in their second floor dining room last night. They now also offer dinnertime table services with takeout still available from their downstairs ordering counter. The drinks list (see below) includes cocktails like a coconut pandan mojito, cherry negroni and a passionfruit magarita shown above. The bar and table service are available Tuesday through Sunday, 5 – 9 pm (until 10 pm on Friday and Saturday).

The Cambodian restaurant is located at 30 Market Street. They opened for business in the summer of 2024 and received  a 4 star review from the Maine Sunday Telegram later that year as well as appearing on Esquire’s list of the Best New Restaurants of 2024.

Here’s a look at the new drink list. You can see their menu online and some pictures of their food we published last month on instagram.

Elizabeth Opens on Friday

| Posted in Openings

Alex Wight is launching her new French-inspired wine bar and restaurant Elizabeth (website, instagram) on Friday.  Elizabeth is located at 47 Wharf Street and will be open Tuesday through Saturday, 4 – 10 pm (until 11 pm on Friday and Saturday).

Chefs Duncan Biddulph and Ashley Robinson are serving a menu (see below) that includes dishes like Oeuf Mayo with smoked salmon caviar (center right), Jambon de Bayone (top left) and Halibut en Papillote as well as desserts like the Souffle with salted honey ice cream (bottom left) and a Canelé with apricot, custard and rum. Elizabeth’s beverage consultant, Kevin Denton Rex, has put together a drinks list (see below) of cocktails, French wine by the glass and bottle, nonalcoholic drinks, beer and cider.

The space has been completely redesigned with an 18-seat bar along the right side of the room, banquette seating for 22 along the opposite wall and an eye-catching polished red ceiling.

Wight is the owner of Crown Jewel restaurant on Great Diamond Island which she launched in 2018. She previously ran the influential Flanagan’s Table dinner series in Buxton.

Robinson and Biddulph relocated to Maine from Chicago where Biddulph worked at Lula Cafe, Publican, and was the executive chef at Rootstock and Tortello. Robinson grew up in Cape Elizabeth and after attending Harvard worked in New York and Chicago, notably as the head chef at The Bakery at Fat Rice.

Reservations for Elizabeth can be made on OpenTable.

2026 Beard Award Nominees

| Posted in Reviews

The 2026 list of nominees for the James Beard Awards has been released. Congratulations to our Maine nominees:

The list of semifinalists was released back in January with seven from Maine this year. Elsewhere in New England there were 2 nominees from Rhode Island, 1 from Vermont, 3 from Connecticut and 2 from New Hampshire.

The awards ceremony will take place on June 15th in Chicago. This year is the 25th anniversary of the first Beard Award won by a Maine establishment—an America’s Classics award for Waterman’s Beach Lobster in 2001. Hopefully this year’s ceremony reveals additional award winners for Maine to continue the legacy.

For your reference:

Upcoming Food & Dining Events

| Posted in Events

Tuesday – K-Pop Kimbap is holding a pop-up at Luncheonette.

Thursday – A Pulutan pop-up is taking place at Onggi.

April 10 – The Pierogi Prince (instagram) will be popping up at the Local 188 event space.

April 11 – New England Iron Pollo is holding a pop-up at Lambs. It’s the last day of the indoor Winter Farmers’ Market.

April 17-18 – The 2nd Annual Organic Grain & Seed Summit is taking place.

April 18 – It’s the first day of the outdoor Portland Farmers’ Market in Deering Oaks Park.

April 24 – May 3 – Maine Seaweed Week is taking place.

May 2 – SeaFest is taking place.

May 3 – CiderFeast is taking place.

May 9 – The premiere screening of the movie Lunchroom Revolution is taking place.

May 9-10 – The 2026 A Taste of Nations Food Festival is taking place at Mayo Street Arts.

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

May 17 – Cafe Mugen is holding a pop-up at at Izakaya Minato.

July 24-26 – The Kneading Conference is taking place in Skowhegan.

September 25-27 – The Common Ground Fair is taking place in Unity.

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.

Maine Food & Dining News: Deer Isle, Swanville, Freedom, Cape Elizabeth, Oxford, Belgrade, Scarborough, Bar Harbor, Yarmouth, Camden, Owls Head, Van Buren, Chebeague

| 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:

  • Several of Maine’s seasonal destination restaurants are now taking reservations for 2026: Aragosta on Deer Isle has begun taking reservations and opens for the season on May 7th, Circumstance in Swanville is now taking reservations and launches their season on April 24th, The Lost Kitchen in Freedom has begun gathering postcards for their reservation lottery, and The Well at Jordan’s Farm in Cape Elizabeth is taking reservations and opens for the season on June 10th.
  • Chef Jordan DiDonato is launching a food cart called Beef Haus (instagram) in Oxford. He plans to serve a menu of meatball sub variations and a set of hot dog sandwiches like the House Dog topped with mustard, grilled onions, sauerkraut and celery salt. DiDonato hopes to launch by the beginning of June.
  • The Cork & Cow (website, instagram) has launched their new wine bar. Located on the second floor of their shop at 47 Main Street in Belgrade, it is open Friday through Sunday, 3 – 9 pm. The menu includes a selection of white, rose and red wines by the glass, draft beer and some bar snacks.
  • Taste Me (website, instagram) has opened for business in Scarborough. The Asian fusion sandwich shop serves a menu that includes baked goods, rice bowls, ramen, banh mi, breakfast sandwiches, standards like BLTs and a set of house specials like an orange chicken sandwich served on a brioche bun. They’re located at 680 US Route One and are open Wednesday through Monday, 7 am – 3 pm.
  • Siren & Sailor (website, facebook, instagram), a new Bar Harbor cocktail bar and restaurant from the owners of The Travelin Lobster, is scheduled to open on April 9th, 3:30 – 8:30 pm. You can see their full food menu and drink list on their website.
  • Me Lon Togo is holding a pop-up Gather in Yarmouth on April 12th serving a 4-course dinner.
  • The Midcoast Villager reports that the Megunticook Market in Camden is under new ownership “Megunticook Market and Catering on Gould Street will be undergoing a “facelift” and offering a new expanded selection including Asian cuisine items, the new owner has announced.”
  • The Pen Bay Pilot has published an article about Nomad, the new cafe operating at the Knox County Airport in Owls Head.
  • The Bangor Daily News reports that Northern Maine Kolache in Van Buren will be opening their new shop early next month. “Ayotte plans a grand opening at the new spot, located on 46 Main St., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 4. The new store will maintain the business’s regular hours of 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on all weekdays except Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday.”
  • The Press Herald reports that Doughty’s Island Market on Chebeague Island is closing after 65 years in business.

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.