Ilma Lopez Runs for City Council

| Posted in People

Chef Ilma Lopez, co-owner of Chaval and Ugly Duckling, is running for the District 5 seat on the Portland City Council. A statement on her campaign website reads,

I believe Portland should be a city where families, working people, and seniors can afford to live, where neighborhoods are safe and welcoming, where local businesses can grow, and where every child has access to a strong education. My approach is practical: listen to residents, spend taxpayer dollars responsibly, and focus on solutions that strengthen District 5 and all of Portland.

You can read more about her and the priorities of her campaign at IlmaForPortland.com.

Royal Ice, The Hut, Strada Social Club, and Sputnik Cafe

| Posted in Under Construction, Openings

Here are four new business that have recently launched or are soon to do so:

The Hut by Twin Tide Kitchen (website, facebook, instagram) recently opened on Commercial Street. They’re located in the small building (above) across from Brickyard Hollow Brewing. The Hut is serving sandwiches, salads, baked goods, ice cream and drinks.

A new food truck called Royal Ice (instagram) recently launched on Forest Ave. They’re located in the parking lot next to Mandy & Matt’s Cafe at the corner of Stevens Ave. Royal Ice is serving Cold Fusion gelato, ice cream from Gifford’s and fresh squeezed lemonade. They plan to be open daily (weather permitting).

Strada Social Club (website, facebook, instagram) launched last Tuesday on Thompson’s Point. The menu features Italian pasta dishes like cuzzetiello and rigatoni. Owner Alana Reali also owns Sauce and Destroy and uses S&D marinara in the dishes served by Strada. Watch for Strada to be popping up at breweries and special events. Strada is also available for catering.

Milly Taylor plans to launch Sputnik Cafe (instagram) this fall. Taylor describes Sputnik as a “community oriented cafe-on-wheels driven to serve up some tasty drinks and sandwiches and to put a smile on your face.” She shared that her goal is “to create a fun and loving customer base that strives to make Portland and surrounding areas a more joyful place.” Taylor expects to operate in the Greater Portland area with stops at hospitals, work sites, festivals, and will also offer private event cocktail service catering as well. Taylor has worked in the industry for 16 years. She shared that launching her own business is something she’s dreamed of since she was a teenager.

Upcoming Food & Dining Events

| Posted in Events

Tuesday – Gaaeng Supper Club from Boston will be popping up at the Portland Zoo. “Gaaeng Supper Club is a Boston-based Thai pop-up celebrating regional Thai cuisine through seasonal ingredients, and flavors rarely found outside Thailand”.

Wednesday – Twelve is holding a 5-course wine dinner featuring 00 Wines. Founders Chris and Kathryn Hermann will be attending the meal.

Thursday – Lucky Cheetah is hold a guided Champagne tasting. Bard is holding a latte art competition.

Saturday – Yardie Ting will be holding a Jamaican Independence Day Festival.

August 13 – Twelve is serving a 5-course dinner featuring nightshades.

August 15 – En-Noble and Ugly Duckling are collaborating on a global dinner series celebrating the food of Asia, Africa and Latin America. The focus of the August dinner is the food of Africa.

August 22 – The Maine State Cake Decorating Championship is taking place in South Paris.

August 28-30 – Maine Apple Camp is taking place in Hope. The biennial event covers a wide range of topics including “innovative orcharding methods, identifying and preserving heritage varieties, foraging wild fruit, cider making and lots more.”

August 29 – Dinner x Friends is holding their next event.

September 12 – Orange Bike Brewing is hosting a Gluten-Free Market & Expo.

September 13 – The 10th Annual Maine Cheese Festival is taking place in Pittsfield.

September 19 – PoutineFest is taking place. En-Noble and Ugly Duckling are collaborating on a global dinner series celebrating the food of Asia, Africa and Latin America. The focus of the September dinner is the food of Latin America.

September 25-27 – The 50th Annual Common Ground Fair is taking place in Unity.

October 8 – The Maine Food Producers Showcase & Golden Fork Awards are taking place in Portland.

October 24 – The 21st Annual Veg Fest is taking place.

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 2026 Portland and Midcoast pocket guides are now for sale in packs of 25 on our online store.

Sommelier Jennifer Forge

| Posted in People

Jennifer Forge has earned her Advanced Sommelier certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Testing for the Advanced level consists of a written exam followed by a deductive tasting session and an evaluation on service and hospitality conducted by Master Sommeliers. Forge is just one of 27 people to pass the overall evaluation among the 350 people who sat for the written exam.

She shared “It’s an absolute honor to be able to represent women, parents, first timers, underdogs, New England, Maine, and of course my home city of Portland. I hope to pave the way for other aspiring service professionals and mentor those who wish to further advance their skills and careers. It can be easy to get caught up in the glitz and glamour at this level—it’s important to stay humbled, remember where you came from, and offer a helping hand to those who seek similar achievements. At the end of the day, I’m still just a chick from Maine.”

Forge works for the Prentice Hospitality Group where she is the lead sommelier at Twelve.

A Cocktail Menu at Franciska

| Posted in Distilling & Cocktails

The Argentine wine bar and restaurant Franciska (website, instagram) has added a selection of cocktails to their menu. The program is a collaboration between Brian ‘Cat’ Catapang from Magnus on Water and Franciska owner Alex Marchesini.

Marchesini shared “Argentine bodegones have a rich drinking culture where vermouth, Amari, and sherry collide, simple cocktails have always had a place alongside the food. It felt like a natural and honest evolution to introduce a small cocktail program that reflects that tradition and gives guests another way to experience the culture…After visiting Magnus and experiencing Cat’s cocktails, I knew he was the right person to help bring the program to life. The balance, restraint, and creativity in his drinks really stood out to me.”

Shown here are the Beagle (top right) made with Amontillado sherry, La Fuerza vermouth, strawberry apertiff and Meletti amaro, the Pipistrello (bottom left) made with Four Roses bourbon, Cocchi rosso, Bordiga bianco, passionfruit and Angostura bitters, and the Poncho (bottom right) made with Bold Coast Spirits oyster vodka, Plymouth London dry gin & Tio Pepe fino sherry alongside a serving of Franciska’s flounder ceviche.

Upcoming Food & Dining Events

| Posted in Events

Wednesday-Friday – The Kneading Conference is taking place in Skowhegan.

Thursday – Brunswick-based Reverie Coffee House will be holding a pop-up at Botanically Curious on Congress Street where they’ll be serving a menu of coffee, matcha and chai.

Friday – En-Noble and Ugly Duckling are collaborating on a global dinner series celebrating the food of Asia, Africa and Latin America. The focus of the July dinner is the food of Asia.

Saturday – The 22nd Annual Festival of Nations will be taking place.

Sunday – It’s Open Farm Day, see the Real Maine website for a list of participating farms.

July 29 – Twelve is holding a 5-course wine dinner featuring 00 Wines. Founders Chris and Kathryn Hermann will be attending the meal.

July 30 – Lucky Cheetah is hold a guided Champagne tasting.

August 13 – Twelve is serving a 5-course dinner featuring nightshades.

August 15 – En-Noble and Ugly Duckling are collaborating on a global dinner series celebrating the food of Asia, Africa and Latin America. The focus of the August dinner is the food of Africa.

August 22 – The Maine State Cake Decorating Championship is taking place in South Paris.

August 28-30 – Maine Apple Camp is taking place in Hope. The biennial event covers a wide range of topics including “innovative orcharding methods, identifying and preserving heritage varieties, foraging wild fruit, cider making and lots more.”

August 29 – Dinner x Friends is holding their next event.

September 13 – The 10th Annual Maine Cheese Festival is taking place in Pittsfield.

September 19 – PoutineFest is taking place. En-Noble and Ugly Duckling are collaborating on a global dinner series celebrating the food of Asia, Africa and Latin America. The focus of the September dinner is the food of Latin America.

September 25-27 – The 50th Annual Common Ground Fair is taking place in Unity.

October 8 – The Maine Food Producers Showcase & Golden Fork Awards is taking place in Portland.

October 24 – The 21st Annual Veg Fest is taking place.

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 2026 Portland and Midcoast pocket guides are now for sale in packs of 25 on our online store.

Interview with Rob Tod

| Posted in People

The Worthy for Thirty podcast has published a really interesting interview with Allagash founder Rob Tod.

I sat down with Rob for a wide-ranging conversation about how Allagash grew from a fledgling brewery built with used equipment into one of the most respected and admired breweries in America. What ensues is not just a story about beer, but a case study in endurance, operational excellence, and values that are actually embedded in the business.