Month: November 2025

New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:

• A new restaurant called The Local OOB (website, facebook, instagram) recently opened in Old Orchard Beach. They’re located at 23 Washington Ave in a space previously occupied by a restaurant with a similar name. Owners Aaron Gregory and chef Craig Pacheco are serving a menu that includes items like crispy brussels sprouts, coconut shrimp, steaks, shrimp risotto, soup, salads, sandwiches and pizza. The Saco Bay News reports that they hope to add some Portuguese dishes to the menu.
• Asia House Kitchen and Bar (instagram) has opened for business (photo above). Asia House is located in Knightville in South Portland in the space formerly occupied by Dok Mali Noodle Bar at 169 Ocean Street.
• A new food truck called 69 West (facebook) recently launched in Rockport. They’re serving burgers, hot dogs, tacos, burritos, sides and other comfort food options. They’re located at 495 Commercial Street. They’re open Monday through Saturday, 11 am – 7 pm.
• Modestman Brewing (website, facebook, instagram) has announced plans to move their South Portland tasting from from Huntress Ave to 35 Park Ave. They anticipate launching the new tasting room in January.
• Ruby on the Hill (website, facebook, instagram), a bakery in Hebron, is launching their new retail space on December 6th. Work continues to complete the bakery’s kitchen. You can find Ruby on the Hill at 294 Merrill Hill Road.
• Born Yesterday Bakery (website, instagram) owner Syd Coty has announced a change of location—it had previously been planned for Lewiston. Coty is now planning to launch Born Yesterday at 11 Mechanic Falls Road in Oxford just down the road from Oxbow Beer Garden. Coty hopes to launch the bakery in early December.
• The latest issue of the Maine Startup Insider email newsletter features an interview with Ger Liang Tysk, the owner of Red Kettle Kimchi.
• The Bangor Daily News reports that a new wood-fired pizzeria called Danny’s Pizza will be opening soon in Ellsworth, that Mack’s Restaurant and Tavern in Brewer is closing on Sunday, and that the Burger Boy in Caribou has sold at auction for $155,000.
• WABI reports that a new restaurants called Benjamin’s Brewer (website, facebook, instagram) is under development in Brewer at 46 Acme Road. It’s expected to open in January.
• The Pen Bay Pilot has published an article about Lemon Bar (website, instagram) in Rockland. “Once known as The Brass Compass, the newly revamped space feels like a retro-vibe cocktail lounge, with faux lime-wash walls that make you think you’re sitting at the bottom of a swimming pool. Wesley carved the sapele wood wraparound bar, and they both added comfortable chairs and a lounge area in the back. A woodworking friend helped them decorate the place, providing a handmade chess set and a unique bathroom door.”
• The Midcoast Villager has published an article about Maine apple expert and advocate John Bunker, and published an article about the new Amish-run Savory Meat Shop in Unity. “Tucked at the end of a long, unpaved drive on Leelynn Road, past a stretch of finely crafted Amish-built sheds, sits one of Waldo County’s newest culinary discoveries: The Savory Meat Shop, a modest, lantern-lit outpost where owner Tim Hochstetler is quickly earning a reputation for some of the region’s best smoked meats and cheeses.” It’s located at 41 Leelynn Dr in Unity in the space wher Matthew Secich formerly operated Charcuterie. The article reports that Savory Meat Shop is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm.
• CBS News has published an article about the Villager Cafe, the restaurant run by the Midcoast Villager newspaper. “The accountability issues and local sports and all that stuff is important to a lot of people,” [owner Reade Brower] said. “I don’t think that’s enough to sell and keep newspapers alive right now. I think it has to revolve around community. And what better way to serve community than to invite people here for food and to mix all this stuff together?”
• The Bollard has published a review of Wakie Wakies in Westbrook.
• The owners of Katahdin Kitchen are launching Vecchia Petria. The wood-fired pizzeria will be operating out of the Korean Dad space in Veazie and is expected to be open Mondays in December, 4 – 8 pm.
• The Waterville Morning Sentinel has published an article about the ricotta cheese produced by Crooked Face Creamery in Skowhegan, The recently received a Super Gold medal for their plain whole milk ricotta at the World Cheese Awards.

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.

New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:

• Bold Coast Coffee (website, facebook, instagram) has opened a cafe in East Machias. They’re located at 447 Main Street in a newly renovated space in the building behind their food truck (photo above from late August) and which also served as their roastery.
• Saco Bay News reports that K-Thai Kitchen has open in Biddeford serving “Thai curries, noodle dishes, fried rice, Thai coffee, mango with sticky rice and other Thai specialties.” They’re located in the former Hamburger Stand building at 138 Elm Street. Meet York County paid K-Thai a visit and has shared some photos of the space and the food.
• The North Star Cantina (instagram) recently opened in Wells in the building formerly occupied by Fotogo at 1574 Post Road. Eating Through The Seacoast has published video of food, drinks and interior of North Star, and the Portsmouth Herald has written up an article about the business.
• Hawk’s Nest Kitchen and Bar (website, facebook, instagram) has opened for business in South Berwick serving a menu that includes dishes like mac and cheese, haddock sandwiches, Philly cheesesteak eggrolls, pan seared salmon and vegetable soba noodles.
• Harding Lee Smith has taken over the former GraceNote Inn in Bethel where he plans to operate an inn and launch a restaurant called The Mayville Union House. As reported in Portland Magazine, Smith plans to serve a menu of scratch made New American comfort food with a special focus on house dry aged steaks. Smith is the owner of The Front Room, The Corner Room and The Grill Room in Portland.
• The Waterville Sentinel reports that a new restaurant called Rex’s Riverside Grill (website, instagram) has opened in Winslow in the building formerly occupied by Lobster Trap & Steakhouse. Owner Jeffrey Daigneault has launched Rex’s as a takeout restaurant while he continues renovations to the dining room. Watch for the launch of indoor seating in late winter or early spring. Their current hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 am – 8 pm.
• The Portsmouth Herald has a report on a new raw bar called Salty Spirits (instagram) under construction in Kittery. The business is being launched by Deb and Michael McCluskey who own a number of other restaurants in southern Maine and New Hampshire including Lil’s Cafe.
• The Pen Bay Pilot reports that a new restaurant called Must Be Nice Lobster (facebook) opened in Belfast earlier this month. Owner Sadie Samuels launched the business as a food truck in 2019 and has now taken the next step of launching a brick and mortar restaurant at the former Dockside Resturant space at 2 Cross Street.
• Hospitality Maine held their annual summit and awards dinner. Congratulations to Josh Miranda who was named Restaurateur of the Year, and Gil Plaster from The Causeway who was named Chef of the Year, and David Turin for receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award.
• The Lewiston Sun Journal has published an article about Sebagels which launched earlier this year in Naples and just recently added indoor seating.
• Phoenix Fine Wines in Eastport is holding a Thanksgiving wine dinner this Sunday.
• Nikanos in Ogunquit is holding a 5-course Bourbon dinner in conjunction with Wild Bevy Distillery this Thursday.
• The Elizabeth Inn has decided not to reopen their restaurant at their Bethel inn for the 2026 season.
• The Bangor Daily News has reported on the closure of Yahweh Cafe and Bakery in Old town two months after it launched, and of Boondocks Grille in Fort Fairfield after 16 years in operation. Boondocks last day in business will be December 6th.
• 180+ businesses and organizations have shared Thanksgiving plans for free community meals, holiday dinners and buffets and takeout options for sides, baked goods and even entire meals. See the Maine Thanksgiving List to find options in your community.

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.