Maine Food & Dining News: Norway, Bucksport, Ellsworth, Lewiston, Brunswick, Yarmouth, Ogunquit, Hope, Cumberland, Falmouth, Westbrook

| 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 Laughing Loon (website, instagram) in Norway is launching tomorrow, May 31st. It’s located in Norway at 15 Harrison Road. They’ll initially be open Thursday through Sunday, 11 am – 8 pm and are serving a menu that includes burgers, hot dogs, fried foods, and ice cream.
  • The Bangor Daily News reports that Sweet Cheeks Bakery is buying Glenn’s Place in Bucksport which they plan to rename Sweet Cheeks Diner. The BDN also shared news that Chalee Thai-Sushi To Go recently opened in Bucksport.
  • The Ellsworth American has published an article about Fancy Plants, the vegan food truck that recently launched at 424 High Street in Ellsworth. “After switching to a vegan diet four years ago, Tague said, opening a 100% vegan food truck was a no-brainer for him to help fill a food gap for vegans in the Downeast area.”
  • Cafe Obscura in Lewiston has announced plans to close their Lisbon Street establishment. They plan to remain open through the end of June. For additional reporting see this article from the Lewiston Sun Journal.
  • The Brunswick Hotel has relaunched their restaurant Noble Kitchen & Bar. See their new website for a full menu and some photographs of the dishes. They’re located at 4 Noble Street in Brunswick and are open Tuesday through Saturday, 5 – 9 pm (until 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays).
  • Salsa Mexican Grill (website, facebook) has opened in the former Thoroughfare space in Yarmouth’s town center. The menu offers a variety of tacos, burritos, quesadillas and bowls along with salsa flights, and an agave spirits-focused cocktail menu. Their hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11:30 am – 9 pm.
  • Eating Through the Seacoast has shared some photos from Coastal Alchemist which has re-opened in a new space at the recently launched The Trident Inn.
  • The Portsmouth Herald has written about the Omelette Factory in Ogunquit and its new owners David and Sara LeBlanc. The eatery opened in 1982 and its menu includes 40 different omelette variations.
  • The Old Village Inn (website, facebook, instagram) in Ogunquit has reopened under new ownership and after undergoing a renovation.
  • The Midcoast Villager has published an article about Sunflour Bakery (instagram) in Hope and its owner Carrie Laurita.
  • After an extended hiatus, Wander at Longwoods in Cumberland has announced plans to relaunch in mid-June.
  • Cafe Luna held the grand opening for their new Falmouth location yesterday. It is located in the same build as Sapporo at 267 US Route One.
  • Owlbear’s Rest opens today in Westbrook. See yesterday’s article for all the details.
  • Veggies to Table, a Midcoast non-profit farm that “grows and donates organic produce and flowers to help local people experiencing hunger and needing joy,” is holding their annual fundraising sweepstakes. The grand prize is a week-long stay in a Paris apartment. So far they’ve raised more than $48,000. The sweepstakes closes out on June 8th.

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.

 

Stone Fox on Washington Ave

| Posted in Openings

Stone Fox Creamery is launching a mobile scoop shop on Washington Ave. The ice cream trailer is located in the parking lot between Sissle & Daughters and the Black Box shops and is expected to launch this weekend. It will be open Friday through Sunday, noon – 8 pm.

They will be serving flavors like Maple Walnut, Ginger, Strawberry, Rum Raisin, Grape Nut, Vanilla, Maine Wild Blueberry, Salted Caramel, Allen’s Coffee Brandy and more. Customers will have the option of one to three scoops served in cups, plain cones, waffle cones, sugar cones. Pup cups and ice cream floats will also be available.

Portland innkeeper Stephen Simonds bought the company from founders Bruce and Kathy Chamberlain earlier this year. Their main Stone Fox ice cream shop and production space is at 398 East Main Street in Searsport.

Sunday Breakfast at the VFW

| Posted in General News

Delicious Musings has published a field report on the monthly Sunday breakfast at the VFW along with some observations on breakfast and a dive into Appalachian biscuits and gravy.

I pushed open the door and stepped into a long hallway lined with faux brown wood paneling—the kind that was really popular in the 1970s. Professor A and I passed the kitchen, where Jessica, an omelet wizard from Bayside American Café, was in her element. At the back of the building, we reached the bar area, which looked exactly like the kind of place where faithful regulars could slide onto a stool and feel right at home. No haze of smoke or Christmas lights here, but the past is present in the form of flags and plaques. Two women took our cash and handed us slips of paper to mark our orders— I went for a veggie omelet, and Professor A chose scrambled eggs with bacon and toast.

The VFW is located in Woodfords Corner next to Veranda Market. Their breakfasts are $10 and are held the first Sunday of every month, 8 – 10 am.

Owlbear’s Rest Opens on Friday

| Posted in Openings

A new board game cafe called Owlbear’s Rest (website, facebook, instagram, bluesky) is scheduled to open this Friday in Westbrook.

Owner Patty Turnquist has assembled a wide range of games to enjoy from 5-Minute Dungeon right through the alphabet to Zendo. You can explore the collection and even get a little help selecting the right one for you via their online catalog. The attractive space features a number of gaming tables that can seat 40+ people overall, a long food and service counter, shelves of games and gaming retail items, and a private side room available for gaming or other events with a table for 10.

The food menu includes options like soft pretzels, chips and dip, meat/cheese and vegetarian boards, a variety of hand pies (German sausage, chicken pot pie, vegan curry, etc), grilled cheese sandwiches and cookies. Liquid refreshments include a range of craft beers, drip and espresso-based coffee drinks, teas, cider and non-alcoholic options.

Owlbear’s Rest will initially be open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am – 9 pm (until 10 pm on Friday and Saturday). They’re located at located at 506 Maine Street in Westbrook in the same building as the Stockhouse restaurant.

Freedom’s Edge Closing in Portland

| Posted in Closings

Freedom’s Edge Cider has announced plans to close their Portland tasting room on Diamond Street. This Saturday will be their last day in operation. Their announcement reads in-part,

We have nothing but gratitude for your incredible support in Portland over the past year. We’re also very grateful to Kerri, Elena and the entire tasting room team. Everyone who came felt the care, thoughtfulness and warmth they put into every little thing they did.

Truthfully, our plan was for Andy & Ned, Freedom’s Edge’s owners, to spend a lot of their time in Portland working to create new ciders. And the reality is that that simply didn’t happen. Too much to do, to little time, a tale as old as time! And without all those bottled ciders, our Diamond St location was simply too big and costly to be sustainable.

The cider company will continue to operate their production facility and tasting room in Albion.

2025 Must Eats List

| Posted in Reviews

Eat Drink Lucky has released their 2025 Must Eat List, a compendium of 68 not to be missed dishes from restaurants in Portland and South Portland.

We’ve updated our Must Eat List for 2025 with 68 mouthwatering dishes. This year’s list shows Portland’s changing dining scene: sandwiches are serious business and regional and global flavors shape local favorites. Portland (with a few South Portland standouts) continues to surprise with dishes that are craveable, creative, and (mostly) easy on the wallet.

You’ll see some favorites from last year still holding strong, and plenty of new bites worth discovering.

Lady Shuckers at Willard Beach

| Posted in General

Lady Shuckers (website, instagram) has leased the snack shack at Willard Beach where owner Libby Davis will be serving a menu (see below) that includes lobster rolls, sandwiches, curly fries, ice cream, sides and, of course, oysters. The surfside Lady Shuckers will have a soft opening on May 31st and June 1st and will be in full operation June 5th.

This summer you can also find Lady Shuckers at Thompson’s Point during their events and Summer Sunsets series, and at Hearts of Pine home games where they’re serving oysters on the half shell to fans  like Patrick Dempsey.

Upcoming Food and Dining Events

| Posted in Events

June 7 – BayCider Fest is taking place.

June 13/14 – The Rockport Donut Festival is taking place.

June 26-28 – The Holy Trinity Greek Festival is taking place.

June 28 – The Wavy Days beer festival is taking place.

June 28/29 – The Maine Oyster Festival is taking place in Freeport.

June 18-20 – The Yarmouth Clam Festival is taking place.

September 14 – The Maine Cheese Festival is taking place in Pittsfield.

September 19-21 – The Common Ground Country Fair is taking place in Unity.

October 12 – Maine Open Creamery Day is taking place.

November 1-9 – 207 Beer Week is taking place.

November 10-16 – Brunswick Wine Week is taking place.

The Infatuation on SoPo Seafood

| Posted in Reviews

The Infatuation has included SoPo Seafood in their national list of The Spots Of The Summer.

Over the summer, things change. Sourpusses smile. Uncoordinated people go to baseball games and say things like, “Keep your eye on the ball.” Pedicures happen. It’s a good time to be alive, and it’s a great time to eat, mostly because sandwiches and cheeseburgers taste best between chlorinated fingertips. Below are places across the country that are best enjoyed between Memorial Day and Labor Day. These are the spots of the summer.