The Press Herald reports that both the building and the business of Tony’s Donuts is for sale.
The article quotes manager Michelle Goddard “We were trying hard not to have to do it,” Goddard said. “I’m still hoping somebody buys it and keeps it what it is.”
Tony’s was founded by Antonio Fournier in 1965 and his son Rick Fournier took over in 2005.
The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of Taj in South Portland.
It’s hard not to be a fan of the new Taj. The restaurant has really come into its own, particularly since moving into its snazzy new digs. It’s also a restaurant that’s right for the moment, when so many people are seeking the best value for their dwindling disposable income. And whether it wins a Beard award or not won’t change the fact that you’d be hard-pressed to find hospitality this good at this price point anywhere else in Maine.
It also has a feature article that looks at How the pandemic reshaped Portland’s restaurant scene.
The Bollard reports that Fresh Approach Market is at risk of closing due to an administrative issue that’s impacted their ability to process food stamp EBT transactions.
Federal authorities have pulled the food-stamp retail license of a mom-and-pop neighborhood market in Portland’s West End due to what appears to be an administrative snafu at the Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), which administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Congresswoman Chellie Pingree’s office is attempting to rectify the situation, but without a speedy resolution, the market’s owners say they may not make it through the month.
Fresh Approach is located at 155 Brackett St. They’re open Monday through Friday, 8 am – 7 pm, Saturday 9 am – 7 pm, and Sunday 9 am – 5 pm.
Update: A GoFundMe has been launched to raise funds to help Fresh Approach while they regain their ability to process food stamp transactions.
Mrs. Gee Free Living (website, instagram) has published a guide to gluten-free food and drink in Maine and New Hampshire.
It includes 19 fully gluten-free establishments like Bam Bam Bakery and Lucky Pigeon Brewing, as well as dozens of other places that offer gluten-free options and resources like dedicated GF fryers.
Kaitlin Gee expects to update the guide on a quarterly basis.
Two Maine businesses are looking for your votes:
Allison Lakin from Lakin’s Gorges Cheeses is being considered as an Entrepreneur of Impact with the chance to win a $25,000 grant, mentorship with Daymond John of Shark Tank, and an appearance in Forbes magazine. You can vote up to once per day at the entrepreneurofimpact.org website.
The Canopy Hotel in Portland has been nominated in the Travel & Leisure World’s Best Awards 2025. You can cast a vote for them on wba.m-rr.com and be entered for a “chance to win a $15,000 cash prize or a Viking cruise for 2 people to Australia & New Zealand.”
Eat Drink Lucky is once again offering a Maine artist tea towel subscription for the coming year. Each month subscribers will receive a tea towel designed by a different Maine artists—see the EDL website for a list of partners.
Subscriptions are available in 3-month increments for the full year. The New York Times has included the Eat Drink Lucky subscription in their 2024 Gift Guide.
The photo above shows an assortment of towels from the 2024 subscription.
The Press Herald has published a report on the free Thanksgiving meal program that Taj restaurant has run for the last four years. This year the owner Sai Guntaka and his family were on track to hand out 1000+ meals.
The restaurant was providing food for all on Thursday, whether customers could pay or not. By early afternoon, owner Sai Guntaka said Taj was on track to give away between 1,000 and 1,200 free meals by the end of the day, in addition to the hundreds of meals they served to paying customers.
The James Beard Foundation posted an open call for recommendations from industry professionals and the general public earlier this fall. The deadline for everyone to send in their submissions is coming up on November 29th.
If there’s an exceptional food or drink business or hospitality professional you want to see win a Beard Award then visit jamesbeardawards.awardsplatform.com to create an account and send in a submission on their behalf.
For reference here’s:
The Maine Center for Entrepreneurs held their biennial Food Producers Showcase today at Thompson’s Point. The event included dozens of Maine companies from oyster farms to bakeries to packaged good producers like Pen and Cob Farm and Ragged Coast Chocolates. The MCE announced the winners of the three Golden Fork Awards:
The latest episode of Maine Calling on Maine Public Radio focuses on Maine’s Food businesses. Panelists and callers include representatives from FocusMaine, the Maine Department of Agriculture, the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs and callers from Tootie’s Tempeh, Maine Harvest, CEI and more.