Category: Maine

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

• Ken Sparta and Thomas Henninger, the owners of the Freeport Oyster Bar, are launching a new business in town called Sparta’s Sips and Subs (instagram). They plan to serve upscale deli sandwiches like muffulettas and a smoked pollock sandwich made with harissa mayo and pickles. Located on the first floor of 7 Mill Street (top right photo) in Freeport, Sparta’s is expected to launch in August.
• Moving into the second floor of 7 Mill Street is What the Actual Fudge (website, facebook, instagram). WTAF sells a wide range of house-made fudge. New to the line-up in Freeport will be some new flavors including a ghost pepper sea salt. Owners Kathy and James Welle will be holding a ribbon cutting at noon this Friday, August 15th. Hours for the business will initially be Monday through Saturday 11 am – 7 pm, and Sunday 11 am – 6 pm. What the Actual Fudge also operates a store at the Maine Mall in South Portland.
• Modestman Brewing has consolidated all their brewing operations in South Portland. The brewery was founded in New Hampshire and launched their South Portland location in the summer of 2023.
• Daily Soup, the takeout soup shop that’s operated in Belfast since 2012, has announced plans to close. Their last day in operation will be October 23rd. Owner Courtney Sanders shared on facebook, “Despite our best efforts to keep it going, we have watched our customer base slowly decline over the past year and a half. We had high hopes for this summer, but it has been a lackluster tourist season for us, compared to year’s past. It is clear that we have not made the gains needed to soldier through another winter.”
• Katie’s Confections (instagram) has leased the building at 894 Minot Street in Auburn. The grab-and-go market will have sweet and savory items like cinnamon rolls, donuts and cookies and lunch options like chowder, mac and cheese, chicken pot pies, and baked beans on Saturdays. Owner Katie Ray hopes to launch the business sometime in September. Ray formerly operated Ally Kat’s Farm Land Market in West Gardiner for seven years.
• BiddoFoodies has published a set of photos from the Sunday brunch at Pacifico in Saco. They show menu items like French toast, a flank steak sandwich, chilaquiles and more.
• The Harpswell Anchor has a report on Cribstone Coffee (instagram), a donation based coffee truck that’s raising funds for the Santa Fund. Cribstone Coffee is located at 1845 Harpswell Island Road on Orrs Island.
• Marvelous Macarons (instagram) has leased a 1,540 sq ft space at 245 Center St in Auburn where owner Jenna Roberts is relocating her Sabattus bakery. Roberts will offer a menu of cupcakes, pastries, macarons and other sweet treats. She also will be teaching cake baking classes starting. Roberts hopes to open her new bakery in late August, and when it does it will be open Wednesday through Saturday.
• A new 8-lane bowling alley and bar called The Gutter (website, instagram) is scheduled to open on August 20th in Biddeford. The Gutter is located at 129 Main Street in the building known as the Marble Block. The menu will include pressed sandwiches, hot dogs, and draft beer. They’ll be open daily, noon – 1 am. This will be Gutter’s fourth bowling alley, they have three existing locations in Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan.
• Katahdin Kitchen (instagram) has launched a new grab-and-go location in Old Town. They’re located at 136 Center Street and plan to be open Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 am – 3 pm. You can see their menu on instagram.
• The Times Record reports on the launch Showman’s and The Big Cheese, a food truck in West Bath operated by David Crocker. “Crocker created a menu offering two hot dogs, chips and a drink for under $9 for lunch, but he eventually added crabmeat and lobster rolls. Showman’s also has The Big Cheese, which features Texas toast and double portions of cheese, and the grilled cheese pizza, which is a grilled cheese sandwich with pepperoni and marinara sauce.”
• The Midcoast Villager has published articles about Circumstance in Swanville (bottom two photos), “Circumstance is a small but exquisite restaurant right off 141 in Swanville where the dedication to local sourcing is no gimmick: 95% of what is served is from the Midcoast. Khris Hogg, the chef-owner of Circumstance, uses many ingredients grown on and around his family’s homestead, where he opened the restaurant in the barn last summer.”
• The Villager has also published an article and about QP Burger which chef Michael Mastronardi opened last month in Martinsville. “Simplicity. Consistency. Quality. Those three words sum up Mastronardi’s vision for QP Burger, a takeout restaurant with three main items on the menu: burgers, hot dogs and fries. The ground beef comes from Pineland Farms in New Gloucester. The dogs are either all-beef Sabretts or red snappers from W.A. Bean and Sons, made in Bangor since 1860.”
• Fish & Whistle in Biddeford was featured in the July issue of Down East magazine. “The fish sandwich is typical and, at the same time, exceptional. Typical as far as what it comprises: bun, fried fish, tartar sauce, lettuce. Exceptional because every detail is carefully attended to by husband-and-wife owners Jason Eckerson and Kate Hamm, who shared a semifinalist nod from the James Beard Awards earlier this year in the category of emerging chefs.”
• The Midcoast Villager and the Bangor Daily News both have reports on 8 Bells (website, facebook, instagram), a new Irish pub that recently opened at 45 Mechanic Street in Camden. They’re open daily, 2 – 10 pm.
• The Maine Sunday Telegram gave Winona’s (top left photo) in Camden a 4 star rating in last week’s restaurant review. “The first dish to hit our table at Winona’s on a late June Thursday evening — a divine halibut crudo with drinkably delicious coconut milk sauce — set a high bar for the rest of the meal. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have great expectations even before I arrived.”
• The Allagash Bungalow in Scarborough opened for business on August 2nd. See our previous article for all the details.

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:

• Bonaventura Vineyards (website, facebook, instagram) in Hartford launched their tasting room (photo above) this past Saturday. Owners Chad Casey and Jen Bonaventura have produced a first vintage of wines with Seyval Blanc, DeChaunac, Marquette, and Leon Millot grapes grown on the farm.  The tasting room will next be open on August 16th, Maine Open Winery Day.
• Eating Through the Seacoast has published a field report from Swell House (website, instagram), a new coffee shop that opened in York earlier this month.
• The Bangor Daily News reports that the owners of Hey Sailor have put the Searsport business up for sale, and that a new cafe called Spring Street Eatery is under construction in the former Crumb Provisions buillding at 2 Spring Street in Belfast. The cafe is being launched by chef Sharon Kull and is expected to serve “European-influenced cuisine, including traditional dishes from England and Ireland”.
• The Lincoln County News reports that a new food truck called Yeti Boys (instagram) is now operating in Lincoln County. They’ve announced they’ll be regularly stationed at the Glidden Point Oyster Farm.
• The Kennebec Journal reports that the 1958 Cafe (website) opened for business this summer in Belgrade Lakes at Day’s Store.
• The Waterville Sentinel reports that Jendi Crepe & Smoothie (facebook, instagram) is under construction at 40 Main Street in Waterville and expected to open in August.
• A new restaurant called Port Fish & Chophouse (website) recently opened at the renovated Breakwater Inn in Kennebunkport. They’re located at 127 Ocean Avenue and open 3 – 9 pm daily.
• The Streetwich (instagram), a breakfast and lunch spot serving sandwiches, boba tea, light snacks and some sweet treats is under construction in South Portland.

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:

• Colleen Kelley has relaunched Silly’s. The 21-seat restaurant (left) is located at 131 Ossipee Trail West in Standish, and is open Wednesday through Saturday, 4 – 8 pm. The menu (see below) includes a variety of wraps, sandwiches and dishes like mac and cheese and fish and chips. Silly’s also has a line-up of six cakes: carrot cake, vegan chocolate cake with chai frosting, gluten-free brownie with frosting, chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting, chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and a vegan Elvis banana cake with peanut butter frosting. Silly’s originally launched in 1988 at 147 Cumberland Ave and moved to 40 Washington Ave in 1997 where it operated for more than two decades. Kelley relaunched Silly’s at a food truck in Standish in 2023.
• The owners of Owl & Elm have announced their closing their Yarmouth restaurant. Their last day in business will be this Saturday. Their announcement reads in part, “We are so thankful for everyone who has come to spend time with us, for all of our staff who have worked so unfailingly hard and shared their magic, and everyone who has helped along the way. We have been so proud to be your village pub.”
• The Bangor Daily News reports that Taj owner Sai Guntaka is helping a former member of his team, Obul Reddy, launch a new Indian restaurant in Bangor. Reddy’s restaurant Rasa Indian Cuisine (instagram) will be located at 175 Exchange Street.
• The Lincoln County News has a report on the relaunch of Schooner Landing in Damariscotta.
• The Bangor Daily News has a report on food and dining establishments operated by the Amish community in Aroostook County.
• Rift Arcade (instagram) is set to open soon on Main Street in Biddeford. They plan to offer a menu of cocktail and food inspired by their experiences growing up in the 1990s with options like pizza bagels, mac and cheese, and “leveled up” Uncrustables. The bar will serve mocktails, beer and cider in addition to their cocktail program.
• The Garden Bar has opened their new South Portland cafe. It’s located at 173 Ocean Street and is open daily 11 am – 7:30 pm.

 

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

• Schooner Landing (website, facebook, instagram) has reopened in Damariscotta. The popular waterfront restaurant was put out of commission in September due to a devastating fire.
• The July/August issue of Conde Nast Traveler magazine includes an article about the Midcoast (two pages shown above). It highlights a number of food and dining destinations including 18 Central, Cafe Grazie, The Alna Store, The Norumbega, The Place bakery, the Villager Cafe, and Winona’s. The article hasn’t been published yet on the CNT website.
• The Lincoln County News has published an article about Fuzzy Udder Creamery in Whitefield and the plans the new owners, Jacqui and Michael Segura, have to grow the business.
• State Line Lobster opened for business on Thursday. As reported back in January, chef Jason Miller leased the 2,200 sq ft former Misto space at 436 U.S. Route 1 in Kittery. State Line Lobster (facebook, instagram) is serving a menu that includes milkshakes, tacos, lobster rolls, clam dishes and more.
• A new bagel shop and deli called Henry’s (instagram) opened on Thursday in Kittery.  It is located at 445 Route One in the space formerly occupied by Henry VIII Carvery. They’ll be serving breakfast sandwiches, salads, soups, lunch sandwiches like a pastrami reuben and avocado BLT, bagel and coffee. The owners of Henry’s also operate Lil’s Cafe in Kittery as well as several other establishments in New Hampshire. For addition reporting read this article from the Portsmouth Herald.
• The Bangor Daily News reports that food truck are coming to the city of Brewer and that a new coffee shop called Nordic Espresso & Pastries (facebook) has opened in Madawaska.
• The Saco Bay News reports that The Lot (website, facebook) food truck park has is now in operation in Biddeford (photo below). You can see the upcoming food truck schedule on The Lot’s website.
• The New York Times has published an article on the Maine Oyster Trail.
• The Midcoast Villager has published the results of the Best of readership poll which includes top picks for Food & Dining destinations across 20 categories, and also readers picks for the best spot to get specific dishes like lobster rolls and blueberry pies. This week’s paper also includes a dedicated Food section with articles on growing rice in Maine, ice cream at Dorman’s, and green crabs. Their site also has recent article on the Heiwa Tofu’s expansion in Rockport.
• The Portsmouth Herald has published a report on chef Lee Franks recent appearance on the NBC television show Yes, Chef!. Franks operates two namesake restaurants in Wells and South Berwick as well as Otis in Exeter, New Hampshire.

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

• Bene’s Beef (instagram) opened for business yesterday in Lewiston. Chef TJ Castiello and his family are serving a menu (middle left) of roast beef sandwiches and tallow fries. Shown above is The Old Timer (middle right) which made with American cheese, shaved onions, pickles and whole grain mustard. Bene’s is located at 990 Lisbon Street and will be open Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 7 pm.
• Lewiston cocktail bar Sonder & Dram (top 2 photos) has announced they’ll be closing down in mid-July. S&D launched in 2018 and the owners had also operated a restaurant called Bon Vivant which closed in 2024. Their statement reads in part, “Since opening in June of 2018, we’ve had the absolute privilege of serving this community we love so much. What started as a small cocktail bar with a big heart grew into a space where strangers became regulars, regulars became friends, and friends became family. We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to every staff member who poured their energy and talent into making Sonder & Dram what it was. And to every guest who pulled up a bar stool, shared a laugh, or supported us through the highs and lows — we couldn’t have done it without you. This isn’t a goodbye with sadness, but one with deep gratitude. It’s been a great run, and we’re proud of everything we created together.”
• Blue Feather Kitchen + Bar (website, facebook) has opened for business in Lewiston. They’re located at 49 Lisbon Street serving a menu of that includes appetizers, salads, sandwiches, tacos, entrees and desserts like bananas foster. They’re open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 am – 9 pm and for Sunday brunch, 8 am – 2 pm.
• As reported in May, Bao & Beyond will be opening a restaurant in Augusta. They’ve now launched a NuMarket campaign to raise to help with the buildout. They’ve raised $5k towards a $25k goal so far. As with all NuMarket campaigns, every dollar committed to the effort will earn you $1,20 in credits at the restaurant to use in the future.
• Emma Martin and Sami Smart, the owners of the catering and event business Revel Board and Beverage (website, facebook, instagram), have leased space in Falmouth where they plan to open a wine bar. They’ll be located in in the same building as Sapporo and Cafe Luna. In addition to the wine bar the new location will be a market with grab and go cheese and mezze boards, snack boxes and salads as well as sell wine and beer and provisions like crackers, cheese, charcuterie, jams, and pickles.
  
• Coffee industry insider publication Sprudge has published an article on the new Tern Coffee bar (bottom left) in Brunswick.
• Travel and Leisure has published a travel guide to Ogunquit that includes some recommendations on where to eat in the seaside summer destination.
• A new food truck called QP Burger (instagram) launched this past week at the Ocean View Grange in Port Clyde. Owner Mike Mastronardi is serving a menu of smash burgers, red snappers and fries. They’ll be open Wednesday through Saturday, 10:30 am – 3 pm.
• Islandport Press will be publishing a book by Lady Oyster owner Virginia Shaffer. Oyster Society: Stories from Inside the Shell is due out in the summer of 2026. “This book follows Virginia’s journey across North America to uncover the powerful voices behind the quirky, promising world of oysters. After visiting her first oyster farm on a whim, she becomes enthralled by the underbelly world of seafood parties, oyster flotillas, and clamorous shucking competitions, where brazen characters like Holy City Oyster Maven, The Real Oyster Cult, and Oyster Ninja reside.”
• The North Haven Inn has restarted their Monday night dinner series. The meals are prepared by Ben Jackson, who received a James Beard nomination for his work at Drifters Wife in 2020.
• The Bangor Daily News has published an article about Salt Butter Farm, a restaurant (bottom right) that opened last summer in Sherman. The BDN also reports that a new Mexican restaurant called Roca Azul has opened for business in Bangor.

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:

• A new cafe called Wakie Wakie’s (facebook, instagram) has opened for business in Westbrook. They’re located at 652 Main Street (above left) in the space formerly occupied by Ritche Ribeye’s. The menu (see facebook for the full menu) includes coffee, fruit tea (top right), smoothies, acai bowls and breakfast items like breakfast sandwiches, bagels and avocado toast. Notably, the Wakie Wakie’s menu includes a variety of Thai-style breakfast and lunch dishes like Kai Kra Ta (2 fried eggs, Thai sweet chicken sausage, ground chicken, shredded dry pork, fried shallot, scallion, cilantro and toast)  and the delicious Ocean Toast (avocado, grilled shrimp, scrambled eggs, sprouts, fried shallots on sourdough) shown above (top left). Wakie Wakie’s is open Tuesday through Sunday, 7 am – 3 pm and is located at 652 Main Street.
• Chef/owner TJ Castiello is planning to open Bene’s Beef (instagram) on Friday June 27th. He’ll be serving North Shore roast beef sandwiches, tallow fries and “other tasty provisions”. The Lewiston restaurant is located in the former El Pochos location at 990 Lisbon Street and will be open Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 7 pm.
• Marcy Taubes and Marjory Sweet have launched their new Rockland cafe, bakery and market Cafe Grazie (website, instagram). They’re serving a range of Italian-inspired baked goods, tea, Tandem Coffee, wine, breakfast items like a focaccia breakfast sandwiches, lunch options like a the green goddess salad (bottom right) and rigatoni with kale walnut pesto, and desserts. Cafe Grazie is located at 148 Main Street and is initially open Wednesday through Saturday, 8 am – 2 pm.
• Elevenes (website, instagram), a hobbit-themed all-day cafe (middle left) and bakery, in Brunswick opened for business last week. Elevenses is located at 50 Maine Street and is initially open Thursday through Sunday, 9 am – 3 pm. The menu includes options like breakfast sandwiches, Lembas Bread (rosemary shortbread), avocado toast, loaded baked potatoes, salads, specialty coffee drinks like a Two Towers tiramisu latte, matcha, mocktails and cocktails.
• Dizzy Bird owners Tom and Barb Peacock have permanently closed their Biddeford restaurant. The restaurant had initially closed late last year to consider how they might restructure the business and then reopened in February. The last day of business for Dizzy Bird was this past Saturday June 21st.
• Tern Coffee Roasters (website, instagram) has opened for business in Brunswick. Owners Chris and Heidi Townsend are serving a wide range of coffee drinks including Kyoto ice coffee and espresso-based drinks as well as teas and house made baked goods. The storefront is a to-go coffee counter, a retail shop for coffee making equipment, and a production space for their coffees and teas. Tern is located at 141A Maine Street and open Tuesday through Saturday, 7:30 am – 2 pm (until 3:30 on Saturdays).
• Chez Rosa (website, facebook, instagram) has reopened at their new location in Kennebunk (bottom right). You can make reservations on OpenTable. Chez Rosa is now located at 173 Port Street in the former Old Vines space. To read more about the challenges of moving a restaurant, read this article from the Maine Sunday Telegram.
• Gelato Fiasco has launched a food truck. They’ll be stationed all summer at Lighthouse Bikes in the Knightville neighborhood of South Portland, and initially will be open from 12:30 p.m. to sunset daily. The food truck will be serving 16+ flavors of gelato and sorbetto.
• Chef Ross Florance has announced dates for his Flora pop-up series in Washington County. They’re taking place in Harrington, Beals, Pembroke and Jonesport this summer. Last year Florance had operated a cafe and restaurant in Machias and is currently searching for a new home for the business.
• Solo Pane reopened their coffee bar with an expanded seating area (middle right). The Bath bakery has expanded into the adjacent storefront providing for additional kitchen space and a larger seating area.
• The Bollard has published an article about Mabel “Tyce” Reid who operates the Jamaican restaurant Go See Tyce in Saco.
• The Portsmouth Herald has published an article about The Front Porch in Ogunquit which this year is celebrating its 45th anniversary.
• The Bangor Daily News reports that a new ice cream shop called The Downtown Spot is under construction at 73 Main Street with plans to open in July.
• The Mainebiz reports that a new food truck called Sojourn Ice Company is serving Philly-style water ice in Waterville
• The Lewiston Sun Journal reports on Luigi’s in Lewiston and the changes new owners are making at the 60+ year old business. “embracing tradition is good, but it doesn’t pay the bills in today’s economy”.

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:

• The Crooked Spoon (instagram) is moving into The Block Saloon space in Thomaston which will now serve as their production kitchen and where they’ll operate a weekly dinner service on Friday nights, 5:30 – 11 pm beginning on June 20th. You can also experience their hand made pasta at their weekly Monday night pop-up at The Waldoboro Inn and at the Rockland Farmers Market. The Crooked Spoon is run by chef Samuel Emery and Chloe Chalakani.
• The Bangor Daily News reports that Maineport Brewing in Searsport has debuted a new tasting room.
• Sam Ostrow has closed down Secundo, the South Berwick outpost of his Kittery restaurant Festina Lente. “It is with a lot of mixed emotions that as of today we are closing Secundo. We built a beautiful space, served exquisitely crafted food & beverage, and provided warm hospitality since opening. Thank you to all of our patrons that have shared their evenings and special occasions with us, and thank you to all of the staff members that made Secundo such a wonderful place to spend our time.”
• Sara Rademaker and her Waldoboro company American Unagi were featured by Food & Wine magazine in their 5th annual Game Changers list.
• Crooked Keg Brewing has launched a $25k Go Fund Me crowdfunding campaign to help them launch an arcade and tap room in Lisbon. They previously operated a tasting room in Brunswick.
• The owner of Riverside Grill, in Dover-Foxcroft is running a restaurant give away essay contest. The winner will gain ownership of the Riverside Grill, all equipment, the building it’s in as well as a $10,000 vendor credit. There’s a $100 entry fee for the contest and the drawing is taking place on October 1st.
• Bay Bowls has launched their new location at 45 Water Street in Bath.
• A new food truck called QP Burger (instagram) is under development in Tenants Harbor. The menus is expected to include “hybrid smash burgers, red snapper hot dogs, and crinkle cut French fries” and the Bangor Daily News reports that a new food truck park is expected next week in Belfast.
• The Press Herald reports that Mornings in Paris will be opening a new cafe in Falmouth.

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:

• 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, 4 – 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.

 

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

• The Lewiston Sun Journal reports that Democracy Brewing (website, instagram) is launching a $3.7 million dollar project to renovate the former St. Joseph’s Catholic Church into a brewery and restaurant. The brewery’s co-founder and CEO, James Razsa, is a native of Gray, Maine.
• The Bangor Daily News reports that the Wabanaki group Niweskok has purchased a 245 acre farm in Swanville. “Niweskok plans to use the space to offer educational programming including outdoor classroom space, cultural camps and community events. It also plans to cultivate food and medicines on the land.”
• Blake Orchard will be opening their new Scarborough location. This will be their third location having expanded from Portland to Brunswick last year. Stop by 2 Stewart Drive Unit 101 off Route One to see their new cafe. They’ll be open on Saturday the 31st, 8 am – 2 pm. For additional reporting see today’s article from Mainebiz.
• The Snack Shack (website, facebook, instagram) in Skowhegan recently changed hands. The Chapman family who have run the eatery for 19 years have sold the business to Erin Hall who opened the seasonal business on May 6th along with general manager Fabian Fernandez and chef Kamden Diffley.
• The Kennebec Journal reports that a new French bakery is under construction in Hallowell. Belle Boulangerie (facebook) will be located at 156 Water Street. “The new bakery will sell all kinds of French baked goods — freshly made croissants, brioches, pan au chocolats and baguettes — over a counter. The store will have no seating inside, and Syrota said she wants to lean into the grab-and-go model.” The bakery is being launched by Ukranian Galyna Syrota who attended the Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Paris and moved to Maine 8 years ago. UPDATE: Belle Boulangerie opened for business this morning, May 23rd. Their offerings included croissants, baguettes, and a variety of French pastries.
• Begun as a food truck in 2020, Bao & Beyond (instagram) has leased space at 1 Hichborn Street in Augusta where they plan to open a restaurant. Owners Pear Nalaphas and Trevor Charette hope to open the restaurant in mid-June. See this article from the Kennebec Journal for additional reporting.
• The Pen Bay Pilot has published an article about Dot’s in Lincolnville and its owner Susie Barnes.
• The Midcoast Villager has recently published a trio of food and dining articles about Chase’s Daily in Belfast, the new Ararat Farms farm store, and the award-winning Seven Napkin Burger from the Owl’s Head General Store.

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

• Renovations of Baker Bru Cafe (instagram) in Wells have wrapped up and owners Alex d’Emarese and Tiffany DeMartino have announced plans to launch the new business May 21st. Baker Bru (see photos above) is located at the former Drake’s Island Cafe building at 2073 Post Road in Wells. The 2,400 sq ft counter service cafe seats 30. d’Emarese and DeMartino will be serving house-made pastries, meat pies and quiches as well as açaí bowls, breakfast bowls, and focaccia sandwiches (see the full menu below). Baker Bru Cafe will be open Wednesday through Sunday, 7 am – 3 pm.
• The Morning Moose (website, facebook, instagram) coffee truck has bought the building at 11 Main Street in Topsham where they plan to open a coffee shop. Renovations will start later this summer and they expect to be open by the end of the year.
• Wanderwood (website, facebook, instagram) in Nobleboro has rolled out the schedule for their 2025 farm dinner series. The dinners run June through October and are produced in collaboration with a series of guest chefs.
• The board game cafe Owlbear’s Rest is scheduled to open on May 30th. They’re located at 506 Maine Street in Westbrook and will be open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am – 9 pm (until 10 pm on Friday and Saturday).
• The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of Pomelia, the Sicilian-inspired restaurant that opened this past January in Brunswick.
• Circumstance has published the opening menu for their farmstead restaurant in Swanville. Their first dinners of the season will be May 23rd and 24th.
• The Bangor Daily News has published an article about the reopening of Columbia Falls General in Washington County.
• The Harpswell Anchor has a report on new management of the Holbrook Store (facebook) and Harborside Grill (facebook) at Holbrook’s Wharf in Cundy’s Harbor. The store and restaurant opened for the season this past weekend.
• Well and Good Brewing owners Byron and Elise Kern have acquired Mainely Custard. They plan to sell frozen custard pints at their North Yarmouth brewery, and will be launching a beer garden next to Mainely Custard’s location on Route One in Freeport which will serve beer and sausages.