Maine Food & Dining News: Winslow, Bucksport, Castine, Kittery, Ellsworth, Biddeford

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

  • The Waterville Morning Sentinel has a report on the sudden closure of Big G’s in Winslow. The restaurant launched in 1986 in town and had been at its current location since the mid 1990s.
  • The Bangor Daily News reports that a new “Sicilian-inspired” restaurant called My Buddy’s Place (instagram) has opened in the space formerly occupied by Friar’s Brewhouse Tap Room which closed last year. My Buddy’s Place is open Tuesday through Saturday 11 am – 8 pm and Sunday 8 am – 3 pm.
  • Harbor Burger Shack (instagram) opened last week in Kittery. They’re located at 355 US Route 1. Mainebiz reports that the restaurant is part of the First Serve Hospitality Group which include Bob’s Clam Hut and Mabel’s Lobster Claw. Harbor Burger Shack will be open daily, 11 am – 9 pm.
  • Mainebiz also has a report on the Black Moon Public House (facebook) in Ellsworth which opened in early June.
  • A recent Forbes article about Biddeford and Kennebunkport highlights Magnus on Water, the White Barn Inn, Palace Diner, Elements, Fish & Whistle, Nibblesford, Dizzy Birds Rotisserie, Vietnamese Que Huong, the Chinese Happy Dragon Restaurant, The Jewel of India, Thai ME, Layalina, Batson River, and Mexican Coco Bar & Grill.
  • The Press Herald reports on the relaunch of Dennett’s Wharf (website, facebook, instagram) in Castine.

For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

Maine Food & Dining News: Bangor, Camden, Gorham, Union, South Berwick, Van Buren

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

  • The Bangor Daily News reports that a new cocktail lounge called Barliman’s is under construction in Bangor and expected to open in August. “Barliman’s, a new restaurant and bar that will serve cocktails, hearty farm-to-table snacks and plenty of nonalcoholic options, is the brainchild of local developers and a former co-owner of The Fiddlehead, a shuttered Bangor restaurant.”
  • Uncle Willy’s Candy Shoppe in Camden has closed. The building recently sold and the new owner will be using the retail space for a different business. Uncle Willy’s itself has been for sale and remains on the market. According to a report from The Courier-Gazette, July 7th was the last day in business for Uncle Willy’s.
  • The Bier Cellar has announced they’re closing their location in Gorham. “We hope this message finds you well. We wanted to take a moment to express our gratitude for your unwavering support over the past 5 years. It is with a heavy heart that we must inform you that we will be closing the Gorham store at the end of July, with our last day being Sunday the 21st.”
  • The June edition of Down East included articles about Northern Maine Kolache in Van Buren and Alsace restaurant in Union, and the July edition includes an article about the new restaurant in South Berwick, Secundo.

For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

Maine Food & Dining News: Rockland, Phillips, Wiscasset, Bangor, Van Buren

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

  • The Courier-Gazette reports that the owners of the Sterlingtown Public House are planning to open a second location for their restaurant The Spot (instagram) in Rockland. The original The Spot is located in the town of Washington.
  • The Bangor Daily News reports that the Northern Maine Kolache Co. has begun construction on a new building in Van Buren. Owner Donita Ayotte expects to move her business to the new location in 2025.
  • Tuesday’s segment of Maine Calling on Maine Public Radio explored listeners Favorite Eats in Maine with guests Press Herald food editor Peggy Grodinsky and author Mike Urban.
  • The Lincoln County News has published an article about the new Aekeir Brewing tasting room in Wiscasset.
  • Clifford’s Donut Stop in Phillips launched this week.
  • The Bangor Daily News reports that a new business called Mainely Juice is under construction in downtown Bangor and expected to launch next month.

For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

Maine Food & Dining News: Milo, Guilford, Damariscotta, Jay, Saco, North Haven, Bath

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

  • Whittle Bird Coffee Co (website, instagram) have opened their new coffee shop and cafe. They’re located at 44 North Main Street in Guilford in the space formerly occupied by Craft Cafe. Their hours are open Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 8 am – 3 pm, and on Sundays 8 am – noon. Stop by this weekend for the launch of their Sunday brunch service (menu).
  • James Beard nominated chef Ben Jackson is now working at the North Haven Inn & Market (website, instagram) where he’s preparing a weekly Monday night 3-course prix fixe dinner. Reservations open weekly on the preceding Wednesday.
  • Today is the opening day of Rue 77 (instagram) in Damariscotta. The cafe is being launched by Roger and Prudence Kiessling who own the home goods shop The Kingfisher & The Queen right next door. Rue 77 will be serving Stumptown Coffee, baked goods from Solo Pane e Pasticceria in Bath and gelato from Gelato Fiasco. Their hours today will be Tuesday through Sunday, 7:30 am – 5 pm.
  • Bissell Brothers Brewing announced they’ll be closing their brewery, tasting room and restaurant in Milo at the end of this summer. The full text of their letter explaining the decision is available on the Three Rivers website. It beings, “We are writing with immensely heavy hearts to communicate some very sad news. Summer 2024 will be the last season of operations at Bissell Brothers Three Rivers. This has been the hardest decision we’ve ever had to come to grips with as owners of Bissell Brothers…”
  • Mainebiz has published an article about Sweets & Co, the new gluten-free bakery under construction in Saco.
  • The Sun Journal reports that My Dad’s Place in Jay (facebook) will be featured on the Food Network television show America’s Best Restaurants. A film crew was onsite yesterday.
  • The Press Herald has published a review of the Saturday smash burgers at the Kennebec Meat Company in Bath.

For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

Secret Supper & Review of OystHers

The Maine Sunday Telegram includes a 4 star review of OystHers in Bath,

Lauren Crosby, the duo have put together an expertly chosen and overall remarkably affordable list of food-friendly beverages – everything from Armenian bubbles to nonalcoholic lavender-and-forsythia-infused soda ($10). Moreover, they’ve built a varied menu that comprises fat, overstuffed sliders (crab or lobster), salads, caviar and well-composed charcuterie boards. Sitting indoors is perfectly lovely, but if the weather is decent, head outdoors and snag a picnic table with views over Bath’s new riverwalk on the Kennebec River. 

and an article about the Secret Supper outdoor dinner series and the South Portland couple who manage the company.

Maine Food & Dining News: Lewiston, Wiscasset, Brunswick, Rockport

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

  • Brewer/owner Jeremy Myers opened the new Aekier Brewing (websitefacebook) tasting room in Wiscasset in early June. Aekeir is located at 111 Main Street. It’s open Wednesday/Thursday, 2 – 8 pm, and Friday/Saturday, 2 – 9 pm.
  • The new Walter’s Cafe (website, instagram) opened in Brunswick on May 12th. It’s located in the Tontine Mall and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 8 am – 3 pm. (photo above)
  • Mainebiz has published a report on the Lewiston restaurant community. “More than seven months after the mass shootings there, restaurants in Lewiston are still struggling to regain their customer base and make the dining scene as comfortable as possible for their patrons…”
  • The Pen Bay Pilot reports that a new food truck called Taco Joe’s recently launched in Rockport.
  • The new Midcoast edition of the Portland Food Map pocket guide launched earlier this week. You can pick-up a free copy of the guide at 8 different location in the Midcoast (and 2 in Portland). Packs of 25 copies of the Midcoast pocket guide are for sale online for anyone who may need them for an event or for their business.

Midcoast Pocket Guide

We’re excited to announce a new Midcoast Pocket Guide. The guide highlights a cross section of the restaurants, bakeries, breweries, coffee shops, cocktail bars, and cafes that make eating and drinking in the Midcoast so compelling.

32 cities and towns are represented from smaller communities like Bristol, Searsport and Owls Head along with the bigger cities and towns along the coast and some inland locations like Brooks, Union, and Whitefield. The list features both longtime mainstays of the Midcoast food scene and newer spots that have launched in the last couple years. We hope that no matter where you live or are traveling to in the Midcoast that this guide has something to offer.

Please keep your recommendations on where to eat, drink and shop in the Midcoast coming our way. We’d really appreciate your suggestions for additions for next edition of the guide, and your thoughts will help inform the ongoing Food Map road-trip reports.

Many thanks to the Pocket Guide sponsors! Their support plays an essential role in making this resource available: Evergreen Credit Union, the Maine Office of Tourism, Allagash Brewing, and Great Pine Financial Services. Visit their websites to learn more about their businesses.

You can pick-up a free copy of the guide at these Midcoast locations: Vessel & Vine in Brunswick, Treats in Wiscasset, The Alna Store in Alna, Fernald’s Country Store in Damariscotta, Ida’s in Waldoboro, Honey’s in Thomaston, First Fig in Camden and Dot’s Market in Lincolnville. In Portland, you can find a copy at Allagash Brewing and the Portland Trading Company.

Do you need more copies of the pocket guide for a wedding or other event, for your hotel or inn, for a business function or to share with family or other visitors? Then visit our online store where you can purchase the Midcoast and Portland pocket guides in packets of 25.

One final thought: The pocket guide wouldn’t be as good as it, in fact it wouldn’t exist at all, without the skills and contributions of graphic designer Sofija Razgaitis and of Dawn Hagin from Rare Bird Strategic. Congratulate them on their work the next time you see them. Also, many thanks to the Portland Food Map readers who have encouraged and provided advice on the growth of PFM to become more of a statewide resource.

Maine Food & Dining News: Biddeford, Guilford, Bangor

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

For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

Maine Food & Dining News: Sherman, Brunswick, Camden, Biddeford, Monson, Swanville, Bristol, Scarborough

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

For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

 

Anjon’s Returning to Scarborough

Owner John DiSanto has announced plans to reopen Anjon’s Ristorante, the longtime Italian restaurant located on Route 1 adjacent to the Scarborough marsh.

Well it’s official the cat is out of the bag I am reopening Anjon’s Ristorante, I have missed it so much as much of you already know, and I wanna die there figuritively speaking and pass the legacy on to my family, I am shooting for a June 15th opening date it’s gonna be tough but I think I can pull it off, working with a shoestring budget so I am looking for help with money to paint the building, inside and out, new point of sale system, pave parking lot, pots, pans, dishes and glassware etc. etc.anyone willing to help me will get VIP treatment for reservations and seating plus your money back at the end of the summer, private message me if you can help, buon appetito manjard and just FUHGEDDABOUDIT

Anjon’s had been in business for more than 60 years when it closed in 2019.

Update: The opening has been delayed to mid-August.