Category: Maine

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

• The Dooryard (instagram) is scheduled to open on Thursday. The South Portland pub is being launched by Chris Beth and Lori Eschholz, the former owners of OhNo Cafe. It will initially be open Mondays and Thursdays 2 – 9 pm, and Friday through Sunday noon – 9 pm.
• A new restaurant called Good Wolf (website, instagram) is set to open on June 2nd 9th in Northeast Harbor on MDI. Good Wolf is being launched by Maude Kusserow, the owner of The Salt Market. She shared that Good Wolf “embraces the rustic and elegant spirit of the island, with a simple, hyper-seasonal menu focused on fresh crudos, vibrant vegetable dishes, and artisanal Neapolitan pizzas, as well as a beautifully curated cocktail menu and wine list.” The 50-seat restaurant is located 123 Main St and will initially be open Tuesday through Thursday, 5 pm to close.
• The Barn at Smith Farm (instagram) is set to reopen Thursday. The menu includes lobster rolls, salads, a selection of pizzas, smash burgers, liguine with maitakes and peas, NY steak and a cod dish plated with fish broth, romano beans, spring peas, trout roe. They’ll be open Wednesday 4 – 9 pm, Thursday through Saturday noon – 9 pm, and Sunday 10 am – 4 pm. The businness is under the new ownership of Jill Moses and Frank Curran.
• As previously reported, Bold Coast Spirits (website, instagram) in Oxford launched their first product this week. Marine 01 is an oyster shell vodka produced by resting the spirits on cracked Maine oyster shells sourced from Nor’Easter Oyster Company.
• The Town Line Diner (facebook) in Westbrook has launched an ice cream food truck in their parking lot.
• Woodwind Coffee Roasters (facebook, instagram) closed their Blue Hill location in early 2025, and are now operating from their new roastery in Dover-Foxcroft.
• Luke’s Lobster is launching a food truck in Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth this Friday. They’ll be open 11:30 am – 7 pm serving a menu of lobster and crab rolls along with sides, ice cream sandwiches and a children’s menu.
• Magno Terra Cafe (website, instagram) will be leaving their current location in Yarmouth at the end of the month and has begun searching for a new location for their business.
• The North Star Lounge in Wells has gone out of business. Owner Marina Pensinger has shared a thoughtful statement on facebook about the closure. The North Star opened last November.
• Olive Pit Brewing has announced plans to shut down their Lisbon Falls brewery and tasting room. There last day in operation will be at the end of September. For additional reporting see this article in the Lewiston Sun Journal.
• The owners of The Taste of Maine in Woolwich has announced they’re in the process of selling the decades old restaurant to new owners. “Four years ago, we quietly put The Taste of Maine up for sale, and today we are happy to say we have officially found a buyer. The deposit has been made, and sometime between the end of August and the beginning of September, the new owners will be taking over.”
• The Fifth Annual Pennamaquan Alewife Festival is taking place this Saturday in Pembroke in Washington County.
• Elise Schloff and Meera Chauhan have announced plans for Refectory a “monastic-inspired artist’s meal” that is taking place at the South Solon Meeting House on June 20th. “Refectory’s menu is inspired by culinary traditions of Medieval Catholic convents and strange food behaviors, from virgin lactation to food multiplication miracles, and will heavily feature wild foraged ingredients.” Schloff and Chauhan are workin on the event with Joshua Clukey and with support from The Kindling Fund. Tickets for Refectory are now on sale.
• The Rooted Heart in Buxton is hosting the Slow Burn bakery for a pop-up this weekend and next weekend.
• The Midcoast Villager reports that a new bar and Jewish deli caller Scullery Made (facebook, instagram) has opened in Searsport. Owner Mary Kate Labenski is operating Scullery Made as a New York-style deli and cafe by day and a cocktail bar at night.
• The Sanford Springvale News reports that a food truck park called The Hangar (website) has launched at the Sanford airport. “The Hangar Food Truck Park, which recently began operating through a soft opening, will officially celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, May 23, with a full day of food, aviation activities, and family-friendly entertainment from 11 am to 8 pm.”
• The Ellsworth American reports that the Palmyra Food Stop recently opened in Ellsworth. The business is owned by Sanjeeva and Menemsha Abeyasekera, the former owners of the Sri Lankan restaurant Serendib which closed last year.

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:

• Love Point Oysters is working to launch Love Point Provisions (instagram). The new oyster shop and market will sell tinned fish, wine, beer, and, of course, LP oysters. It will be located at 43 Old South Freeport Road in Freeport and is expected to launch on May 30th.
• Auxillary Brewing Company in Limerick is holding their grand opening today. This weekend they’ll be open Friday through Sunday, noon – 8 pm, and moving forward they’ll also be open Thursdays, 2 – 8 pm. Both their Klipsch Kolsch and Hefeweizen will be on tap today with additional beers from Abomination, Argenta, Barreled Souls, Belleflower, Mast Landing and Schilling also available. The Beef Haus food cart will be at Auxillary on Saturday and Sunday, and the K-Pop Kimbap food truck will be at Auxillary Brewing for today’s grand opening. For more information see this post from the Brewers Guild.
• XO Bakery & Mercantile (facebook, instagram) owner Hailey Sylvain has scheduled the grand opening of her Pownal bakery for May 30th when they’ll be open 9 am – 2 pm.
• The Bangor Daily News reports that Cou-yon’s Cajun Shack has relocated to Madawaska from Grand Isle.
• The Bollard has published a review of the Q Street Diner in South Portland. “A great diner differs from a café or a swanky bistro not only by its menu, but also its vibe. Case in point: during our meal at Q Street, our friendly server called me “hon” and never let our coffee mugs go empty. I felt like I was 18 again. What more could anyone ask for?”
• The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of the Sea Salt Fry Company in Wells. “Outstanding dishes include a splendid smash burger, mixed local mushrooms and a twist on the French bistro staple, frisee aux lardons, topped with a panko-coated soft-boiled egg. Look for his Asian-influenced tuna tartare cannoli this summer, when the rice paper shells will be stuffed with Maine bluefin tuna.”
• Cara Stadler is a finalist in the America’s Culinary Cup cooking competition show on CBS, reports the Press Harald. The next episode will air on Wednesday and if Stadler wins she’ll receive a $1 million grand prize.
• Mainebiz has published an article about Tootie’s Tempeh in Biddeford.

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 New Gloucester Village Store (website, facebook) is undergoing renovations and the owner Sam Coggeshall hopes to relaunch this local institution in May. It’s located at 405 Intervale Rd in New Gloucester. According to a statement on their website, “We are reviving New Gloucester’s longstanding community hub and marketplace, much as it was 2008-2022, only better. An expanded array of Ready-Made meals, salads, sides, soups, and such will make dinner easy, delicious, and economical. Pizza from the wood-fired brick will be available made-to-order, as slices, and as precooked, heat-at-home pizzas out of the cooler. The kitchen will also serve sandwiches, salads, breakfast and more, as before: 3 meals a day, 7 days a week. The biggest change is that in the dining room and on the deck, you’ll be able to have beer and wine. And in the market you’ll again be able to get meats, cheeses, produce, beer, wine, gourmet groceries, as well as basic sundries. Hopefully you’ll run into a neighbor you haven’t seen lately while you’re here.”
• The Portland-based Nordic candy shop Sodt (website, facebook, instagram) has announced plans to open a second location. The Freeport store will be located at 58 Main Street and they hope to launch it in June. Sodt opened their Portland store on Cumberland Ave in May.
• Lady Oyster (website, instagram) owner Virginia Shaffer is launching her 4-seat raw bar called The Parlor (instagram) today (photos above). It’s located at 1 Shaw Street in Bath. Shaffer envisions it as an oyster tasting room and market where customers can try oyster flights along with a glass of wine and homemade bread, and can also pick-up some oysters and wine to enjoy at home. Each week The Parlor will feature oysters from three of Maine’s 150 oyster farms and a set of three new wines. You can read more about the development of the business on the Lady Oyster website. The Parlor will be open Thursday through Saturday, noon – 7:30 pm. Reservations are strongly recommended.
• The Bangor Daily News has published an article about La Laiterie in Jonesboro. “The cafe offers homemade breads, pastries and classic French dishes — from almond croissants, pain au chocolates and kouign-amanns, which is a type of caramelized butter cake, to buckwheat crepes with ham and cheese and escargot made with local whelks, a type of sea snail native to Maine.”
• The Rockport Donut Festival (website, facebook, instagram) is scheduled to take place June 12th and 13th. According to a report from the Pen Bay Pilot, Ruckus Donuts, Old Time Donuts, The Only Doughnut, Eighty 8 Donut Cafe, Graffiti Donuts, The Donut Grove, and The Holy Donut will be taking place in the event.
• Mainebiz has published an interview with Briana Warner, the president of Oxbow Brewing.
• The Penobscot Bay Press has published an article on Stonecutters Kitchen in Stonington which is celebrating their 5th anniversary.
• The Harpswell Anchor reports that the Harpswell Schoolhouse restaurant will be closing “indefinitely”.
• The Times Record reports that Morning Glory Natural Foods has opened a second location on Brunswick Landing.

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:

• Meg Randall has leased space at 564 Bath Road in Wiscasset where she plans to launch Maine Ocean Buzz Coffee (instagram). Ocean Buzz will serve tea, beer, wine, and coffee from Coffee on the Porch, Swift River Roasters, and Claw Coffee Roasters. The menu includes quiches, breakfast burritos and sandwiches, baked French toast and other house made baked goods as well as locally made donuts, scones, cupcakes. The coffee shop will seat 75 people between indoor and outdoor seating. Randall plans to launch on May 1st. After the opening day when they’re open until 8 pm,  Ocean Buzz will be open Thursday through Monday, 8 am – 3 pm.
• Black Pug Brewing (website, facebook, instagram) has announced plans to move to 103 Maine Street in Brunswick. They will be moving into the Moderation Brewing space when Moderation vacates it this summer to move into their new building at 21 Town Hall Place in the old Central Fire Station. The move will enable Black Pug to expand their brewing capacity by 150%. They’ll also begin using a canning line rather than packaging in bottles.
• The Purple Whisk in Westbrook is launching a Pie Club. Subscribers to this pie CSA will be signed up for a series of four fruit pies—one each in June, July, August and September. “Lots of berries, peaches and apples will be in these all butter crusts! Signing up for Pie Club gets you a 15% discount on each pie, a thank you from me (Lizz) for supporting the bakery.”
• Maine Famous has published an interview with Camp DeForest owners Jessica and Brady Brim-DeForest. As reported earlier, Camp DeForest is launching a tiki bar this summer and they delve into the plans for Tiki Scout (instagram) around the 13 minute mark.
• Wild Bevy Distilling has announced plans to launch the Wild Fire Kitchen in Wells.
• Owner Rick Boyd shared his plans to convert the back patio of Rambler Irish Bistro in Yarmouth into a seasonal seafood restaurant called Rawbar. The menu will include local oysters, lobster along with sandwiches, small plates, cocktails and local beers.
• The Bangor Daily News reports that The Chocolate Drop is for sale, and has published an article about the Deer Isle Apple Corps, and about a beer garden planned for the Mainescapes garden center in Blue Hill. “Janney wants to “recenter beer as an agricultural product,” which led to the purchase of Mainescape. He aims to create outdoor space there for customers to linger, with tables for beer and hot food among the plant displays.” Spencer Janney is the owner of Naiad Country Brewery in nearby Orland.
• WCYY reports that Maine Jamaican Kitchen is taking the place of Elevation Burger at 85 Western Avenue in South Portland.
• The Press Herald reports that chef and restaurateur Jose Garces (wikipedia) has built a “culinary studio” called Shokutsu where Garces will be holding pop-ups, cooking classes and other uses. Garces was a Beard Awards winner in 2009 in the Best Chef Mid-Atlantic category. Reservations for upcoming pop-up dinners in May and June are available on chefgarces.com.
• The Portsmouth Herald has published an article about York Street Kitchen (facebook). It is located at 7 York Street in York next to SoMe Brewing. “Although York Street Kitchen has been open only since March 28, 2026, owner Jon Adelson’s café‑style restaurant is already off to a sizzling start.”
• The Waterville Sentinel reports that Juliette’s Bakery and Deli (website, facebook) is for sale and set to close on the retirement of owner Gerard Turmelle.

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:

• Hailey Sylvain has taken over the former North Pownal General Store building where she plans to locate XO Bakery & Mercantile (facebook, instagram). The counter service cafe will offer a menu of coffee, tea and a rotating menu of baked goods like bagels, English muffins, sweet treats, cookies, whoopie pies, croissants, tarts, pies as well as ready-made breakfast and lunch sandwiches. The popular XO cinnamon rolls will be available on Saturdays. Sylvain plans to have cinnamon rolls, breads, croissants, pot pies and quiches ready to take and bake-off at home and cakes that she can decorate to order. XO will have table and bar seating as well as a “cozy couch nook”. Renovations are underway with hopes to launch XO on June 1st.
• Jill Moses and Frank Curran are the new owners of Old Smith Farm (facebook, instagram) in Falmouth. Some renovations are underway with hopes to reopen Old Smith Farm to the public in early May. Nate Feld has joined the team as the OSF’s chef. The new menu will feature farm-to-table cuisine along with a pizza program with the goal of “offering approachable, flavorful dishes designed for all ages—especially families.” The bar will serve craft cocktails and have “an extensive wine list”. Curran and Moses will be working with Rachel Sagiroglu from Experience Maine on event planning for Old Smith Farm. For additional reporting see this article in Mainebiz.
• Great Wall Buffet in Augusta has announced they’ll be going out of business. Their last day in operation will be April 20th. Their statement reads in part ” We want to take this time to extend a thank you to the community we’ve had the opportunity to serve for all these years. During our time here, it has been an honor to see children grow up, people come together, and milestones celebrated. Your smiles, stories, and loyalty filled our restaurant with warmth and joy, and truly made the Great Wall Buffet a special place. It’s been a privilege to share our food and culture with you. On behalf of our entire staff, thank you for allowing us to be a part of your lives and for supporting us throughout the years.”
• Rialto in Sanford is opening a second seasonal location in Old Orchard Beach.
• Auxillary Brewing Company in Limerick is holding their grand opening on May 8th.
• Maine Scuttlebutt has published an article about Day Boat Cafe in Waldoboro.
• The Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum at Bowdoin College has an exhibit up entitled Mamaqtuq! It is Delicious!: Traditional Foods of the North. The exhibit description reads in part, “Food is at the heart of Inuit culture. In the Arctic this means food hunted, fished, or gathered from the land, air, and sea. Whales, seals, caribou, muskox, fish, and birds, as well as berries and other plants, have provided untold generations with all the healthy nourishment they needed to thrive. These foods continue to be important to Inuit, and many consider hunting, gathering, sharing, and eating these traditional foods to be central to Inuit identity.”
• As previously reported, Broadway Bowl in South Portland will be going out of business on May 17th.

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:

• Daniel Vannah and Jennifer Powers have taken over the former Movie Pizza Shoppe building (above) at 258 Jefferson Street in Waldoboro where they plan to open the Waldoughboro Pizza Shoppe (facebook). Powers and Vannah hope to be open by early winter.
• Oak Table & Bar in Augusta has leased space at 146 Mt Vernon Ave where they plan to open a restaurant for their side business Taco Rico (website, facebook).
• The owners of the Sand Dollar Bar & Grille (instagram) in York Beach are launching a pair of new eateries in the same building as their restaurant. Shorties Beach Cafe (instagram) will be a coffee and bagel shop with full line of brewed and espresso coffee drinks plus breakfast sandwiches and burritos. The Flounder (instagram) will be a counter service cafe serving sushi, poke, lobster rolls, chowder, and offering a raw bar. They hope to launch both prior to Memorial Day Weekend.
• The owners of the All Grill food truck, opened their Scarborough restaurant in January. All Grill (website, facebook, instagram) serves a menu of Venezuelan dishes like asados boards and hervido soup. It’s located at 238 Gorham Road near Nonesuch River Brewing and is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon – 9 pm (until 8 pm on Sundays).
• The Bollard has published a review of Rattle Shake Grill in South Portland.
• A Longer Table and The Commons are organizing a potluck dinner in Bethel in honor of Jacque Pepin on May 1st.
• The Columbia Falls General Store (instagram) is closing on April 26th. They are seeking a new spot where they can relocate the business.
• A North Berwick mushroom farm, The Mushroom Hut, has suffered a fire. Owner Nicholas Doucette has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to help them rebuild.
• The Midcoast Villager has published an article about Day Boat Cafe in Waldoboro, and a report on a pair of new business, Camden Charcuterie and Vacationland Coffee Roasters, slated for the Lyman Morse Wharf in Camden, and a new board game bistro called Munching Meeple under development in Camden.
• The Portsmouth Herald reports that Forbes Seafood in Wells hopes to reopen their second floor as an 80-seat bar. The second floor of the building has been out of commission for several decades.
• The Waterville Sentinel reports that Park Lee Chinese Restaurant in Skowhegan has gone out of business.
• As previously reported, the owners of OhNo Cafe are working on to launch a new business called The Dooryard Pub in South Portland.

For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of 100+ coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, plus other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

You can scroll through the past weeks’ Maine Food & Dining reports and get caught up on food news from around the state via this link.