Category: Maine

Ore Nell’s North (website, facebook, instagram), the Biddeford outpost of Ore Nell’s BBQ in Kittery, opened for business on Wednesday. It’s located just across the parking lot from Palace Diner at 42 Franklin Street in the building formerly occupied by Louie’s Pizza.

Ore Nell’s serves Texas-style barbecue (see menu below) that’s a reflection of chef Will Myska’s Houston upbringing. The menu includes brisket, ribs, pulled pork, other meats and even BBQ tofu as well as sandwiches, traditional sides. There’s also a children’s menu. Shown here are a plate of their Saint Louis ribs, brisket, collard greens and a loaded baked potato (top right), a smoked chicken taco from the day’s specials menu (bottom left), and a Toxic Mezcalinity cocktail (bottom right).

This week they will be open Wednesday through Sunday, 4 – 9 pm. Hours will expand next week and Ore Nell’s plans to eventually be open seven days a week.

The original Ore Nell’s in Kittery launched in 2018 as a collaboration between Myska, David Vargas from Vida Cantina in Portsmouth and restaurateur Jay McSharry. Kyle Chauncey has joining the founders in launching the Biddeford location.

Wander at LongWoods (website, facebook, instagram) opened last Wednesday. The farm-to-table restaurant is located off Route 9 near the center of town in Cumberland. The restaurant is part of the overall Longwoods Preserve (instagram) project which will include walking trails, a sculpture garden and a farm to supply produce and other ingredients for the restaurant.

The menu (see below) takes a locally-focused approach both for the food and as a touchpoint for the cocktail program. Wines by the glass/bottle and beer from Maine producers like Allagash, Bissell, Oxbow and Nonesuch are also available. The dessert menu includes panna cotta, a butter cake topped with local berry puree, gluten-free donuts, ice cream, sorbet and espresso-based coffees.

The restaurant can accommodate close to 100 customers overall including a large outdoor seating area with picnic tables and Adirondack chairs looking out over the open fields surrounding the restaurant. If you sit outside be sure to try the wood-fired pizza. The Saint Fergus is topped with mozzarella, bone marrow butter, breadcrumbs, parsley, shallots, capers and gray sea salt.

Mike Allen is the executive chef, Rich Maggi is the restaurant’s chef de cuisine, and Molly and Jordan McDuffie, are the Longwood farmers with Joe Atwood as the overall general manager.

Wander is open Wednesday through Sunday, 4 – 9 pm. They’ve been operating Wander on a walk-in basis for its first week, but starting August 9th they’ll begin taking reservations—visit wanderatlongwoods.com starting Wednesday to book a table.

Here are some food and dining highlights from around the state:

• Scandinavia takeout bakery Fika (website, instagram) has opened for business in Saco. Fika is located just a few steps off Main Street at 17 Storer Street. Their menu included breakfast sandwiches, avocado toast, cardamom buns, galettes, olive oil cake and other pastries plus coffee from George Howell Coffee. They’re open Friday/Saturday 7:30 am – 2 pm, and Sunday: 8 am – noon.
• The Lincoln County News has a pair of updates from Round Pond. Dot’s Bakery has closed after 40 years in business., and the Round Pond Coffee has launched an evening wine bar. The new wine bar is called The Common House (facebook) serves wine, beer and meat and cheese boards Friday through Monday, 4 – 8:30 pm.

Sonder & Dram in Lewiston has launched their new restaurant Bon Vivant (website, instagram) which is located at 133 Lisbon Street just upstairs from the cocktail bar. The ~50-seat restaurant features a long orange banquette along the left wall as well as central table seating and a cocktail bar and lounge area.

The beverage menu includes a selection of classic cocktails as well as New World and Old World wines by the glass and bottle, and a pair of draft beer from Oxbow Brewing and Definitive Brewing. Chef and co-owner Michael Gosselin is has put together a menu of contemporary small plates, steaks and entrees. Creme brulee, a lemon sabayon tart and a chocolate eclair are available for dessert along with a selection of after dinner cocktails, madeira and port.

The restaurant is open Wednesday through Saturday and on Monday, 4:30 – 9 pm. Reservations are available on Resy. For additional reporting on Bon Vivant read this article from the Lewiston Sun Journal.

Here are some food and dining highlights from around the state:

• The newly renovated Norumbega (instagram) hotel in Camden is launching a new cocktail bar (see photos above). The menu centers on classic cocktails and is accompanied by a menu from chef Marymarcel Densmore including some dishes from her home country of Peru. The bar will be open Sunday through Tuesday, 4 – 7 pm starting on July 16th. The Norumbega is also playing host to a series of pop-up dinners this summer prepared by E. Wales Hospitality (the former operators of Blue Spoon in Portland).
• The newly renovated Waldoboro Inn (instagram) has launched their new wine bar. Styled Ida’s the bar is named for Ida Stahl who’s family operated the Waldoboro Inn (and the co-located Stahl’s Tavern) in the mid-20th Century. Ida’s is open July 14-16th, 4 – 10 pm.
• Down East magazine has published an article about Simones’ Hot Dogs in Lewiston which opened in 1908 and has been run by grandson of the founder for the past 50 years.
• Tallulah’s (instagram), the new barn bar at The Waterford Inne in Waterford, opened this weekend (reservations required). The menu will include small plates and snacks, ice cream sandwiches, cocktails, wine, beer, and cider.
• The Place Bakery (instagram) opened this weekend in Camden. The opening menu includes a range of baked goods including sweet and savory croissants, Dannish, brreads, cookies, pie and cake. This weekend and next they’ll be open Saturday/Sunday…look for expanded hours in the future.