Category: Under Construction

A  fish and chips shop called Lil Chippy (instagram) is under construction at 52 Washington Ave in the space formerly occupied by Radici (and before that Terlingua).

Owners Ashley Wolf and William Durst hope to open Lil Chippy by the end of June. Fish and chips will be the signature dish at the 30-seat counter service restaurant but Durst and Wolf also plan for a menu that also features seafood-centric small plates, sandwiches and a selection of wine and beer.

Wolf is currently the GM of Liquid Riot and when the couple lived in Vermont she was the GM at Hen of the Woods in Waterbury. Durst also worked at Hen of the Woods, and was the original chef at Bistro Leluco is South Portland when it opened in 2023.

Cocktail Mary (website, instagram) founder Isaac MacDougal along with Jake Bosma, Brecken Macdougal and Zach Myers and  have leased the former Guitar Grave space at 441 Congress Street where they plan to open the Supper Club Cocktail Lounge (instagram) in early fall.

In creating Supper Club Cocktail Lounge we hope to add an anchor of community life in the heart of downtown Portland. Our aim is to become the “third place” for people living in Portland by offering hearty, affordable, locally sourced whole foods coupled with thoughtfully executed, delicious cocktails.

Our wine list will host producers from underrepresented communities making wine with sustainability in mind as well as a comprehensive champagne list for curious palettes and special occasions. Our beer menu will be composed of package and draft domestic and imported beer. Our cocktail menu will cover a wide range, with highballs that capture affordability and mindful ABVs, and martinis of every kind, for celebrations large and small. There will also be a variety of alcohol free options representing each of these categories.

The 2,400 sq ft space will have (see floor plan below) a main dining room with a 10-seat bar and banquette seating along the opposite wall with two large tables for communal seating in the front of the room. A curtain enclosure will enable the left side table to be a semiprivate space. An additional lounge area with its own 6-seat bar will be available for special events, private dinners, and overflow seating on busy nights. Outdoor seating is also part of the plan.

Isaac MacDougal grew up in Portland where his family owned and operated Vaughan Street Variety. He launched Cocktail Mary on November 8, 2019. Prior to returning to Maine he worked in the restaurant industry in NYC including time at Maialino, WD-50 and Diner. Bosma will serve as the beverage director for Supper Club, Brecken MacDougal as its operations manager and Myers as its contractor and facilities manager.

Supper Club is just starting to build out their team. Anyone interested in becoming part of “an organization that fosters community through breaking bread and social engagement” should contact them at info@supperclubcocktaillounge.com.

The Press Herald reports that a new restaurant called Loco Taco (website) is under development at 849 Forest Ave. The business is being launched by Ahmed Abbas and Mohammed Abbas from Dina’s Cuisine.

Though the restaurant is small, the menu will be large, Abbas said. In addition to tacos (on a choice of tortilla), it will serve quesadillas, fajitas, nachos and burritos. Filling choices will include classic Mexican tacos and an array of global flavors, such as chicken tikka masala, teriyaki, falafel, Greek gyro tacos, shawarma, cheeseburger and more creative flavors. There is something for vegetarians, too: fried tofu or fried vegetable tacos.

A new restaurant called Finestkind (instagram) is under construction in Saco. It will be located at 17 Pepperell Square in the building formerly occupied by The New Moon. Finestkind is being launched by Victoria and Tom Barthelmes along with their business partners Chris and Paige Gould.

The 26-seat counter service restaurant will be open for breakfast and lunch. Finestkind will also have outdoor seating and their menu will be available to order online for takeout. The breakfast menu will offer an assortment of egg sandwiches like the Red and Black Lumberjack (egg, house smoked brisket, horseradish sauce sandwiched between two crispy hashbrowns) Options for lunch will include an assortment of sandwiches, soup, and salads plus mac and cheese. The team plans a in-house bakery program—think oatmeal-raisin cookie sandwiches filled with Italian buttercream and caramel crullers. The beverage menu will include beer, wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks with a full coffee program featuring Tandem Coffee Roasters coffee.

The Barthelmes shared that Finestkind is a culmination of their work and life experiences.

It’s going to draw some inspiration from the cafe we fell in love at 12 years ago, the standards and technique we developed cooking in New York, and the meaningful relationships we’ve made in the Maine community since moving here 9 years ago. A meal we ate at Central Provisions was among the reasons we moved to Maine in the first place, so to be able to call Chris and Paige our friends, mentors, and now business partners is particularly special for us.

The Goulds are the owners of Central Provisions and Tipo. Victoria Barthelmes is the GM of Tipo and will continue as the wine director of both restaurants. Tom Barthelmes is kitchen manager at Central and Tipo. The Barthelmes met when attending The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park and worked together at the Apple Pie Bakery Café. In New York City, Victoria worked in the pastry department at Lincoln Ristorante where she produced pastry for the Metropolitan Opera and wedding cakes for the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Tom worked at Lincoln before moving to Per Se where he worked for Thomas Keller.

Renovations are already underway with hopes to launch Finestkind this summer. When it opens, the restaurant will be open Thursday through Monday, 7:30 am – 2 pm.

Liquid Riot has been sold to Michael Fraser. According to a report from Portland Old Port, Fraser plans to rebrand the Old Port brewpub and distillery as Camp Pennant (instagram). Watch for changes to the menu and to the line-up of beer and spirits which will be released under the Pennant Brewing and Distilling brand.

Fraser is the owner or co-owner of Roma, Bramhall, Nosh, Nosh Tacos, CBG and Paper Tiger. Liquid Riot was founded in 2013 by Eric Michaud under the name In’finiti. The name was changed in Liquid Riot in 2015. Michaud was also the founder of Novare Res which launched in 2008.

Stonewall Kitchen (website, facebook, instagram) has leased a 2,327 sq ft space at 215 Commercial Street where they plan to relaunch their Old Port retail shop.

This new larger Stonewall store will enable an wider range of Stonewall products and gifts to be available. The space is under construction and they hope to have the new store stocked and open to the public in mid June.

Stonewall Kitchen had been located on Middle Street across from Bard Coffee for many years. They moved out in early 2022 to make way for the construction going on in the building.

Mary and Will Sissle, the owners of The Cheese Shop on Washington Ave, have shared plans to open a new business called Sissle and Daughters (instagram).

Expect espresso drinks, wine & light fare in the café, and the same great retail offerings you find at The Cheese Shop with the addition of take-and-heat prepared meals made from those same quality ingredients in the market. So stop to see us on your way to work for a cappuccino & a bite, then in the afternoon for a glass of wine, and grab everything you need for a delicious dinner at home while you’re at it.

The all-day cafe, wine bar and market will be located in the former garage at 634 Forest Ave in Woodfords Corner. They hope to open Sissle and Daughters this fall.

Mark and Renae Roy have leased the former Helm space on Thames Street where they plan to open a new restaurant called Thames Landing. They shared part of their vision for the restaurant,

Thames Landing brings you solidly good food in an airy and beautiful modern atmosphere. The restaurant will offer classic New England fare—satisfying portions centered around seafood, local meat, and seasonal vegetables—served with contemporary flair and warm hospitality. We aim to be your new go-to, for after work drinks with a co-worker, a meltdown-free lunch with the kids, a spontaneous date night, or a leisurely weekend brunch with friends.

Their plans included an expanded outdoor seating area and they hope to have the restaurant open this summer.

The Roys are the owners of Navis Cafe which they opened on August 14, 2020. Helm launched in early 2021 and went out of business just last month.

Hannah Buoye and Billy Hager have announced their plans to launch a new bakery in Windham called Waxwing Bakery (instagram). Buoye is a former kitchen manager at Tandem Coffee and Hager had been the executive chef at Helm.

Buoye and Hager plan to offer a menu focused on laminated pastries and breads with a seasonal selection of sandwiches and salads. The counter service bakery will have some indoor seating and will serve Tandem coffee and have espresso-based beverages. Shown above is a zucchini cake with lemon icing that was on sale at their first pop-up back in August.

Waxwing will be located at 868 Roosevelt Trail (aka Route 302). An opening date is still TBD, but they hopes to launch the business later this year. In the meantime you can find them and their baked goods the second Saturday of every month at the Bumbleroot Farm Maker’s Market in Windham.

The name of the bakery is a reference to waxwing family of bird species. See the initial Waxwing instagram post for more info on these birds and their inspiration for the name of the bakery.