Category: Under Construction

Emilitsa chef Niko Regas has leased space in Farmington where he plans to open the White Fox Taverna (instagram) serving a menu of Mediterranean cuisine. The small 12-seat space has additional outdoor patio seating for 40 where White Fox will host live music.

Regas hopes to open White Fox in May, and so it sounds like a Summer road trip to Farmington is in order.

Regas has been with Emilitsa for 10 years. He shared that it’s been a great experience which he will miss even as he’s excited to move forward with the challenge of launching his own restaurant. Regas and his family live on a farm in Farmington which they hope to turn into a working farm and orchard in the coming years.

Rosemont Market and Bakery has announced that they’ve leased 10,000 sq ft of space at 832 Stevens Ave to consolidate in one place their bakery, food production, offices and warehouse operations.

The 10,000-square-foot space will allow Rosemont to increase efficiency; encourage collaboration among our bakers, cooks, produce specialists and local producer partners; and minimize travel times from production to retail, thereby maximizing freshness and reducing environmental impact.

“This project is the next natural step for Rosemont’s growth,” says Rosemont Director of Operations Erin Lynch. “Rosemont’s products as well as our relationships with local suppliers are the soul of what we do. Our aim is to create a beautiful workspace that can accommodate and nurture our creative work as well as deepen and expand how we work with producers throughout the region.”

Rosemont plans to begin the build-out soon, and hopes to starting using the new facility by the middle of the Summer.

Mainebiz has published an update on the Copper Branch vegan restaurant under development in Canal Plaza.

Chris and Melissa Hooper, husband-and-wife entrepreneurs who will become the building’s first tenants after signing a lease, told Mainebiz they’re targeting a September opening — possibly sooner — for the business.

Originally from Canada and now living in Cape Elizabeth, the couple will be franchisees for Copper Branch, a fast-growing Montreal-based chain that specializes in “100% plant-based power food” from avocado toast and other all-day breakfast fare to power smoothies and poutine with cremini mushroom sauce, a vegan take on a Quebec classic.

A new distillery named Three Strong Spirits (website, facebook, instagram) is under construction in East Bayside  in a 6,200 sq ft space at 35B Diamond Street.

Owners David McConnell and Sam Pierce hope to open the tasting room this June.

Three Strong Spirits is named after a colonial era punch recipe “one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak”.

Other Side Delicatessen owners Peter and Jessica Sueltenfuss have shared a draft menu (page 187) for their new venture, the Other Side Diner (instagram), as part of the liquor license application.

The Other Side Diner will be located at 500 Washington Ave, the space formerly occupied by Hella Good Tacos and Steve and Renee’s Diner.

The owner of Good News Coffee and Package, Michael Vassallo, has decided to change the concept of his business from a coffee and retail store to a cider bar.

The Cider House, located at 28 Brackett Street, will serve ciders from Maine and New England as well as from elsewhere in the US and from international producers along with a “compact tapas-style menu with a few larger items”. Vassallo plans to be open evenings as well as midday on the weekends.

Liz Koenigsberg and her husband chef Will Lavey, the couple who bought Blue Spoon last year, have leased the former Aurora Provisions building in the West End where they plan to open Blue Spoon Cafe & Catering.

Blue Spoon Cafe & Catering will be a casual breakfast and lunch cafe with coffee service and foods to go. It will also be a home base to expand Blue Spoon’s catering service.

Koenigsberg and Lavey shared that as former West End residents, they appreciate what role Aurora Provisions played as a community meeting place and want to open a cafe that bring that back to the neighborhood. They hope to open Blue Spoon Cafe & Catering in May.

Aurora Provisions went out of business last year and the property was bought at auction by real estate developer Tom Landry in January.

For additional information Koenigsberg encourages people to email her at  info@bluespoonme.com.

As you read last month, Po’ Boys & Pickles on Forest Ave is opening a 2nd location. At the time owner Chris Bettera was keeping the exact address under wraps.

Bettera has now shared that he’s leased the former Federal Spice space in the Old Port at 225 Federal Street. Opening date for the new eatery is not yet set.

Photo courtesy of Po’ Boys.

A new food cart called Rebel Cheesesteaks (instagram) is under development and owner Peter Murphy hopes to be out on the streets of the Old Port sometime in early May.

Rebel will be serving a choice of “local shaved ribeye or smoky north spore mushrooms served on a 10” botto’s hoagie roll with philly cream cheese whiz choice of American, cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack and options to add peppers, onions, mushrooms, bacon and eggs”.

Murphy has spent the past two and a half years working at the Other Side Deli on Veranda Street. He hails from New Jersey near Philadelphia.

Exchange Street juice bar, Blake Orchard (website, instagram, facebook), has leased 2700+ sq ft of space at 561 Forest Ave where they plan to open a second location.

561 is the former location of the Portland branch of Juiced which closed in late 2018.