New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:
- Chef Jordan Benissan has leased space in Rockport where he plans to reopen his West African restaurant Me Lon Togo (website, instagram) on Friday August 28th. It will be located at 330 Commercial Street in the building (above) formerly occupied by Street Food 330. The restaurant’s menu “pulls from West Africa’s indigenous and colonial influences to establish [a] unique representation of West African cuisine” with dishes like Garu Fotu (manioc grits, smoked ground shrimp, and fried egg), a vegetarian Gusi Dessi stew, and a Moroccan Tagine Chicken. Benissan had previously operated Me Lon Togo in Rockland and for a time had been working to relocate the restaurant to Freeport. The dining room in Rockport can seat ~15 people and Benissan is building an outdoor seating area with room for an additional 20 customers. Me Lon Togo will be open Thursday through Sunday, 5 –11 pm.
- The Penobscot Bay Press has published a report on a new bakery in Stonington called School Street Market (facebook, instagram). “Even if you’ve never met Margie Litman, the chef/owner of School Street Market, chances are you’ve probably tasted one of her creations. Her new bakery opened its doors this month, but Litman’s pastries have lined the case at 44 North Coffee for years now.” The bakery is located at 40 School Street and is open Friday and Saturday, 9 am – 2 pm.
- Dutchman’s has been invited to compete in the 7th Annual New York BagelFest. They’re one of 25 bagel producers from around the globe participating in the event, and the only one from Maine. BagelFest is taking place on November 15th. Jeremy and Marina Kratzer launched Dutchman’s in Brunswick in 2022.
- Joe and Sue Salisbury have sold The Daily Grind (facebook) drive-thru coffee shop in Westbrook to Brianna Palmer and Carlos Ferrao.
- Chophouse Grille (website, facebook, instagram) opened for business on Friday. The new restaurant is located in the space formerly occupied by Five-O at 50 Shore Road in Ogunquit.
- The Lincoln County News interviewed Sarah and John McNeil, the owner of Odd Alewives, about their Waldoboro business and its upcoming closure. “The couple is unsure of what their next steps are but they are willing to hand the business down to a buyer willing to keep it going, Sarah McNeil said. After 10 years of renovations and building an audience, she said the property would be ready to go. She said she is also happy to stay on the farm, as she loves Waldoboro. Both she and her husband want to stay in the Midcoast, she said.”
- The Village Tavern has announced the closure of their Kennebunk restaurant. Their last day in business was August 19th. See this article in the Portsmoth Herald for additional reporting.
- Bayley’s Seafood in Scarborough has closed. August 20th was their last day in business. “After careful consideration, we have made the very difficult decision to permanently close BSR. This has been an incredibly meaningful chapter, and we are so grateful to everyone who supported us, shared a meal with us, celebrated with us, and made memories inside these walls. We are especially thankful for the friends and customers who continued to come through our doors and support us along the way.”
The Maine Food Map is our statewide dining guide with a list of 120 coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses from across Maine’s 16 counties.