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New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:
- A new business called Day Boat Cafe (website, facebook, instagram) is under construction in Waldoboro. Located at 17 Friendship Road (above) in the town center, Day Boat is the creation of Anna Hymanson and Kelsey Woodworth. They envision a menu that is “intentionally straightforward and comforting” which will include sandwiches, soups, salads, and baked goods like cookies, cakes, pies, cupcakes, and other sweet treats. A deli case will have ready-to-eat dinners like lasagna, chicken pot pie, bacon-wrapped meatloaf, vegetarian stuffed peppers, twice-baked potatoes, roasted vegetables, and pasta salads. The cafe will also offer catering services.
They shared, “At Day Boat, our goal is simple: to create a space that feels welcoming to everyone. Two things we say often are ‘everyone deserves a nice thing’ and ‘we want to meet people exactly where they’re at.’ Whether you’re coming off a long workday, shuttling kids around, passing through town for an appointment, or visiting seasonally, we hope Day Boat feels like a place you can count on — where you can order your favorite sandwich the same way every time, treat yourself to something nice, and maybe even grab dinner to reheat later and take one thing off your plate.”
Woodworth and Hymanson are renovating the space which will include 13 counter seats, two “jewel box” window booths, and a large community table in an open kitchen concept. Outdoor seating will also be available. Both owners have more than 15 years of experience in restaurants and hospitality. Hymanson is a whole-animal butcher as well as experienced working in front of house service. Woodworth is a 2012 Culinary Institute of America graduate who’s worked at a number of Midcoast Maine restaurants as well as a private chef in New York city and Los Angeles. They hope to launch Day Boat this spring, and expect to eventually add a weekend brunch service to their hours. - Aragosta chef/owner Devin Finigan has announced the upcoming launch of her first book, A Kitchen on Goose Cove. As she shared on instagram “A Kitchen on Goose Cove is a reflection of me at my core: a chef at home. It’s my love affair with Maine. Inside you will find more than 75 recipes for traditional Maine dishes, and new spins on the classics: Lobster Rolls, Scallops with Wild Ramp Sauce, Mussel Chowder, Grilled Vegetables with Fish Caramel, Tomahawk Steaks with Chanterelles, and Whoopie Pies to name a few.” You can pre-order a copy of the book which is expected to be out on May 19th.
- Taj in South Portland has made the decision to make their free food program a permanent part of the restaurant. They had begun the current effort during the suspension of SNAP benefits in late 2025 and now stock the hot foods cabinet with 100 meals each day.
- Born Yesterday Bakery (website, instagram) is holding a soft opening tomorrow. They’re located at 11 Mechanic Falls Road in Oxford just down the road from Oxbow Beer Garden and will be open 9 am to 3 pm.
- The Swanville restaurant Circumstance (website, instagram) will be serving a 6-course pop-up dinner at the Villager Cafe on February 14th featuring locally sourced ingredients. Tickets are now on sale. Circumstance was launched in in the summer of 2024 by chef Khristopher Hogg.
- News broke earlier this week that a group of investors have have stabilized the Fork Food Lab commercial kitchen and saved it from closing.
- The Sanford Springvale News has a report on a new bakery instructor on staff at the Sanford Regional Technical Center. Kristen Perry has worked at several restaurants and bakeries in Boston before relocating back to Maine.
- The Lincoln County News has published reports about the new owners of Treats in Wiscasset, the expansion of Delano Seafood in Waldoboro, and the new Cider Hill Farm Taproom in Waldoboro.
- The Bangor Daily News reports that Shogun Japanese Restaurant (facebook) will be moving into a new space in Presque Isle, and that the new Bangor candy shop Oh, Grow Up (facebook) opened on Friday.
- The Pen Bay Pilot published a report on Glo’s Market (facebook), a pan-Asian market that recently opened in Belfast.
- Chef Gary Cooper will be serving a 5-course wine dinner at Dos Gatos (facebook, instagram) in Belfast on February 11th.
- The Press Herald reports that Tacos y Tequila in Cape Elizabeth has gone out of business. It had opened for business in December 2020.
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.