New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:
- Meg Randall has leased space at 564 Bath Road in Wiscasset where she plans to launch Maine Ocean Buzz Coffee (instagram). Ocean Buzz will serve tea, beer, wine, and coffee from Coffee on the Porch, Swift River Roasters, and Claw Coffee Roasters. The menu includes quiches, breakfast burritos and sandwiches, baked French toast and other house made baked goods as well as locally made donuts, scones, cupcakes. The coffee shop will seat 75 people between indoor and outdoor seating. Randall plans to launch on May 1st. After the opening day when they’re open until 8 pm, Ocean Buzz will be open Thursday through Monday, 8 am – 3 pm.
- Black Pug Brewing (website, facebook, instagram) has announced plans to move to 103 Maine Street in Brunswick. They will be moving into the Moderation Brewing space when Moderation vacates it this summer to move into their new building at 21 Town Hall Place in the old Central Fire Station. The move will enable Black Pug to expand their brewing capacity by 150%. They’ll also begin using a canning line rather than packaging in bottles.
- The Purple Whisk in Westbrook is launching a Pie Club. Subscribers to this pie CSA will be signed up for a series of four fruit pies—one each in June, July, August and September. “Lots of berries, peaches and apples will be in these all butter crusts! Signing up for Pie Club gets you a 15% discount on each pie, a thank you from me (Lizz) for supporting the bakery.”
- Maine Famous has published an interview with Camp DeForest owners Jessica and Brady Brim-DeForest. As reported earlier, Camp DeForest is launching a tiki bar this summer and they delve into the plans for Tiki Scout (instagram) around the 13 minute mark.
- Wild Bevy Distilling has announced plans to launch the Wild Fire Kitchen in Wells.
- Owner Rick Boyd shared his plans to convert the back patio of Rambler Irish Bistro in Yarmouth into a seasonal seafood restaurant called Rawbar. The menu will include local oysters, lobster along with sandwiches, small plates, cocktails and local beers.
- The Bangor Daily News reports that The Chocolate Drop is for sale, and has published an article about the Deer Isle Apple Corps, and about a beer garden planned for the Mainescapes garden center in Blue Hill. “Janney wants to “recenter beer as an agricultural product,” which led to the purchase of Mainescape. He aims to create outdoor space there for customers to linger, with tables for beer and hot food among the plant displays.” Spencer Janney is the owner of Naiad Country Brewery in nearby Orland.
- WCYY reports that Maine Jamaican Kitchen is taking the place of Elevation Burger at 85 Western Avenue in South Portland.
- The Press Herald reports that chef and restaurateur Jose Garces (wikipedia) has built a “culinary studio” called Shokutsu where Garces will be holding pop-ups, cooking classes and other uses. Garces was a Beard Awards winner in 2009 in the Best Chef Mid-Atlantic category. Reservations for upcoming pop-up dinners in May and June are available on chefgarces.com.
- The Portsmouth Herald has published an article about York Street Kitchen (facebook). It is located at 7 York Street in York next to SoMe Brewing. “Although York Street Kitchen has been open only since March 28, 2026, owner Jon Adelson’s café‑style restaurant is already off to a sizzling start.”
- The Waterville Sentinel reports that Juliette’s Bakery and Deli (website, facebook) is for sale and set to close on the retirement of owner Gerard Turmelle.
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.