SoPo Garden Bar Now Open

| Posted in Openings

The Garden Bar (website, facebook, instagram) has opened their new South Portland location at 173 Ocean Street. It’s located in the storefront formerly occupied by Cafe Louis in Knightville. The renovated cafe has table seating for 14 with an addition 6 counter seats. They’ll be open daily 11 am – 7:30 pm.

Owner Lanai Monahan and her team serve made to order salads and bowls. They have twelve signature combinations—the Santa Fe is shown above—or customers can select from dozens of ingredients to make a custom combo. They also sell cold pressed juices, chips and cookies.

The Garden Bar launched in Biddeford on May 6, 2023. Monahan plans to continue expanding her business, and is now searching for opportunities to locate a third Garden Bar in Southern New Hampshire.

LB to Expand Mini-Mart Business

| Posted in Under Construction

LB Kitchen is growing their Mini-Mart business. The first location of their grab and go market and coffee bar opened this past March at the Rock Row Health Campus (right photo).

Owners Bryna Gootkind and chef Lee Farrington are now working to open a second location at 235 Vaughan (left photo). It’s under construction in the 620 sq ft space that most recently was the West End location of Other Side Deli and previously had been the longtime home of Vaughan Street Variety. When it launches this fall it will sell salads, sandwiches, snacks, wellness items, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages. There will also be a coffee bar that serves espresso-based drinks as well as LB’s lattes, bone broth, smoothies and slushies.

As share in today’s press release,

“We’re thrilled to bring LB. MINI-MART to more corners of Portland,” said LB. Co-founder and Chef Lee Farrington. “These new locations are a reflection of the growing demand for healthy, accessible food and the continued evolution of our mission to support everyday wellness in our community. We think of ourselves as the new corner store or gas station convenience store – when you want something quick, but at LB. MINI-MART we can satisfy the convenience without sacrificing delicious, more intentional choices.”

In mid 2026 Farrington and Gootkind also plan to expand into the space adjacent to their flagship cafe on Congress Street. They’ll relocate their in-store market into the new storefront which will make way for additional customer seating in their popular daytime cafe.

The original LB Kitchen opened in 2017 and moved to the corner of Smith and Congress Streets in 2023.

Maine Food & Dining News: Kittery, Madawaska, Biddeford, Damariscotta, Whitefield, and elsewhere in the Midcoast

| Posted in Maine

New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:

Upcoming Food and Dining Events

| Posted in Events

Wednesday – The Garden Bar (website, facebook, instagram) is set to open their new South Portland location on Wednesday. The Garden Bar will be located in the storefront formerly occupied by Cafe Louis at 173 Ocean St in Knightville. They’ll will be open daily 11 am – 7:30 pm.

July 18-20 – The Yarmouth Clam Festival is taking place.

July 19 – Chaval is holding their annual Champagne Brunch. Palace Diner will be popping-up at Lambs in South Portland.

July 23-25 – The Kneading Conference is taking place in Skowhegan.

September 14 – The Maine Cheese Festival is taking place in Pittsfield.

September 19-21 – The Common Ground Country Fair is taking place in Unity.

October 12 – Maine Open Creamery Day is taking place.

November 1-9 – 207 Beer Week is taking place.

November 10-16 – Brunswick Wine Week is taking place.

Planning a wedding, holding a business event, or hosting visitors from away? Our printed guides are a great resource to help your guests explore the Maine restaurant scene.

The Portland and Midcoast pocket guides are now for sale in packs of 25 on our online store.

Restaurant Real Estate: July 2025

| Posted in Under Construction, Real Estate

Welcome to the July 2025 edition of the Portland Food Map restaurant real estate listings sponsored by The Boulos Company—a commercial real estate brokerage that has helped Maine’s restauranteurs buy and lease restaurant spaces since 1975.

This resource gathers in one convenient place the spaces available in Portland (and a few in the surrounding area) that could be potential sites for restaurants and food producers and retailers to locate their next business. Finding the right spot is one of the crucial early challenges in launching a new business and hopefully this resource will make that step just a little bit easier.

West End/Valley/Libby Town

189 Brackett St – The 520 sq ft space that was the original location of Chocolats Passion is for lease for $1,400/month (MG). Contact Amber Dorcas (amber@redfernproperties.com) for more information.

919 Congress St – The 4,500-9,540 sq ft former Salvage BBQ building is available for $20/sq ft (MG).

270 Saint John St – A 2,714 sq ft space in Union Station Plaza is available for $17/sq ft (NNN).

211 Valley St – A 1,260 sq ft former garage and the .13 acres it is on are for sale on Valley Street for $1,300,000.

235 Vaughan St – The former Vaughan Street Variety storefront in the West End has been completely renovated. The 620 sq ft space is available for $2500/month (MG). Call (207) 650-0846 for more information.

Arts District

486 Congress St – A 2,400 sq ft former cannabis retail space is available for $22/sq ft (NNN).

511 Congress St – The 2,875 sq ft former Golden Lotus space is available for $16.50/sq ft.

554 Congress St – A 1,621 sq ft former Dunkin’ Donuts space is available for $17.04/sq ft (NNN).

555 Congress St – The 1,908 sq ft former Five Fifty-Five dining room and mezzanine are available to lease for $20/sq ft (NNN).

582-584 Congress St – The 680-1,555 sq ft space formerly occupied by Harmon’s is for lease for $2,500 – $5,850/month (NNN).

649 Congress St – The 3,000 sq ft space formerly occupied by Rebel Munchies and Libations is available for $22/sq ft (MG).

650 Congress St – This 705 sq ft retail space near Longfellow Square is available for $1,800/month (MG).

Bayside/Inner Washington

105 Fox St – a 1,950 sq ft space located between Rising Tide and Austin Street is available for $5,220/month (NNN).

52 Hanover St – 1,500 – 3,000 sq ft of retail space on the first floor of the Armature building is available for $30/sq ft (NNN). One spot in the building has been earmarked for a coffee shop.

65-67 Portland St – The 2,750 sq ft former Thai Esaan/Back Bay Grill space is available for $16/sq ft (MG).

114 Preble St – The former Coals building is available to lease. The 4,424 sq ft turnkey restaurant is listed at $26/sq ft (NNN) and includes onsite parking and outdoor seating.  For more information on the building and its history see this post on instagram.

186 Washington Ave – The 7,620 sq ft Am Vets building is for sale for $1,300,000. See the listing for photos of the bar and seating area.

Old Port

1 Canal Plaza – 4,284 – 14,412 sq ft of ground floor retail space will be available as part of upcoming renovations; $30/sq ft (NNN).

15 Chestnut St – The building that was home to Grace restaurant is for sale. It includes the property, business assets and all FF&E. The restaurant seats 175 and features a large circular bar on the first floor of the former church. The building has 14,358 sq ft of space. It’s for sale for $2,450,000.

185 Commercial St – A new building on Commercial Street has a 2,334 sq ft ground floor retail space that is available for $55/sq ft (NNN).

327 Commercial St – The 6,981 – 7,981 sq ft space currently occupied by Tiqa is available for lease or to buy. The lease rate is $30/sq ft (NNN). The sale price is $3,500,000.

383 Commercial St – 1,193 – 4,805 square feet of space in a newly constructed building on Commercial Street is available for $28/sq ft (NNN).

10 Cotton St – The 4,606 sq ft former Thistle and Grouse is available for $19.05/sq ft (MG). It has a fully built out kitchen and the dining room was recently renovated.

8 Exchange St – The 1,800-3,600 sq ft space formerly occupied by The Bar & Bites on lower Exchange Street is available for $60/sq ft (MG).

373 Fore St – The 7,500 sq ft former Henry’s Public House building is for lease for $32/sq ft (MG).

433 Fore St – A 930 sq ft lounge space on the first floor of the Hyatt is for lease for $60/sq ft (MG).

477 Fore St – The 1,361 sq ft space formerly occupied by B + B Bakery is available for $30/sq ft (MG).

40 Free St – The 1,358 sq ft space formerly occupied by Auntie’s House is available for $27/sq ft.

127 Marginal Way – The 3,040 sq ft former All Speed bicycle shop space across the parking lot from Trader Joes is available for $35/sq ft (NNN).

100 Middle St – A 350 sq ft cafe space on first floor of an Old Port office building is available for $850/month (Gross).

115 Middle St – The 2,065 sq ft space formerly occupied by Beach Boys Cannabis is for lease for $39.75/sq ft (MG). Back in the 1970s it had been the home of Model Food Importers which retailed wine, cheese and other imported foods.

151 Middle St – the 2,741 former Anthony’s Italian Kitchen space is available.

157 Middle St – A 2,039 – 5,155 sq ft retail space is available for $27.95/sq ft (MG).

191 Middle St – The 1,500 sq ft retail space formerly occupied by Crystal Joys is for lease for $60/sq ft (MG).

15 Monument Square – The 1,000 sq ft former Sisters Gourmet Deli space is available to lease for $3,600/month (NNN).

28 Monument Square – The building owner is seeking someone to lease the Public Market House and develop the food hall as an incubator space for new food businesses. The 8,064 sq ft space spans the 1st and 2nd floors and has a commercial kitchen in the basement. The well-loved Jamaican restaurant Yardie Ting already occupies part of the first floor with the remainder of the building vacant and already built out with kitchen infrastructure needed for new businesses. 28 Monument Square is listed at $12/sq ft (NNN). For more information on the building and its history see this post on instagram.

66 Pearl St – The 5,796 sq ft space that was the former home of Bull Moose is available for $15.75/sq ft (MG).

110 Thames St – Two spaces in the Sun Life building are available: a 5,772 sq ft space for $35/sq ft (NNN) and 2,575 sq ft space for $35/sq ft (NNN).

54 York St – A 1,605 sq ft space is available for $30/sq ft (MG). It’s located in the same building as the  Weldon Hotel at the corner of York and Maple Streets.

Camp Pennant – this brewery, distillery and restaurant is for sale. Contact Karen Rich for more information at karen@malonecb.com or (207) 210-6637.

Outer Forest Ave Area

49 Dartmouth St – A 1,310 sq ft retail space adjacent to Bow Street Beverage is available for $16.50/sq ft.

332 Forest Ave – A 1,992 sq ft space in a building at the corner of Bedford Street and Forest Ave is available for $16/sq ft (NNN).

503 – 509 Forest Ave – When renovations are completed this year, this building will have 1,268 – 6,313 sq ft of space available for $10-15/sq ft (NNN). See this feature article for more information.

634 Forest Ave – the 1,364 former Sissle & Daughters wine bar/cafe is for $3,000/month (NNN). The property includes 13 parking spots and a fully built out kitchen and cafe space.

683 Forest Ave – a space in Woodford’s Corner most recently occupied by a restaurant called Merveille is for lease. Call (207) 766-8845 for more information.

1569 Forest Ave – The Riverton Station Pizza, Bar & Grill and the property it’s on are for sale for $1.9M.

1871 Forest Ave – The former Tortilla Flats is for sale. The 8,771 sq ft building is on 3.43 acres of property and is listed for $1,750,000.

631 Stevens Ave – The 1,000 sq ft cafe space inside the Stevens Square Community Center is for lease.

Elsewhere in Portland

239 Congress St – A 780 sq ft space is available for $2,500/month (Absolute Gross). It’s near The End of Portland bar, Quanto Basta and LB Kitchen.

123 Washington Ave – The 4, 123 sq ft space formerly occupied by Maine Craft Distilling is available for $16/sq ft (NNN). It includes a restaurant, an outdoor seating area and onsite parking.

550 Washington Ave – 2,000 – 2,400 sq ft of the former Botto’s bakery is available to lease for $18/sq ft (NNN).

Northgate Shopping Center – 1,700 sq ft of space is available.

Westgate Shopping Center – Three spaces are for lease 1,440, 3,800 and 5,000 sq ft. The lease rates are negotiable and the property owner has a strong interest in finding a restaurant tenant for the shopping plaza.

Other Spaces – Some vacated restaurant spaces haven’t yet been formerly listed for by the owner. Check the closing announcements for insights on where those opportunities may be.

South Portland

60 Ocean St, South Portland – The restaurant space had been occupied by Taco Trio is for lease. The 6,006 sq ft space is available for $14.98/sq ft (NNN). Taco Trio has returned to their original location at 119 Ocean Street.

145 Ocean St, South Portland – The ~1,000 sq ft former BenReuben’s space in South Portland is available for $3,000/month (MG). Contact Josh at (207) 408-3879 for more information.

239 Ocean St, South Portland – The 1,621 sq ft former Pizza Joint building in South Portland is for sale for $695,000.

Elevation Burger, South Portland – The business franchise, infrastructure, equipment and lease for 2,600 sq ft space are for sale for $250,000. Call (207) 838-2274 for more information.

Elsewhere in Maine

100 Larrabee Rd, Westbrook – The owners of Phoever are looking for someone to takeover their space when they move to a new location. They’ll be moving to 1227 Congress Street by this summer.

60 Mile Rd, Wells – The former Varano’s Restaurant building and a 2 bed room apartment are for sale for $1,895,000. See this instagram article for additional information on the building and the neighborhood.

Billy’s Chowder House – Both the building and business of Billy’s Chowder House in Wells is for sale. The ~200 seat restaurant comes with a 62-car parking lot and sits on Mile Road which connects Route 1 with Wells Beach. See this instagram article for additional information on the building and the neighborhood.

111 Bath Rd, Brunswick – The Fat Boy Drive-In business and property is for sale for $775,000. Fat Boy has been in business since 1955.

3 East Grand Ave, Scarborough – a 4,000 sq ft turnkey restaurant is available to lease for $17.50/sq ft (NNN).

256 Main St, Kingfield – A 1,550 sq ft space formerly occupied by a retail shop is available for $2,325/month and is negotiable. Contact Polly MacMichael at KingfieldUSA@gmail.com or (207) 491-6431 for more information.

863 Main St, Westbrook – The former Frog & Turtle and adjacent retail spaces are for sale for $1,900,000.

4 & 7 Dana St, Westbrook – 2 retail spaces are available in a new building under construction in down town Westbrook. The building is under construction with plans to open in 2027. 1,250 – 5,085 sq ft of space (NNN).

Bandaloop, Arundel – After 20 years in business the owners of Bandaloop have shared plans to sell the restaurant property. It’s priced at $2,100,000.

261 Shore Rd, Ogunquit – The Northern Union restaurant property is for sale for $2,950,000.

In Good Company, Rockland – In Good Company on Main Street in Rockland is for sale for $211,000.

9 Centre St, Bath – A 2,700 sq ft space at the corner of Centre and Front Streets is available for $3,000/month (MG). It hasn’t been used for a restaurant before but the building owner is eager to find a restaurant operator to locate there. Contact Bath Maine Rentals at bathmainerentals@gmail.com for more information.

Glossary

MG – Modified Gross which indicates that the operating expenses (taxes, insurance, maintenance, etc.) for the property are included in the lease rate. The tenant would pay its own utilities, which sometimes includes heat.

NNN – Triple Net which indicates that operating expenses are not included in the lease rate, and the tenant will pay them separately. They are often referred to as CAM (Common Area Maintenance) charges and taxes, which are expressed as $/sf. The tenant is also responsible for utilities.

Gross – Gross indicates all expenses including utilities are included in the lease rate. The tenant would be responsible for phone and internet access, as well as interior janitorial.

Best Breakfast Sandwiches

| Posted in Reviews

Jake at Portland Log Book has put together his list of The Best Breakfast Sandwiches in Portland Maine and Beyond.

I have been chasing them from the West End to Brunswick and beyond, crossed bridges, stood in line with wet hair, and let yolks run down my wrist more times than I care to admit. These [Nine] spots aren’t just good. They’re the reason to get out the door.

The list features Tandem, Second Rodeo, Ramona’s, Palace Diner, Dutchman’s, The Abbey, Indy’s, Burke’s Perks, and Cuties.

Interview with Joshua Miranda

| Posted in People

The Boulos Beats podcast has published an interview with Joshua Miranda who owns and operates Blyth & Burrows, Via Vecchia, Papi and Off-Track Pizza.

Josh shares candid insights into the complexities of managing multiple dining establishments, the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the significance of crafting distinctive guest experiences. He also addresses industry-wide challenges, including rising rents and labor costs, and emphasizes the importance of adaptability in a constantly changing market. Looking ahead, Josh discusses his strategic focus on refining and strengthening his existing restaurant portfolio.

Upcoming Food and Dining Events

| Posted in Events

Friday – It’s the Fourth of July. The fireworks show on the Eastern Promenade is scheduled to take place at 9:15 pm.

Sunday –Write & Dine, a culinary creative writing workshop led by Emma Reynolds, is taking place at Bunker Brewing, 4 – 6 pm.

July 18-20 – The Yarmouth Clam Festival is taking place.

July 19 – Chaval is holding their annual Champagne Brunch. Palace Diner will be popping-up at Lambs in South Portland.

July 23-25 – The Kneading Conference is taking place in Skowhegan.

September 14 – The Maine Cheese Festival is taking place in Pittsfield.

September 19-21 – The Common Ground Country Fair is taking place in Unity.

October 12 – Maine Open Creamery Day is taking place.

November 1-9 – 207 Beer Week is taking place.

November 10-16 – Brunswick Wine Week is taking place.

Planning a wedding, holding a business event, or hosting visitors from away? Our printed guides are a great resource to help your guests explore the Maine restaurant scene.

The Portland and Midcoast pocket guides are now for sale in packs of 25 on our online store.

Maine Food & Dining News: Lewiston, Augusta, Falmouth, Brunswick, Ogunquit, North Haven, Sherman, Bangor

| Posted in Maine

New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:

  • Bene’s Beef (instagram) opened for business yesterday in Lewiston. Chef TJ Castiello and his family are serving a menu (middle left) of roast beef sandwiches and tallow fries. Shown above is The Old Timer (middle right) which made with American cheese, shaved onions, pickles and whole grain mustard. Bene’s is located at 990 Lisbon Street and will be open Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 7 pm.
  • Lewiston cocktail bar Sonder & Dram (top 2 photos) has announced they’ll be closing down in mid-July. S&D launched in 2018 and the owners had also operated a restaurant called Bon Vivant which closed in 2024. Their statement reads in part, “Since opening in June of 2018, we’ve had the absolute privilege of serving this community we love so much. What started as a small cocktail bar with a big heart grew into a space where strangers became regulars, regulars became friends, and friends became family. We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to every staff member who poured their energy and talent into making Sonder & Dram what it was. And to every guest who pulled up a bar stool, shared a laugh, or supported us through the highs and lows — we couldn’t have done it without you. This isn’t a goodbye with sadness, but one with deep gratitude. It’s been a great run, and we’re proud of everything we created together.”
  • Blue Feather Kitchen + Bar (website, facebook) has opened for business in Lewiston. They’re located at 49 Lisbon Street serving a menu of that includes appetizers, salads, sandwiches, tacos, entrees and desserts like bananas foster. They’re open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 am – 9 pm and for Sunday brunch, 8 am – 2 pm.
  • As reported in May, Bao & Beyond will be opening a restaurant in Augusta. They’ve now launched a NuMarket campaign to raise to help with the buildout. They’ve raised $5k towards a $25k goal so far. As with all NuMarket campaigns, every dollar committed to the effort will earn you $1,20 in credits at the restaurant to use in the future.
  • Emma Martin and Sami Smart, the owners of the catering and event business Revel Board and Beverage (website, facebook, instagram), have leased space in Falmouth where they plan to open a wine bar. They’ll be located in in the same building as Sapporo and Cafe Luna. In addition to the wine bar the new location will be a market with grab and go cheese and mezze boards, snack boxes and salads as well as sell wine and beer and provisions like crackers, cheese, charcuterie, jams, and pickles.
  • Coffee industry insider publication Sprudge has published an article on the new Tern Coffee bar (bottom left) in Brunswick.
  • Travel and Leisure has published a travel guide to Ogunquit that includes some recommendations on where to eat in the seaside summer destination.
  • A new food truck called QP Burger (instagram) launched this past week at the Ocean View Grange in Port Clyde. Owner Mike Mastronardi is serving a menu of smash burgers, red snappers and fries. They’ll be open Wednesday through Saturday, 10:30 am – 3 pm.
  • Islandport Press will be publishing a book by Lady Oyster owner Virginia Shaffer. Oyster Society: Stories from Inside the Shell is due out in the summer of 2026. “This book follows Virginia’s journey across North America to uncover the powerful voices behind the quirky, promising world of oysters. After visiting her first oyster farm on a whim, she becomes enthralled by the underbelly world of seafood parties, oyster flotillas, and clamorous shucking competitions, where brazen characters like Holy City Oyster Maven, The Real Oyster Cult, and Oyster Ninja reside.”
  • The North Haven Inn has restarted their Monday night dinner series. The meals are prepared by Ben Jackson, who received a James Beard nomination for his work at Drifters Wife in 2020.
  • The Bangor Daily News has published an article about Salt Butter Farm, a restaurant (bottom right) that opened last summer in Sherman. The BDN also reports that a new Mexican restaurant called Roca Azul has opened for business in Bangor.

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.

 

Barkada Launched Friday

| Posted in Openings

Barkada (website, instagram), launched their food truck on Friday in Deering Oaks Park. They’re serving a menu of tofu, pork and beef bowls served over garlic rice or greens. Shown above is the Lechon rice bowl with cherry tomatoes, cucumber salad, pickled onions and a grilled pepper.

Chefs Nicole and Ben Bowers and business partners Margaret and Luka Dow are also working on opening a brick and mortar restaurant later this year.