Restaurants
Yes, we have lobster. Everyone knows that, and probably two-thirds of the state’s visitors indulge in a little red crustacean when they’re vacationing on the Maine coast. The Pine Tree State also boasts a lot of other homegrown delicacies, though, from blueberries to potatoes, and it’s home to a wide variety of restaurants, from the eclectic to the ethnic to the family style. Some cosmopolitan types from away, in fact, are surprised by both the quantity and quality of fine restaurants that can be found here. You won’t go hungry traveling up Route 1, that’s for sure.
The best places to go looking for a great meal are Greater Portland and the resort communities. In the late 1990s, Portlanders claimed that they had more restaurants to choose from—per capita—than any other city outside of San Francisco. Whether or not that is the case, it might as well be, and it seems that since then things have just gotten better with more and more eateries opening up. The state’s largest city is a foodie’s paradise, with a dizzying array of great places, from the hip and of the moment to the tried and true.
The resort communities tend to be a little more straightforward—more seafood, less inventive, fewer ethnic options—but that’s not always the case. There’s great Thaifood to be had in Belfast, and Kennebunkport’s Hurricane is nothing if not creative. The same is true in Bar Harbor at George’s.
Maine chefs have access to great raw ingredients—in the form of locally grown produce and the freshest of seafood—and the best of them put it to excellent use. Look around, and you won’t be disappointed.
1. Kraut Haus Restaurant
City: Coastal Maine, ME
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: 207-832-5569
Address: 3856 Washington Rd.
Description: Morse‘s has been selling its famous sauerkraut on a back road since 1918, and people go out of their way to make the pilgrimage. A few years back, the couple that runs the place opened the Kraut Haus Restaurant, which takes their kraut and incorporates it into a vary of German entrees, from sausage sandwiches to sauerbraten. For what you get it‘s not expensive, and the experience is neat, and, according to an overheard diner who was born in Berlin, authentic, to boot. In front of the eatery is a gourmet foods store where you can buy sauerkraut, horseradish, pickles, and a variety of European delicacies.
2. Arborvine
City: Coastal Maine, ME
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (207) 374-2119
Description: Named for the vine that arcs around the front door of its 1823 Cape, the Arborvine has been offering fine dining to residents of the Blue Hill area since 2000. The house has been lovingly restored, with the beams and floorboards and fireplaces left in place, which lend the dining rooms a quiet elegance, and the landscaping is classic as well. The menu is traditional New English fare, heavy on the meats, which might be anything from noisettes of lamb chasseur, tenderloin steak with three peppercorns, or fresh fish in season. Make sure to allow space down below for the desserts, like the crème caramel.
3. Cafe This Way
City: Coastal Maine, ME
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (207) 288-4483
Description: Everything about this place is imaginative and whimsical, from the burgundy walls to the shelves full of books to the eclectic menu. Sit by the fireplace and order up the Bibimbap, a Korean vegetable stir-fry, or the lemon vodka lobster and be prepared to be delighted when your entree arrives. Or come for breakfast and sit on the deck and try Kit’s burrito or the Harney, which is This Way’s own corned beef hash. You’ll remember which way it is to This Way, and you’ll surely be back for more.