PrintDo you know any great places in Maine...
My husband and I are driving up to Acadia National Park this weekend and wanted to know if you kind folks had any good eateries to explore along the way or on Mount Desert Island. We've been there before and look forward to our stay in Southwest Harbor.
Any tips are greatly appreciated! As far as type of food goes, we're open. We're also on a bit of a budget, so expensive places will get a pass.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
Start Talking!
Need a question answered? Have advice to share? Start a Talk topic now!
Sign up to get your questions answered and share advice.
27 Comments:
Man, if you are driving up the coast, you'll be fine! There are enough yummy roadside stands to more than make you happy...
I don't know if you'll get down to South Harpswell, but there is http://www.dolphinchowderhouse.com/
If you get down to the Bailey Island area, there is http://www.cookslobster.com/
As you get to Bath, Wiscasset, Rockland, Camden etc. there are lots of good places. Do a little web searching and see what you can find!
P.S. I am sooo jealous. I live in Wyoming, and I miss Maine so much!
lo82070 at 2:39PM on 09/18/07
In Scarborough--Ken's Clam Shack. Best fried clams I've ever had, and the lobster roll is top notch, too.
BaHa at 3:26PM on 09/18/07
Moody's Diner Route 1 Waldboro ME Not fancy, not expensive & not to be missed!
NanaJoie at 4:21PM on 09/18/07
Thanks for the tips, folks. Anything near Bar Harbor or Freeport?
hereandthe at 4:32PM on 09/18/07
You've hit on a place I've visited frequently and love, love, love. Maine in the fall is just great. On MDI, I would recommend Lompoc Cafe in Bar Harbor; cheap gourmet pub fare, lovely outdoor seating area with a bocce court, excellent local beers from Atlantic Brewing Co and others. Another good option that's not too pricey is McKay's, which has a menu that includes entrees but also smaller dishes, lots of salads, and again, a nice outdoor seating area that always fills up in the summertime. Both places are committed to using local ingredients/organic ingredients whenever possible. In town, there are plenty of places to choose from, really, and many of them are not expensive--there's Mexican, seafood (Galyn's is also good--it's across the street from the Bar Harbor Inn), and of course lobster. We've had consistently good lobster at Beal's--but you probably have already been there.
PAWriter at 4:36PM on 09/18/07
I second the McKays recommendation (located on Main St.). The Lompoc is a great place for light meal - try the persian plate and the Atlantic Brewing beers on tap. If you are staying in Southwest Harbor, you might want to check out XYZ Restaurant, which serves delicious, authentic Mexican food. Really, really good. Have a great trip!
mainegirl at 5:06PM on 09/18/07
Oh, I forgot to mention the delicious burritos at Gringo's on Rodick St. The 'Tater' with sweet potatoes is especially good.
mainegirl at 5:09PM on 09/18/07
You folks are awesome! Thanks so much. Can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this trip. Dreaming of lobster rolls.
hereandthe at 9:38AM on 09/19/07
If you're looking for something a little different in downtown Bar Harbor, definitely go to Café This Way! We went last summer, got the last table on the deck - and when we tasted dinner, we promptly made reservations for the following night. I've been told they also do outstanding breakfasts; we're looking forward to finding out for ourselves in a couple of weeks! Appetizers are from $8-12, salads are $7-8, entrées range from $14-24, and is well worth a bit of a splurge. Their website is http://www.cafethisway.com.
You can get great afternoon tea (lunch, too) at Jordan Pond House. They also make sweeten-your-own lemonade (served with simple syrup on the side). The lobster stew, while on the pricey side for lunch, is exquisite. http://www.jordanpond.com.
On our last trip, we went to Galyn's our first night there. Maybe we just didn't order the right dishes, but we were quite disappointed in the food.
You asked about Freeport: I can recommend Gritty McDuff's, a brew pub; food's decent, beer is great. I've had some really good meals at the Jameson Tavern, too; their tap room menu is good for lunch.
macknitter at 6:44PM on 09/19/07
Me again, to add a link for Gritty McDuff's: http://www.grittys.com (my husband's all-time favorite brewery)
Jameson Tavern doesn't seem to have a website. Trip Advisor doesn't give them the greatest rating, but my experiences there have been good.
There's always Ben & Jerry's in front of L.L. Bean's... ;)
macknitter at 7:11PM on 09/19/07
Of course, NOW I find the Jameson website... http://www.jamesontavern.com/
macknitter at 7:12PM on 09/19/07
Thurston's Lobster Pound. And there's a restaurant out on the beach past Bar Harbor, can't remember the name ... darn. Roadside diner for a lobster roll and blueberry ice cream is not to be missed.
ExpatChef at 10:28AM on 09/20/07
Thanks a bunch, macknitter! John's enjoyed the fresh B&J's in front of Bean. We're looking forward to getting there in the middle of the night so we can shop without the crowds. Last time we were there, we bought our items at 3 am, with the college students.
How can you not love a store that never closes its doors?
I really appreciate all your help, folks! We leave tomorrow, so any other last minute thoughts?
hereandthe at 10:56AM on 09/20/07
Also, we've dined at Cafe this way. They made great breakfasts!
hereandthe at 10:58AM on 09/20/07
If something should lead you towards Kittery, Flo's Hot Dogs is amazing. She has this special onion & molasses sauce served with mayo and celery salt. I know it sounds awful, but tastes heavenly.
www.hundredthings.com at 2:26PM on 09/20/07
Jameson Tavern is a great place for lunch, the Tap Room is terrific. If you're in Portland and looking for a special occasion type of place, go to Dimillo's Floating Restaurant. It's right on the water in Portland and the food can't be beat.
I also highly recommend Moody's Diner. It's a Maine institution and has incredible food at cheap prices.
Enjoy your trip to Maine!
Shels01 at 8:17PM on 09/20/07
Oh lordie, this is so easy! If you head out of the outlet area of Freeport you will find a terrific lobster pound where you can sit outside at waterfront picnic tables and see the lobstermen unloading their daily catch. it's on the way to Pemaquid Point lighthouse which is absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately I cannot for the life of me remember the name of this lobster pound, but ask in town and they should be able to direct you. If you want to stay in town, Grittys (good beer) and Jameson Tavern (best fried Maine shrimp) are both great choices.
As far as Bar Harbor goes, I would suggest a stop off at the Atlantic Brewery. They have a great tour where they even allow you to taste the different barley roasts they use to make their beer. It was truly fascinating. Also they have a very fun outdoor bbq restaurant so save room for some great pulled pork.
Enjoy!!!
orinky at 9:41PM on 09/20/07
Ha, I just figured out the name of the lobster pound. It's Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster Co.
I am not sure how long lobster is in season, so you might want to call to make sure they are open if you were really interested in heading out there.
Their number is 207-865-3535
orinky at 9:47PM on 09/20/07
I've never been to Maine before, but I can make a few recommendations.
Mabel's Lobster House
Local 188
Federal Spice
Those three are in Portland. Also check out Becky's Diner.
justboycrazy at 11:21PM on 09/20/07
I've gone to Maine almost every summer of my life, and stayed near southwest Harbor. I also recommend Cafe this Way in Bar Harbor- it's delicious and unique.
But you should really have some lobster/seafood while you're up there-Thurstons is great, in Bernard.
Also, my favorite coffee ever is the Maine maple creme, available at the Alternative Market in Bar Harbor, 9.99/lb.
Two Cats in Bar Harbor is a great place for breakfast.
emilyz at 11:25PM on 09/20/07
I will second the mention of Harraseeket Lunch in South Freeport. That place is The Real Deal, and without a doubt one of my best dining experiences to date. It's nothing fancy, but with food like that it doesn't need to be. I highly recommend the lobster bisque, too!
Oh, and I'll third (or so) the mention of Gritty McDuff's in Freeport. I thought the food was only so-so, but the beer was pretty darned good. Go for the sampler platter, you'll be happy you did.
DuncanHusky at 8:28AM on 09/21/07
Mmmmmm. Well, we're just a few hours away from taking off. Once again, you folks are just the coolest! Thanks so much for helping us out with your suggestions. John and I really appreciate it. I'll be sure to blog about it at my Here and There blog.
hereandthe at 10:07AM on 09/21/07
One more quick recommendation is Mount Desert Island Ice Cream across from the village green in Bar Harbor. They have some really innovative and delicious flavors. Enjoy - the weather is supposed to be great this weekend!
mainegirl at 2:30PM on 09/21/07
No visit to Maine to me is complete until I go to The Lobster Pound Restaurant in Lincolnville Beach. It's just a little bit north of Camden on Route 1. Nothing fancy, but it sure is good.
WineCanine at 4:38PM on 09/21/07
I can't believe no one said Little Notch Cafe in SW Harbour. All the delish breads are baked across the street. Great sandwiches and killer pizza with good ingredients. Fresh soups. Good coffee. Tell Tanya that Penelope sent you!
nellopea at 11:48AM on 09/22/07
My boyfriend and I had a simply amazing meal at Street and Co. in Portland. You can't miss with the Lobster Diavolo!
Holly at 8:09PM on 09/23/07
Thanks all for the recommendations. We had a lovely trip! I'll be posting about the dining experiences at my Here and There blog later this week.
hereandthe at 1:25PM on 10/01/07