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Restaurants, Lobstah Shacks, Coffee Spots, Ice Cream and more!
My favorite places for Breakfast:
- The East Wind Inn, my next door neighbor in Tenants Harbor. Quaint seaside inn restaurant with a great breakfast and an amazing view!
- Home Kitchen Café in Rockland. Fresh organic ingredients. Huevos Rancheros are legendary! Great omelets, pancakes and sticky buns.
- Buttermilk Kitchen @ Mariners in Camden. Cool southern style diner overlooking the harbor.
- Moody's Diner, almost world famous diner in Waldoboro. Incredible blueberry pancakes!
Maine-ly Lunch Places:
- Ancho Honey in Tenants Harbor. This place is the bomb! Eclectic, casual, gourmet, hip food. From gourmet grilled cheeses, to craft made burgers, amazing fried chicken and fish sandwiches with a zing - you will love this local spot. Plus a cooler full of prepared meals, soups, dips and of course their famous pimento cheese spread. Mostly take out, but a few spots to sit inside and out. Lunch and Dinner. Call for hours.
- Home Kitchen Café in Rockland. Yes, the same place I just mentioned for breakfast. Well it's a favorite lunch spot too! Same fresh ingredients and awesome flavors. They have a "wicked good" lobster sandwich served on homemade bread with lettuce tomato and mayo. Not your typical lobster roll! Fish tacos are great and they make the tortillas fresh per order right in front of you. Lobster tacos, the reuben, the cheese steak, the chowder and everything else is great as well. Go there!
- Owls Head General Store in Owls Head. Voted best burger in Maine. Takes at least 7 napkins to eat! Love it with a Moxie soda!
- Picnic on Mount Battie. Imagine sitting on top of a mountain and looking straight down to a beautiful Maine harbor and out to the sea! For this southerner, experiencing this view was my Maine "aha moment". Mount Battie is just outside Camden. Stop in Camden at the Camden Deli, grab a sandwich and drive up to the look out and enjoy the best view in Maine!
Lobstah Shacks & Dives - what I call "Seafood in the Rough"
- McLoons Lobster Shack an authentic Maine lobster shack located directly across from a working lobster wharf on the beautiful island of Spruce Head. Its really really good! Awesome lobster and crab rolls, dinners, clams, etc. Incredible view!
- The Black Harpoon in Port Clyde. Love this place! Good seafood dishes, pasta, steaks. Fun décor and the best fisherman's bar in Maine. Separate bar from restaurant. Peanut shells on the floor, area lobster buoys hanging from the ceiling. Come hang out with the locals. Careful with the drinks though, they are strong! Don't get "pooned"!!!
- The Happy Clam in Tenants Harbor. Classic Maine-German cuisine. Yep, it's a husband and wife team. He is from here and she is from Germany. Have a German beer with your fried clams or a Moxie soda with your Weiner Schnitzel! Family restaurant with a playground for the kids and a Biergarten for the adults! Also check out their Outback Saloon open air bar!
- The Dip Net in Port Clyde. Wharf-side dining with full outdoor and indoor bars and table service. Meals that are informal, fun, and tasty, specializing in hot toasted lobster rolls, steamed lobster dinners, and seafood specialties. Great vibe and great view! (Because of 2023 fire working out of a food truck at The Barn)
- The Barn in Port Clyde. a funky informal place to gather between 4 and 9 pm. Enjoy, cold beer, cocktails and a fresh raw seafood bar. An art gallery is upstairs. Thursday happy hour is an awesome local event! Located directly across from the Port Clyde General Store.
My Favorite Area Restaurants
- The Quarry Tavern at the East Wind Inn in Tenants Harbor. I have to start with my next door neighbor. Cozy tavern with a great, casual menu. I call it a gastro-pub. Good pub food, specials, fresh seafood, salads, etc. Live music on occasion, darts, friendly staff and outdoor seating in the summer.
- The Causeway at the Craignair Inn in Spruce Head. The Causeway is casual yet upscale spot with stunning ocean views. Delicious meals - seafood, steak, pasta and even burgers - plus the best selection of bourbons in Maine!
- Primo in Rockland is the ultimate Farm to table experience! Primo is not just a restaurant, it's an experience. Chef Melissa Kelly is a James Beard award winner and has a passion to reap all the benefits of fresh farming and to give back to the land. Having grown up in an Italian American family she found her love of food in her grandmother's kitchen. Primo and Chef Kelly has been hailed by Travel & Leisure, The Boston Globe, Conde Nast Traveler, The New York Times, and Bon Appetit. Its amazing!
- Long Grain in Camden. Although many consider Long Grain a Thai restaurant, the dishes are inspired by many different Asian cuisines and cultures, including Thai and Vietnamese street food, that are served in small eateries in Singapore and meals on dinner tables in Indonesia and Japan can all be found at Long Grain. If you are a foodie - this is a must visit!
- 18 Central Oyster Bar & Grill in Rockport. Awesome raw bar, fresh seafood, steaks, fried chicken, apps and small plates. Good selection of Maine craft beer. Love to sit at the bar and make a meal out of a couple appetizers. The space is great and oh - it's overlooking Rockport Harbor.
- Nina June in Rockport. A local from Camden, Maine, but raised in Italy, Spain, and Lebanon, now brings her Mediterranean passion to the magnificent array of products from Maine's oceans and farms. Take the finest Maine has to offer, then give it a fresh, tasty Mediterranean spin-that's what you'll find at Nīna June. You will love this place, the food, the view and the experience.
- The Waterfront in Camden. You can never go wrong at The Waterfront. Beautiful spot right on Camden harbor. Good place to sit and talk about which boat in the harbor you would like to buy! Eat inside and out. Maine inspired entrees always good, always fresh. Good bar too!
- Frannie's Bistro in Camden. A local, upscale neighborhood restaurant. Wonderful dining experience. Great spot to take your bride for that anniversary dinner or special occasion!
- Ada's Kitchen in Rockland. Homemade pastas, pizza, Maine craft beer & specialty cocktails offered in an informal bistro with an upbeat vibe. Awesome bartenders and staff!
- Sammy's Deluxe in Rockland. Sammy, the owner and chef makes delicious, simple, not fussy, seasonal, prideful meals--using the best of Maine ingredients. Definitely a "foodie" spot.
- In Good Company in Rockland. Known for its small plates and wine list designed for food pairings, well-crafted cocktails, daily menus that focus on locally-sourced, fresh ingredients, and a comfortable casual atmosphere. Set in a renovated former bank.
- Pizza? Yep- Mid-Coast has some good ones. Our favorites include Flatbread Company in Rockport and the Camden House of Pizza (mostly takeout). Gourmet pizza is available at Ada's, and also at Rustica in Rockland.
- Sushi? Yep- Actually one of the best on the east coast is in Rockland at the award winning Suzuki's!
- Hot Dogs? How about the famous Wasses in Rockland! Boy they taste good!
Coffee and Coffee spots, cafes and houses
- Squid Ink on the Dock in Port Clyde.Grab a cup and watch the boats head in and out! Awesome spot!
- Rock City Coffee Roasters Café in Rockland is a great spot. Grab your laptop, a newspaper a cup of locally roasted "joe" and spend the morning!
- Flipside Coffee is a small - but mighty coffee shop serving breakfast, lunch, coffee, espresso, tea and baked goods on Route One in Thomaston. Yummy breakfast sandwiches!
- Also great spots all over at General Stores, Cafes etc. throughout the Mid-Coast. Also checkout Seafolk Coffee in Rockport on the harbor, and Zoot, and the Owl and Turtle Bookstore and Café in Camden.
The way to end a day in Maine! Ice Cream! After a long day of fun on land or at sea ice cream is the perfect ending. It's sometimes good in the morning and afternoon too! Here are some of my favorite ice cream spots, bakeries and places to get a treat!
- Village Ice Cream & Bakery in Port Clyde is an awesome spot. A great way to end the day. Amazing bake goods, donuts, pies and more! Check out Jessie's chocolate icebox pie - my favorite!
- The Sugar Tree Shed in Tenants Harbor. Right on Harts Neck Road you'll find a big tool shed filled with delicious baked goods, prepared meals, jams and more. Open saturday and Sunday mornings until they sell out. So good!
- Dorman's Dairy Dream is a classic drive in stand in Thomaston on Route 1.
- LuLu's Ice Cream & Gelato next to Café Miranda in Rockland.
- Camden Cone in Camden.