Maine
Dining and Maine Restaurants
Maine is known the world over for its
Lobster. The
bright red crustacean steamed and dipped in butter is arguably the best food
on the planet. But there is so much more to the Maine dining scene once you
crack the shell. And Maine offers diverse cuisine, starting with the finest
seafood restaurants, of course - given our miles of coastline. Maine is also
famous for its farms of blueberries, potatoes and some of the best organic
and farm raised food in the country. Maine chefs are in the top corner of
the country with a delicious corner on the market- creating extraordinary
gourmet food from local products served in beautiful natural settings.
A day of Maine dining might start with breakfast of Maine maple syrup over
hot blueberry pancakes and native farm raised bacon. Lunch is best saved for
a cup of chowder (pronounced “chowdah” by the locals), fried clams, or a
lobster roll at a seaside clam shack with a view of Lobster boats bobbing in
the harbor. End your day with a cocktail on the deck of gorgeous inn, and a
perfectly prepared seafood dinner then homemade blueberry pie for desert.
Maine’s best restaurants have attracted top chefs who want the Maine
lifestyle and access to some of the freshest ingredients. Maine is home to
northern New England’s only five diamond, five star restaurant if you chose
to dine in Kennebunkport. Portland dining features award winning chefs
creating exciting menus, which are far more affordable than big city prices.
Camden and Bar Harbor restaurants may require reservations in the summer,
while you can walk in and get the best waterfront table in the quieter
season.
Fresh seafood is always on the menu and Maine’s restaurants range from
candlelight and waterfront settings, to cozy pubs, steakhouses, and
contemporary cafes serving organic and vegan cuisine. Maine fishing villages
have small cafes that serve day boat scallops and fresh caught fish; it
doesn’t get any fresher than that.
You can’t say you’ve been to Maine without experiencing a Downeast clambake,
fried clams by the pint, or at least a lobster roll from a seaside clam
shack – you will find all that and more. During your vacation week, you may
want to have a catered Maine lobster bake on the beach. A real Downeast
feast is a cup of clam chowder, steamed clams (called steamers by the
natives), corn on the cob, and lobster cooked in seaweed.
In the Maine lakes and mountains, you will find four diamond dining at
lakefront inns and ski resorts. Throughout the Pine Tree state, there’s
casual family dining, campgrounds and beach restaurants that serve the best
burgers with cold beer, often by a big campfire or a fireplace. Maine is
also home to some classic old fashioned diners, including the famous Maine
Diner in Wells, serving old fashioned home cooked home-style food.
You will find all your favorite ethnic restaurants and fast food restaurants
in Maine too, but we recommend you sample the local culinary experience to
get the real flavor of Maine towns and the local scoop from the folks that
live there (with a scoop of Maine-made ice cream). In Scarborough, you can
visit the world’s largest moose made entirely of chocolate, chocolate moose
– get it?! Maine humor is a side dish with almost every meal.
You should sample Maine specialty foods like saltwater taffy, made right
before your eyes at the Golden Rod in York Beach. Maine gourmets are making
their own delicious artisan cheese, apple cider in season and fresh berry
jams and preserves. You can tour Stonewall Kitchen in York, and learn about
their award winning Maine recipes and specialty food products. There are
numerous Maine breweries and wineries using native berries to create unique
homemade brews and wines. There is even a potato vodka made of right here of
Maine potatoes.
And you’ll have to take home some delicious Maine treats. So save room in
your car for live Maine lobster packed to go, fresh picked Maine crabmeat,
some harbor candies, fresh Maine blueberries, and a quart of Maine maple
syrup. Or you can just stay another day and try more of Maine’s best
restaurants.
Back to Maine Towns
