Maine Classics
Looking to start a discussion about traditional Maine eateries -- places that have been around for more than 25 years and just say "Maine." Substance isn't as important as stamina and local draw. My short list includes: Moodys, Dysarts, Cole Farms, Red's, Dimillos and Estes. What am I missing?
eater_va
Jan 21, 2008 11:41AM
I suppose it depends how deeply you want to dig, and what you tolerance level is for the term classic, but I'll add three - the Ebb Tide in Boothbay Harbor, the Lakeview Restaurant in St. Agatha, and the Blue Bird Ranch in Machias.
I'll say it now, and I'll say it emphatically - do NOT pass through St. Agatha without stopping at the Lakeview and getting the bread pudding.
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How about White Barn Inn, Newicks, Arrow and Red's for diversity.
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Treb, I'd say you have taken it a little high brow...
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Newicks and Red's High!
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Helen's in Machias,Wasses Hot Dogs in the mid-coast area, the Airline Cafe on Rte. 1, Jasper's in Ellsworth, the Fisherman's Friend in Stonington and Rapid Ray's in Saco are the ones that come immediately to mind...
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im a sucker for bagaduce lunch,the best onion rings in the world!!!
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Where is Bagaduce lunch??? I'd go miles for onion rings!
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Bagaduce lunch is in Brooksville, ME, It is only open in the summer. It has a great setting, beside a reversing waterfall, where rt 175 and 176 cross the Bagaduce River.
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We ate at the Bagaduce for the first time this summer. We loved it. What a great atmosphere . . . and the onion rings were excellent.
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It's been a while, but is Helen's pie still "a mile high"?
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I can think of a Maine's first pizzeria that's been around 60 years. I guess I'm not allowed to say the name on here since I'm family so I'll let you guess.
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I'm not sure if this is it, but Pat's Pizza has been around forever. I still remember scrounging to come up with $2.56 for a green pepper pizza back when I was in college. I ate at one a couple of years ago, the first time in about 15 years. Was still as good as ever!
Not sure what you were looking for in terms of restaurants, but for me this gives me fond memories and the food was great.
Another one, Mike's Clam Shack, not sure if it meets your 25 years criteria, though.
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Flo's Steamed Hot Dogs. I like 'em with mustard and hot sauce. Sorry, purists, but I just can't get past the idea of mayo on my hot dog.
Wasses hot dogs are good, too. Just had two today on my way through Belfast.
Red's Eats for the best lobster rolls ever.
Amato's for a "real" Italian sandwich. I don't know how "real" it is -- but it's pretty darn good.
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You get a homemade blueberry muffin with the lobster stew at the Dolphin Marina in Potts Harbor!
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These are great suggestions. I think getting a balance of places from across the state is key. Is anyone familiar with the The Village Inn in Belgrade Lakes? Or the Chickadee restaurants in Lewiston and Turner (the latter being an old family fave)?
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Love the crab rolls at Dunton's Dog House in Boothbay. Also, Rick's Cafe in Naples and the Anchor Inn in Round Pond, both are Maine classics.
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My brother Lurker W and I discovered The Village Inn a few years ago. Most people seem to call it "the duck place."
I found the duck to be good, nothing mind-blowing. But Belgrade Lakes is worth a visit.
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village inn in blegrade is terrific. roast duck with raspberry or cherry sause, extremely well executed! beautiful area too.
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I really like the duck at The Village Inn, but I haven't really had much luck with any of their other entrees.
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A-1 Diner in Gardiner
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How about Amato's, home of the "original Italian sandwich."
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The Rockland Diner? I think they've been around at least 25 years... they surely haven't changed their decor/menu/customers in that long (which I appreciate). Yay for fish cakes!
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To split hairs, we moved to North Haven in'86 and the Rockland Cafe was not there, but opened shortly thereafter, '87? Had a lot fish cakes and beans for brekkie and 1/2 lb scallop lunches though.
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How could I have forgotten Pat's? Pat's and the truly awful Oronoka defined my years at UMaine...
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Ah... the Oronoka...how quickly I forget! :-))
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Not sure how long any of these have been around, but it's been quite a while:
Downtown Restaurant and AT Cafe, Millinocket
Riverside and Winnie's, Presque Isle
Al's Diner, Mars Hill
Wormwood's and Huot's, Camp Ellis
Bristol Diner, Bristol
A-1, Gardiner
The Breeze, Castine
Chase's, Winter Harbor
Red Barn, Milbridge
Sydney's, Naples
Graziano's, Lisbon
Covered Bridge, Guilford
The Bag and Gepetto's, Sugarloaf
Pine Tree Frosty and The Red Onion, Rangeley
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Its kind of sad to think that both Newicks in South Porltand and the Village Cafe in Portland have closed their doors. Sign of the times, I guess? Newick's should never have gotten rid of their paper plates and plastic cutlery, it was part of their charm.
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IMO, if you put Flo Hot Dogs on list it should be the original one on Rte 1 in York, not the one more recently opened.
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The Red Barn in Milbridge has been around forever, but I've never hada really good meal there. It has had different owners/chefs over the years and has been inconsistent at best.
I totally forgot Chase's. I'd heard they close a few months ago. Anyone know for sure?
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Pat's? You guys are hurting my feelings, jk. Pat's was the second pizza in Maine I think. He came down to the Portland area to learn from us many years ago. I did love Pat's pizza in Orono when I went to school at UMaine.
Think 50 cent pizzas in 1947
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Isn't there a Pat's pizza in Ellsworth?
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Why yes man there is. Just take Rt. 3 outta town headin' t'wards Bar Harbor. It's on your left. If yur new to this area, give Finelli's a try too. Rt. 1 N, 200 yds from the triangle on the left.
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I go to Bar Harbor every year, we love Maine, especially that area. We tried Finelli's (I think they are from RI, that is where we are from) but someone told us to try Pat's and we loved it. So all of the Pat's Pizzas are the same owner?
We love Cleonis, we used to love Bubba's in Bar Harbor.
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Ooops, my bad. That's the Airline Cafe on Rte. 9, hence the name.
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Jordan's Snack Bar in Ellsworth, Jordan's Restaurant and The Thirsty Whale in Bar Harbor, The Crocker House and Ruth and Whimpy's in Hancock and unfortunately Duffy's in East Orland just shut. The Coach House Restaurant in Brewer. Funny, nothing in Bangor mentioned.
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I personally feel that the thing is that most of the older places you are focused on aren't really that great, they've just been around. I guess that's what you mean about stamina. Maine was better known in the past for the home cooking of local and traditional New England recipes. A church pot luck dinner or bean hole supper had food much better than any of the old style restaurants.
Those old restaurants were all there was back then so they developed a following because when that's all there is... that's all there is. So that's why they have local draw, the best are the ones that serve family recipes and stick to the tradition.
Now the new restaurants... that's a different matter entirely.
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It's true. I remember eating at The Helm and the East Wind with my Grandmother. They were awful.
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In Bangor, Mama Baldacci's is still there. Miller's, alas, is no more. And I think Oriental Garden is still out by the mall...
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I'm sorry to hear about Miller's. What about Governor's (Governeur's?) in Orono? That's another old timer--or maybe that's gone too?
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Governor's currently has 7 locations...Houlton, Lewiston, Waterville, So. Portland, Old Town, Bangor, Presque Isle,
Started in 1960.
(I'm not recommending the food, just reporting facts.)
www.governorsrestaurant.com
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I love the Sea Basket in Wiscasset
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Mainegal beat me to the punch (pun intended) by listing Graziano's in Lisbon. I do have to say that - judging strictly from the exterior on a recent drive-by - that Graziano's is looking rather sad...
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Mabels Lobster Claw in Kennebunkport for fried clams and blueberry pie!
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Cole Farms in Gray - a trip back to the 50's in every way
Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth
Jordan's Snack Bar in Ellsworth
That place in the Harpswells across the funny bridge
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The Fat Boy in Brunswick. Cheap and tasty.
Mae's Cafe- Formerly Kristina's- in Bath- THE BEST sticky buns.
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clam shack in Kennebunk
cocos locos in kittery
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I'm not sure how long Dudley's in Belfast has been around, but I love their grilled muffins. And what about Young's Lobster Pound (again, not sure of duration)-- though their service/quality has not been so great the past two years, IMO. And also, though I've never eaten there, Barbara's Restaurant just North of Searsport says Maine to me with its hilarious clam-wearing-a-boot-on-its-pseudopod sign.
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Barb's has been there, I think, just under 10 years(I'm madly trying to remember the predecessor.), but I know what you mean, "an instant Maine classic". The Tidal Falls Lobster Pound(now restaurant) in Hancock has been at that location for over 50 years, so I hear tell.
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Bolley's in Aususta and Waterville. Best hotdogs ever. Sarah's and Sea Basket in Wiscasset.
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Young's was thriving in the 70s, for sure. We vacationed in Northport (just outside of Belfast) and often bought lobsters there.
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North Street Dairy Cone and Bolley's Famous Franks in Waterville.
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What about The Taste of Maine. I remember that yellow jacketed fisherman since I was a kid (that means at least 30 years).
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Referred to by locals as Taste Tomaine (sp?). How about the Great Impasta in Brunswick?
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Oh man, I'd forgotten all about that place. We're probably the same age. I still remember the commerical with that thick accent, "Taste o Maine restaurant: Route 1, Woolwich, just noth a Baath." Great stuff.
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Love the great Impasta, but has it been around for more than 25 years?
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Maine Classics in the Moosehead/Greater Bangor region:
Countryside, Corinth (formerly East Corinth)
Flatlander's Pub, Greenville
Butterfields (ice cream), Dover-Foxcroft
The Dairy Bar (ice cream), Greenville
The Coffee Pot, Bangor (I've never been but everyone I know raves about the sandwiches)
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The Chandler House in Calais. Nothing exotic, but good food and a liquor license.
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Bob's Clam Hut...Kittery
and I suppose I should also mention the Weathervane.
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oooh - 25 years. The Maine Diner in Wells just eeks in! Don't miss their lobster pie!
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I agree the Lakeview in St Agatha is yummy. I used to live in that area growing up and go there everytime I visit. Really good seafood and desserts:)
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Cappy's Chowder House has stamina and is a year round business in a seasonal economy. Very visible in Camden right on the corner of main st.
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How'd we miss it???
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Cappy's does have nice chowder, and burgers. Definitely a good weeknight burger/beer place.
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