Lobster Rolls, Oysters and Chowder: 24 Restaurants Proving Maine Is America’s Next Food Capital
Maine’s culinary revolution isn’t just about ingredients—it’s about ingenuity. Here, farm-to-table isn’t a buzzword; it’s the cornerstone of culinary culture.
Read More
Maine, the state once shorthand for chowder and crustaceans, has quietly become one of America’s most dynamic culinary players—not by mimicking food capitals elsewhere, but by elevating what it already has. Across fishing docks, backroad farms and converted mills, chefs treat local sourcing less like a trend and more like infrastructure. This summer, that looks like blueberry glazes aged in beer barrels, charcuterie boards at highway pull-offs, and handmade pasta that swaps guanciale for skate wing or braised rabbit.
Maine’s top tables don’t flaunt. They finesse—often hidden in candlelit barns, discreet downtown rooms, or inside your boutique waterfront inn. Tasting menus double down on regional character without slipping into gimmickry, and the lobster roll? It’s getting spiked with wasabi, XO sauce, or brown butter, depending on who’s plating. While Portland remains the epicenter of the restaurant scene—where trailblazing upstarts stand shoulder to shoulder with legacy spots—the most rewarding meals often require a bit of ground travel…as all the best places do.
Rent a car, roll down the windows, and make a few worthy foodie detours. Up Route 1 and across midcoast byways, there are chowder decks in Wiscasset, cod Wellington in Kennebunkport, and lamb tartare served within eyeshot of the field it came from. These off-the-path destinations double as a compelling reason to slow down. This guide is more than a list of where to eat; it’s about how to eat your way across the state, whether you’re a local Mainer or just visiting. Pack light. Book early. Appetite (and lobster bib) required.
The Best Restaurants You Need to Try in Maine
- Lil Chippy
- Panacea
- Sammy’s Deluxe
- Low Stakes Lodge
- Thames Landing
- Cantina Calafia
- Bite into Maine
- White Barn Inn
- Primo Restaurant
- Havana
- Pomelia
- Mr. Tuna
- Highroller Lobster Co.
- Earth at Hidden Pond
- The Alna Store
- Aragosta
- The Lost Kitchen
- Long Grain
- Bombay Mahal
- Oxbow Beer Garden
- Leeward
- Eventide Oyster Co.
- Crown Jewel
- Chez Rosa
Lil Chippy
- 4 Canal Plaza, Portland, ME 04101
Plates, oilcloth table covers and a rotating chalkboard menu set the scene at this fast-casual seafood shack that plays like a British expat with a chef’s palate. Sure, it’s fish and chips, but sharpened with seasonal sauces, crunchy fennel slaw and crisp haddock, juicy shrimp and golden chips that aren’t an afterthought. Order at the counter, grab a picnic table if you're lucky and dig in.
Panacea
- 80 Main Street, Wiscasset, ME 04578
Equal parts grocer, sandwich counter and daytime gathering spot, Panacea layers small-town charm with culinary precision. The cafe-style menu riffs on the humble grilled cheese, elevated with Cabot cheddar, local focaccia and inventive add-ons like seaweed, maple miso and beet slaw. Standouts include the Landlubber, where green apple and seaweed meet in an unexpectedly craveable pairing. Daily chowders rotate under the “Captain’s Choice,” and sides like garlic sour pickles and buckwheat crackers.
Sammy’s Deluxe
- 488 Main St, Rockland, ME 04841
Sammy’s Deluxe feels like a love letter to Maine’s working-class past—if it were edited by a Jean-Georges alum with a soft spot for pickles, brown bread and dandelion greens. Chef-owner Sam Richman channels fine-dining chops into quirky, precise plates like smoked haddock with mustard and onions or dandelion spaghetti finished with cured egg yolk. The ambiance is more couch-surf than white tablecloth with mismatched plates, oilcloth table covers and a rotating chalkboard menu.
Low Stakes Lodge
- 104 Exchange Street, Portland, ME 04101
Highroller Lobster Co.’s wry new sibling reads like a steakhouse that spent its teenage years surfing. Think: red leather booths, a fog-blowing moosehead and a jukebox set to dive-bar classics. But the food? All business. Tinned fish towers, textbook wedge salads and proper steaks, thick and pink-centered. Late-night service draws the off-shift crowd—line cooks, bartenders and anyone who knows where the real party starts.
Thames Landing
- 100 Thames Street, Portland, ME 04101
Waterfront dining, minus the tourist trap gloss. Thames Landing nails the coastal brief with maritime restraint—brushed steel, blonde wood and a menu that hits clean. Highlights include smoked bluefish dip, scallop sliders and a Negroni built for sunset hour. It’s part boardwalk nostalgia, part chef-driven polish—and refreshingly priced for a city that knows its seafood.
Cantina Calafia
- 46 Pine St. Portland, ME 04102
Veracruz flavor meets Baja spirit in this confident newcomer that trades in vinyl, mezcal and slow-burn brilliance. Kampachi tostadas, black bean and charred cactus tacos and salsa that doesn’t apologize. Tortillas are made in-house; so is the vibe. The menu rotates but the tone is steady: fresh, deeply considered and never just another taco spot.
Bite into Maine
- 31 Diamond St, Portland, ME 04101
What started as a food truck is now a no-nonsense lobster roll HQ in East Bayside. They do one thing exceptionally well—lobster rolls—and riff on it just enough to keep things interesting. The classics are here (Connecticut and Maine-style), plus a sleeper hit with wasabi mayo. It’s counter-service, BYOB and built for low-key indulgence without the waitlist drama. You’ll also find chowders, hot dogs and grilled cheese if you’re still hungry, but let’s be honest—you’re here for the best lobster roll. Seasonal locations in Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough will reopen later in the season.
White Barn Inn
- 37 Beach Ave, Kennebunk, ME 04043
In a New England town where lobster rolls are a dime a dozen, White Barn Inn reframes the crustacean as couture. The dining room—still the benchmark for fine dining in coastal Maine—offers two ambitious tasting formats: a $175 prix fixe and a $265 all-in lobster tasting. The latter is a culinary flex, reimagining lobster seven ways, from a butter-poached tail with caviar beurre blanc to a Calabrian chili-laced tagliatelle with chicken skin cracklings. There’s even a tempura bite with sriracha dip and a tandoori riff.
Primo Restaurant
- 2 Main St, Rockland, ME 04841
Chef Melissa Kelly’s full-circle kitchen continues to evolve. Set on a five-acre farm just outside downtown Rockland, it’s equal parts fine-dining institution and functioning ecosystem. Chickens, pigs, vegetables, herbs, flowers—all raised on-site. The kitchen returns this season with new heat: Oyster Sundays are back (1 p.m. to 4 p.m.), complete with live music, starting June 1 with The Maine Groove. Inside, the rigatoni with spicy sausage still slaps, but specials tend to steal the show. This isn’t just another “farm-to-table” play—it’s the original blueprint, now 26 seasons deep.
Havana
- 318 Main St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Now in its 27th season, Havana keeps things sharp with a Latin-meets-Maine menu that doesn’t play it safe. Spring dishes include a loaded seafood paella, Peekytoe crab-stuffed sole and a standout pistachio-crusted lamb rack. The kitchen at this downeast Maine restaurant on Mount Desert Island (home to Acadia National Park) prioritizes local, sustainably raised ingredients—no shortcuts. There’s also a vegan cabbage plate that actually satisfies, and a separate Parrilla menu for wood-fired hits.
Pomelia
- 16 Station Avenue, Brunswick, ME 04011
This new addition to Brunswick’s blossoming food scene brings Sicilian flavor into focus. Opened in early 2025 by Tony and Chelsea Bickford, Pomelia trades on family recipes like golden arancini and pillowy ricotta meatballs to lead into standout mains like Marsala porcini with handmade pasta or Palermo-style sfincione pizza layered with anchovy, tomato and caciocavallo. Casual enough for lunch, polished enough for date night—and just a short walk from the Amtrak platform.
Mr. Tuna
- 83 Middle St, Portland, ME 04101
What started as a sushi cart now draws a devoted crowd to its snug Old Port address. Mr. Tuna dials up the creativity without overcomplicating the fish. Rolls get bold (scallop, crab, tobiko, tempura flakes) but never clunky. There’s a standout ceviche flight and one of the best bites in town: the “Tuna dé Tigre,” which cracked the New York Times' best-of list. James Beard buzz followed, but the place keeps its cool.
Highroller Lobster Co.
- 104 Exchange St, Portland, ME 04101
Highroller doesn’t do precious. This is lobster in its party shirt—served with curried ketchup, lime mayo or lobster ghee and unapologetically messy. What started as a food cart is now a diner-meets-comic book fever dream, offering custom lobster rolls, loaded grilled cheeses and a tasting flight for the indecisive. Next door, their new sibling spot, Low Stakes Lodge, plays steakhouse but doesn’t take itself too seriously—think ribeye, moody lighting and a smoke-breathing moose head behind the bar. Together, they’re surf-and-turf with a sense of humor and more importantly, serious flavor.
Earth at Hidden Pond
- 354 Goose Rocks Rd, Kennebunkport, ME 04046
Tucked into the woods behind Hidden Pond, this year-round spot blends garden-first cooking with serious culinary polish. Chef Justin Owen’s kitchen turns out lobster cassoulet, truffled barley risotto and foie gras on sourdough like it’s no big deal. Ingredients are plucked steps from the pass, cocktails lean botanical and the candlelit room keeps the tone hushed but unfussy. It’s one of the sharpest plays in Southern Maine—equal parts back-to-the-land and buttoned-up. Book a private dining shed if you want the vibe, minus the crowd.
The Alna Store
- 2 Dock Rd, Alna, ME 04535
Don’t let the sleepy village facade fool you—this midcoast hit is pulling a very modern sleight of hand. A compact, unassuming space turns out some of the smartest food in the region, wrapped in rural Maine charm. Think confit chicken with spiced yogurt, kohlrabi slaw and a just-goes-with-it bottle list of pét-nats and Basque cider. It's local without being sanctimonious, precise without being uptight. Bonus points for snagging a James Beard nod in 2024.
Aragosta
- 27 Main St, Stonington, ME 04681
Set on a windswept cove on Deer Isle, Aragosta is chef Devin Finigan’s north star—part fine-dining outpost, part coastal homestead. A protégé of Thomas Keller and Dan Barber with time logged at SingleThread and Maca de Castro, Finigan has crafted a hyperlocal, globally inflected style that folds Japanese dashi into lobster stock and spikes shortcake with grilled strawberries and lavender cream. The seasonal prix fixe dinner taps into her network of nearby fishers, foragers and farmers, with every plate bearing the DNA of the island. Book a cottage on-site if you can.
The Lost Kitchen
- 22 Mill St, Freedom, ME 04941
The hardest reservation in Maine—and maybe the country—still hinges on a single postcard. Each spring, tens of thousands of hopeful diners mail handwritten notes to this candlelit 1830s mill in Freedom, hoping to land one of the coveted tables for a seven-course seasonal prix fixe that hinges on whatever is growing or swimming nearby. But it’s not just the scarcity that draws people. Erin French, a 2024 James Beard finalist and now host of Getting Lost with Erin French on Magnolia Network and Max, has built something deeper than a restaurant: her locavore conviction has turned this off-the-grid spot into a full-on pilgrimage.
Long Grain
- 31 Elm St, Camden, ME 04843
Chef Ravin Nakjaroen fuses Maine’s seasonal bounty with street food edge at this 30-seat hotspot. Smoked mackerel fried rice, green curry with Maine crab and duck confit pad kee mao push beyond rote Thai-American fare. Don’t miss the night market noodle soup—its fermented funk and local pork belly distill Long Grain’s ethos: unapologetically bold, deeply local.
Bombay Mahal
- 99 Maine St, Brunswick, ME 04011
Maine’s first Indian restaurant still sets the bar. Family-run since 1991, Bombay Mahal serves north Indian classics with consistency and care. From smoky tandoori chicken to pillowy garlic naan and creamy butter chicken, the menu resists trend-chasing in favor of refinement. Its longevity is a testament to spice-wielding skill and generational hospitality.
Oxbow Beer Garden
- 420 Main St, Oxford, ME 04270
Set in a 200-year-old post-and-beam barn, this rural brewery offshoot from Oxbow Brewing doubles as a beer hall, sourdough pizzeria and Nordic ski lodge. In winter, the five-mile trail network draws cross-country skiers to the fire-warmed dining room for smoked lager and Calabrian nduja pies. In summer, the picnic tables and bottle shop hum with lawn games and small-batch sours dosed with foraged fruit. Even the pizza crust carries the house culture—literally—fermented with the same yeast used in Oxbow’s farmhouse ales.
Leeward
- 85 Free St, Portland, ME 04101
This Portland standout is Italian in accent, but fully Maine in its approach. Leeward skips the pageantry and gets straight to the good stuff: pasta that doesn’t try too hard, starters that punch above their weight and a wine list that backs up the ambition. Current menu highlights include rye cavatelli with braised rabbit and fennel, spaghettini nero laced with squid and serrano and sacchettoni stuffed with pork sausage and ricotta. If you’re not into pasta, the pan-fried skate wing with brown butter and celery root remoulade doesn’t miss.
Eventide Oyster Co.
- 86 Middle St, Portland, ME 04101
Alton Brown didn’t hesitate to declare this the best oyster bar in the country—and for good reason. Eventide riffs on the classic Maine seafood shack without falling into retro kitsch or tourist-bait territory. Instead, you’ll be served pristine oysters (up to a dozen local varieties daily), a brown butter lobster roll that earns its hype, and the Fried Oyster Bun—a sleeper hit cut with pickled veg and a pillowy bao. The raw bar rotates with the Gulf of Maine’s bounty, while warm plates like smoked sablefish or miso-dressed tuna tartare keep things from feeling too one-note.
Crown Jewel
- 255 Diamond Ave, Portland, ME 04101
Crown Jewel makes you work a bit to get there (30-minute ferry, private charter, or, for the very committed, kayak), but the payoff is a technicolor, island-side escape that leans into playful elegance without losing grip on serious cooking. On the menu: Calabrian butter-poached lobster tail, octopus with crispy saffron rice and turnip agnolotti laced with crab and cacio e pepe. Drinks hit the same vibe: a lavender-tinged rye cocktail, Miller pony and natural wines with actual backbone. It’s seasonal, cheeky and deliberately removed from the mainland churn—come ready to switch gears.
Chez Rosa
- Cross St, Kennebunkport, ME 04046
Chez Rosa distills the ambiance and charm of a bistro into a seafood-forward menu built for Maine’s terroir. Start light: Maine oysters with red wine mignonette or a Jonah crab salad dressed in lemon vinaigrette and framed by white asparagus. The French onion soup, with its slab of Gruyère-crusted crostini, walks the line between rustic and refined. Entrees include a black truffle-laced cod Wellington and a vegetable-rich spring risotto, while steak frites with house-made aioli satisfies the purist. House charcuterie options skew classic—pâté en croûte, chicken liver with fruit compote—but the “grand assiette” lets you sample the spread.
