The Southern Coast Restaurants

We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Southern Coast - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.

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  • 1. Batson River Fish Camp

    $$

    This outpost of the popular Batson River brewing and distilling company channels the feel of a trendy lakeside camp (think vintage thermoses and prize catches mounted on the walls) all year round. The menu includes standout cocktails, well-done bar fare, and beers brewed on-site, just behind Fish Camp. On the main road to Wells Beach and off busy Route 1, it's a welcome addition in a drive-through part of town.

    73 Mile Rd., Wells, Maine, 04090, USA
    207-360–7255

    Known For

    • Limited-edition brews
    • Throwback camp decor
    • Fun spot for a well-made cocktail after a day at the beach

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Wed. No lunch
  • 2. Bite Into Maine

    $$

    Hands down Maine's best lobster roll is found at this food truck that overlooks the idyllic Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth. Traditional rolls smothered in ungodly amounts of drawn butter are delicious, but you've also got the option to get out of the lobster comfort zone with rolls featuring flavors like wasabi, curry, and chipotle. There are vegetarian and nonseafood options on offer, too.

    1000 Shore Rd., Cape Elizabeth, Maine, 04107, USA
    207-289–6142

    Known For

    • Quick and informal spot for a bite
    • Unbeatable view over the ocean
    • Always fresh lobster

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed mid-Nov.–mid-Apr.
  • 3. Bitter End

    $$

    Pete and Kate Morency, the duo originally behind the ever-popular Pier 77 and the Ramp Bar and Grill in Kennebunkport, are also the masterminds behind this seafood spot, where Mediterranean and American classics are given brilliant, contemporary twists. The fabulous decor consists of an unlikely marriage of old-school American sports memorabilia and something that might be described as shabby ballroom chic—crystal chandeliers hang above old leather boxing gloves, and shiny trophies (including a 1961 Miss Universe cup) and black-and-white photos of sports icons line the bar.

    2118 Post Rd., Wells, Maine, 04090, USA
    207-360–0904

    Known For

    • Cuisine fusion and a rotating menu
    • Outdoor seating area with firepit
    • Superbly curated bevy of liquors

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
  • 4. Goldthwaite's Pool Lobster

    $$

    This classic spot has been a go-to in the seaside hamlet of Biddeford Pool for over 100 years. Now part general store, part takeout spot, it's a one-stop-shop for sunscreen, wine and beer, and locally made pies; the kitchen offers a bevy of Maine classics (including lobster dinners and fresh lobster rolls), sometimes with a twist (like haddock tacos with ginger-cucumber salsa or a blueberry cream cheese tart for dessert). Enjoy your meal at the picnic tables out back for unparalleled views of the sea and islands; just note that alcohol can't be consumed on the premises.

    3 Lester B. Orcutt Blvd., Maine, 04006, USA
    207-284–5000

    Known For

    • Award-winning clam chowder
    • Decadent desserts made in-house
    • Reasonable prices with million-dollar views

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: General store closed mid-Sept.–mid-May; restaurant closed Labor Day–early June
  • 5. Northern Union

    $$

    From the moment you walk into Northern Union you know you're going to be in very good hands. A genuine, welcoming staff and laid-back yet elegant design scheme put you in the mood for a slow, very memorable dinner of seasonally inspired small plates like braised pork belly or duck confit and rotating entrées like seared scallops and lobster fettuccine—all available with spot-on wine pairings that you won't find anywhere else in the area.

    261 Shore Rd., Ogunquit, Maine, 03907, USA
    207-216–9639

    Known For

    • Almost everything is made in-house
    • Dishes that can easily be shared
    • A terrific selection of cured meats and cheese boards with a local, seasonal bent

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch
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  • 6. Old Vines Wine Bar

    $$

    Housed in a historic barn, this wine bar and its front patio get busy in summer, and for good reason: artisan cocktails and flavorful small plates are expertly made, and, as the name suggests, the wine list is stellar. Except for a six-week break in midwinter, it's open year-round and cozy on cold nights, too. Stop in for live music or book a small-group cocktail class.

    173 Port Rd., Kennebunk, Maine, 04043, USA
    207-967–2310

    Known For

    • Wine list featuring small vineyards and unique varietals
    • Regular entertainment by Maine musicians
    • Lively Yard Bar open outdoors in summer

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch. Closed for 6 wks in Feb. and Mar.
  • 7. Palace Diner

    $$

    Everything about this diner, set in an old-fashioned train car just off Main Street, is retro except the food. Hop on a stool at the counter (that's all there is), enjoy the Motown tunes, and tuck into one of the deluxe sandwiches for breakfast or lunch. The diner doesn't take reservations—and it's cash only—but it's well worth the wait.

    18 Franklin St., Maine, 04005, USA
    207-284–0015

    Known For

    • Diner food that's anything but standard
    • Delicious fried-chicken sandwich with cabbage slaw and French fries
    • Fantastic collaboration with local chefs from regional restaurants

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner
  • 8. Pier 77 Restaurant

    $$

    Here, phenomenal views share center stage with a sophisticated menu that emphasizes seafood. The ground-level restaurant's large windows overlook Cape Porpoise harbor, ensuring that every seat has a view of the water; tucked around the corner, the tiny but funky and fun Ramp Bar & Grill pays homage to a really good burger, fried seafood, and other pub-style classics; and, up a flight of stairs, Ramp Up offers crow's-nest harbor views and a place to wait for your table when lines to get in are long.

    77 Pier Rd., Cape Porpoise, Maine, 04014, USA
    207-967–8500

    Known For

    • Live music in summer
    • Great spot for cocktails on the water while watching boats and sea life pass by
    • A packed house almost every meal in the summer (reservations highly recommended)
  • 9. Shade Eatery at Higgins Beach Inn

    $$

    This charming neighborhood restaurant and bar just steps from the beach serves up generous, deeply satisfying dishes filled with locally sourced ingredients. Seafood plays a big role in the menu, with lobster rolls brimming with fresh meat; fish tacos stuffed with cilantro, lime crema, and coleslaw; a seafood chowder; and a lobster tostada. But there are also options for landlubbers, like burgers, steak frites, and creamy peppercorn pasta.

    36 Ocean Ave., Scarborough, Maine, 04074, USA
    207-883–1479

    Known For

    • Family-friendly environment
    • Three-season-porch dining
    • Casual and perfect for a postbeach bite

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Breakfast daily and dinner Wed.–Sun. mid-May–mid-Oct. Lunch daily Memorial Day–Labor Day
  • 10. The Clam Shack

    $$

    For more than a half century, this shack has been known for speedy service and great takeout fare, like its traditional boiled lobster dinners and lobster rolls on freshly baked buns. Eat at one of several wooden picnic tables that overlook the Kennebunk River. There’s even a lemonade stand to complete the experience.

    2 Western Ave., Kennebunk, Maine, 04043, USA
    207-967–3321

    Known For

    • Ships lobster nationally
    • Lobster rolls and fried clams
    • Clam chowder
  • 11. The Lobster Shack at Two Lights

    $$

    A classic spot since the 1920s, you can't beat the location—right on the water, below the lighthouse pair that gives Two Lights State Park its name—and the food's not bad either. Enjoy fresh lobster whole or piled into a hot-dog bun with a dollop of mayo, or opt for the delicious chowder, fried clams, or fish-and-chips. Eat inside or out.

    225 Two Lights Rd., Cape Elizabeth, Maine, 04107, USA
    207-799–1677

    Known For

    • Picnic tables with unparalleled views
    • Family-friendly environment
    • Mini-homemade blueberry pies

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed late Oct.–late Mar.
  • 12. Anju Noodle Bar

    $$

    With a cozy, open-plan dining area and a laid-back atmosphere, Anju Noodle Bar serves up reimagined versions of traditional dishes such as house-made, slow-roasted pork-shoulder buns, spicy miso ramen, inspired local seafood dishes, and seasonal vegetarian options. This is one of the few places in the Pine Tree State outside Portland where you'll find fresh and innovative Asian-inspired cuisine done really well. You'll likely be eating lobster and fried seafood for every meal the farther north you go in Maine, so it's well worth stopping here en route Down East, or on the ride home, for a palate cleanser. Just keep in mind they don't take reservations.

    7 Wallingford Sq., Kittery, Maine, 03904, USA
    207-703–4298

    Known For

    • Sake heaven
    • Free-style dishes
    • House-made kimchi

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
  • 13. Billy's Chowder House

    $$

    Locals and vacationers head to this roadside seafood restaurant and bar in the midst of a salt marsh en route to Wells Beach. The menu features classic seafood dishes like lobster rolls and chowders, but there are plenty of nonseafood choices, too.

    216 Mile Rd., Wells, Maine, 04090, USA
    207-646–7558

    Known For

    • Views of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge
    • Generous lobster rolls
    • One of the oldest waterfront restaurants in Wells

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed mid-Dec.–mid-Jan.
  • 14. Bob's Clam Hut

    $$

    With fresh (never frozen) shellfish and a cheery, old-school vibe, Bob’s also serves up scrumptious, homemade sauces to smother over golden fried clams, alongside some of the creamiest New England clam chowders around.

    315 U.S. 1, Kittery, Maine, 03904, USA
    207-439–4233

    Known For

    • Tangy Moxie barbecue sauce
    • A classic stop since 1956
    • Retro-coastal decor
  • 15. Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier

    $$

    From the road you can barely see the red roof hovering below the trees, but chances are you can see the line of cars parked at this popular outdoor restaurant that has been serving up fresh lobster for more than 70 years. Brightly colored picnic tables fill the deck, and enclosed eating areas sit atop the high banks of the tidal river, beside a working pier, which delivers fresh seafood straight to your plate. The menu has lots of fresh lobster choices, as well as a raw bar. Bring your own beer or wine, if you like; you can pick up bottles of local, handcrafted suds at the Tributary Brewing Company just around the corner on Shapleigh Road off Route 103. You can also bring sides and desserts that aren't on the menu.

    16 Chauncey Creek Rd., Kittery, Maine, 03905, USA
    207-439–1030

    Known For

    • Classic lobster dinners
    • BYOB
    • Ocean-to-plate

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. post-Labor Day–Columbus Day. Closed post-Columbus Day–Mother\'s Day.
  • 16. Dockside Restaurant

    $$

    On an islandlike peninsula overlooking York Harbor, this restaurant has plenty of seafood on the menu. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the stepped modern dining space transport diners to the water beyond—every seat has a water view. Popular dishes include haddock stuffed with Maine shrimp, as well as grilled ribeye steak, smoked pork belly, seafood chowder, or crab cake spring rolls. Lighter fare is served in the cozy mahogany bar. The Dockside Restaurant is part of a 7-acre property with guest rooms and suites in several buildings, from a grand 1895 summer home to condo-style quarters.

    22 Harris Island Rd., York Harbor, Maine, 03909, USA
    207-363–2722

    Known For

    • "drunken" lobster (lobster and seared scallops in an Irish-whiskey cream)
    • Decadent seafood chowder and lobster bisque
    • Lively, dockside vibe with spectacular views

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues. in summer and late Oct.–mid-May
  • 17. Magnus on Water

    $$

    The small, shareable plates at this restaurant are excellent (think littleneck clam toast, locally made sourdough, and fresh plates of cheeses and greens), but the cocktails, that incorporate inventive ingredients (like a foam made from seawater collected from nearby Fortune’s Rocks beach) aren’t to be missed. Grab a spot on the spacious, laid-back granite patio in summer or inside at the intimate bar in colder months.

    12 Water St., Maine, 04005, USA
    207-494–9052

    Known For

    • Creative, photo-worthy cocktails
    • Approachable sharing plates (order as much or as little as you like)
    • Summer dining on a spacious, beautifully landscaped, granite patio

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch. Closed Sun.–Tues. and for winter break in Feb.
  • 18. Maine Diner

    $$

    One look at the 1953 exterior, and you'll start craving diner food, but be prepared to get a little more than you bargained for: after all, how many greasy spoons make an award-winning lobster pie? There's plenty of fried seafood in addition to the usual diner fare, and breakfast is served all day. A food truck in the parking lot, dubbed Maine Diner On the Go, is open later (3–8 everyday but Wednesday and Thursday) for takeaway favorites. Check out the adjacent Remember the Maine Gift Shop, too. 

    2265 Post Rd., Wells, Maine, 04090, USA
    207-646–4441

    Known For

    • Classic diner fare
    • Wild Maine blueberry pie
    • Sources a lot of produce from its very own vegetable garden

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner. Closed Wed. and at least 2 wks in Jan.
  • 19. Robert's Maine Grill

    $$

    New American surf or turf dishes made with locally sourced, farm- or fishing-boat-to-table ingredients are the hallmarks of this restaurant in a navy-blue clapboard building with a striking, red-and-white-striped lighthouse replica on one end of it. Lobster—in a roll, in risotto, or in mac and cheese—takes comfort-food pride of place, but the haddock Reuben sandwich and the barbecue steak tips in a sauce made with Moxie (a New England soft drink) are creative alternatives.

    326 Rte. 1, Kittery, Maine, USA
    207-439–0300

    Known For

    • A mindful culinary approach
    • Raw bar with oysters, jumbo shrimp, and littleneck clams
    • Fish-and-chips featuring an Allagash-beer batter
  • 20. Spinnakers

    $$

    Plenty of seafood shacks dot U.S. 1, but this roadside joint is really worth the stop, even if it's just to grab some takeout and escape the steady flow of summer traffic. Simple but pleasing contemporary design makes for a cheerful space to enjoy loaded lobster rolls, burgers, sandwiches, and a decidedly unholy lobster poutine consisting of hand-cut fries covered in a delicious mess of local cheese curds topped with lobster gravy.

    139 Post Rd., Wells, Maine, 04090, USA
    207-216–9291

    Known For

    • Pick-and-choose seafood basket combos
    • Quick bites that pack a punch and scream Maine
    • Eat in or grab and go

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