Fodor's Expert Review Burning Tree

One of the top restaurants in Maine, this easy-to-miss gem with a festive dining room is on Route 3, not far from Bar Harbor in the village of Otter Creek. The seasonal menu emphasizes freshly caught seafood, and half a dozen or so species of fish are offered virtually every day—all from the Gulf of Maine. Oven-poached cod and gray sole stuffed with asparagus, pea tendrils, and chevre are among the signature dishes. There are always two or three vegetarian options using organic produce, much of it from the owners' garden. No lunch is served, but in 2020 the front porch was converted to retail space to sell an assortment of to-go food items—some prepared (including breakfast pastries), others ready-to-cook, and all made on-site—during the day, alongside a selection of small-scale wine and local beers and ciders.