71 Best Restaurants in The Mid-Coast Region, Maine

It may not look like much from the outside, but this unique and community-focused culinary powerhouse has won the devotion of diners far and wide (plus a James Beard Foundation nomination) for its bright-flavored and far-ranging dishes. Located inside a beautifully renovated convenience store, the menu changes almost constantly and reaches across the globe, with a majority of the ingredients emphasizing sustainable farms, local makers, and things the staff has foraged. If you can score a seat for the extremely popular brunch, know that the fresh sourdough donut with vanilla bean glaze is a thing of beauty.

The exceptionally good Portland favorite has moved to Brunswick, with award-winning chef Cara Stadler and her mother, Cecile, still at the helm. And while dumplings are indeed the focal point (from shumai in curry broth and beef bulgogi pot stickers to clay-pot rice balls with Chinese sausage), other nuanced dishes are worth digging into, too, like the local oysters with lemongrass mignonette, and big-flavored smashed cucumbers loaded up with chili oil and garlic.

You'll feel right at home in this intimate modern pub, offering casual dining on two floors plus an upper outdoor deck. The beer ranges from IPAs to stouts and sours. The menu, which changes with the seasons, includes imaginative light dishes as well as well-prepared entrées. 

The menu at this late-afternoon-into-late-evening spot is limited and changes frequently, but it's always good. Order a small plate or charcuterie board, or go bigger with something like risotto, ramen, or seared pork shoulder with roasted shallots and toasted pistachios. Sunday brunch is popular, thanks to such choices as molasses pancakes, deviled eggs with smoked trout, and gougeres served with candied bacon. Accompany your food with a cool craft cocktail, Maine beer (several on draft), or a glass of wine.

Yachts in the marina nose right up against the outdoor dining deck, and large windows frame the harbor in the elegant indoor dining room and casual bar. Complementing the views are the exceptional sandwiches, salads, pizzas, and tacos served at lunch, and the oysters, lobster, sushi, and steaks served at dinner. If it's a special occasion, go for the ultimate surf-and-turf meal: a 10-ounce Wagyu strip steak with butter-poached lobster.

Located at Linekin Bay Resort, this casual, mostly outdoor restaurant offers a serene waterside setting coupled with fresh lobster rolls, haddock BLTs, mussels, crab cakes, crudo yellowfin tuna, fish tacos, and clams linguine. There are plenty of meat, gluten-free, and vegan options, too. The resort and the restaurant are only a few minutes' drive east of downtown Boothbay Harbor, but the chill atmosphere seems a million miles away. There's often live music on weekends.

At the end of Harpswell Neck—next to the Dolphin Marina, where diners often arrive by boat—this popular restaurant serves one of the best fish chowders on the coast. Take in the excellent views through a wall of windows or from the outdoor deck as you enjoy your equally excellent chowder—or your lobster stew, crab or lobster roll, or chicken or beef entrée.

Stop in at this cute little house next to the boardwalk and order an ice cream cone to enjoy at a nearby picnic table or as you stroll along the waterfront. You'll probably want to make it a two-scooper, so you can try at least two of the many flavors, all made right here in Boothbay Harbor. Favorites include coffee Heath bar, blueberry cheesecake, pistachio, rum raisin, and cinnamon gingersnap. You can go all in with a hot fudge sundae or a banana split, too.

Although everything served at this seafood shack and market beside Fish Beach is delicious and simply prepared, the crab roll—a large, split-top roll buttered and griddled and stuffed with fresh, sweet, mayo-tossed crabmeat—may just be the best on the Maine coast. Order at the window, carry your tray to a picnic table inches from the water, and lap up the view of lobster boats in the harbor. You can also have your order packed to go. 

Drive to the end of Route 127 and relax in the breezes off Sheepscot Bay in the tiny fishing village of Five Islands, not too far from Reid State Park. This award-winning lobster shack overlooks at least five islands from its perch atop the working wharf, and you can watch lobstermen unload their traps onto the dock while you feast on fresh lobster rolls or a full lobster dinner and sample Maine-made ice cream. If you've got a big craving for lobster, order the Big Boy lobster roll, with double the amount of meat in a large roll. The “secret” to the famous tartar sauce is dill. This is a BYOB place, so bring a cooler with your preferred beverages, settle at a picnic table, and enjoy the sublime setting.

The dining room at Monhegan's iconic Island Inn serves breakfast and dinner to the public as well as to guests. The breakfast menu includes eggs, pancakes, and granola. At dinner, steamed lobster is always on the menu; other fresh seafood choices may include halibut, salmon, swordfish, and paella. There are also steaks and other meats, plus a vegetarian dish.

There's something to be said for enjoying a cold beer after a long hike. You can slake your thirst at a seasonal tap "room" (seating is actually outdoors beneath umbrellas and tents) of this tiny brewery owned by a local lobstering family. Options could include Crow's Nest IPA, Balmy Days Citra Kölsch, or Mad Cow Milk Stout. There might also be icy cold root beer, and you can get lunch to go at the on-site Bait Bag food trailer.

Whether you sit at a booth in the dining room or at the counter of this eatery, established in 1927, chances are, you'll soon be chatting with your neighbors. The multipage menu has all the breakfast standards (including fresh doughnuts made every morning) and comfort-food lunch and dinner classics—from chowders, fish cakes, and lobster or crab rolls to chicken potpie, meat loaf, and New England–style boiled dinners to wild Maine blueberry, custard, or apple pie. There's a gift shop on the other side of the parking lot, as well as rental cabins and a motel in the summer season.

At this inviting and creative bistro at the Brunswick Hotel, chef Meghan Fairman whips up luscious dishes like leek-wrapped cod loin and grilled lamb lollipops with apricot basmati rice. There's a selection of inspired craft cocktails, too, as well as live music weekly. Sit inside or out on the lovely enclosed patio beside the large gas fireplace.

The customers lined up beside this little red shack at the bottom of Wiscasset's Main Street, just before the bridge across the Sheepscot River, have come from far and wide for one of the Maine Coast's best lobster rolls—namely, a perfectly buttered and griddled split-top roll that's absolutely, positively stuffed with fresh, sweet meat and served with melted butter and mayo on the side. Devotees swear that the wait (up to two hours!) is worth it, and it helps that staffers hand out ice water, Popsicles, umbrellas to protect from rain or hot sun, and even dog biscuits for the pups. You can also get your lobster in a gluten-free roll or on a plate without any bread. Other choices include crab rolls, hamburgers, and onion rings, as well as clams or other local seafood fried in house-made batters. Enjoy your hard-earned feast at a table on the bilevel deck behind the shack or at a picnic table on the grass by the water. For a shorter wait, come on a weekday at an off-hour (not lunch- or dinnertime).

Perched on the bridge that spans the river between Damariscotta and Newcastle, this sweet little restaurant is passionate about growing or locally sourcing as many ingredients as possible. They're always fresh and top-quality, and shine in simply yet deftly prepared dishes such as monkfish chowder with crab and corn, or fermented mushroom salad with chestnut and sesame oats. Damariscotta River oysters are always on the menu, and there's an exceptional burger, made from local beef and topped with local cheddar. The wood-fired grill just inside the front door features in many of the preparations. 

Try for a table by the windows in the dining room of this little landmark restaurant, perched beside Pemaquid Lighthouse at the very edge of the rocky shore. Blueberry pancakes with Maine maple syrup are the clear breakfast favorites; the lunch and dinner menu features fried fresh seafood, lobster and crab rolls, salads, and mouthwatering entrées like the shipwreck pie (lobster, crab, shrimp, and scallops sautéed in butter and topped with a cracker-crumb crust). Desserts include ice cream and homemade pies or strawberry or blueberry shortcake. Alcoholic beverages aren't served, but you're welcome to bring your own. The gift shop is packed with jewelry, Maine-made jams and condiments, prints of local scenery, and other great souvenirs.

The namesake of this shack first got the idea to set up shop when her father posed the simple question: “Where can you buy a quick lobster roll in Boothbay Harbor?” Unable to answer, Shannon’s Unshelled was born, and the shack is now beloved for its grilled, buttered buns stuffed with whole lobsters and served with a side of garlicky, sea-salted, drawn butter.

Step into this airy space, and settle at a table with a view of the Sheepscot River, or try out a seat at the bar. Many of the dishes (particularly the pasta, paella, and the tremendous house risotto) have a Mediterranean flavor; other dishes showcase the kitchen's creative approach to modern American cuisine, like roasted Maine lobster with whiskey tarragon butter; half-portions of any of the pasta dishes are also an option.

Set within the gracious Federal hotel, 555 North is the rebirth of chef-owner Steve and Michelle Corry's popular Portland restaurant, which closed in 2019 after an 18-year run. Diners will find the same exceptionally creative, seasonal approach to food as well as a sophisticated but relaxed atmosphere. The menu always offers distinctive and sometimes whimsical preparations of local seafood (the pan-roasted hake in smoky tomato broth is exceptional) meats, and produce. If it's on the menu, try the outrageously tasty salad of grilled peaches, feta, pistachios, and honey.

The beloved Little Dog Coffee Shop has morphed into The Abbey, an equally casual coffee spot offering richly flavorful coffee and top-notch breakfast sandwiches. The atmosphere is still chill during the day, but now it's also a nighttime hangout that offers bites like tuna crudo and chicken shawarma, along with classes, tastings, and community events.

This little café turns out excellent coffee and hot and cold coffee drinks, plus fresh-from-the-oven sweet and savory baked items. It's hard to choose among the scones, slices of cake and pie, sinful cookies, cupcakes, and old-fashioned dessert bars. For a light lunch, go for a wedge of quiche or baked-in-house bread, toasted and topped with house-made salmon spread, hummus, or avocado.

On the wharf a few steps from the boat landing, The Barnacle serves espresso and a selection of coffees from Monhegan Coffee Roasters along with baked goods, such as scones and brownies, and ice cream. For lunch, choose from prepared sandwiches, chowders, and salads, which you can eat at a picnic table or take with you. If you're having dinner at the Island Inn, you can pick up wine or beer to accompany your meal here.

Ribs are the thing at one of Maine's oldest barbecue joints, opened in 1996. Hearty eaters should ask for one of the platters piled high with pulled pork, pulled chicken, or shredded beef.

This aptly named, family-run restaurant serves all the standard Thai favorites, as well as some lesser-known options. Everything is prepared using fresh local fish, meats, and produce. In addition to indoor dining, there's a small patio just outside the front door.

Just off Route 131, this family-friendly eatery is a community favorite. You'll find good local fare, such as fish-and-chips, mussels, chowder, pastas, burgers, and a haddock Reuben.

Austrian-born chef-owner Karin Guerin dishes up intriguing, tapas-style small plates—from mojito ginger wings to Madagascar beef skewers—as well as full-size risotto, vegetarian, vegan, and seafood entrées. Be sure to try the fried oysters in vichyssoise sauce with flying-fish roe. On a fine summer day, the open-air rooftop and bar is a wonderful spot to dine.

This is the real deal—a working lobster wharf where fishermen unload their catch to be sold at the on-site fish market or incorporated into the lobster rolls, crab rolls, or fried seafood dishes that are served to diners on the dock and in the enclosed dining room. If you opt for the steamed lobster dinner, you get to choose your crustacean from a saltwater tank. There's live music every Friday and weekends. And if you're an oyster fan, head here for your fill of buck-a-shuck oysters Friday and Saturday evening. The view across the boat-filled harbor isn't bad, either.

Stop in here for a hot or cold coffee drink, a smoothie, or fresh juice. If you'd like to linger for a while, take your drink upstairs and settle in with your laptop.