42 Best Restaurants in The Mid-Coast Region, Maine

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

The restaurant at the atmospheric Craignair Inn—along a narrow lane in Spruce Head—serves dinner four (winter) or five (peak season) nights a week; its brunch is a flurry of family revelry. Enjoy your fresh, well-prepared seafood or meat dishes in the main dining room, in a gallery with a fireplace, or on an outdoor deck overlooking the water. Brunch features classic pancakes and egg dishes, as well as more creative options such as a wild mushroom strudel or a house-cured salmon tostada.

After winter storms destroyed its former location, the resilient crew of this beloved restaurant packed up and moved to a new location about a mile and a half away. They've settled into the new space, bringing the relaxed vibe with them, as well as exceptional tacos (try the fish or fried oyster options), the delicious lobster club sandwich, Korean barbecue smoked chicken, and the pizza. If you're looking for something less bread-forward, order locally raised oysters from the raw bar or the fish tartare, especially if it's tuna. There's live music a few evenings each week.

What began as a lobster shack in 1955 has grown into a large, well-known, family-style restaurant with a sizable menu that is predictably heavy on local seafood (lobster boats unload their catch at a dock here) but also has plenty of choices for landlubbers. A shore dinner will set you back close to $50, but you won't leave hungry after a 1¼-pound lobster, steamed clams, drawn butter, and corn on the cob. If you want to focus just on the lobster, you can order a bug weighing up to 5 pounds! Whether you choose indoor or deck seating, you can watch as the lobstermen come and go and the boats sail across the bay. Expect this place to be packed at the height of the season.

People have been stopping at this roadside lobster pound for a century, buying live or cooked lobsters to take home, or ordering a lobster or crabmeat roll, lobster stew, lobster dinner, steamed or fried fresh clams, and other local seafood to enjoy at a picnic table overlooking a serene salt marsh. It's just a few miles down the road from Freeport's Main Street shops, but it feels a world apart.

You just might want to eat dessert first when you spy the display case of cheesecakes, mousses, and profiteroles. But there are lots of savory temptations, too, including a large selection of sushi, tacos (lobster, shrimp, octopus, or haddock), and land and sea dinner entrées. There's no outdoor dining, but the outer dining room has windows overlooking the harbor.

Take a break from Main Street's bustle and drive 3 scenic miles to South Freeport, where this popular, bare-bones, counter-service place sits beside the town landing and serves up seafood baskets and lobster dinners. Save room for strawberry shortcake, blueberry crisp, bread pudding, whoopie pies, or another of the homemade desserts. Check out the views of the marina and surrounding harbor from the upper deck. Lines can be long.

This charming café offers several indoor spaces, plus a deck—built around a giant maple tree!—where you can enjoy homemade eggs Benedict, omelets, and breakfast sandwiches, as well as wraps, salads, soups, chowders, and smoothies. Everything is creative, and everything is homemade.

Of the half dozen breweries in Freeport, the Maine Beer Company is a standout. Its beer is well crafted, as are its salads, charcuterie, and wood-fired pizzas, and you can dine indoors or out. It's a popular place, so reservations are recommended, though not required. Every year, the owners donate a percentage of profits to charitable organizations—particularly environmental causes.

Cheeses, charcuterie, seafood, breads, and more from Maine's premier food producers and artisans go into the selection of small plates on the menu, which also features craft beers, wines, ciders, spirits, and Maine-made sodas. Open every afternoon from spring through fall, the center not only showcases the bounty of Maine, it also offers classes, workshops, and meet-the-producer events throughout the season.

Pouring beloved locally brewed craft beer (everything from Kölsch to Peanut Butter Milk Stout with some sours and pale ales thrown in), Mast Landing is a mellow and fun hangout both inside its expansive taproom and outdoor patio; well-behaved and leashed dogs are welcome on the latter. Delicious specialty burgers (like the green chili cheeseburger) and sandwiches and shareables like pizza sticks and nachos are available from the neighboring Nighthawk's Kitchen.

You know that the lobster and other seafood is fresh at this quintessential shack, just east of Tenants Harbor and at the end of a scenic, winding shoreside byway—the owner's family owns the wholesale lobster company on the next wharf over, where local lobstermen tie up to deliver their catches. In addition to generously stuffed lobster rolls, the menu usually includes crab rolls, crab cakes, grilled clams, and a couple of nonseafood items. Save room for a slice of freshly baked pie or a whoopie pie. Order at the window, and settle at a picnic table with broad, serene views of the bay, islands, and the working harbor. This is a BYOB place, with regulars often interpreting the "B" to mean not only a bottle of wine, but also a bouquet of flowers in a jar or maybe a birthday cake.

The food here is guaranteed to be fresh, given that the lobster comes in off the boats just down the dock from the window where you order your meal. The menu also features scallops, oysters, crabmeat, and haddock, all prepared in a variety of tempting ways. Watch the lobstermen unload their catch as you enjoy your seafood feast, and perhaps a beer or a glass of wine. Note that though this is a seafood shack, prices are comparable to those in more formal restaurants.