3 Best Restaurants in Wiscasset, The Mid-Coast Region

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 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).

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.