I really wanted to like the Maine Market. And, in theory, I do. It's a comfortable space with…read morefriendly employees, and they carry LOADS of vegan options from other local purveyors in their take-away refrigerator (for example, I had a delicious wellness juice shot from a company I had never heard of before located in Southern Maine). Their menu is also so plant-based friendly! For example, they've got avocado toast with lemon, sunflower sprouts, pickled onions, and everything seasoning on thick cut sourdough that you can get with tofu or vegan sausage if you want. And there's sandwiches like The Caesar Wrap (tofu, chopped romaine, crispy garlic chickpeas, vegan parm, and vegan house caesar dressing) and The TLT (tofu, lettuce, tomato, vegan mayo, and avocado "for fun" [from their website]).
But when I visited (which was around 10am on a weekday) every. single. thing. was. out. Vegan cheese? Out. Vegan sausage? Out. Avocado? Out. I asked what they could make me, and the option was a breakfast sandwich with a tofu egg (which they had only one of left somehow), spinach, tomato, and house pesto. I left with my sandwich to head back to Portland, took a big bite when I was on the highway, and immediately spit it out - the pesto was brown, rancid, and so bitter the sandwich was inedible. If I had been anywhere near the market, I would have turned around and said something because clearly the pesto was old and - it seems like - they really do care about their customer and product.
I think I came on an off day, I really do. When I'm in the area next, I'll stop by and try again. And I encourage you to check them out and have your own experience, because I really don't think mine was their standard. Unfortunately... I was just left literally with a bad taste in my mouth.