Excellent little spot in the middle of Damariscotta. Service was excellent and the atmosphere was very pleasant; too many restaurants around Maine have high ceilings with no acoustics, where your conversation mixes with and ricochets off every other table's. Not so here; it's nice to be able to enjoy great food and be able to hear myself think at the same time! read more

Wonderful atmosphere, service and delights. Our waitress was very helpful and attentive and her recommendations were the best.

Sunday morning brunch, off season, and it was packed! We had a reservation and I am glad we did. We were seated in the front room, happy about that as the back area where the bar is located is pretty tight. Very friendly place, cute brick interior. Had 6 oysters to start, very tasty. Loved my berry French toast and maple sausage. My husband's burger was reported as "good". The sauce under the baked fries was a bit heavy and had a vinegary bite to it. If you are not a brunch person there is the burger and salad but not much else for lunch goers. Service was quick to start then got slow as the kitchen got backed up. Might be best to arrive after noon. read more

See all

Stopped in for lunch with my sister and brother in law. Service was very competent and friendly. I ordered the Wagu Breakfast burger with no bun which was fabulous. The brisket Benedict was also fabulous. We started with a dozen oysters which were very good as well, although the meat wasn't separated from the shell, a small quibble, but a bit surprising considering we're in Maine. Overall I'd love to return the next time I'm in the area. read more

Bred In The Bone - Great wagu burger (I ordered with no bun) - Mediterranean Near Me - Damariscotta, Maine

See all

We had a delicious lunch with a sunny view of the Damariscotta River. The three sandwiches were tasty: eggplant shawarma, chicken shawarma, and lamb gyro, each served with homemade chips. We had a rose and then a Prosecco. Both were very good, but neither was the one listed on the menu as our server, Cayce, noted as she brought them to the table. We were charged for the other bottles, which I didn't realize until reviewing the receipt to write this review. We agreed to the bottle substitution, but the price we were charged should have been corrected for lower priced substitutes. All three desserts were freshly made in house; the Aflogato was truly special - house made vanilla gelato with espresso poured over! The baklava was as delicious as that made by the mother of a close friend, who was Greek and used her nonna's recipe. The Tiramisu was luscious though it maybe could have a bit more espresso powder to have a more intense coffee flavor. We will definitely return - maybe for brunch next time. read more

See all

What a find! This place is tucked away with an inconspicous front and front door. The food is absolutely scrumptious and I thought about it for days afterward. They have seating indoors and outdoors. My only complaint is that the service was quite slow. My elderly dad was with me and he had a walker and they made us wait standing up for a good 10 mins. Then when it was time to seat us there was obviously no room for my dad and his walker to get by the check in desk and they made no effort to help him or move the desk. We ordered right away but the food came slowly AND we had to wave down a server to get our check to be able to leave. We told them at the start we were on a bit of a time crunch but that didn't seem to help. Now the food, wow! I had the roasted carrots with sumac yogurt and honey. I have never eaten carrots so delectable as these. Do not pass these up even though they sound mundane. It was very large portion also. The baba ghanoush was also the best I have ever had. I savored every bit of it. It came with delicious piece of bread as well as with homemade pickles and pickled onions and was a huge portion. My dad had the grilled haddock sandwich which came with enough haddock for 2 people with leftovers. It was so moist and cooked to perfection. It was on a delicious looking bun with garnishes. It also came with homemade potato chips that looked like they were overcooked until you tried them and they were sooooo yummy. They should sell their potato chips in to go bags. Next time you are visiting this small town don't miss out on this GREAT restaurant. read more

I received a gift certificate for this restaurant recently so thought i would make good use of it by treating myself to a birthday brunch with my husband. The restaurant was very chic yet cozy and we enjoyed our spot in the front dining area. Our waiter was very nice and prompt and the brunch menu had some fun options like a Monte Cristo - as the restaurant has a Mediterranean style menu. A very classy option in downtown Damariscotta, we'll be back. read more

See all

Lovely dinner! Food was very good, and portions were perfect. Service was friendly and prompt. Ambiance was five stars! This is a gem. Don't hesitate to visit. read more

See all

Bred In The Bone was recommended to us by a random couple that we met on the beach at Ocean Point. The restaurant was clean and nicely decorated. The menu offered sandwiches and entrees, and drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. I ordered the Salmon Bowl with a Blood Orange spritzer. My spouse ordered the Haddock Sandwich and a glass of wine. The food arrived quickly and was presented nicely. Both meals were delicious. Unfortunately, our experience was negatively impacted by our server. Once our meals were delivered, we did not see her again until after we were both finished eating. No return to the table check-in to see if things were okay. No return to see if either of us wanted another drink. And we waited at least 15 minutes after completing our meals for her to ask us if we wanted anything else. I would still recommend that you consider visiting this restaurant, as the food was pretty good. Maybe you'll get lucky enough to have a server who cares more than ours did. read more

For my money this place is as good as it gets. Went there for lunch and loved it so much we went back for supper a few nights later. For lunch I had the burger, we was the best I have had in a long time and the hummus. The marinated tomatoes in the hummus I will crave for the rest of my life. For supper I had a ragu short rib special, others had bolognese, NY strip, and an off menu veggie something or other my daughter order and loved and heirloom tomato app. Oh and if you failed to order the carrots then you LOST! So So good! See you next year ladies. Cheers!!! read more

See all

Very cozy restaurant with cool attention to detail. Everything from the silverware to the glassware to the wood floors seemed special and unique. Food was amazing. I had a cottage pie special which was like shepherds pie but with steak. Even the veggie and lettuce was incredible. My dish was served in a cast iron skillet. Delicious! Bar area in the back was so cool and cozy looking. We sat in the main dining area. They accommodated a gluten and dairy allergy. Very nice time. Great staff. Highly recommended! read more

See all

Wonderful experience from the moment we walked in - engaging and authentic welcome - Warm and quaint atmosphere - excellent menu. Food quality, service and expediency were exquisite! Five stars!!!! Marissa was tip top! read more

Tried Bred in the Bone about 2 weeks ago, spectacular. Food, service, ambiance and a very good time. Got to sit in one of the two front bay windows, comfortable and great for conversation with my other 2 friends. Drinks were perfect, good wine list. Even the table setting was top notch. The Mediterranean take on stuffed cabbage over polenta was unexpectedly good, the Halibut was sensational and the steak, with potatoes, charred broccolini and romesco sauce was simple yet perfect. Appetizers and desserts would have been worth the visit by themselves. We spend a lot of time in Maine, have been treated to many great places in Portland and beyond, Bred in the Bone stands with the best of them, across the board, the owners and staff know their business. Photos are worth 1000 words so here are 4000 words (in photos) read more

See all

There were like four lobster's worth of claws in my tagliatelle to the point where I had to take some home and throw them in a sandwich the next day. Divine!! Ambitious and clever cocktails, and sitting outside surrounded by flowers with a perfect panorama of the water was unparalleled. read more

Bred In The Bone - Mediterranean Near Me - Damariscotta, Maine

This is a world class gem in our little town of Damariscotta! The chefs creations are fantastic. I started with the Antipasto which had a delicious variety of olives, speck, creamy mozzarella etc ! My friend had the Arancini balls. Spicy and full of flavor. My main course was bolognese over homemade pasta. It's the best I've ever had. The depth of flavors lit up my taste buds with every bit. I've been making bolognese for years and this was the absolute best. My friend had the lamb meat balls over homemade pasta. They were spicy and delicious. Had the burger for lunch. My friend have lamb gyros. Both were 10!'s! Stacy greeted us and Danica our server couldn't have been more welcoming and friendly! Do yourself a favor and try them. I can't wait to go back. Ambiance is very casual! Ciao read more

Made a reservation, then still had to wait 30 minutes for a tiny table. Mediocre, Salty, Expensive. Thank goodness they could not mess up the wine. read more

Damariscotta, Maine's newest fine dining restaurant... We visited Damariscotta's newest dining experience, "Bred In The Bone" for luncheon. Their culinary excellence sets a new standard. Bred In The Bone's menu, style, presentation and of course flavors motivate the most discerning palates to stand-up and take notice. To begin the festivities, we started with extra-dry Hendrick's Martinis up, which were generous in stature. Add extra olives on the side, delivered by our smiling and intellectual server, Tim. Very tasty and thirst-quenching, I must share. Fabulous food fantasies materialized in real-time when our first plates were served. Visualize, if you will, Tuna Crudo with whipped soy, crushed peas, Calabrian chili peppers and a hint of mint. Also Bred In The Bone's interesting Hummus creation, delicately augmented with olive oil, herbs and pita. We were already singing a bad version of, "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" almost expecting original 1955 vocalist Andy Williams to come-by our table at any moment. OK, it was entrée time. After careful, executive consideration, we gave the accommodating Tim our orders...the SHAWARMA, served with slow roasted chicken, pickles, herbs. And the EGGPLANT PARAGIANA prepared on fresh baguette with mozzarella, ricotta, red pepper and Bred In The Bone's coveted tomato-leaning sauce. To quote a friend, "I've lived in countries around the world where Shawarma is standard fare. This is the best I've ever tasted." Only a serious chef with years of accrued expertise could conceive, create and execute food concepts such as these offerings. Bravo, Chef Floren! Now for the dessert course. "Fuhgeddaboudit." Our food inhalation experience at Bred In The Bone needed to end. But we sure had a good time. read more

Bred In The Bone - Bred In The Bone's interesting take on Eggplant Parmagiana served on oven-fresh fresh baquette. - Mediterranean Near Me - Damariscotta, Maine

Just had dinner at Bred in the Bone restaraunt in Damariscotta Maine. What a wonderful experience. The food was excellent (seared scallops as a main) and the dessert (Tiramisu) was unbelievable. Would recommend this restaraunt to everyone. It can be a bit pricey but certainly no worse that other restaurants in the coastal region. Service was excellent and the atmosphere (with its open style kitchen) was quite sophisticated and rustic at the same time. Great place to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or other special event. Go there soon..... read more

A local recommended we eat here and we were not disappointed. Service was outstanding by Nolan. It's a nice (small) quaint restaurant but food was fantastic with one exception. We had the hummus and focaccia bread which was excellent. My wife and daughter shared the heirloom tomato salad and said they were the best tomatos they'd ever had. My son and I both had the braised beef cheeks and it was amazing (melt in your mouth good). My wife had the scallops and loved them (and she is picky about her scallops). My daughter had the bolognese pasta and it was just ok, not a lot of flavor as a few others have mentioned. We topped dinner off with the tiramisu and chocolate ganache cake - both were excellent. Overall an excellent dinner and highly recommend. read more

The cast iron chicken was very possibly the best chicken I've ever had. HOLY MOLY. The Bolognese was pretty good but wasn't quite so exclamation worthy. Creme brulee was delicious and not too sweet! Gorgeous restaurant and nice little touches with the tableware and decor. Really friendly and helpful wait staff. Highly recommended! read more

See all

From start to finish, this restaurant was exceptional. The quality of the food, the flavors, the atmosphere, the staff.. 10/10. We're looking forward to our next date night there already. Very special place. read more

See all

Loved this place, great food, great staff, lovely decor. Our puppy joined us for lunch on the porch! Beautiful day

We had an absolutely delightful anniversary dinner here on a Sunday night. The roasted carrots with ricotta cream and pistachios was light and perfectly herbed. Our charming server Jonathan steered us to all the best main dishes for perking up a rather chilly and cloudy early autumn eve (a delicate bolognese with a light homemade pasta and a flavorful bone burger with a field greens salad). To top off the lovely wine list we had a fragrant cup of Earl Grey tea and a creamy tiramisu. Wonderful evening. read more

Bred In The Bone - Cosy and warm ambiance. - Mediterranean Near Me - Damariscotta, Maine

Another great evening here! The roasted carrots were amazing and while the chicken cacciatore bears no resemblance to traditional chicken cacciatore, it was delicious. Johnathan was a thoughtful server and made our dinner delightful. read more

Bred In The Bone - Seared cod with mussels - Mediterranean Near Me - Damariscotta, Maine

See all

Yum and very nice staff. Clams and scallops were perfect. Curious about the name. I like to call it Fred in the Bone.

Most amazing food, the service is excellent and the ambiance is fantastic. Five star food at a great price. Love this restaurant. The staff and owners are amazing. I would drive 2 hours to enjoy a meal here read more

I brought some ladies to lunch at this lovely establishment after doing some research on downtown Damariscotta restaurants and selecting Bred in the Bone for using local and farm fresh ingredients. The tour we went on of St. Patrick's Church prior to lunch went longer than expected and we arrived about 20 minutes before closing. They graciously and warmly welcomed us. One lady had the haddock sandwich with homemade chips sprinkled with Za'atar. She commented that the fish was cooked to perfection. Another lady order the butternut squash apple soup with focaccia and commented it was divine. I ordered the salmon quinoa bowl and it was delicious, perfectly prepared. I rarely, if ever, eat out in and restaurant because I choose to cook and know my ingredients. This restaurant exceeded our expectations in both service and food. I will return with hubby for brunch or dinner and would highly recommend. The ending to a lovely day in a charming town. read more

Overall Grade: 3 = C Ambiance: 4 Service: 3 Food: 2 Disappointing--Not worth the price Bred in the Bone is a new Mediterranean restaurant in the lovely town of Damariscotta, ME. I am Lebanese American and was eager to try it. Reservations can be made online, but they're booking about a week out at this writing (May 31, 2023). The restaurant is tastefully decorated with hammered tin ceilings, wood floors, green paint and brick walls, large vases of flowers, and some cute window seating. Comfy pillows are provided for the bench seats against the walls and windows. Menues are printed on heavy paper. We received a torn wine list. This isn't important, but in an upscale restaurant, one expects intact menues. Silverware was clean and weighty, but the server did not bring fresh silverware after the appetizer. We were the first guests in the restaurant at 5 PM. There was an available two-top in the window, but it was not offered to us. We asked, and the waitress said we could move, but she seemed a bit put out by the request; we did not move. The waitress offered flat or bubbly water and took our drink orders quickly. I explained that I have a severe dairy protein allergy, and she took note. She was neat and polite, but we were surprised that she never checked our water after she served our initial carafe. We ran out with none left by dessert. No bread was brought to the table. More on this later. We ordered the eggplant spread from the "bar menu" as most of the other appetizer choices contained dairy. The waitress offered a dairy-free version, but we were happy to try the eggplant dip that she said was like baba ganoush. It was nothing like baba ganoush. It was grainy, the eggplant was not sufficiently roasted, and I could not detect garlic. This dip tasted vegetal--more like uncooked eggplant. It was served with plenty of olive oil and not enough seasoning (it needed salt among other things), and very tasty, warm flat bread. My husband ordered the seared scallop special. The scallops were properly, lightly seared, but the dish came with asparagus that was too thick and fibrous, and potato salad that was too cold. Although the sauce was tasty, he said the contrast in temperature was jarring and unpleasant, and the potato salad cooled the scallops arranged on top of it too much. I had the linguini con vongole. I especially wanted this because it was made with bottarga, uni, and Calabrian chili. The linguini was thick and heavy. It was wide like fettuccine but the texture was off. It was too dense and chewy. Some strands were stuck together making it heavy and difficult to eat. The clams were tiny and good. There was enough salt, probably thanks to the bottarga and uni, but the sauce was flat. There was no evidence of the Calabrian chili. I also felt it needed acid. It had an interesting grassy flavor, but overall it was disappointing. Both my husband and I had sauce left over in our bowls, but no bread was served to mop it up. I didn't even see it offered as an option on the menu. Not only am I Lebanese, I have lived in France and traveled extensively around the Mediterranean. Great bread is always offered. Oh well. Another disappointment. We split the baklava for dessert. You can probably guess my reaction. Granted, I was raised on homemade baklava, but this was really sad. It was bone dry and had one thick layer of large chopped pistachios. The filo tasted as if it was store-bought and stuck to the roof of your mouth. I watched a sous chef in the open kitchen trying to remove it from its tray. She struggled mightily, a sign the baklava was over cooked. There was honey syrup but nowhere near enough. Baklava should be moist with 4 layers of filo and 3 layers of finely crushed nuts. We should have needed to lick our fingers afterwards, but, alas, you couldn't even pick this stuff up without it falling apart. And all this for $115! That included two glasses of wine for $25 total so the food cost $90. I wouldn't complain about the price if the food had been scrumptious, but I found the menu pretentious and complex without delivering consistently on flavor. That's why this is such a long review. I'm tired of spending too much on mediocrity. That said, they just opened, and I hope our experience is simply reflective of new kitchen/menu jitters. We might give them several months to find their groove and try again. We certainly wish them all the best. read more

Was hoping for a tasty meal, alas, the word is insipid. Overcooked pasta with zero flavor. Tough pork, left uneaten. Staff is not engaged, and had to summon the wait staff for basics. A true disappointment. Great ambience, however full boxes to go are telling. Hungry. read more

Fresh fun flavors and great service, will definitely recommend and come back next chance I have. Tuna crudo special had so many flavors going on, espresso martini drink (robustini) was best ever and the mussels had the most amazing bread and broth read more

Food was really good but service was incredibly slow. We'd give this place a 3.5/5 if we could. We came in at 5, ordered everything right away and food took an hour. Just not what we expected. read more

Wow this restaurant is a hidden treasure. Small town America, boasting a farm to table restaurant that goes shoulder to shoulder with restaurants in Portland, Portsmouth, and beyond. Delicious meal for five of us, all different, and each of us having "OMG this is amazing!l" reactions. Great wine list. Superb service. Lively but comfortable atmosphere. Don't miss it. You'll figure out a way to come back often!!! read more

The food is good, my husband thinks the food is great but I'm not as big a fan. The service is very good. Unfortunately the last time we dined there a woman who was drenched in strong perfume sat nearby and the smell was overwhelming ruining my meal. Seating is tight and although the waitress offered to move us to another table it was in front of the door on a chilly day so we opted to remain at our table. Don't know how else the situation could be fixed but that woman was unaware and it's not the restaurants fault. Next time I'm requesting a table in the back near the bar- views and possibly less perfume. read more

This is a beautiful restaurant. Watching a craft cocktail bartender do her job with such skill was delightful and the cocktails were both lovely and delicious! The food, oh the food! Amazing! The entire service team from back of house to front work together like a fine Swiss watch. This is the most stunning meal that I have had since moving back from "away" five years ago. Well done Bred in the Bone. Well done! read more

We've had several great meals here! The restaurant is close, busy, and energetic with a fun vibe. It can be loud, but in a fun way. Lobster pappardelle, chicken cacciatore, wagyu burgers, are all fabulous. My father had a confit which he did not like, but I always hate confits. read more

Wow!! Absolutely amazing. Came here for lunch today to treat my husbands grandmother for her birthday. I was blown away! We had the hummus appetizer, which was a 10/10. For entrees we had a sandwich on their homemade focaccia, which was excellent - even the simple side salad served with it was perfection! We also got the lobster scampi, which I wouldn't order again, but my grandmother really enjoyed it. Great ambiance. Feels like it should be in Portland - what a treat that we get such a great dining establishment in Damariscotta! I will dine here every summer when I come to visit! read more

First time here on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Warm cozy and welcoming atmosphere with very pleasant staff. The smoked eggplant dip is a MUST have - so creamy and smoky and good to the last bit (pro tip - keep a small piece of the delicious pita to wipe out every bite from the bowl!). The shawarma was divine but I did have a piece of cartilage in my half - which also shows how fresh it is. The La Favolosa sandwich with the truffle crème was out of this world good. Good sized portions and very quick delivery of everything. We will be back! read more

Bred In The Bone - Shawarma - Mediterranean Near Me - Damariscotta, Maine

See all

Best meal we've had in Damariscotta in 30 years! Spectacular service with warm and welcoming atmosphere. read more

Are they open? I have called and emailed 4 times, tried to make a reservation and even drive up from harpswell when they had posted open hours on the site and the door, but no one was there or answering the phone and no one ever returned messages or emails. If that's the service I'm no longer interested!! read more

The mussel appetizer was served with bread that was so drenched in butter and so infused with salt that it really ruined the appetizer. The mussel broth was very good, but the focaccia bread was terrible. read more