I'm so glad to see that Ann's Book Bistro is open again. We went last night and sampled their new…read moreTapas menu and were blown away. We had their tomato fennel soup, slow cooked pork tacos with pickled veggies, and their Sparta (Greek) salad and finished with their special banana nut sundae. Finally we had a unique cocktail with chocolate tequila, Gran Marnier and Tia Marie (addictive!). All were unique and outstanding. It was also nice to see that the restaurant was packed and their unique atmosphere was hopping. We'll be back soon!

There are many terrific dining options in Damariscotta/Newcastle. But the no-doubt winner in the…read moremost underrated restaurant is Ann's Book Bistrot. We've met three groups of friends there in the past 10 days and sample pretty much everything on the tapas menu. Pork souvlaki, lamb ragu, Indian butter chicken, lamb burger, brie brûlée, bistro sesame noodles, tomato fennel soup--all of it fresh, delicious, all brilliantly presented. Quiet, comfortable at-home dining area makes for a perfect setting for perfect meals we and our dinner pals have enjoyed. Ann's Book Bistrot is just a couple of miles outside of downtown Damariscotta and well worth the trip.

We were driving through on our way to Acadia and looking for some lunch. Ordered our first Maine…read moreLobster Roll here as it was cheaper than most other places and it was delicious! Staff was friendly and the food great. Learned later the place was owned by a local fisherman and you could tell!

I decided to get the lobster roll. (4oz). It was delicious and priced an average $10 cheaper than…read moreevery other restaurant/deli/food truck in the area. I figured out later that Clan Maclaren is owned by a local fisherman.

Excellent encounters with staff from the moment we walked in the door. The ambiance was pleasant…read moreand the food was excellent. The service was also excellent. I would definitely return if in the area.

Overall I was unimpressed by 13 Oak. Not exactly bad per se but it fell well below my expectations…read morefrom reading other reviews. I do miss Cafe Miranda, the restaurant formerly in this location. After being brought to my table and offered water I was ignored for what seemed like a long time. But after that the service got better. My waiter once he arrived was fine and seemed to know the offerings pretty well. On the starters menu there was a Crudo, described as "local fresh catch. Chef's selection." I asked and it was scallop. Sounded good. It was, but I wasn't crazy about the texture of the raw scallops. (I've had crudo before but never scallop.) But I did like the heat intensity from the hot pepper rings, the sweetness from the mandarin orange slices, the pronounced flavor of roasted garlic, and the oily dressing with two kinds of sesame seeds. Biggest flaw: way too small for the price of $20. I had a cocktail from their small specialties section, "No Cap(irinha)": Cachaca (a Brazilian rum made from sugarcane), blueberry Cheong (a Korean style fruit syrup), and lime. It was refreshing, but very weak on alcohol, served in an inappropriate glass reminiscent of a cafeteria tumbler, and the ice was all wrong (too-small pieces that quickly diluted the already weak drink). Rather than take a chance on another disappointing cocktail my second drink was a glass of wine from the small but ample selection of by the glass. As for the other alcoholic beverages: the beer selection was very small, and the only hard cider was the undrinkable Woodchuck. My entree was also scallops. Described as "local scallops, mushroom, bacon risotto, parmesan." The scallops were tasty, heavily seared on one side and cooked medium on the other. The risotto was very good, without the heaviness of excess cream or cheese found in many risottos, and the rice grains were distinct and al dente, not mushy at all. The bacon may have been good in moderation, but this wasn't moderate. The large smoky bits totally overwhelmed the delicate scallops, making it seem like the bacon was the main event, the scallops merely an afterthought. But my biggest criticism is the portion: the 4 medium-large scallops were in no way adequate, and the price for what I got was insane. My rating is based not just on what I ate but what was on the menu and on other diners' plates. The menu was very small. Yes it is a tiny restaurant (just 9 tables and maybe 6 seats at the semicircular bar), but the former Cafe Miranda in the same location had a huge menu so it must be possible. I'm glad I didn't order the steak. I overheard the waiter tell another diner it was just the steak and a sauce and did they want to order sides (6 sides are offered at $10 apiece). That's ridiculous. An entree should be complete, with creative sides included as decided by the chef. For a steak, maybe some onion rings and grilled broccolini, for example? Add 2 sides at $10 apiece and your steak entree is now costing a whopping $60! And stealing some furtive glances when it arrived at my neighbor's table, it didn't look that special. I could be wrong though. I also saw a burger delivered. A 6 oz patty, with caramelized onion, black garlic mayo, brioche bun, and fries or salad. That's "or", not "and." 6 oz burger for a whopping $26! Um, no. No table bread! Grrr. This annoys me maybe more than it should. Sadly it's getting more common. Want bread? Order it for $6. No thanks. Going with the cafeteria theme (the aforementioned cheap-looking cocktail glasses) the silverware was provided wrapped in a single basic paper napkin, and the table was unadorned with tablecloth. Completely inappropriate for the level of restaurant I think they are striving for. Dessert menu was pretty small too. But I figured I couldn't go wrong with flourless chocolate cake. And there was nothing wrong with it, just unimpressive, the standard presentation of a slab of cake, a few raspberries and mint leaves, and an amorphous blob of whipped cream on top. Yawn. My water glass, after being filled regularly for the first 30 minutes (I was very thirsty), was left empty for the rest of the evening. Until after I had already paid and was about to leave, the water person came by and asked if I wanted water. Rather late, and a strange question. Why ask? Just pour!

The #1 best value lobster roll in the State of Maine, conveniently located along Route 1. An easy…read morestop on the way up or down the coast. Not just an easy stop, but a must stop! Get there early and you will probably see lobstermen unloading crates of lobster from the nearby harbor. It's not waterfront, but in the late fall you can see the bay through the trees after the leaves fall! Bonus! We ordered a traditional Maine style mayo lobster roll and a buttered lobster roll for comparison. The traditional Maine style mayo lobster roll was absolutely perfect! Just enough mayo to bind the fresh, plump, tender sweet cold water lobster meat. Oh and no fillers, just lobster meat (mostly tender sweet knuckle/claw meat, mmmmm) and just the right amount of mayo. Same for buttered lobster roll, just the right amount of clarified butter as a binder. No need to overpower the fresh delicate flavor of tender cold water lobster from Maine waters. Both lobster rolls were presented on an over stuffed buttered and grilled hot dog style roll. Plated with fresh, hot ,skin on shoestring fries and some house made slaw. Delicious! Both rolls perfect! Hard to tell which one we liked better. Maybe slight advantage to the traditional mayo style, just cause thats the way we like it. If you cant decide, We recommend you get one of each, split with a friend, and judge for yourself. Either way you wont be dissapointed. The Bayside store is not just a lobster roll place. Its a great old world style small market with something for everyone. You can get just about anything from breakfast, to a burger, to fresh house made soup, to a great selection of local craft beers! As soon as you walk in through the swinging screen door you feel automatically welcome. Seems like the place where there is always fresh hot coffee on and friendly staff to greet you. There are relaxing benches and some hightop counters to relax and enjoy your meal or a cup of coffee. Weather permitting, there is also casual and comefortable outside seating. Oh and the staff was so pleasant and welcoming. Makes you want to come back and be a regular! Highly recommended! 5+++++ We will return! Again and Again!

We ordered 5 subs - steak and cheese, firecracker, big pig, Italian, and chicken bacon ranch. They…read morewere all decent. They need to figure out a better system for the kitchen. Our order took over 30 minutes to prepare. Someone ordered two subs after us and were told it would be 1 hr and 15 minutes. There is definitely a more efficient way to run the kitchen. Used to be one of our absolute favorite places to go. I hope the new owners can figure it out so they can keep this place going.

We had our last morning in Camden and did not want to eat at the hotel. I happened to find this…read morelittle place, how adorable . You walk in and order from the welcoming staff at the counter. We ordered the 2 eggs, toast and bacon & the breakfast sandwich. The 2 egg breakfast was simple and tasty. Maybe should've ordered another side, my husband still felt a little hungry. He wanted to add a 3rd egg, but they can only order another 2, per the original menu. The breakfast sandwich was delightful! Perfect cooked eggs, meat and crispy and there was a delicious aioli or spicy/chipotle spread. Soo good!! I was only able to eat 1/2 of the sandwich. My husband said it was just what he needed since he wasn't able to add the second egg. I also ordered a hot vanilla latte. This was the best coffee I had the whole week we were there. Definitely give this sweet little local restaurant a try when in Camden!

Villager Cafe is a charming place for breakfast or lunch, centered in the heart of Camden…read more They serve well-priced dishes with a great variety so there is truly something for everyone. The fresh pastries are a great treat to add on to your meal. The owners have spruced up the interior to make it an open and comfortable place to eat. They even added a charming couch area with kids toys for the little ones. The employees are friendly and always ready to help. I love their merchandise and am happy to represent this new gem of a diner.

Park Street Grille is one of those places that's easy to keep coming back to. The food is…read moreconsistently great, the atmosphere is relaxed, and being right in downtown Rockland overlooking the harbor makes it even better. We started with the lobster wontons and wings, and both were excellent. The lobster wontons were especially amazing--I could honestly make a meal out of those alone. For dinner, our table ordered the tostada salad, a cheeseburger, the pork belly Cuban, and the Texas Burger. Everything came out fresh and looked fantastic. The pork belly Cuban was hands down the best Cuban sandwich we've ever had, and the Texas Burger is still my personal favorite every time I visit. The restaurant is spacious, the service was friendly and attentive, and the whole place has a welcoming, laid-back Maine vibe. If you're looking for a great meal in downtown Rockland, Park Street Grille is definitely worth a visit. We'll absolutely be back!

Absolutely a fabulous place for great food and awesome margaritas. We are traveling through Maine…read morefor the summer and stopped here several times. The food Is always delicious, the service staff are friendly and knowledgeable of local area. We had a wonderful view of the harbor from the patio.

While biking through Belfast we stopped to get wraps to eat along our route and so glad we came…read moreacross Bay Wrap. The person behind the counter was very helpful with suggestions and informed us that every wrap could be made with tofu as the protein so well worth exploring the many options there are. The choice is small 10" or large 12" wrap. We went with the 10" and was very pleased with the size. I got the "To Thai for" and my wife opted for the "Gonzo for Garbanzo ". Heads up the falafel is spicy. Overall great stop and I would highly recommend.

Nice people, good coffee. If you get the chai, my friend said she didn't recommend it. However,…read morethey were really great and accommodating and helping her try to adjust the flavor because it was really not good. But for coffee, it's good.

The food was good, and the half is actually a full sandwich so go for that if you're looking to…read moresave a little. They took down the build your own menu but you can build your own sandwich, just watch the price. The serving staff were friendly and helpful as well and the vibe inside was great! Seriously get the half sandwich, that is what's pictured, it's a deal for sure.

The store's welcoming atmosphere recalls an earlier era, when country stores were a community hub…read more With its mix of practical items and charming souvenirs, S. Fernald's offers a taste of authentic Maine.