I know time are hard, but come on seriously why such small portions? I use to love going here but…read morenow you literally get a few bites worth of food for each portion for the same amount of money. It's a clean establishment and friendly staff but I won't get back anytime soon due to the lack of food for the money. It's never a good feeling leaving a diner still hungry.

Quaint diner ... good food and friendly service ... I had a delicious BLT... my boyfriend had a…read morehamburger..... Priscilla is kind and very appreciative.

My parents had raved about their previous experience here and wanted to bring us. We did arrive a…read morelittle later than open on Saturday and it was quite a long line. So firstly I would recommend showing up early or to expect a wait especially on weekends. Also related to this their space is quite small it can be a little chaotic with finding a spot to sit. Despite the small space they have made sure it is very beautifully designed and amazing vibes overall. Makes sense why it is so popular honestly. We snagged some of their outdoor seats and enjoyed the nice weather with our breakfast. They have a good mix of sweet and savory and talking to some others in line they said you honestly can't go wrong with anything on the menu. They have a great amount of coffee drink options too and when you order a large they are not lying, it is huge. I finished mine during breakfast but my wife and mother got theirs in a to-go cup before we left and looked like a normal sized large still. Food wise I felt like I had to try their Blueberry French Toast and it did not disappoint, great take on the dish. Only real complaint I could say is I would prefer a little thinner slice of bread so it can soak a little better but no real complaints. My wife got the Librarian Omelette (minus mushrooms) and it was large and jam full, they did not skimp on ingredients. Her only real complaint was some bacon was thicker than she prefers but again minimal. If you are looking for a spot to grab some delicious breakfast and/or coffee in central Maine this should be near the top of your list. From the overall vibes to quality of drinks and food you will likely have a difficult finding a better spot.

We tried Pistachio Chai latte, Chicken wrap and Toast. Chicken wrap was decent and the toast was…read morebaked in house. The toast came with complimentary jam and tasted delicious. The Pistachio was too sweet for our taste.The vibes and the energy of the cafe is amazing. It offers scenic view to dine outside.

Absolutely the most comfy coffee house in central Maine! The decor is superb with some stuffed…read morechairs, creative lighting, shaded outdoor dog friendly patio and good coffee. There are also nice tables in front, streetside. Also called Spoke Collaborative it's a "coffee shop with bike shop dreams." They've got coffee and tea drinks and the cafe menu including bagels, pastries, wraps, and salads. However, the Bateau Brew food truck is right next door to the patio, as well. Worth a diversion!

Great craft coffee/espresso shop attached to Bintliff's Corner Brew. Great coffee and food in one…read morelocation.Many coffee options conveniently located in Downtown Gardiner. Highly recommend!

The A1 diner was a spot we had to check out on the family's trip to Maine. Lucky for us, the Mayor…read moreof Flavor Town gave his stamp of approval on Triple D. An old rail car sitting on the corner. It is a small and unassuming spot. You step in and it is a very tiny place. Your typical diner set up. Counter seating and booths opposite them. And the window to get the food from the kitchen. They don't have a gluten free menu, but they are well aware of small changes they can make or take away to fit the dietary needs. I went with the South of the Border Burger. No bun, pepperjack cheese and chili. They all blended together so well. The slight spice of the chili and cheese was a great topping mixture for the beef patty. The fries were right in the middle of crispy and soft. The North of the border burger was, "very tasty. Awesome flavor!" Which is a good review from my Dad who isn't much for extra on details. My brother got the Korean BBQ sliders special (not on menu pictures provided). The flavors were awesome. Lucky the kimchi came on the side, my brother wasn't too keen on the fermented cabbage. My mom had the curried chicken wrap, no wrap. So the kitchen made it a salad for her. Sh loves salad and curry. So why not put them together for a dish she really loved. The staff were all extremely friendly. They seemed to know a lot of the patrons coming in. We had a fun time reminiscing about the Guy Fieri visit and other Maine celebrities that have stopped in. If I'm ever out this way again, I would love to come back. Excellent food. Excellent service. Great experience!!

We visited on a late Sunday morning in September and were able to get a booth although the place…read morewas packed. Service was upbeat and friendly. It took a bit to get our order taken and over 30 mins to get our food: a strata with 2 eggs as a substitute for potatoes and greens, and 2 eggs, bacon, toast, and a side of corned beef hash. They had also run out of clean coffee mugs which left patrons we waiting for their coffee. The strata was a small portion and quite tasteless, except for the overwhelming taste of red peppers. Strata are usually made with eggs, stale bread, and other ingredients. There were no eggs listed in this one, so that is why I ordered sunnyside up eggs with it. The sunnyside eggs where overdone and quite browned on the bottom yet the yolk was not runny and the eggs were still undercooked on top. The corned beef hash, which we were told was stellar and television personality Guy Fierii loved, was abysmal. There were only tiny shreds of corned beef, not well seasoned, and mostly undercooked potatoes, celery, and onion. Even ketchup didn't help. Prices were very high for the serving size and quality.the strata was $18.00. Only on street parking, cramped quarters, high prices and less than stellar food. While by water, there is no seating overlooking the water. You can go outside to view. The service was excellent and the retro establishmnet is unique, but based on this experience, we would neither recommend nor return. Only on street parking.

Ordered banana pancakes, eggs, and bacon--delicious! A great breakfast spot. Highly recommend the…read morebanana pancakes.

This place is great! But bring a coat to wear if in the winter, it's chilly! Service was good,…read morewaitresses stay busy but are efficient and kind. I ordered blueberry pancakes and it's enough for an entire family. I accidentally left my leftovers behind, and it broke my heart. I do love the retro vibe of the place.

What a sweet place! Someone mentioned clean in a review here and that's exactly what my husband…read moresaid when we sat down. The service is wonderful, so fine to be treated with love. As you can see from the photo, the sausage gravy is humongous! and tasty too. But wait... who has these prices any more? Over in Rockland we have to pay $18 if we want sausage gravy and here it's less than half that AND you get two eggs and choice of sausage or bacon with it. Wonderful find. Can't wait to go back and try their salisbury steak or turkey dinner that everyone was ordering. Thanks Dave! (but moreso the wonderful waitresses)

It was a friendly place for lunch with a dear friend, unfortunately I didn't get pictures, we were…read morebusy catching up! Service was quick and friendly and the food was diner food +. In short, pretty darn good experience and I'll go back and ge pics next time! I had a very delicious steak sub - perfectly done with all the grease, veggies, cheese. I didn't do the fries in an attempt to not eat too much (see contents of the steak sub) and the chips were a good alternative.

This is such a cute store and restaurant. I haven't eaten here before, but I've been to the store…read moremany times. We really love their food and the atmosphere. They do have an outdoor seating area with umbrellas for gorgeous days in Maine and they have indoor seating. There's beautiful artwork on the wall you could purchase and lots of art from local artisans. They also have all the groceries that you need. Definitely worth a stop and the food and the people are super wonderful

Best little market ever! Wicked good breakfast omelettes! The store also has little treasures you…read morecan purchase from local crafters etc.

What a hidden gem in a town i've never visited before. I decided to make it to brunch for mother's…read moreday weekend and i really can't recommend this spot enough for a delicious and down to earth meal with people you love. I think the space is very cozy, with an open kitchen and wood tables and bar. The cute little market in back is wonderful to check out before or after your meal. The staff is absolutely wonderful. So kind and making recommendations along with answering any questions you have. I think for the price of food you are really getting a great deal. Everything is made fresh in house from scratch which you can watch when you sit at the bar which i did. Watching orange juice wbu freshly squeezed and the donuts being put together from absolute scratch. The burger is definitely a great choice, I couldn't get over the house cut fries and the alna sauce was wonderful to dip them in. The burger was juicy and delicious and paired perfectly with the Volcanique red they had on the menu. My mother ordered the grits and eggs, this dish was cooked perfectly and had a house made salsa verde. The side of sourdough is a must get for shareable side. The house made jam was spectacular - they make every sauce and dip and spread in house and you can really tell. It elevates the meal so much. The drinks were a bit overpriced in my opinion but as someone who lives in Portland i wasn't surprised they were priced that way. The standout from the meal was definitely the sour dough donut. This was fried fresh to order and we had the seasonal flavor that was lime glazed and it was absolutely breathtaking! The crispy exterior with the fluffy inside was perfection - you have to order this. I definitely will need to come and check out dinner here. Highly recommend making the trek out!

A place like The Alna Store really does need to be located in rural Maine, a solid hour from…read morePortland. Everything about The Alna Store is so special--it's possibly the best meal you will ever have, while inside the most unpretentious building, an actual store that sells produce and specialty gift items. A place like this should be experienced as a planned outing, not just a restaurant that's happened upon. A James Beard Award winning restaurant inside what could have been my grandparents' barn, along with beautifully mismatched silverware and repurposed green wine bottle water glasses--what could be more Maine? On both visits we were so excited that we arrived about a half hour early for our reservation, yet were welcomed and promptly seated. The service is excellent, and the food is next level out of this world. I couldn't help but want the person I was with to try what I was eating so we could try to parse out the complex flavors in each dish. Is that a tomato base? Chives? Ginger? Cucumber? We enjoyed every bite of every plate. Both times we started with the gazpacho, at dinner it was served with a grilled/toaster piece of sourdough focaccia. Fantastic! My dinner entree was the grilled squash with roasted peppers and delicious, flavorful breadcrumbs, and fresh mint leaves--it was our favorite plate of the meal. We both had desserts (pictured), the cake looked impressive as it tasted, yet the berry crisp was our favorite. Everything at dinner was so fabulous that I had to return, this time for brunch. We started with a couple of cups of our favorite Tandem coffee, again the gazpacho, and this time tried the ratatouille. Again, the flavors! How do they do it? Everything looked and tasted as if it was prepared with care. One more observation, how mistakes are handled: the person I had brunch with was vegan and the ratatouille came out with cheese. Our server promptly recognized the error, brought a remade dish, and at the end of the meal brought a complimentary vegan sorbet and said that "mistakes are celebrated", which we appreciated. Because of all of the much deserved accolades The Alna Store has recently received (James Beard, New York Times), the parking lot was full of out of state plates from Massachusetts, Maryland, Oregon, so be sure to make a reservation, and enjoy the people watching while you eat possibly the best meal of your life. We are so fortunate to live within an hour of this very special place. A solid five stars, please don't change a thing. I can't wait to try the fall menu!

Traverse Coffee has some inherent advantages. A beautiful section of the Kennebec River runs…read morethrough its backyard. Also, it's near Granite City Park, with its long row of colorful Adirondack chairs. That makes it a great place to drink Traverse Coffee with friends, or to drink coffee by yourself while you read or just gaze at the river flow. In addition, they seem to have a uniquely friendly and knowledgeable group of workers. I ordered a black cold brew. It was made with a Cat & Cloud roasted blend called The Answer. Cat & Cloud is off my radar, but some quick internet research suggests that they are based in Santa Cruz, CA. They have a 4.5 Yelp Star rating. The Answer blends Ethiopian, Colombian and Brazilian. It was balanced and pretty good. I didn't pick up any flavor notes in particular, which may have to with the fact that it was cold brewed rather than hot brewed and then chilled. I prefer more acidity and fruit notes. Four Stars.

Such a cozy ambiance and plenty of seating! There is a back porch area for a beautiful view of the…read morewater! I can only imagine what that's like in the summer.

I had been to Slates a few times, many, many years ago when I lived in the area. It was always a…read moretreat to dine here. It was damaged by fire and I moved away before it was restored. We were visitng in the area and was so glad to see it and just had to go. We did not have reservations but the restaurant was able to accomodate us immediately even though the place was quite full. We chose the homemade hummus with feta and olives to start off. Fresh, delicous and a perfect start. For entrees we had the fresh baked haddock wrapped around a filling of crabmeat with roasted carrots and grilled zuccini. The fish was succulent and oh so melt in your mouth deliciousness. The sides were fantastic. The grilled flat iron steak was just a tad over the requested medium rare, but was tender and flavorful. The mashed potatoes and roasted carrots were the perfect accompaniments. All portions were generous. There was live music, subtle and soft, and it added to the enjoyment of our meal. Love the decor and the service was friendly and efficent. Parking can be a challenge but we found a spot across the street quite easily. We highly recommed and will return. Best to make a reservation in advance.

We did not have a reservation, but they kindly took us since the summer rush is over. (I did say no…read moreto a high top upstairs, which seems to be the go-to for non-reservations, according to other reviews.) The food was absolutely phenomenal!!!! We had three specials (one app & two entrees) and every one was better than the next. I'm glad we did not say no to the bread that comes with the meal, since it was obviously freshly made and warm. And you must get a dessert - even if you have to split it - because it will be delicious!! We look forward to returning.