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    The Store Ampersand

    4.9 (12 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 6:00 pm

    The Store Ampersand Photos

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    9 years ago

    The staff is so nice I'm there after school a few days a week to get coffee and a cookie....I would definitely recommend to everyone

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    10 years ago

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    Review Highlights - The Store Ampersand

    Roberta can whip up any caffeinated beverage you want and still keep chatting about goings on in the mean time.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Sawyer's Specialties

    Sawyer's Specialties

    4.5(18 reviews)
    45.1 mi
    $$$

    Excellent wine and cheese selection. Ladies working store were friendly, polite and knowledgeable…read more Store is compact, clean, stocks and cheese case has a lovely selection. Getting cheese sliced to order by weight at a real counter ensures that you will be getting the real thing, that you like because you have the option to taste it, it ensures the cheese counter will take you through a tasting journey until you find something ideal, and hopefully a little bit of quips and information about each cheese along the way. I can't think of anywhere else I would rather shop for cheese, often precut preweighed and suffocating and it's little plastic jackets. Bottom line it is morally superior to buying cheese from a bin. So let start of this little story by stating the facts 1.) I know cheese. 2.) I love cheese. One of the cheeses I bought from here was spoilt suffering from a particularly bad case of rind rot that was not visually apparent-- only to the tounge. It was what I like to call a tongue piercer but not in a good way. I was wondering why my guests winced after taking a taste, looking puzzled and they politely tried to swallow and get the taste out of their mouths, eyes darting about. "You don't like cheddar with chives? Ohh! it's one of my favorite." *takes a bite* Hooo wee. Boy was it overly funked. Mouth stinging over ammoniatedly funky and not for the faint of heart. Okay so throw it in the chuck it bucket, chalk it up to whatever. But then we went to unwrap the pate well that piece was really past its prime, born just before Zsa Zsa Gabor all glint, grey, covered in a white penicillin like and... GULP green mold. As much as I wanted to cut off the oddly colored growths, to not let it go to waste, I didn't have the heart. 10 years ago? I would not have bat an eye. I would have cut off the nasty and gone to town or at least shared it with my pet cat. God I'm getting old and boring. Hence this Yelp review. Anyway back to the story! The guests were here. Thankfully I had some odds and ends in the cheese drawer to drag out and dust off. And I kid you not I produced a. processed summer salami to swoop in & stand in as a body double for the pate and pair with the pickles and mustard. Crisis averted! Other two cheeses were however perfect, D'affinois in peak ripeness and thrilled they stock moliterno al tartufo. So nice to get these cheeses up here! The d'affinois was smooth like a Donna summer record and the moliterno tasted as if I were there in Sardinia licking lapping at the ocean waves. Batting two out of two makes me wonder what else is lurking in the case, or did I just get unlucky? I'll give them a call and I'll return for sure. Again I stress EXCELLENT selection wonderful employees. But until they work out product dating and storage, I suggest you might ask to sample the cheeses before purchasing (just in case!) and committing-- even one you've had before. Cheeses vary through out the year and the seller importer and purveyor depending on how and how long they're stored/transported. Now here's the best part. I called them and they immediately offered a refund taking my word for this even after I offered to bring in the product to show. Woman on the phone was super sweet. Can't wait to go back and patronize this business again. Happy cheese eating!

    This is the place to definitely stop for all your cheese needs. The selection isn't absolutely huge…read morebut it is a good variety. The staff is charming and incredibly knowledgeable. Highly recommend stopping by. Ask them about the lady who sells homemade marmalade down the road. Her marmalade and jams were absolutely delicious and pair perfectly with some of their cheese.

    Photos
    Sawyer's Specialties - Storefront

    Storefront

    Sawyer's Specialties

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    Salvatore & Roscia  - Charcuterie

    Salvatore & Roscia

    4.6(14 reviews)
    35.7 mi
    $$

    Gorgeous custom charcuterie spreads!! Meticulously curated & so so yummy! A mixture of quality…read morecheese, meats, fresh fruits, honey, and candied fruit. I definitely recommend!

    I love the name of this shop! The owners guessed the words to my secret mantra. I was happy to…read morelearn that a gourmet cheese store had recently arrived to this corner of Maine. Located around the corner from the main drag it's easy to find because of the eye catching chalkboard signs we saw on the sidewalk which point the way for you. There was an initial big disappointment here which turned out to be the first thing you are confronted with at the entrance and that is the metal spiral staircase that one must climb in order to enter. There is no other way in that I could see. Never mind how treacherous this could be on an icy winter day, the real tragedy here is that this means access is barred to those with certain disabilities, anyone in a wheelchair, a parent with a stroller, a frail elder and others that may have trouble navigating such a wretched means of entry. Once safely inside the space it's small but quite inviting and pleasantly decorated. The bounty is contained in one large glass-fronted refrigerated case and it's delightfully packed with cheeses from places near and far. The friendly man working there who I believe was the owner, told us to just let him know whatever it was we wanted to sample. Say no more! Already displayed were a few plates of already cut up cheese samples from which I took a number of nibbles. I love when shops do this although for hygiene sake I would have loved some toothpicks to spear the cheese rather than have everyone use fingers. I decided on the cutely named Ewephoria which is a sheep's milk cheese (get it?) from Holland. It's a hard cheese that was nutty and buttery. We loved it, so I'll be on the look out for it again. There were some artisinal salamis for sale as well that intrigued my husband. From trips to Tuscany where boar is king, he has become especially fond of this kind of meat. He bought some of the smoked boar sausage that he said was delicious. The shop also sells a small but decent selection of wines and some gourmet crackers. We wished they sold some fresh crusty baguettes which would have made this one stop shopping for the perfect picnic fare. There is nothing about what they are selling and how they are selling it inside the shop that I have any trouble with. It's great. What I hope is that the owners who have come up with a great idea for this town, will figure out a way to address the need for access to all. And from the owner's point of view, they should be thinking about all the customers who they are missing because they can't get in. I don't know how the appropriate changes can be done at this exact location unless there was a secret elevator or entrance I missed. But if not, there have got to be other available storefronts somewhere in Belfast in which to set up shop. Hello, calling Belfast realtors... This is dedicated to Michele R. whose reviews always take accessibility into consideration and from whom I've learned much about this issue. Her well articulated reviews have helped me to be more mindful about this kind of equality.

    Photos
    Salvatore & Roscia  - Custom Charcuterie

    Custom Charcuterie

    Salvatore & Roscia  - Charcuterie board

    Charcuterie board

    Salvatore & Roscia

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    Seal Cove Farm - Delicious Pizza  Zucchini, sungold, roasted garlic and chevre on left Carmelized onion, roasted garlic, OLGA feta on the right

    Seal Cove Farm

    4.4(16 reviews)
    32.5 mi
    $$

    I discovered this place after tasting one of their chevres by purchasing it at an Ellsworth…read morepurveyor. It was then that I discovered that they made pizza in one of those wood-fired, outside stone ovens. They are only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons so it took me 2 years to get there but I finally made it. It is a farm, a goat farm, where you can buy goat cheese, goat pepperoni (goateroni), and buy and eat a pizza. There were 5 pizzas on the menu. They are not cheap ($13 for a pizza the size of a paper dinner plate) but they are delicious! We were really hungry so we planned to eat a pizza each but then we ordered a third and all of them were worth it. See my picture of the chalkboard menu. We ordered # 2,3, and 4. I have to say that the one with the caramelized onions was the best, probably because of the bite of the goat and feta cheeses. Watch the pizzas cook. It takes about 2 minutes. There is a long, high table to eat at or some Adirondack chairs to sit at eat under cover in case of rain or too much sun. However, this did not work well for my wheelchair companion so we just ate in the car. I also took home a chunk of cheese. Unfortunately, the pizza maker did not know what it tasted like but he was honest about it. It was delicious. Worth the trip if you like Neopolitan pizza with the thin and ever so slightly charred crust. Otherwise, eat elsewhere.

    This was an amazing Pizza stop. Homemade pizzas made from scratch. With goat cheese from the…read moregoats that live on the farm. The owner also made the pizzas and she was super nice / friendly. The atmosphere is outdoors so it is only a seasonal restaurant. Delicious, but only open for a little bit and on the weekends. All of the clientele are locals that are regulars and freeze pizzas for months later. That's how good it is. They are meant for 2-3 people. Smaller end brick oven pizza.

    Photos
    Seal Cove Farm - All of their wonderful cheeses are available near the pizza oven.

    All of their wonderful cheeses are available near the pizza oven.

    Seal Cove Farm - The menu

    The menu

    Seal Cove Farm

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    The Store Ampersand - beer_and_wine - Updated May 2026

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