A Guide to MAINE-ly Eating: 10 Restaurants from Bangor to Bar Harbor 

 

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Bar Harbor is a port in Maine where cruise ships typically stop as was the case on my New England Cruise with Princess. However, my cousin also lives near the Bar Harbor area and when I visited her, I ate some seriously good food in several area cities. Because Bangor is easily accessible from Bar Harbor, I’m sharing my guide to Maine-ly eating which includes 10 yummy places from Bangor to Bar Harbor!

When you think of food in Maine, what first comes to mind? If you said lobster, you’re in the majority. If you said seafood then yep, that works too. And, if you said something else, hopefully, this post will introduce you to what the popular food is in Maine. But, since not everyone likes seafood and some are allergic, this guide to Maine-ly eating will also give you some ideas of where to grab other kinds of eats and treats!

Maine Resources & Recommendations

• • Accommodations– Find rooms in Bar Harbor | Bangor | Maine
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  • Allianz Travel Insurance– Protect yourself and your trip-Get a free quote!
  • Lonely Planet Guidebooks– The best (and my personal favorite) guidebooks out there. Get the Lonely Planet New England Travel Guide or the Lonely Planet New England’s Best Trips Travel Guide!

Bangor

1. Geaghan’s Pub & Craft Brewery

I arrived in Bangor right at lunchtime so my cousin and I headed straight to Geaghan’s for lunch. I was starving so I started with this Whiskey Mushroom Soup while I waited on my

phenomenal Lobster Roll with Sweet Potato Fries! I wasted zero time getting lobster in Maine because…well because it’s fresh in Maine and much cheaper than back home in Alabama. The mushroom soup was also excellent, but I was just all about the lobster roll at this point!

Geaghan’s Pub & Craft Brewery is located at 570 Main Street, Bangor Maine, 04401.

2. Timber Kitchen & Bar

Timber Kitchen & Bar is where you want to come for not only good food but atmosphere as well. That’s right, it’s a dual threat!

How awesome is this outdoor space to have a drink and catch up with friends?

On to the important part, the food! We were there for lunch and I couldn’t help but order this Brûléed Stone Fruit Salad. I remember saying I could’ve eaten 2-3 more of these to serve as my entrée! The peach with the goat cheese tossed in a light vinaigrette dressing was just a perfect combination.

So, I might have gotten yet another lobster roll. And you know what? I feel zero embarrassment about it!

Okay, well maybe there’s a little because I do feel the need to say this was my last meal before leaving Maine. And since my first meal was a lobster roll in Bangor, then I had to leave Maine with a bang and have a lobster roll at my last meal in Bangor, right? 😉

Timber Kitchen & Bar is located in the Residence Inn at 22 Bass Park Boulevard, Bangor, Maine 04401

Ellsworth

3. Pat’s Pizza

During my visit, my cousin talked about a pizza place that had a “big mac pizza”. She swore that the Big Pat’s Pizza from Pat’s Pizza would have me feeling like I was eating a Big Mac.

This Big Pat’s Pizza is literally a Big Mac that turned into a pizza including the thousand island-like sauce. It’s delicious. Fiercely delicious.

FYI, she wasn’t kidding. I might have been way more excited about this than any one person should ever be. Because of a serious addiction to their burgers and (especially) french fries, I haven’t eaten at McDonald’s (therefore no Big Macs) in 3.5 years. You can read about the results of this move here.

Bottom line: I had a Big Mac without eating a Big Mac. Score.

Pat’s Pizza is located at 396 High Street, Ellsworth, Maine 04605

4. Ruth & Wimpy’s

Does this make anyone else think of Ren & Stimpy or am I just aging myself? 🙈

Ruth & Wimpy’s is one of those mom-and-pop type places where all you need to bring is your appetite. They have fabulous seafood, but they also have plenty of other options too.

What I thoroughly enjoyed while eating my shrimp and haddock was the atmosphere. Look at this wall full of old cars!

I also loved looking at all the old car tags! Who else played the car tag game when they were on family road trips? Anyone?

I found one for the state of Alabama and I was happy to see that it displayed my alma mater, Auburn! In case you don’t live in the United States, there’s a slight rivalry in my state when it comes to college football!

Ruth & Wimpy’s is located at 792 US-1, Hancock, Maine 04640

You might also like: AN ASHEVILLE FOOD TOUR: 10 FUN PLACES TO EAT + WHERE TO STAY

5. Shinbashi

Since my cousin and I share a love for sushi, she took me to her favorite sushi place, Shinbashi. We started with the Vietnamese Spring Rolls and then shared rolls such as this Pink Lady Roll with crab, avocado, salmon and mango sauce. We added cream cheese to it because let’s be honest. Everything is better with cream cheese!

We also had the Sweetheart Roll with lobster tempura, cream cheese, avocado, and coconut sauce.

I will just say we were in sushi heaven.

Shinbashi is located at 139 High Street, Ellsworth, Maine 04605

Rockland

6. Café Miranda

Okay, so technically this restaurant isn’t on the way between Bangor and Bar Harbor. It actually is a good bit further southwest of both of them. But, it’s worth the roughly 1.5-hour drive to eat at Café Miranda, especially if you are exploring Rockland anyway!

The interior is quirky with a lot of personality.

I started with their sweet potato fries with aioli and a honey-lemon-olive oil for dipping. The others shared the Jerry Style Fries (sweet potato fries with a sweet chili sauce, blue cheese, onion, lime, and cilantro). The onion (I love onion but it doesn’t share the same love for me) and their addition of a spicy sauce was why I opted out.

However, the hit of the entire experience was the General Sam’s Honky Tonk Egg Rolls! They were absolutely amazing! As I write this, I can still taste those and I will definitely head back there when I visit again!

TIP: Make reservations before you go or you will be waiting for a long time! We had reservations and waltzed to the front of the line, thankfully!

Café Miranda is located at 15 Oak Street, Rockland, Maine 04841

Blue Hill

7. Barn Castle

Closer to Ellsworth is Barn Castle in Blue Hill. Formerly a summer cottage belonging to Virgil and Effie Kline, the Barn Castle is now a hotel and restaurant and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

While you can only stay here during the summer, you can eat at the restaurant year-round. It’s known for its wood-fired pizza oven, Italian cuisine, and New England comfort food.

We started with the cheesy breadsticks and then I built my own pizza consisting of marinara sauce with ham, pineapple, and mushrooms. It’s my second favorite kind of pizza (my all-time favorite is this Spanish pizza) and it had an outstanding taste!

Barn Castle is located at 125 South Street, Blue Hill, Maine 04614

Birch Harbor

8. The Pickled Wrinkle

Yes, the name cracked me up too! The Pickled Wrinkle…the what??? I didn’t know what it was either. They are large sea snails that are pickled. That simple. It’s considered a Maine delicacy!

I was going to try these Pickled Wrinkles but by the time we got there for dinner, they had run out of them for the day. I was sad because I have an adventurous palate and will try (almost) anything once. I’ve had escargot before so I figure it can’t be too different, right?

Since I couldn’t try a Pickled Wrinkle, we had seafood. In case you haven’t figured it out, I love seafood. I prefer it over most anything including red meat! I highly recommend the Calamari and the Haddock and Scallop Sliders!

Okay, Pickled Wrinkle, you escaped me this time, but next time…it’s on!

The Pickled Wrinkle is located at 9 East Schoodic Drive, Birch Harbor, Maine 04613

Trenton

9. Sugar Bakery

The Sugar Bakery is located between Ellsworth and Bar Harbor in the town of Trenton. It’s a fabulous place to grab a treat for breakfast, an afternoon treat or dessert!

They have all kinds of homemade whoopie pies, donuts, muffins and other assorted goodies.

They are known for their blueberry donuts (get them early-they will run out!) and I also tried their chocolate salted caramel cupcake. We also got treats to take home for later!

TIP: There is a sister property called The Pink Pastry Shop located in Bar Harbor! Also if it’s the offseason, be sure to check the operating hours especially in Bar Harbor!

Sugar Bakery is located at 9 Oak Point Road, Trenton, Maine 04605

The Pink Pastry Shop is located at 75 Main Street, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609

Bar Harbor

10. Galyn’s

Galyn’s is located right at the end of Main Street near the water’s edge in Bar Harbor.

I personally could not stop with the seafood, but they do have nonseafood options. Naturally, I started with the scrumptious Crab Cakes served with an Old Bay dipping sauce.

Then, I took advantage of having lobster at my disposal yet again and ordered the Lobster Tail & Bisque Combination Plate. I was truly in lobster paradise. Except I had no idea how to eat it served like this. Thankfully my cousin’s husband helped me out with that! 🙈

Galyn’s is located at 17 Main Street, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609

Bonus

Green Tree Coffee & Tea

While it isn’t a restaurant, you can get really good tea and coffee at the Green Tree Coffee & Tea.

Grab a cup on-the-go or sit with it on their porch on a rainy morning.

My cousin and I both love our hot teas and she comes here to Lincolnville to get her loose leaf teas.

They have a huge assortment of interesting flavors such as Gunpowder! I like that they list the origin of the tea and what all it has in it. I went home with a variety including Maine Blueberry, Mango, Moroccan Mint, Pillow Bliss and Fruit Basket!

The Green Tree Coffee & Tea is located at 2456 Atlantic Highway, Lincolnville, Maine 04849

PIN IT!

That completes my food tour of southeastern Maine from Bangor to Bar Harbor and a few in between! If you are heading up there on a cruise or otherwise this summer or fall (the best time to go), be sure to check these out!

Have you been to any of these restaurants? Do you have any to add to my list? I would love to hear from you!

‘Til next time…

Trimm Travels,

Heather