16 Best Restaurants in The Mid-Coast Region, Maine

Set within the gracious Federal hotel, 555 North is the rebirth of chef-owner Steve Corry's popular Portland restaurant, which closed in 2019 after an 18-year run. Diners will find the same exceptionally creative, seasonal approach to food as well as a sophisticated but relaxed atmosphere. The menu always offers distinctive and sometimes whimsical preparations of local seafoods, meats, and vegetables as well as memorable desserts.

At the end of Harpswell Neck—next to the Dolphin Marina, where diners often arrive by boat—this popular restaurant serves one of the best fish chowders on the coast. Take in the excellent views through a wall of windows or from the outdoor deck as you enjoy your equally excellent chowder—or your lobster stew, crab or lobster roll, or chicken or beef entrée.

The customers lined up beside this little red shack at the bottom of Wiscasset's Main Street, just before the bridge across the Sheepscot River, have come from far and wide for one of the Maine Coast's best lobster rolls—namely, a perfectly buttered and griddled split-top roll that's absolutely, positively stuffed with fresh, sweet meat and served with melted butter and mayo on the side. Devotees swear that the wait (up to two hours!) is worth it, and it helps that staffers hand out ice water, popsicles, umbrellas to protect from rain or hot sun, and even dog biscuits for the pups. You can also get your lobster in a gluten-free roll or on a plate without any bread. Other choices include crab rolls, hamburgers, and onion rings, as well as clams or other local seafood fried in house-made batters. Enjoy your hard-earned feast at a table on the bilevel deck behind the shack or at a picnic table on the grass by the water. For a shorter wait, come on a weekday at an off hour (not lunch or dinner time).

Perched on the bridge that spans the river between Damariscotta and Newcastle, this sweet little restaurant is passionate about growing or locally sourcing as many ingredients as possible. They're always fresh and top-quality, and shine in simply yet deftly prepared fish, chicken, and steak dishes. Damariscotta River oysters are always on the menu, and there's an exceptional burger, made from local beef and topped with local cheese. The wood-fired grill just inside the front door features in many of the preparations. 

The dining room at Monhegan's iconic Island Inn serves breakfast and dinner to the public as well as to guests. The breakfast menu includes eggs, pancakes, and granola. At dinner, steamed lobster is always on the menu; other fresh seafood choices may include halibut, salmon, swordfish, and paella. There are also steaks and other meats, plus a vegetarian dish. 

Step into this welcoming, airy space, and settle at a table with a view of the Sheepscot River to enjoy local seafood, meats, and produce. Many of the pastas, paellas, and risottos have a Mediterranean flavor; other dishes showcase the chef's creative approach to modern American cuisine. There's also a raw bar. Light eaters appreciate the option of ordering a half-portion of any of the pasta dishes.

This is the real deal—a working lobster wharf where fishermen unload their catch to be sold at the on-site fish market or incorporated into the lobster rolls, crab rolls, or fried seafood dishes that are served to diners on the dock and in the enclosed dining room. If you opt for the steamed lobster dinner, you get to choose your crustacean from a saltwater tank. There's live music every Friday and weekends. And if you're an oyster fan, head here for your fill of buck-a-shuck oysters Friday and Saturday evening. The view across the boat-filled harbor isn't bad, either.

What began as a lobster shack in 1955 has grown into a large, well-known, family-style restaurant with a sizable menu that is predictably heavy on local seafood (lobster boats unload their catch at a dock here) but also has plenty of choices for landlubbers. A shore dinner will set you back close to $50, but you won't leave hungry after a 1¼-pound lobster, steamed clams, drawn butter, and corn on the cob. If you want to focus just on the lobster, you can order a bug weighing up to 5 pounds! Whether you choose indoor or deck seating, you can watch as the lobstermen come and go and the boats sail across the bay. Expect this place to be packed at the height of the season. 

You just might want to eat dessert first when you spy the display case of cheesecakes, mousses, and profiteroles. But there are lots of savory temptations, too, including a large selection of sushi, tacos (lobster, shrimp, octopus, or haddock), and land and sea dinner entrées. There's no outdoor dining, but the outer dining room has windows overlooking the harbor.

The food here is guaranteed to be fresh, given that the lobster comes in off the boats just down the dock from the window where you order your meal. The menu also features scallops, oysters, crabmeat, and haddock, all prepared in a variety of tempting ways. Watch the lobstermen unload their catch as you enjoy your seafood feast, and perhaps a beer or a glass of wine. Note that though this is a seafood shack, prices are comparable to those in more formal restaurants.

This inviting bistro at the Brunswick Hotel serves creative dishes like fingerling potato and frisée salad, mushroom galette, braised lamb shoulder, or seared diver scallops. For dessert, give the foie gras ice cream a try! There's a selection of well-crafted cocktails, too, as well as live music one evening a week. Sit inside or out on the patio beside the large gas fireplace.

Tucked above a shop in downtown Boothbay Harbor, this smart-casual restaurant combines attentive service with well-prepared, traditional Italian cuisine. Choose from antipasti, salads, and house-made pastas, as well as such secondi as osso buco and veal scallopine.

On Southport Island, across an old-fashioned swing bridge from Boothbay Harbor and overlooking the waters of Townsend Gut, this lively local favorite often has waits for its tables on summer weekends. Head inside or sit at a picnic table out on the dock, where you can watch lobstermen deliver their catch while enjoying a lunch or dinner featuring one of the well-prepared seafood dishes, many of them fried. There's live music on Friday and Saturday afternoon.

This tiny, no-frills cook shack, operated by the lobstermen's co-op, is the place to come for a simple, old-fashioned feed, featuring fairly priced, cooked-to-order lobsters and steamers with corn on the cob and a few other sides. You're welcome to BYOB, soft beverages, and even other dishes or desserts to round out your meal. Roll up your sleeves, and dive into your feast at a picnic table while you enjoy views of Round Pond harbor.

The restaurant at the atmospheric Craignair Inn—along a narrow lane in Spruce Head, about 8 miles northeast of Tenants Harbor—serves dinner four (winter) or five (peak season) nights a week. Enjoy your fresh, well-prepared seafood or meat dishes in the main dining room, in a gallery with a fireplace, or on an outdoor deck overlooking the water. The very popular Sunday brunch features classic pancakes and egg dishes, as well as more creative options such as a wild mushroom strudel or a house-cured salmon tostada.