The chilly waters off the coast of Maine are a bounty of delicious seafood.
You’ll find fresh clams, kelp, scallops, crab, oysters, mussels, fish, and of course, the acclaimed Maine lobster. Mainers also grow a plethora of fresh farmed products like wild blueberries – 40,000 acres of the Pine Tree State are dedicated to the little blue treats.
When you’re not exploring the 65 lighthouses or over 500 acres of state and national parks, head to some of these top places to sample some of the local products made, harvested, or caught in Maine.
Feast on lobster, Maine’s local delicacy
You can’t go to Maine without trying the fresh-out-of-the-water lobster. Maine is the largest lobster-producing state in the nation, with about 80% of America’s lobster coming from the coastline here, thanks to optimal factors like temperature, depth, and food supply.
There are many popular ways to prepare lobster, including pie, chowder, bakes, and even pizza. Aside from a classic steamed lobster, the most common dish is the famed lobster roll. The native New England dish consists of juicy lobster meat tucked into a toasted bun, with a filling containing a variation of butter, mayonnaise, celery, or scallion, depending on the state. The Pine Tree State uses mayonnaise in its version and serves the lobster cold. However, the long-standing debate over using drawn butter or mayonnaise in a lobster roll continues to fuel passionate discussions across New England.
Where to try it: You can find this delicacy almost anywhere in the great state – from fine dining establishments to roadside lobster shacks. Salt Yard Café, on the street level of Portland’s Canopy Waterfront hotel in the heart of the Old Port, serves a lobster roll with truffle mayo, chives, lettuce, brioche, and French fries. Meanwhile, Day’s Crabmeat & Lobster is a roadside shack in Yarmouth that’s been around since the 1920s and is said to sell one of the best lobster rolls in Maine, which can be enjoyed with a water view.
Quench your thirst with a local brew
Nicknamed the home of craft beer, Maine has over 150 breweries, making it clear that beer is taken seriously in this state. However, it wasn’t always this way – just over ten years ago, there were less than 40 breweries in Maine. In the early 2010s, laws were reformed to allow breweries to sell beer where it was made, marking the start of the state’s craft brewery boom.
Locally sourced hops and grains are central to most of the brews, along with high-quality water sources. Some breweries formed the Maine Brewshed Alliance to help educate people on the importance of supervising local water sources.
Where to try it: The Maine Brewing Company has become a household name in Maine, gaining a cult following for its quality craft beers. You can easily spend an entire day at the brewery, sampling beers, enjoying tasty pizza, and touring the facilities.
Try Maine’s juicy mussels
Farming in the open ocean, known as aquaculture, has become a prominent method of producing seafood in Maine. As demand for seafood like mussels increases, companies like Bangs Island Mussels and Pemaquid Mussel Farms are expanding their marine farms. Consequently, these farms create healthy habitats for marine life, providing refuge for endangered species by stabilizing coastal sediments and minimizing the impact of storms.
The sustainably hand-raised mussels thrive in protected waters off the coast of Maine, benefiting from optimal food sources and environmental conditions. With the growing global economy, these farms recognize the need for sustainable protein sources that appeal to consumers while being delicious.
Where to try them: Located on Middle Street in Portland, the pickled mussels with crackers from Eventide are a delightful treat. Bangs Island Mussels is nearby Scales, an upscale restaurant that serves up decadent steamed mussels doused in cream. You can also purchase Maine mussels at grocery stores like Harbor Fish Market and Cantrell Seafood to cook up your own creation at home. Don’t fret if you live far away; you’ll find Maine mussels served in restaurants across the country.
Crush a blueberry treat, savory or sweet
For generations, farmers have been growing Maine’s wild blueberries, harvesting them from late July to early September when they’re perfectly plump and juicy. With 40,000 acres dedicated to blueberries, it’s no wonder that the Maine State Legislature designated blueberry pie as the official state dessert.
Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, wild Maine blueberries have a richer flavor than cultivated blueberries. Therefore, locals creatively use them in everything from bread, pie, and pancakes to beverages like tea, cocktails, beer, and wine.
Where to try them: Two Fat Cats Bakery in Portland bakes fresh pies from scratch daily, including the best-selling wild Maine blueberry pie. Locals and visitors flock here to snag a slice before it’s sold out. It’s also feasible to find a variety of blueberry beverages throughout the state, such as blueberry spritzers and smoothies offered at Soakology, a spa and tea shop in Portland.
Munch on some kelp
Kelp, a type of seaweed, can be harvested in the wild or farmed in the ocean, and it represents a fast-growing aquaculture sector. In the past decade, the kelp industry has expanded significantly due to its health benefits and versatility. Maine-based and women-run Atlantic Sea Farms is the country’s largest kelp aquaculture farm, producing nutritious kelp products while promoting regenerative aquaculture.
You can’t go to Maine without witnessing the newfound popularity of kelp—found on menus of various restaurants and bars across the state. Notable Maine chefs creatively use kelp in handcrafted spirits, beer, kombucha, cocktails, crudos, pasta, and desserts.
Where to try it: Nina Jude, a restaurant in Rockport, offers kelp and crab pasta; meanwhile, Chaval in Portland serves a sweet kelp and lemon curd churro dessert. Barren’s Sugar Kelp Vodka, in collaboration with Atlantic Sea Farms, produces a unique flavored vodka, while Lakin’s Gorges Rockweed Cheese in Waldoboro features powdered seaweed.
Vegetarian and vegan options
While seafood may dominate Maine’s food scene, the state also offers a plethora of vegetarian and vegan dishes. Though smaller towns may lack dedicated plant-based restaurants, larger cities provide numerous vegetarian and vegan options. In Portland, popular spots include Cheese Louise, a casual corner restaurant, and the Totally Awesome Vegan Food Truck, which serves up veggie burgers and sandwiches.
Food worth trying
Whoopie pie: Indulge in Maine’s official state treat. The whoopie pie consists of two cake rounds filled with cream and can be found throughout the state.
Moxie: Born in Maine, Moxie is now the official soft drink. The taste, often characterized as bitter, garners mixed reviews, yet remains a classic Maine beverage.
Any seafood: While lobster is Maine’s quintessential seafood, do not overlook the other seafood options. Grocery stores and restaurants overflow with offerings, including clams, oysters, scallops, and fish.
A year in food
At any point in the year, Maine has local seafood in season.
Food festivals: Mainers love food, which is why you can expect year-round food festivals throughout the state. An abundance of wild blueberry festivals occurs in the summer, and while each festival differs, you can expect to sample the famous blueberry pie. There’s also an annual Seaweed Week at the end of April, offering attendees various tasty snacks in multiple forms.
