2025 Dining Guide

Every year, the best performance in a supporting role is recognized with an Oscar, for a good reason.It acknowledges that even the lead can't do it alone and needs other actors to make things more interesting.

In the same way, the sides on a dinner plate add dimension, complexity and additional flavor to the meal. Recognizing their often understated importance, we thought it was time to see what some local restaurants are offering. Here's the result.

The Boothbay region has many excellent restaurants and even more delicious appetizers. Here is a sampling of some great choices.

Haddock Bites is one of several delicious choices at Whale's Tale, 125 Atlantic Ave. in Boothbay Harbor. Haddock Bites have a crisp beer-battered exterior which is nicely complimented by a moist, fluffy haddock interior. 

In Southport, Robinson's Wharf, 20 Hendricks Hill Road, has a new delicious offering: Seared Sesame Tuna…

With all the fun in the sun a Maine summer has to offer, sometimes you need something lighter on the stomach. In the Boothbay region, our restaurants know how to mix up unique combos, from fire-torched fruit salad to crispy noodles tucked in cabbage. 

727 Ocean Sunset Bar at Smuggler's Cove Inn:

727…

You can't say "Boothbay region" without "seafood." Well, you can, but why would you?

Ralph Smith, owner of Boothbay Harbor's Mine Oyster and Boathouse Bistro, told us his favorite seafood is halibut. He likes to poach it in a seafood stock and serve it with rice and Asian-style vegetables. "I drizzle roasted garlic oil on top of this dish and add some flash-fried herbs."

In these examples we've netted from some of the region's wonderful…

The best thing since sliced bread didn't come along far after. It's a sandwich! Whether you’re looking for a hearty dinner, a quick bite for lunch, or something to take on the go, the Boothbay region has plenty of options.  

Tired of cold cuts on sliced bread? How about slow-roasted pork, an elevated hot dog, grilled chicken and, of course, hamburgers ? If seafood is more of your flavor, try a fried shrimp po’ boy or a fish taco. Whatever your taste, put your napkin in your…

Back in the dark ages — when I was a bartender in the 70s and 80s — my job seemed pretty simple. There were maybe 30 or so different cocktails I would have to learn, make and serve. You had your basic two-or-three ingredient drinks, like rum and coke, whiskey and ginger, vodka/gin and tonic, Manhattans and martinis (up or on the rocks?), black Russian, white Russian, Tom or John Collins, some sours (whiskey, bourbon — or maybe my first legal drink, an apricot sour with my Mom sitting beside…

The best way to finish a great meal is with a fantastic dessert. In the Boothbay region, dozens of great restaurants have menus filled with  delicious choices of desserts. Here are some samples of what is available just around the corner.

At Boathouse Bistro Tapas Bar and Restaurant, 12 The By-Way in Boothbay Harbor, chef and owner Ralph Smith’s dessert creations include blueberry cheese cake and white and dark chocolate mousse. 

At Whale’s Tale and Seafarer’s Pub,…

With the Boothbay region's peninsula and islands, enjoying a great meal by the water's edge is easy to do. And many restaurants also offer "dock and dine" options for guests arriving by boat.

Not all restaurants have their own dock, but two public docks are available just a short walk from most downtown restaurants. Both are available between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Whale Park Pier has free public docking for three hours and a series of floats to the west of the footbridge also…

Mild, delicate and somewhat sweet, our waters offer up haddock, a delicious fish that's a local favorite. Flavor isn't the only benefit: It’s nutritious with minerals, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids, notes webmd.com

Haddock is versatile, too. Whether you haven't tried haddock yet or you're looking to satisfy your haddock craving, here's what some of our restaurants are offering.

In addition to its haddock sandwich and fish and chips, Brady's at 25…

Whether it is an allergic reaction to seafood or you are just not up for consuming the bounty of Maine’s ocean catches, area restaurants do offer a wide variety of menu items that should match your palate.

Try a different meat, such as pork or chicken. Dive into a cool, crisp salad. Or have a plate of pasta – topped with your favorite sauce, of course.

Some area restaurants offer Mexican or oriental meals, such as nachos or sushi.

Whatever you desire for breakfast, lunch…

If Maine could have a mascot, there’s likely no better option than the lobster. This culinary icon of coastal communities from Kittery to Canada represents a cultural richness only rivaled by its unique flavor. In the Boothbay region, like many others, lobstering is not only a local way of life, it supports a wildly popular restaurant industry. 

Boiled lobster with butter or in lobster rolls is a staple of many menus offering Maine’s favorite crustacean. However, thanks to…

It has been about a year since the van der Veen family of Philadelphia took over Carousel Marina and Whale’s Tale Pub after the retirement of former owner Jack Cogswell. Jax van der Veen, now 24, became manager of the marina, and her younger sister, Emma Rose, 20, focused on Whale’s Tale Pub. 

Jax emphasized her family’s commitment to maintaining the restaurant’s beloved seaside atmosphere and menu items while…

Tugba Ciftci is an artist whose creativity and imagination shine through in the menu items she creates for Boothbay’s Harborside 1901 Bar and Grill, Downeast Ice Cream Factory and in her own kitchen under Harborside at Harbor Treats, which opened for its first season this year.

Ciftci is originally from Turkey and got her first experience working in the kitchens of family-owned restaurants where she developed her…

Liz Evans has gone from chef on a private yacht to offering many delicious items including sandwiches, pizza, coffee, fresh baked goods and a daily dinner entree to patrons of East Boothbay General Store, where she is owner-chef.

Many customers greet her by name and she, in turn, has brief conversations with each about local happenings. Though Evans is not from Boothbay originally, it is where she now considers home…

Imagine serving 200 made-to-order meals each morning in a kitchen only a little bigger than an average closet, receiving awards from fellow restaurateurs, and smiles from delighted customers, and you have a pretty good idea of Lorie Demers’ superpower.

Demers, the “Mama D” behind the cafe of the same name on Union Street, is a wiz at combining interesting, fun surroundings with delicious food so that a table at her place is prized by visitors and residents alike. If you are heading…

Boothbay’s breweries reflect the peninsula’s intense support of local businesses. Made with Adams Pond water, local grains and talented brewers, the beers are deeply imbued with a sense of place.

Names like Southporter, Route 27, 633 Boothbay Pale, Ovens Mouth and Shrimp Run remind patrons the craft beers are not just brewed locally, but also flavored locally, delivering a taste of community sip after sip. “If picturesque harbor and quaint shops had a flavor, it would be Fisherman’s…

Among the treasures of the Boothbay peninsula are its three general stores, offering sustenance, warmth and a gathering place for the communities they have served for more than a century.

These stores on Southport and in Trevett and East Boothbay have seen better and worse times and two have been rebuilt after fires took them. Their existence is a testament to the part they still play in their communities and the lure of old and new that pulls customers through their doors.

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Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce announced the winners of its ninth annual Claw Down, held at The Shipyard in Boothbay Harbor on June 16.

Nine chefs competed in the event which showcases Maine’s popular crustacean. Chamber Executive Director Lisa Walby said 250 tickets were sold for the Chamber fundraiser. In addition, the Claw Down offered sales of the specialty drink Shipyard Sippah to benefit the New England Boat Preservation Foundation.

Walby said, “We are…