Maine food: What to eat and drink in the Pine Tree State

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. And while it is often celebrated for its world-famous delicacies from the sea, there’s much more to the state’s culinary scene than what’s pulled from the ocean.

Maine’s rich agricultural landscape provides a variety of farm-fresh produce, like wild blueberries, crisp apples and organic vegetables, as well as local favorites, like maple syrup and artisanal cheeses.

When you’re not exploring the 65 lighthouses or over 500 acres of state and national parks, here are the top ten local food and drinks to try in Maine.

1. 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 the combination of factors that keep lobster content, such as 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 is made up 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. But the long debate over using drawn butter or mayonnaise in a lobster roll will continue to fuel heated discussions across New England.

Where to try it: You can find this delicacy just about anywhere in the great state – from fine dining establishments to roadside lobster shacks – and Portland, Maine, is particularly filled with restaurants offering the unofficial state food. Salt Yard Café, on the street level of Portland’s Canopy by Hilton Waterfront hotel in the heart of the Old Port, serves a lobster roll with truffle mayo, chives, lettuce, brioche and French fries. Meanwhile, the nearby Highroller Lobster Co. has a gluten-free bun option. (Check our guide to Portland, Maine for more.)

For a fresh spin on lobster, try Me Lon Togo, a West African restaurant in Rockland that has a cioppino featuring lobster and other local seafood that blends the bold flavors of West Africa with Maine’s seafood bounty.

Planning tip: Want to get adventurous? Book a ticket on a lobster boat to see the behind-the-scenes action of Maine lobstering. Lucky Catch Cruises offers a lobstering tour where you’ll learn how to haul up traps on Casco Bay. For those wanting to take the flavor of Maine home with you, you can order fresh lobster products (live lobster, DIY lobster roll kits, lobster mac & cheese) right to your doorstep via Goldbelly.

2. Sip on a local beer from a craft brewery

Nicknamed the home of craft beer, Maine has over 150 breweries, so it's fair to say that this is a state where beer is taken seriously. But it wasn't always this way – a little more than ten years ago, there were fewer than 40 breweries in Maine. In the early 2010s the law was 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 a good quality water source. Some breweries formed the Maine Brewshed Alliance to help educate people on the importance of supervising the local water sources.

Where to try it: The Maine Beer Company has become a household name in Maine and has a cult following for its quality craft beers. It's easy to spend an entire day at the brewery, where you can sample the beers, eat tasty pizza and take a tour of the brewery. Visit Grateful Grain Brewing Co. in Monmouth for women-crafted brews like the robust Imperial red ale, “Dragin Magick,” and its flagship New England IPA, “The Experience.”

Planning tip: Tucked in the woods outside Acadia National Park, the Terramor Outdoor Resort, a glamping property, highlights local ingredients and quintessential Maine flavors like lobster bakes and beer sampling with local Fogtown Brewing Company. Across Maine, you can set up beer tours, beer classes or enjoy a beer aboard the Portland Schooner Co., a BYOB majestic sail in Portland.

3. Try Maine’s juicy mussels

Farming in the open ocean, commonly known as aquaculture, has become a leading method of producing seafood in Maine. And as the demand for seafood like mussels increases, companies like Bangs Island Mussels and Pemaquid Mussel Farms in Maine are growing their marine farms. While they’re expanding to keep up with the demand, they’re also creating healthy habitats for marine life and are even helping to rebuild endangered species – mussel farms give endangered fish and other species a safe haven by providing better water quality, an abundant food source and a secure nursery. They also protect sea life by stabilizing coastal sentiments and minimizing the impact of storms on their habitat.

The mussels are sustainably hand-raised in the protected waters off the coast of Maine and have the perfect conditions from the type of food they’re eating to the water depth, wave energy and temperature. With the global economy growing, these farms recognize the need for sustainable protein sources that appeal to consumers and that are simply delicious.

Where to try them: Located on Middle Street in Portland, the pickled mussels with crackers from Eventide are delectable. Bangs Island Mussels is headquartered right next to 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. And don’t fret if you live far away, you'll find Maine mussels served in restaurants across the country.

4. Crush a blueberry treat, savory or sweet

For generations, farmers have been growing Maine’s wild blueberries and harvesting them from late July to early September, when they’re perfectly plump and juicy. There are 40,000 acres of blueberries grown here, making it obvious why 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, and that’s why locals use them in everything from bread, pie, and pancakes to beverages like tea, cocktails, beer and wine.

There are also ample blueberry beverages available throughout the state. Soakology spa and tea shop in Portland serving blueberry spritzers and smoothies while you get a foot massage. If you want to add alcohol to the mix, there’s a very dry and tart wild blueberry sparkling wine from Bluet, which is available at grocery stores and restaurants. Or head to the Side Street Café in Bar Harbour for a blueberry margarita.

And, Maine is also rich with other wild berries, including raspberries, blackberries and cranberries, so you’ll always find a variety of fresh flavors in pies, jams and sauces packed with antioxidants and vitamins.

Where to try them: Two Fat Cats Bakery in Portland bakes fresh pies from scratch every day, including the best-selling wild Maine blueberry pie. Locals and visitors flock here to snag a slice before it’s sold out. You can pre-order or even have a pie shipped to your doorstep via Goldbelly. It’s easy as pie. You can also find wild berry jams and sauces at local markets like Stonewall Kitchen in York. 

Planning tip: For a true taste of the wild, Berry Fruit Farm in Livermore Falls offers artisan spreads and preserves made with a variety of Maine’s wild berries.

5. Munch on some kelp

Kelp is a type of seaweed that can be harvested in the wild or farmed in the ocean and, like mussel farming, it is another fast-growing aquaculture sector. In the past ten years, the kelp industry has grown exorbitantly, in part because it’s a healthy sea vegetable that’s packed with vitamins and minerals. It's also very versatile and can be used to make many things, from personal hygiene products and pharmaceuticals to food and beverages. Maine-based and women-run Atlantic Sea Farms is the country’s largest kelp aquaculture farm. The impact-driven company not only produces nutritious kelp products but also strengthens Maine’s aquaculture industry with regenerative kelp.

You can’t go to Maine without witnessing this newfound popularity – from walking past dedicated kelp stores to finding it donning the menus of restaurants and bars across the state. Notable Maine chefs are using kelp to make everything from handcrafted spirits, beer, kombucha, and cheese to cocktails, crudos, pasta and desserts.

Where to try it: Nina Jude, a Mediterranean-meets-Maine restaurant in Rockport, offers kelp and crab pasta, and Chaval, a French-Spanish spot located in Portland, makes a sweet kelp and lemon curd churro dessert. Barren’s Sugar Kelp Vodka partnered with Atlantic Sea Farms to use kelp to produce a unique flavored vodka. Try the award-winning Lakin’s Gorges Rockweed Cheese in Waldoboro with powdered seaweed.

6. Warm up with classic clam chowder

A trip to Maine isn’t complete without a bowl of hearty clam chowder, a classic New England dish rich with coastal flavors and a favorite comfort food on chilly days. Maine’s clam chowder is known for its simplicity and freshness, using only a handful of ingredients. It’s typically made with locally sourced clams, diced potatoes, onions and a creamy broth seasoned to perfection. While traditionally served in a ceramic bowl, some spots serve it in a freshly baked bread bowl, turning it into a satisfying, full meal.

Where to try it: Head to Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster in Freeport from May to October, where you can enjoy a bowl of chowder with ocean views. Another great spot is the Clam Shack in Kennebunk, where the chowder is served at an authentic, no-frills seafood stand.

7. Cool off with a refreshing frappe

For a classic New England sweet treat, try a Maine frappe. Unlike a milkshake, frappes are known for their thick, creamy texture, thanks to a base of milk, ice cream and flavorings like chocolate, strawberry or coffee. This refreshing treat is a favorite at local ice cream stands and cafes across the state. 

Where to try it: Head to Red’s Dairy Freeze in South Portland, a nostalgic spot that has been serving frappes since 1952. Another favorite is the Dairy Store at Smiling Hill Farm in Westbrook, where frappes are made with milk from their own dairy cows, adding an extra layer of local flavor and creaminess. At family-owned Fielder’s Choice Ice Cream, with locations across the state, you’ll find frappes in flavors from peanut butter to mint chip.

8. Indulge in a whoopie pie 

Eating in Maine can be a real treat, especially if you indulge in the state’s official dessert, the beloved whoopie pie. Believed to have been invented in the 1920s, it consists of two soft chocolate cake rounds with a creamy vanilla filling sandwiched between them. While the origin is debated, many credit Maine bakers for making this treat a state staple. 

Consider pairing it with a Moxie, one of America’s oldest soft drinks. Created in 1876 and originally marketed as a medicinal tonic, Moxie has a distinct, slightly bitter taste and a dedicated following.

Where to try it: You can find them at grocery stores, bakeries and general stores. Ladabadie’s Bakery in Lewiston, is known for the original whoopie pie, while Auntie’s House in Kennebunkport makes their famous Whoopie Balls. 

9. Don’t forget the maple syrup

Each spring, when the days are warm and nights stay cold, local farmers collect sap from the dense sugar maple forests and boil it down to create the amber syrup that Mainers savor. Maple syrup is cherished as a topping for pancakes and waffles, of course, but is also popular in cocktails, baked goods, marinades, and even as a natural sweetener in craft beer. 

Where to try it: In Fryeburg, Weston’s Farm & Markets has been making maple sweet treats every spring for over 150 years. For world-ranked maple syrup, try Hilltop Boilers, in Newfield, just 50 minutes outside of Portland.

10. Plant-based options for vegetarians and vegans

While seafood comes to mind when thinking about Maine’s food scene, the state also serves many vegetarian and vegan dishes. Smaller towns may not have as many dedicated plant-based restaurants as Portland, but restaurants are beginning to offer more dishes and sometimes have separate vegan menus.

Where to try it: Bandaloop in Arundel is locally sourced and organic, while She Doesn’t Like Guthries, in Lewiston, is a quirky burrito and taco joint with vegetarian options and the ability to swap meat for tofu.

A year in food

Maine’s food calendar offers something fresh and flavorful every season. Lobster season peaks in summer and early fall, which is why you’ll see lines for lobster rolls wrapped around corners during this time. Mussels are at their best from October through March, and scallops are typically harvested from December to April.

Locals are passionate about seasonal foods in Maine, and their enthusiasm is celebrated year-round with food festivals. Summer brings wild blueberry festivals in several towns, featuring everything from fresh blueberry pie to jams, syrups and even blueberry wine. Autumn ushers in apple festivals like Maine Apple Sunday, featuring cider tastings and apple-picking events at a dozen local orchards. There’s even an annual Seaweed Week where you can enjoy the tasty snack in many forms.