All Things Seafood
While Maine is known for a lot of different types of food, by far one of the most iconic images associated with the state is the lobster. This isn’t just because we live on the coast, an enormous part of our food culture is seafood! There’s so many farms that harvest lobster, clams, and all sorts of other seafood right off our coast, and these jobs play a huge role in supporting the coast. You’d be remiss to visit Maine without checking out some of the seafood spots, and this itinerary will help you learn about a few possible options.
Is gourmet, handcrafted food up your alley? If so, check out Grindstone Neck of Maine. Their food is a bit more expensive than some other places mentioned in this itinerary, but the quality of their food more than makes up for that. Their gourmet smoked fish is so beloved that customers often send it to their family and friends as gifts! If you aren’t entirely sure about committing to buying a bigger order of their food, start off with one of their samplers! It’ll help you get an idea of how their food tastes. Grindstone Neck of Maine is a great place to get some high quality and delicious seafood.
Our second stop is located in the unique town of Stonington! To get to this town, you have to drive across a few small islands with a beautiful view of the ocean. Coldwater Seafood offers a variety of fresh seafood, including live lobsters, crab meat, and fish. All of the seafood they sell is sourced locally from fishermen in the area, supporting the community. They also sell smoked mussels, which they smoke in-house to ensure the right balance of smoke and texture. Can’t make the trip, or maybe just want to enjoy their smoked foods from home? Their website sells their in-house products, so you can have it easily delivered to you!
Our next stop is located in a staple town of when you think of Maine seafood, Rockland. Seafood and the town are so synonymous with each other, that every year they hold the Rockland Lobster Festival near the end of July. Nestled in this town you can find Jess’s Market, an extremely friendly, family owned seafood market. Jess’ supports the local community, selling fresh, locally produced seafood and other items. These other items include wine, microbrews, and a variety of foraged items. They have a wide variety of hard-to-find specialty items as well, such as American Unagi eel. If you want a taste of Maine’s quality seafood for a fair price, Jess’s Market would be a great option!
Looking for seafood with a twist? Check out Fishermen's Net Seafood Restaurant & Market in Brunswick! They specialize in seafood with a Vietnamese twist, and are a perfect twist if you want to enjoy Maine’s seafood in a different way. Don’t feel like ordering dishes at the restaurant section? Not a problem, they also offer a market where you can buy their seafood, which is fresh, and sourced locally when possible. When it comes to the restaurant portion, there’s a unique balance between the two cultures, as while they have Lobster Banh Mi, they also have hot dogs. It’s a great place to bring your friends and family, because with this cultural mix, there’s bound to be something here for everyone.
Want to learn more about how the seafood you're eating leaves the ocean and makes its way to your plate? Book a tour with Nauti Sisters Sea Farm, a woman-owned oyster farm in Yarmouth! You’ll be able to experience what it's like to work on their farm, and even get a live demonstration of oyster shucking. The tour also includes a tasting of their oysters, so you can taste what you’ve helped catch! Going on a tour with Nauti Sisters is a great way to learn more about the aquaculture around the food you eat.
If you’re looking for somewhere that has it all, from the fresh fish, to finely crafted meals, then Pine Tree Seafood/Dunstan Smokehouse would be a great place for you to visit. This two-in-one establishment sells a variety of products. The first section, Pine Tree Seafood, is a great place to purchase things like salmon, lobster, and rolls! If you want to buy some seafood that you can take home and prepare yourself, it’s a great option! The second section, Dunstan Smokehouse, is where they use their produce to cook meals, specializing in hot smoked fish. They also sell smoked fish pate, as well as a variety of mussels. This establishment is a great place to stop by whether you want to cook seafood at home, or get an already made meal!