Maine has more than 5,500 miles of coastline. You can see much of it by driving along Route 1 from Kittery at the state's southern border all the way north to where the coastline meets the Canadian border. You'll need to detour off that route if you plan to visit Maine's many coastal peninsulas and islands. When it's time to eat, you'll find no shortage of seafood restaurants.
The southern Maine coast, from Kittery to Portland, is home to small towns, coves and beaches. In this section of the state, "nothing compares with The Lobster Shack at Two Lights," according to DownEast, "the Magazine of Maine." This small seafood restaurant sits so close to the water that patrons dining at the outdoor picnic tables risk getting wet from the surf. Gourmet magazine says, "The water's-edge setting---at the entrance to Casco Bay and framed by a pair of lighthouses---is spectacular."
All The Lobster Shack's seafood is purchased from local fishermen. Dishes include the popular lobster roll, lobster dinner, fisherman's plate, scallops, clam cakes, haddock and clam chowder. Located 15 minutes from downtown Portland, The Lobster Shack is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m, seven days a week from late March through late October.
The Lobster Shack at Two Lights
225 Two Lights Road
Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107
207-799-1677
lobstershacktwolights.com
Going north from Portland to Camden, travelers can head off the beaten path to visit some of the many peninsulas in the mid-coast region. In Camden, a "quintessential coastal Maine town," according to Frommer's, you'll find Cappy's Chowder House. A family-owned business open since 1979, Cappy's is committed to using as much locally produced food as possible. The menu includes many of the seafood standards that locals and tourists love: clam chowder, lobster, clam rolls, baked stuffed Maine haddock, fried Maine clams and Maine salmon. Frommer's says Cappy's is "worth a quick stop if you're looking for a reasonably priced and filling meal."
Cappy's Chowder House
1 Main St.
Camden, ME 04843
207-236-2254
cappyschowder.com
The northern coast of Maine is referred to as "Down East." One of the more popular tourist towns in this region is Bar Harbor, located on Mount Desert Island, home to Acadia National Park. Diners looking for a seafood restaurant that is a step above the typical "clam shack" should head to Maggie's, which considers itself a "casually elegant spot." The restaurant's focus is on fresh seafood prepared in a simple, yet elegant style. The owner grows her own organic produce and herbs and uses only locally caught seafood.
Appetizers include lobster stew with roasted corn salsa and Maine mussels steamed in white wine, herbs and garlic. Dinner entrees include Maine seafood Provencal, crabmeat-stuffed flounder and lobster crepes. Maggie's is open Monday through Saturday for dinner only.
Maggie's
6 Summer St.
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
207-288-9007
maggiesbarharbor.com
