Restaurants
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Restaurants |
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Discussion of Acadian restaurants begins with Lobster. They all feature Baked and Boiled Lobster, Lobster Bisque, Lobster Rolls, Lobster Pot Pie, Lobster Salad, Lobster Mac n Cheese, and every other Lobster dish you can think of. However, do not be misled. There's other seafood here : Cod, Salmon, Haddock and Hake, plus some of the finest milk based Clam Chowder in the world. And don't forget Blueberries. Maine is famous for its wild Blueberries. Blueberry Pie, Blueberry Muffins, Blueberry Popovers, Blueberry Pancakes, Blue Berry Tea, BlueBerry Ice Cream, and sometimes just a bowl of Blueberries for breakfast or dessert are a treat to remember. Maine cuisine includes Clams, Soft Shell Clams, Scallops, Crabs, Oysters, Mussels, and a unique local soft drink called Moxie, a root beer made from the Gentian Root. Most restaurants here serve a rich, sweet Lettuce which is the best you've ever tasted. And those famous Maine potatoes appear in Potatoes Dauphinois, a side served with many entrees. Prices tend to be high here, for Lobster and everything else. |
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The best restaurant in Acadia is a 40 minute drive from Bar Harbor. It's the Crocker House, over in Hancock. People drive in here from Bar Harbor, Augusta and Bangor just to eat. They're most famous for their Hydroponic Lettuce, Spring Rolls, Duck Wontons, Potatoes Dauphinois, Butternut Squash Soup and entrees like Seafood Pasta, Salmon, Crab Cakes, Lamb and Beef Tenderloin. Portions are huge. For a $10 "plating fee" couples can share an entree, and they'll still have trouble finishing it. The Crocker House seems chronically under staffed, so service is slow, but the atmosphere is quiet and classy so you can have a conversation while waiting. You don't have any choice because there are no TVs either in the restaurant or the bar. The Lemon and Carrot Cake are delicious, but the star of the Dessert menu is the rotating house made Cheesecake. It's memorable. Especially on weekends you need reservations, since this is also an Inn and the people staying here tend to eat here. To get here from Bar Harbor take Route 3 to Ellsworth and turn right on Route 1, then turn right on Hancock Point Road. It's five miles down that road. The Schoodic Peninsula and Tidal Falls are musts so you might stop here for dinner on the day you visit those. Crocker House is only four miles from Tidal Falls. |
| The Chart Room is on the water front in Hull's Cove, three miles from Bar Harbor. It's Crab Cakes are disappointing since they're mostly filling, but everything else on the menu is good. They're most known for their Macadamia Crusted Haddock. Clam Chowder, Haddock Bites, Lobster Stew, Mussels and Long Necked Clams are very good. There are five Salads. They serve Haddock Broiled, Baked, Stuffed, a Sandwich and as part of a Fish n Chips Platter. All of them are good. The Halibut, Scallops, Swordfish, and Tuna are other seafood options. Tempting pasta entrees include Seafood Linguine, Lobster Mac n Cheese, Lobster Carbonara and Shrimp Scampi. There are eight additional Lobster entrees. The Dessert menu contains a dozen options but you're in Maine so the Wild Blueberry Pie is almost mandatory. In good weather you can sit out on the deck or way out on the dock and watch the tide come in or go out while you eat. Locally owned and operated for 30 years. |  |
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Lobster Bake is across Route 3 from the water in Hull's Cove. This may be the best deal for Lobster in or near Bar Harbor, and has gorgeous views of Frenchman's Bay with a spectacular sunset. Their Lobster is fresh off the boat over in Bass Harbor, on the other side of the park. They don't fry anything, not even on request. Their Lobster Roll, Lobster Bisque, Lobster Mac n Cheese and Clam Chowder are among the best in Acadia. The Lobster Bake is outstanding, which is not surprising in that they named the restaurant after it. The only problem here is tour groups. Lobster Bake has parking and is close to the Hulls Cove Visitor Center, so tour buses and cruise ship groups tend to stop here. If you see two or three buses parked there, wait until they've gone or postpone your stop for another day. They do provide the family owned restaurant with a strong income, but groups of 50-100-150 overwhelm both the kitchen and wait staff. Many long time Acadia vacationers come here for their Lobster Dinners, since everything is cooked fresh. Be sure to order the Bluebery Lemonade and Blueberry Pie. |
Stewman's is downtown Bar Harbor's famous waterfront restaurant. It's always full, but if you can get a table, you should eat at least one meal there. Among the Appetizers there's a Seafood Fondue Dip you must try. It's a three cheese fondue of fresh Maine lobster, shrimp and crab with sea salt chips. The menu is extensive, but Stewman's is famous for its Clam Chowder, Lobster Bisque, Lobster Salad, Lobster, Lobster Rolls, Crab & Lobster Cake, Haddock, Scallops, Blueberry Pie and Blueberry Cocktail. Service is usually impeccable and the views out across the bay are memorable. For you craft beer lovers, there's a selection of Maine beers from Portland, Orono, Lewiston and Bangor. Everything on the menu except the lemons in their famous Blueberry Lemonade, and the Coffee, is from somewhere in Maine. This includes the famous Maine Russet Potatoes, which are in the Chowder, Fries and other sides; the Hydroponic Lettuce, and the dairy products. The Atlantic Salmon served here are indeed from the Gulf of Maine, but they're raised in huge wire pens out in the ocean, so they're not truly Wild. Millions are harvested every year. Real Wild Salmon still exist but are protected and may not be harvested. |
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If you sign up for one of the cruises (Windjammer, Whale, Seal, Puffin, Lobster or Lighthouse), you'll board here at the dock. And you'll want to grab something to eat or drink while you wait in line. The Sunrise Cafe is right on the dock, and serves an excellent Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Cappucino, Mocha, Latte, Espresso, Frappucino or Tea (especially Blueberry Tea). There are also various muffins, rolls, bagels,, breakfast sandwiches and pastries. They can serve you lunches of lobster rolls, tuna and turkey avocado sandwiches, blueberry pie, BLTs, crepes and bagels. Since the boats don't have snack bars, you can take these lunches with you on your cruise. Their Smoked Salmon Bagel and Blueberry Cheesecake are outstanding. Everything is made right in front of you and sourced locally. |
| If you're returning from a deep sea fishing charter, or have been hiking the Norumbega Mountain, Eliot Mountain, Hadlock Ponds or Asticou Ridge Trails, you'll end up in the historic fishing village of Northeast Harbor. It has several restaurants, the best of which is The Nor-Easter. Run by a Lobsterman and an Engineer, it looks out over the docks and is the favorite hangout of locals. At first glance, the menu looks like it has no entrees, but the Appetizers and Shareables are the size of entrees. The Nor-Easter is famous for its Clam Chowder, Fish Tacos, Focacio Bread, Lobster Rolls, Truffle Lobster Mac n Cheese, and Stuffed Haddock (spinach, seafood and their special sauce). Cauliflower Tacos are creative and unique. Service can be slow, so relax and watch the boats coming and going in the harbor. The Nor-Easter is adjacent to the Kimball Terrace Motel. |  |
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People think of Jordan Pond as a hiking trail intersection and the Pond House as a place to get the famous Popovers and Blueberry Tea. But the Pond House is a legitimate restaurant that just happens to be open only from 11 - 5 pm daily. The Clam Chowder, Lentil Soup and Lobster Stew are among the best soups in Acadia. The Popover Pot Pie, Braised Beef Short Ribs, Baked Haddock and Lobster Mac n Cheese are signature entrees. If you're tired of Blueberry Pie you can try the Blueberry Bread Pudding. The Bar Harbor Summer Ale and Blue Lobster Sparkling Wine are interesting drinks, but the stars of the beverage menu are the Blueberry Lemonade, Blueberry Mojito and Cadillac Cooler. For a little fun try the Rusticator and Maine Spiked Coffee. All Summer you sit out on the lawn and in colder or rainy weather they move everyone indoors. |
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