Time to catch you up on our trip to
Maine and
all of the fabulous eats. It's our fourth trip and we've curated quite a good list of restaurants up and down the state. But this was the first trip that took us as far North as Bar Harbor.
We flew into
Bangor and headed to
Bar Harbor for a four-day stay. We fell in love with
Acadia National Park. You really need a minimum of 3 hours to drive through and occasionally stop, but plan on a lot more time if you want to hike.
The trails, and views, are endless and stunning.
But, to be honest, we didn't care for Bar Harbor. It was too touristy, the shops weren't the cute local boutiques found in other small towns, and the food was mostly terrible. On night two, we called it quits and
cancelled our hotel room for the last night. The next morning, we scooted a day early to
Camden and a Bed & Breakfast we've stayed at three times now,
Blue Harbor House Inn.
Under new ownership it's still just as charming, and within walking distance of the center of Camden.
Of course, some of the best food we eat in Maine are just at roadside lobster shacks and hole-in-the-wall looking restaurants along the water. This trip was no different. Probably the best new
Lobster Roll find for us was at
Beal's Lobster Pier (
the one redeeming meal near Bar Harbor, pictured middle-right).
Another note-worthy stop was a converted gas station, called
The Shuck Station. It was recommended by Michael Nowak, chef/owner of
The Black Pig here in Cleveland. He's made some excellent Maine suggestions for us before, and this one didn't disappoint either. We split the
Oyster Tacos and
Bao Buns.
Now that we were back in our favorite area of Maine, that meant we could stop in to our favorite find from the last trip...
Glidden Point Oyster Farms. You can tour the farm at 11AM or 1PM daily, but their retail shop is open to the public and you can purchase a variety of raw oysters, take them out back to picnic tables, and shuck away.
The next fantastic meal in the Camden/Rockport/Rockland area that will be a spot we revisit in the future was at
18 Central Oyster Bar and Grill in Rockport. The flavors that this wood-grilled food was putting out were simply fabulous. Highlights were the
Broiled Oysters,
Scallops and Pork Belly, and
Halibut.
The following night (
and our last in Camden) was a special occasion.
Mr. H and I celebrated 12 years of *officially* being together. For the meal, we headed to
Natalie's, which we have been to before.
By this point in the trip, my mom had joined us! This award-winning restaurant features a tasting menu with stunning plating and cuisine inspired by Maine. Sit on the outdoor deck for views and the best summer atmosphere.
As I wrap up this post, I can't forget the true reason we've found ourselves in Maine four times...the annual
Lobster Festival!
It's soft-shelled lobster season, and you can literally rip them apart with your hands. This local festival in Rockland has been going on for 72 years, and we always enjoy ourselves. And the lobster!
That sums up our good eats prior to the last stop of the trip, Portland. That city deserves its own post, so stay tuned.
83 Bayview Street
Camden, ME 04843
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