Maine’s Best Diners
Along with the rest of New England, Maine is known for unpretentious, down-home, comfort food like meatloaf, mashed potatoes, pot roast, chicken pot pie, and other traditional dishes. Nothing too fancy, it’s the kind of food that’ll stick to your ribs and fill you up with memories of the meals your grandmother might have cooked for you, back in the good old days. So if you’ve got an appetite for nostalgia and some delicious, old-fashioned food, check out one of the many classic diners that dot Maine’s roadways. Most of them have been around for generations, and for good reason. For a visit back in time, here are a few Maine diners worth stopping by.
Photo by gailf548
Moody’s Diner, right on coastal Route One in Waldeboro, is one of Maine’s oldest and most famous dining establishments. In 1927, the Moody family bought a few cabins, where weary travelers could spend the night for the dirt-cheap price of $1 a person. Three years later, the Moodys opened a small restaurant on the premises, and Moody’s Diner was born. Today, the Diner is run by the original owners’ grandsons, with more than 30 members of the Moody family working there. Moody’s Diner is known for its blueberry muffins, which won the Culinary Hall of Fame’s gold medal; their walnut pie, which received accolades from Gourmet Magazine; and their famous whoopie pies, which were mentioned in Saveur’s list of top food finds. The menu also features traditional roast dinners, like turkey and pot roast, at bargain prices. If you’re driving up the mid-coast region, make sure you stop in — Moody’s will make it worth your while.
Moody’s Diner
US Route 1
Waldeboro, Maine 04572
www.moodysdiner.com
The Maine Diner, in Wells, was founded as a seasonal restaurant in the 1950s, but has been operating year-round since 1983. Today, the diner attracts constant crowds, with more than fifteen hundred customers passing through its doors on a typical summer day. The menu features delicious, simple, and traditional food, with items such as lobster pie, which was featured on the Today Show; roast turkey filled with sausage stuffing; Maine crabmeat melt; and desserts like Indian pudding and homemade bread pudding served with whipped cream. In the Diner’s guestbook, one guest claims that their pot roast is “just like my grandmother’s.” Stop in for a meal and see how close to home it is.
Maine Diner
2265 Post Road
US Route 1
Wells, ME 04090
www.mainediner.com
Right in Portland, Becky’s Diner serves fresh food on Hobson’s Wharf, starting at 4 AM for all the early-rising fishermen. The large breakfast menu features a variety of egg dishes, fruit bowls, pancakes, French toast, homefries, and more. For lunch, there are plenty of great sandwiches for under five dollars, or you could always try Becky’s famous lobster roll. The dinner menu includes plenty of fresh fish right from the sea, as well as an option for “breakfast in the evening.” Becky’s Diner isn’t just popular with the fishermen — it’s gained wide recognition in the public sphere, with mentions in Gourmet Magazine and on Rachael Ray’s Food Network show, $40 a Day. If you want a great, cheap meal with an oceanfront view, Becky’s is the place to be.
Becky’s Diner
390 Commercial Street
Portland, ME 04101
www.beckysdiner.com
These are just a small sampling of Maine’s many great diners. If you drive past Cole Farms in Gray, or the A1 Diner in Gardiner, make sure you don’t miss them either. Though they may not be the trendiest of restaurants, Maine’s classic diners specialize in great food and service with a smile. Grab a bite in one of the state’s great diners — you’ll be glad you did.
Written by Kathy Hawkins on May 30, 2007
Filed Under Maine, Restaurants, People, Food
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