Be gin a tradition in the heart

everything from scratch, sourcing many of the ingredients for the daily-changing menu from the farm’s bounty. Dine on picnic tables, in gazebos, or at the small kitchen counter. 21 Wells Road, Cape Elizabeth. 207-831-9350; jordansfarm.wix.com/thewell

BAKERY

THE RED BARN BAKING CO.

Three days a week from spring to autumn, baker extraordinaire Kate Capra fills the glass cases in Lincolnville’s Red Barn Marketplace (which doubles as an antiques and collectibles store) with freshly baked breads, tarts, pies, strudels, cakes, cookies, brownies, and hand pies. Don’t miss the decadent cherries-and-cream brioches, the buttery yet light and flaky croissants, or, truly, anything. 2060 Atlantic Hwy. (Rte. 1), Lincolnville. 207230-1272; theredbarnmarketplace.com

BAR FOOD

PARRILLA

Watch the chef prepare meats and veggies on an Argentinian-style wood-fired grill as the bartender concocts you a memorable mojito at Parrilla, the casual open-air, streetside bar of Bar Harbor restaurant Havana. Cobble together a Maine-accented, Latin-inspired tapas meal of charcuterie or cheese plates, Mexican corn on the cob, seafood salad, or the chef’s-choice mixed grill. Still hungry? There are entrée-sized offerings, too, as well as a menu of sweet treats such as coconut flan. 318 Main St., Bar Harbor. 207-288-2822, havanamaine.com

Breakfast Caf This Way

A bit quirky (yes, that’s a garage door opening onto the patio) and charmingly eclectic (artsy tabletops laminated with images of everything from Charlie’s Angels to Moxie), this Bar Harbor café ticks all the breakfast boxes: organic and vegan options, a slew of Benedicts and omelets, and pancakes and French toast with real maple syrup. We recommend planning a good hike after downing the Café Monte Cristo, a French toast sandwich loaded with fried egg, ham, and cheddar cheese served with home fries. 14½ Mount Desert St., Bar Harbor. 207-288-4483; cafethisway.com

Burgers Nosh

No one here would bat an eye if you just opted for a basic cheeseburger (albeit fancied up on a brioche bun). But since this Portland hot spot excels at piling it on creatively, why not get in on the adventure? Beginning with beef from grass-fed, grain-finished cows, Nosh serves up more than half a dozen memorable specialty burgers, including the comainducing Apocalypse Now: one to four patties laden with American cheese, crisp pork belly, smoked bacon, and foie gras pâté and topped with cherry jam. 551 Congress St., Portland. 207-553-2227; noshkitchenbar.com

CLAM SHACK

THE CLAM SHACK

This takeout perched on the Kennebunk River tops a lot of lists for Maine’s best lobster roll, but it also earns raves for its fried clams, haddock, scallops, shrimp, and calamari, as well as its clam cakes, steamers, clam-rich chowder, and boiled lobster dinners. 2 Western Ave., Kennebunk. 207-9673321; theclamshack.net

COFFEE SHOP

COFFEE BY DESIGN

Coffee by Design distinguishes itself most obviously with its eco-minded bean selection and a microroasting process that produces superlative single-origin, peak-roast, dark-roast, blended, decaf, and flavored coffees. But it’s also a standout for its commitment to the community, as it supports local arts, sells cause-boosting coffees, and helps fund nonprofits such as Boys to Men and Portland Trails. 1 Diamond St., Portland, 207-874-5400; 620 Congress St., Portland, 207-772-5533; 67 India St., Portland, 207780-6767; 43 Washington Ave., Portland, 207-874-2234; 95 Main St., Freeport, 207865-2235; coffeebydesign.com

DINER

A1 DINER

Gleaming woodwork and chrome, a faded pink marble counter, and blue vinyl booths and stools welcome guests into this 1946 Worcester Lunch Car Company diner in Gardiner. The old-school decor, however, belies the nontraditional, internationally accented fare, made in-house and usually from local ingredients. Instead of biscuits and gravy, consider one of A1’s more exotic creations, which have included a Moroccan roasted veggie and hummus wrap and specials such as leek and bacon gratin, mixed-sausage ragu, kimchi burgers, and lamb and eggplant curry. 3 Bridge St., Gardiner. 207-582-4804

FARM-TO-TABLE DINING PRIMO

“Fresh from the farm” takes on new meaning at this Rockland gem, where ducks, pigs, guinea hens, and chickens are raised on the premises (along with fruits, vegetables, herbs, and honeybees). Even the cocktails feature farm-grown ingredients. Allow yourself time to tour the gardens and pastures before sitting down to enjoy the Mediterranean fare created by two-time James Beard Award–winner Melissa Kelly and her partner, Price Kushner. In the white-tablecloth dining rooms, the daily-changing dinner menu might include pork saltimbocca or grilled local swordfish with caldo verde ; in the casual, tapas-inspired Counter Room, look for house-made salumi, pizzas, Tuscan-style ribs, and local and imported cheeses. 2 N. Main St., Rockland. 207-596-0770; primorestaurant.com

Maine

Fine Dining Canterbury Royale

To experience one of Maine’s fanciest French restaurants, trek to Fort Fairfield. There, Canterbury Royale immerses guests in an intimate and elegant setting, with fine china, crystal, and silver adorning tables and elaborate wood carvings accenting the dining rooms. Guests order entrées for their five-course candlelit meal in advance, choosing from 20-plus possibilities, including pheasant under glass and lobster thermidor. 182 Sam Everett Road, Fort Fairfield. 207-472-4910; canterburyroyale.com

Italian Cuisine Piccolo

Step out of Portland and into the Italian countryside at Piccolo, a pocket eatery on the edge of the Old Port, where chef Damian Sansonetti draws on the food of his childhood. The small, ever-changing menu emphasizes the rustic cuisine of the Calabria and Abruzzi regions with entrées—such as the signature house-made cavatelli pasta with lamb’s-neck ragu—created from a conscientious mix of ingredients sourced from Italy and Maine. 111 Middle St., Portland. 207-747-5307; piccolomaine.com

PIZZA

OWEN’S FARMHOUSE

Owen’s has built a reputation for deliciousness in Kennebunk and beyond with its hand-tossed pizzas—always made with fresh dough—topped with seasonal ingredients from local farms and baked in a wood-fired oven. Choose from pies that range from basic to intriguing, such as the Kelly Orchard, made with apples, squash, Gorgonzola, and caramelized onions. 17 Main St., Kennebunk. 207985-0870; owensfarmhouse.com

SANDWICHES

ROLLING FATTIES

Whether you catch Rolling Fatties at its 1974 Airstream Argosy, which meanders about the Kingfield region in summer, or at the downtown farmhouse where it lives in the winter, the menu’s the same: big, fat handmade tortillas stuffed with primarily natural or organic Maine-sourced ingredients. Options include grass-fed beef, naturally raised pork and chicken, seasonal veggies, and local bacon. 268 Main St., Kingfield, and area. 207-3999246; rollingfatties.com

SUSHI MIYAKE

James Beard Award–nominated chef Masa Miyake takes Japanese cuisine to a new level, using ultrafresh ingredients (some sourced from his own farm) and employing Japanese, Italian, and French techniques. While you can’t go wrong ordering from the à la carte options, you should splurge at least once on the omakase, or chef’s tasting menu, for a dining adventure. 468 Fore St., Portland. 207-8719170; miyakerestaurants.com