Eating in + Around Rockport, Maine
We just got back from five days in the Rockport, Maine area and had such a lovely time! Rockport is located on a bit of Maine coastline between Camden and Rockland so we really got to experience the best of the whole area. Here is a list of everything we ate / drank over our five days there, as well as some spots we had on our list to try but didn’t have enough time (or stomach space) for.
I hope this helps if you are planning a trip to the area and I can’t wait to get back up to Maine!
The donuts at Ruckus are no joke! They are only open from 7:30 am - 11:00 am (or even earlier if they sell out), so make sure to either order ahead or get up early to pick these up. They are incredibly light and fluffy with some incredible flavors. I really loved the Willy Vanilly but want to try the coffee cake flavor next time (they were sold out).
Owls Nest Coffee & Café:
Owls nest is located in the Trade Winds building off the main street in Rockland and the coffee was really yummy. This is a great place to pop in for a drink if you are walking around. There is only one person working the coffee shop, so if you have larger order, be patient!
Zoot in downtown Camden was probably my favorite coffee pick up of the trip. The coffee shop is large and cool with great and nice staff. I loved my ice flat white with vanilla.
We picked up sandwiches from Camden Deli and they were great! They have a wide selection of sandwiches (both hot and cold), or you can make your own. If you are looking to grab a sandwich for a beach or boat day, this is a great place to stop in.
Main Street Market is conveniently located right on the main street in Rockland and is a gorgeous little grocery / market with pre-made and made-to-order food. This is another great place to stop in for lunch or pick up something for a beach / boat day. I thought my chicken salad sandwich was delicious and I really liked the pre-made broccoli salad.
Schooners is a bit south of where we were staying but we stopped in for dinner on our way up. The restaurant is ideally located right on the water where there is no seat without a view. They had live music and a nice bar and the food was decent! Worth a stop in if you are in the area.
Claws was probably my favorite lobster of the trip! This super fun lobster shack has a great deck and even better food. The highlights for me were the Lazy Lobster Dinner and the steamers. The lobster rolls, clam chowder, fried asparagus, and the wild blueberry crisp were also amazing. I would go back here as often as physically possible. One thing to note is that there is usually a line and if they are busy, the kitchen is a bit slower, but they don’t compromise on freshness and flavor. Definitely worth a visit!
While we were hanging out in the Airbnb, my brother in-law put on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations episode in Maine and we discovered Primo! We took a chance and ended up snagging a reservation for the next day. This meal was an absolute treat and should be on everyone who visits this area’s list. This was definitely one of our more pricey outings but everything was worth it. We tried the foie gras, the farmer’s salad, burrata and the fried squash blossoms for apps and then I got the special porkchop with grits for my entre. Everything was SO good, from the atmosphere, to the service, to the drinks and food.
We went to Peter Ott’s after wandering around Camden and searching for a reservation with a water view for a bit. It is a cute spot right on the Marina, but the food left a bit to be desired. My favorite part of the meal was the clam chowder, but overall I wouldn’t put this on your list.
Barren’s Distillery + Restaurant:
We decided to stop in Barren’s for a quick lunch and I would say it was pretty mediocre. I would have subbed this lunch out for something else but would recommend trying Barren’s for a happy hour or drinks and some small bites (their apps were good) and the setting was really nice. Barren’s is located on a newer part of the Marina and has a great waterfront view. I would recommend this for a pre-dinner drink but maybe not a whole meal.
Ok, this is technically 2.5 hours south of the Rockport area but it was so good, I needed to mention it. The Clam Shack is located in Kennebunkport and will potentially be on your way to the Rockport area if you are driving from Boston or event Portland. The Clam Shack had the most unique and delicious lobster roll I have had in a while. It is served on a bun and I would recommend ordering it with butter and mayo - which is their “special” way to serve it. We also had some of their clam strips, which were perfectly fried and actually had from decent sized clam bellies in there. I am so eager to get back to the Clam Shack / Kennebunkport in general!
We stopped into Paper Plane for a cocktail before dinner and they really delivered. The cocktails were innovative and delicious. I would love to come back to try their small bites and their wine selection was amazing!
Camden Cone:
We stopped at Camden Cone while walking around the main street of Camden and it was so cute and delicious. They had some fun and unique flavors and I would recommend stopping there!
We also had some really delicious ice cream at Round Top. They have a TON of flavors (it is a bit overwhelming) and some really unique ones as well. I tried the grasshopped (mint and oreo) and had some coffee oreo with it. This is a must-stop dessert spot in the area.
Other places we wanted to try but didn’t get to this trip:
First Fig
River Ducks Ice Cream
Seafolk Coffee
Sprague’s Lobster
Station 118
