Where to Eat on Mount Desert Island

While most of the breakfast offerings at the Inns, Motels and Hotels on the Island are often quite delightful or you are enjoying your own lodging at a campground you might crave something different for your morning dining, there are a number of restaurants in Bar Harbor and around the Island where you can enjoy those blueberry pancakes that everyone talks about. Notable examples in Bar Harbor would include: Cafe This Way, Jordan's Restaurant, Jeannie's Great Maine Breakfast, Looking Glass Restaurant, 2 Cats and Everyday Joe's.

If you find yourself in Southwest Harbor looking for breakfast you might want to check out Clark Point Cafe for their unique and delicious offerings.

Lobster pounds like Beal's in Southwest Harbor, Thurston's in Bass Harbor and Stewman's in Bar Harbor give that working wharf experience to your classic Lobster or fried clam meal.

If you are looking for that mythical 'Best Lobster Roll' then your quest is both easy and extremely difficult. All purveyors of Lobster Rolls on the Island are getting their lobsters fresh from lobster traps tied to lines all around the Island. They all know what their definition of what the best Lobster Roll looks like. Differences start to show themselves in choice of roll and presentation. Simply presented with drawn butter, a touch of mayo or a seasoned aioli the variations each have their own virtues but don't all satisfy individual definitions of the best lobster roll.

Good lobster rolls can be found at any restaurant on Island that has a seafood focus. However, for those looking for that Quintessential roadside lobster pound that specializes in Lobster rolls we know a few. The Traveling Lobster, C-Rays and Bar Harbor Lobster Pound are all a short drive out of downtown Bar Harbor. If you find yourself on the quiet side of the Island, set google maps for Charlotte's Legendary Lobster Pound.

While almost all restaurants on Island have fresh seafood offerings their presentations can differ widely as can their nonseafood offerings. Geddy's, Peekytoe Provisions, The Chart Room, The Thirsty Whale Tavern, Cafe Drydock (Southwest Harbor) and Nor'Easter Pound (Northeast Harbor) all have unique atmospheres with seafood forward menus but with many non-seafood options.

The choice of very good restaurants where seafood is in equal balance with all other offerings are numerous. Casual and Fine dining options are each easy to find.

Paddy's, Side Street Cafe and Blaze fall to the casual side. Each offers large, diverse and interesting menus and have lively atmospheres.

Fine dining interests can be satisfied with visits to restaurants like Galyn's, The Reading Room, Dinner, Table Salt, Havana, Red Sky (Southwest Harbor) and Copita (Northeast Harbor).

One of the most frequent questions we get asked is "What exactly is a popover?"

The recipe for popovers came over with English settlers who would place a simple batter mixture that used beef drippings as the primary fat into their ovens where their Sunday roasts were cooking. This resulted in a steam risen 'pastry' made a bit savory by the beef drippings. The shell would be crispy with a large hollow center. The crumb of the popover lines the shell and is a bit slightly egg forward. In this form the popover takes on a different name, Yorkshire Pudding. So called because of the way they are served, opened and filled with gravy.

The American popover has taken on many different forms. They became receptacles for both savory and sweet fillings as well as being introduced as another offering at tea houses to be served with butter and jam. Recipes were modified to regional tastes. One of the primary changes came in the moving away from beef drippings toward other fats like butter and vegetable oils. This resulted in a generally lighter and less savory popover.

Any research that you may have done concerning your trip to Acadia and MDI would probably have brought up, under 'must do', the enjoyment of a popover at the historic Jordan Pond House. While this is certainly a wonderful way to enjoy a popover served in the traditional tea house manner or as the receptacle for the fillings of an Ice Cream Sundae it certainly isn't the only place to enjoy a popover on the island.

The popover, having become 'a thing' on the Island has made its way onto the menus of many restaurants and bed and breakfasts. Two notable choices to choose from are The Asticou Hotel and Harbor Table. However, do not hesitate to review the menu of any eatery you are considering to see if they might be able to satisfy your popover needs.

Full-Service Restaurants

• Galyn's
• Side Street Café
• McKay's Public House
• Havana
• Project Social Kitchen & Bar
• Geddy's
• Thirsty Whale Tavern
• The Reading Room Restaurant (at Bar Harbor Inn)
• Finback Alehouse
• Stewman's Lobster Pound

Seafood & Lobster Shacks

• The Stadium
• West Street Café
• Bar Harbor Lobster Co.
• Chart Room Restaurant
• Jack Russell's Steak House & Brewery
• C-Ray's Lobster Pound

Casual Eats, Cafés & Breakfast

• Jordan's Restaurant
• Jordan Pond House
• Cafe This Way
• 2 Cats Restaurant
• Mount Desert Island Ice Cream
• Coffee Hound Coffee Co.
• Morning Glory Bakery
• Jeannie's Great Maine Breakfast

International Cuisine

• Mama DiMatteo's (Italian)
• La Bella Vita (at Harborside Hotel)
• Ciao (Italian Café & Market)
• Royal Indian
• Epi's Pizza
• Route 66 Restaurant

Bars & Breweries

• Reel Pizza Cinerama (pizza & movies)
• Atlantic Brewing Company
• Blaze Bar Harbor

Southwest Harbor

• Beal's Lobster Pier
• Little Fern at The Claremont
• Red Sky Restaurant (fine dining)
• Eat-A-Pita & Café 2
• Quietside Café & Ice Cream Shop
• Coda
• Common Good Soup Kitchen Café

Northeast Harbor

• Colonel's Restaurant & Bakery
• The Nor'Easter
• Copita (Latin/Fine Dining)
• The Docksider Restaurant
• Asticou Inn

Bass Harbor / Bernard / Tremont

• Thurston's Lobster Pound
• Charlotte's Legendary Lobster Pound
• Seafood Ketch
• Harbor Table

Otter Creek / Seal Harbor / Somesville

• The Burning Tree (Otter Creek)
• Abel's Lobster (Somes Sound)
• Serendipity Café (Somesville)