Dishes I'd Drive For

across Maine. plus oysters on the roof, peony blooms and more.

Do you plan adventures/vacations/weekends/random Mondays around food? Me too.

As doors swing back open at the seasonal restaurants across the state, I’m busy mapping out my summer adventures and how I’ll get my hands on my coveted dishes. If you live in Maine or are dreaming of a vacation you’ll take here this summer, I thought this list might be helpful or inspiring as your plans become concrete.

These dishes are ones that I would - totally sincerely - plan a trip around. This isn’t a list detailing my favorite restaurants as a whole (though, many of these spots would be on that list as well) but rather a specific dish that has lodged a permanent spot in my brain.

Here are my top ten dishes in Maine that I’d (happily) drive for:

Grits & Eggs from The Alna Store (Alna, Maine)
🍽️ cacio e pepe heirloom grits, grilled wild oyster mushrooms, charred ramp + pistachio crisps, scallion, scrambled eggs
I truly went somewhere else while eating this recently. This James Beard semifinalist market + restaurant rotates their menus frequently - but I am going to cross all fingers (and toes) that this dish remains in some iteration. PS: get the hot sauce on the side!!