Good Places to Eat in Midcoast Maine

I was just thinking about some of the great restaurants I've enjoyed here in Maine, and thought I'd share some with you.

Damariscotta:

A new place called Augustine's - It's set back from Main Street a bit, but it's right on the Damariscotta River, and has really good food. I tend to look for very inexpensive places to eat, and Augustine's is a bit above average in price, but it's worth a bit of a splurge to go there.

Right on Main Street is the Damariscotta Grill. Nice quiet place, good food, brick walls and lovely atmostphere - well worth a dinner stop.

King Eider's Pub - more of a restaurant than a pub, but a local watering hole with an outside deck. The sandwiches are abundant in size, and the price is right. Good food with a couple of beers can make for a lovely evening.

Paige's Deli - perfect for really generous lunch sandwiches at reasonable prices. Only a few places to sit inside, but this is a super place to pick up a sandwich and head for a picnic.

Wiscasset:

One of my very favorite places for lunch is the Sea Basket on Route 1 just two miles south of town. This restaurant has the very best lobster stew you could hope for. Silky, plenty of lobster, rich and filling - I love it. The crab rolls are terrific. This place isn't fancy - it's plastic forks and styrofoam plates - but it's so clean you can eat off the floor. The staff is friendly even when it's super-busy, and if I need atmosphere I just get a carry-out and head for a pretty place for lunch.

Coveside Kitchen - brand new restaurant on Route 1 just north of the Wiscasset bridge, opened a few weeks ago. Family-run small operation, and actually offers a TEN DOLLAR lobster dinner, with steamer clams and corn. What a deal!!! I've also enjoyed a Maine shrimp roll, and the shrimp were all hand-breaded with just the lightest breading, really great tasting. The portions in this sandwich were over-sized - I couldn't eat it all. (Around here, one supports the local fishing industry by ordering Maine shrimp, which are medium-sized and full of flavor. Most of the local restaurants serve Maine shrimp. But if you're in a grocery store and buy those giant shrimp at the deli counter (they're from Thailand), you are "from away" for sure!)

Sarah's Cafe - on the Main Street corner at Water Street. Great view of the Damariscotta River from either inside or from Sarah's deck. Here's where you can get your seafood fix, but also salads, Mexican, and some superb baked items here. If you want a break while touring midcoast Maine or shopping the antiques shops of Wiscasset, this is a perfect sit-down place with good atmosphere, a great view of the lobster boats, and good eats.

I love Maine's food - can you tell?