Issues → November 2006 → Travel →
Freeport, Maine: Shopping and Exploring
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It's worth exploring that past, winding along the fingers of land that extend out into Casco Bay. The quiet harbors and inlets edged with pines and ghostly late-fall birch trees give this stretch of the coast a look more like the inland lakes than the rugged Maine coast of the calendars.
Take a spin by Wolfe's Neck Farm, a nonprofit purveyor of high-quality natural meats. Much of the taste is no doubt due to contentedness of the cows, who enjoy sweeping views of northern Casco Bay (the sort of view for which an investment banker in search of a summer home would gladly cut a large check) while cud chewing. The farm no longer sells meat to those who stop by, but do detour to the Bow Street Market on your way back into town, where you'll find a selection of local meats.
Azure Cafe: 6:17 p.m.
To the surprise of many, Freeport has become, over the past few years, a dining destination. You can explore a range of fare here, from the sudsy cheer of Gritty McDuff's brewpub to Conundrum's lavish wine list served in a New York-style bistro. Our choice this evening is Azure Cafe, an oasis of delicate, contemporary Italian fare amid the shopping scene and nearly adjacent to the classic Colonial-style Jameson Tavern -- a gulf of decades and miles of attitude in the space of a few dozen yards. Sip a two-rum mojito while perusing the menu, which includes the cafe's award-winning clam chowder and dishes such as balsamic-glazed pork tenderloin enlivened with fire-roasted corn and a sweet pepper relish.
After dinner, wander down to the regal Harraseeket Inn to soak in some of the rusticity of the Broad Arrow Tavern. Angle for a seat by the fireplace amid Windsor chairs and snowshoes on the wall and order up a dessert and after-dinner drink.
It's as grand a place to spend an evening as you'll find in Maine.
Shop Here
L.L. Bean Flagship Store, 95 Main St. 800-441-5713, 207-552-2000. llbean.com
DeLorme, 2 DeLorme Dr., Yarmouth. 800-642-0970, 207-846-7100. delorme.com
Lincoln Canoes & Kayaks, 8 Varney Rd. 207-865-0455. canoesandkayaks.com
Freeport Merchants Association, 23 Depot St. 800-865-1994, 207-865-1212. freeportusa.com
Abacus Gallery, 36 Main St. 800-206-2166, 207-865-6620, abacusgallery.com
Weathervanes of Maine, 298 Rte. 1. 207-865-0283. weathervanesofmaine.com
Bow Street Market, 79 Bow St. 207-865-6631.
Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers, 149 Main St. 800-708-9041, 207-865-4519. thosmoser.com
Where to Eat
Gritty McDuff's, 187 Lower Main St. Entrées: $8-$18. 207-865-4321. grittys.com
Conundrum Wine Bistro, 117 Rte. 1. Entrées: $8.95-$25. 207-865-0303.
Azure Café, 123 Main St. Entrées: $12.50-$28.75. 207-865-1237. azurecafe.com
Jameson Tavern, 115 Main St. Entrées: $13.95-$25.95. 207-865-4196. jamesontavern.com
Broad Arrow Tavern, The Harraseeket Inn, 162 Main St. Entrées: $9.95-$34.95. 800-342-6423, 207-865-9377. harraseeketinn.com
Mediterranean Grill, 10 School St. Entrées: $15.95-$24.95. 207-865-1688. mediterraneangrill.biz
Attractions in Freeport
Wolfe's Neck Farm, 184 Burnett Rd. 207-865-4469. wolfesneckfarm.org
Where to Stay
Harraseeket Inn, 162 Main St. Rates: $125-$305. 800-342-6423, 207-865-9377. harraseeketinn.com
Applewood Inn, 8 Holbrook St. Rates: $160-$190. 207-865-9705. applewoodusa.com
What the Locals Know
Bob Harkins, a partner with Maine Distilleries, maker of Cold River Vodka, loves to send friends to Buck's Naked BBQ on Route 1, across from the Big Indian statue. Housed in an old auto garage, "it's a classic Maine barbecue joint," he says. The "naked" barbecue is served with sauce on the side (the flavoring comes from dry rubs put on the meat before it's smoked).
Regulars rave about the sausage and pulled pork. Open daily for lunch and dinner. 132 Rte. 1; 207-865-0600.
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