Issues → May/June 2009 → Travel → Dining in New England: Yankee's Best →

Maine Dining 2009

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Best Summer Tradition:
JORDAN POND HOUSE, Acadia National Park, Mt. Desert Island
No visit to Acadia National Park is complete without afternoon tea on the lawn at the Jordan Pond House. Savor scrumptious popovers slathered with butter and jam--and heck, you're on vacation, splurge on ice cream, too (popover a la mode $6.50)--all while drinking in the views over the pond to the Bubbles. You can always walk it off on the carriage roads afterwards. Call for seasonal hours. Park Loop Road. 207-276-3316; jordanpond.com

Best Warm-Weather Treat:
MOUNT DESERT ISLAND ICE CREAM, Bar Harbor
MDI makes its decadently rich and creamy ice creams and sorbets in small batches, using fresh fruits and topnotch ingredients, and it's hard to say which are more creative, the names or the flavors. Possibilities include Hot Chili Chocolate, Neato Doritos, Girl Scouts Gone Wild, Scorned Woman, Pear Riesling, and Stout With Fudge. 7 Firefly Lane & 325 Main St. 207-288-0999, 207-288-5664; mdiic.com

Best Haute Cuisine in the Boonies:
CANTERBURY ROYALE, Fort Fairfield
Trained chefs Barbara Boucher and Renee O'Neill have turned a little cottage way, way, way off the beaten path into an Old World European dining experience, decorating the two tables with silver, crystal, and china, and serving sublime six-course meals (from $40). 182 Sam Everett Road; 207-472-4910

Best Down East Chow:
CHESTER PIKE'S GALLEY, Sullivan
Almost everything--breads, pies, muffins--is made from scratch at this cheerful, homey little place. The pies are divine; the muffins delicious; the homemade doughnuts satisfying; the lemon roll, oh my! Here's a hint: Order dessert first, so as not to be disappointed later. And if you happen to be around on Friday nights, don't miss the fish fry. 2336 Route 1; 207-422-8200

Best Family Farm:
PAINTED PEPPER, Steuben
Just try to resist the to-die-for sorbets, cheeses, and fudge made from Painted Pepper's herd of Nigerian dairy goats. Jordan Godino, his wife Lisa Reilich, and their three daughters also produce organic granola, preserves, and maple syrup on their 40-acre saltwater farm. Purchase products at the farm or at area farmers' markets, or try one of their special gift tins (from $24). 55 Goods Point Road. 207-546-9777; paintedpepperfarm.com