Boothbay Harbor Maine Restaurants: The Best Places to Eat
The Best Restaurants in Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Why Boothbay Harbor Is a Great Place to Eat
Boothbay Harbor, Maine is known for its fresh seafood. There are many restaurants located near working lobster docks where fisherman upload their daily catch. Even with all the seafood, though, there is a nice variety of different restaurants in Boothbay Harbor (and nearby). While most places offer some variety of seafood, there are also plenty of options for those who do not like seafood or vegetarians. This list of Boothbay Harbor Maine restaurants from our recent trip will help with planning and discovery of places to go on your next visit.
The Best Seafood Restaurants in Boothbay Harbor
Boothbay Lobster Wharf
Boothbay Lobster Wharf is located at 97 Atlantic Avenue. Here you can dine ON a working lobster wharf. It is so fun to see the boats come in with their hauls, which we witnessed a few times on our trip.
They offer the standard whole lobster with a choice of sides but also things like lobster bisque and lobster quesadilla. There are other options like chicken, fish, and two vegetarian meal options as well.
Cozy’s Dockside
Cozy’s Dockside is located in nearby Southport, which is only about 4.5 miles away via a scenic oceanfront drive. They serve classic Maine seafood and a raw bar, as well as burgers and hot dogs. This seemed to be a popular place for families with kids as well.
My husband and father both ordered the “Knuckle Sandwich,” which was a classic lobster roll. They both loved it but found it to be small in size. The haddock tacos, in contrast, came in a larger portion size. As the only vegetarian, I had the portabella mushroom sandwich, which was marinated and topped with onions and Swiss cheese.
The service here was not spectacular for us, as the waiter was running away from the table before taking our drink orders. Maybe they were busier than they looked at the time. The location is great as you can sit outside right on the dock. We had some beautiful weather in July, so it was nice to be right on the water. They also offered a lot of different flavors of ice cream for dessert, which we did not try.
Other Seafood Restaurants to Consider
Mine Oyster is located right in Boothbay Harbor at 16 Wharf Street. They have oysters, sushi (including a nice variety of vegetarian sushi rolls), and things like lobster calzone and pizzas. There is a good seating area on the waterfront dock here as well as an interior dining room.
The Best Waterfront Restaurants in Boothbay Harbor
Fisherman’s Wharf Tavern
Fisherman’s Wharf Tavern at the Fisherman’s Wharf Inn is a great centrally located tavern right in the middle of it all in Boothbay Harbor. Despite that, there is plenty of seating both inside at a bar and dining room and outside along the wraparound wharf.
This is a casual place with drinks and a pub menu. They have a good selection of craft beer, wine, cocktails, and mocktails. The tavern menu has soups and salads, sandwiches, lobster rolls, and appetizers. It’s a good spot for a late afternoon snack or early happy hour along the water.
Boathouse Bistro Tapas Bar & Restaurant
The Boathouse Bistro is actually across the street from the water with three floors of seating. The first floor is the air-conditioned dining room. The second floor has a patio with views of the harbor. The third floor has the best views with a bar and open-air deck.
The menu at the Boathouse Bistro offers a nice variety of tapas and seafood, along with a larger selection of vegetarian and vegan options. They have a large selection of seafood, including oysters and lobster, as well as various seafood risottos. They also have casual foods like sandwiches and burgers.
Harborside 1901 Bar & Grill
We were at Harborside 1901 for dinner, but they also have a different menu for lunch that is a bit more casual. The dining room is located indoors but with wraparound windows, offering views of the harbor. It is located right at the entrance to the footbridge, so it’s a convenient spot to walk to if you are staying at an inn on the other side of the harbor.
The dinner menu has mainly seafood, steak, and sushi. My husband ordered sushi here and loved it. They have a mix of traditional sushi with tuna and other fish and some lobster combinations. I had a delicious cauliflower steak here. They only had a couple of vegetarian options, but it was enough for me.
The Best Places for Lobster in Boothbay Harbor
Where to Get a Lobster Roll
Shannon’s Unshelled on Route 27 is another popular spot for lobster rolls. Their lobster is sourced fresh from the ocean daily. They also serve things like lobster grilled cheese and, of course, another classic, the Maine whoopie pie. They also have some other Maine treats, including a blueberry coleslaw.
Where to Get a Whole Lobster
In Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay Harbor Lobster Wharf is a working lobster dock. You can pick out your lobster right off the boat.
There are also some other authentic options in nearby towns. Worth a drive is Georgetown, Maine, which is down another peninsula before Boothbay Harbor. A popular stop is the Five Islands Lobster Co where lobsters are pulled straight from the water. While we were here, we actually got to witness a haul coming in, and then the prep beginning in the kitchen. Five Islands Village is known as one of the prettiest harbors in Maine, so it is definitely worth a stop if you are coming here for a couple of days.
The bonus of venturing to Georgetown for lobster is that you can also stop at Georgetown Pottery. All the pottery here is made by hand, and there is even a working studio here.
Other Lobster Dishes to Try
As indicated in some of the other restaurant reviews, there is an eclectic mix of lobster dishes in Boothbay. You can try the lobster risotto at The Boathouse Bistro & Tapas Bar. Boothbay Lobster Wharf has a lobster quesadilla. For Italian fusion, try the lobster calzone at Mine Oyster.
The Best Breakfast and Coffee in Boothbay Harbor
Harbor Treats
Harbor Treats, located right at the entrance to the footbridge at 12 Bridge Street, is a great spot for breakfast or sweet treats. We stopped here a few times for dessert when heading back to our hotel after dinner. They had some nice whoopie pies. My favorite was a salted caramel variety.
They have a nice breakfast selection here too. They have pastries, waffles, and breakfast sandwiches. They also have ice cream and sundaes made to order.
Red Cup Coffeehouse
Red Cup Coffeehouse is located at 29 Commercial Street. There was no inside seating when we went in July. Instead, you order at the sidewalk via a window, and they have a second window for food and drink pickups. There are a few tables and chairs along the sidewalk, but there are also many picnic tables right across the street. So you can take your food and drink and sit along the harbor, which is what we chose to do.
Red Cup Coffeehouse has traditional breakfast sandwiches, bagels, and baked goods. They also have an extensive selection of hot and iced coffee and tea, matcha, and lattes.
The Best Casual Restaurants in Boothbay Harbor
Casual Seafood and Waterfront Spots
I would say Boothbay Harbor is pretty casual and laid back in terms of atmosphere for casual dining options. Many places are going to have an outside wooden deck seating option. Also, if you are planning to sit outside, the weather can vary. During our trip in July, the weather started cooler, down to the low 60s at night, and at the end of our stay was the start of a heat wave. When sitting outside, it was helpful to have a sweatshirt on the first couple of nights. Aside from Harborside 1901, which was a bit of a nicer kind of restaurant, all of the other restaurants on this list I would consider very casual.
Restaurants With Vegetarian Options
Since I specifically sought out vegetarian options in Boothbay Harbor, I was pleasantly surprised that there were options everywhere we went. Boathouse Bistro Tapas Bar & Restaurant had by far the most vegetarian and vegan options on their menu. Many places we went had portobello burgers. The cauliflower steak at the Harborside 1901 was also excellent.
Where to Eat in Boothbay Harbor by Meal
Best Places for Breakfast
Head to Red Cup Coffeehouse for casual grab-and-go options to take with you as you tour around Boothbay Harbor. Harbor. Their menu has traditional breakfast sandwiches, bagels, and baked goods. They also have an extensive selection of hot and iced coffee and tea, matcha, and lattes. It can be crowded, but the line moves quickly, and food items come out in just a few minutes.
Harbor Treats is a great spot for breakfast as well. They have pastries, waffles, and breakfast sandwiches. There is also a big outdoor seating area here if you want to order in.
Best Places for Lunch
The Boathouse Bistro & Tapas Bar, specifically the second floor and third floor, offer great views during the day. We stopped here on a beautiful sunny day and sat on the third-floor open-air deck. There were expansive views of the harbor, and they have a good selection of drinks and lighter fare.
Fisherman’s Wharf Tavern at the Fisherman’s Wharf Inn is a great centrally located tavern that is perfect for some snacks and drinks in the afternoon. Its spot right on the water makes it an ideal place to sit when the weather is nice and to take a break from walking around. The pub menu is perfect for having something small or to share with others.
Best Places for Dinner
Harborside 1901 is a great place for dinner, and they do accept reservations. The dinner menu has mainly seafood, steak, and sushi. It is a bit of a nicer place, so I consider it more of a dinner option. They do offer a lunch seating as well, though.
Cozy’s Dockside is located in nearby Southport and is a nice spot for dinner as well. There is a nice scenic drive on the way there. Then there is an outdoor seating area which is perfect for when the sun starts to set, and it gets a bit cooler. This is a more casual option for a quick dinner outside.
Boothbay Lobster Wharf is where you can head right in Boothbay Harbor for your traditional lobster dinner. They have two floors of seating available. It is a fast, casual option for lobster meals.
Best Places for Dessert
Downeast Ice Cream Factory is a local ice cream shop with 65 flavors of ice cream. Their oceanfront shop on the pier has outdoor picnic seating or you can take your ice cream and walk around the harbor. They have some Maine-centric flavors like Maine Whoopie pie, Maine Moose, and a Maine blueberry flavor.
The other option already mentioned in this article for dessert is Harbor Treats for ice cream, whoopie pies, and other goodies!
Tips for Dining in Boothbay Harbor
Do You Need Reservations?
Many places do not take reservations here and are considered first-come, first-served. It is best to check the links to specific restaurants in this article for the most up-to-date information. We got by fine without reservations during the holiday week of July Fourth. Many places are pretty casual and have seating available quickly, if not right away. Of course, during the weekend and busier times, there are a few restaurants that do take reservations if you are planning for a group and do not want to wait.
Is Boothbay Harbor Expensive?
Boothbay Harbor has options for many budgets. There are luxury inns along with more casual inns and bed and breakfasts. Prices also vary a lot from high to low season, and from mid-week to the weekend.
As for meals, many restaurants have lobster that is listed as MP, which stands for market price. Typically, a whole lobster is around $20 to $30 market price, but prices do fluctuate with seasonal supply and demand. The dinner prices were typical for the region.
Where Can You Find Vegetarian Options?
I was happy to find that I could get vegetarian options anywhere. Even restaurants that are typical seafood places have a wide variety of food to accommodate different tastes. Casual places offered veggie hot dogs or portobello burgers, and some of the nicer places offered pastas, risottos, and veggie bowls.
Where Can You Eat With a Waterfront View?
Many of the restaurants we ate at had a waterfront view. A lot of the restaurants are located on the water or across the street from the water. Some of the restaurants, like The Boathouse Bistro & Tapas Bar, had three floors of dining so even across the street from the water, you still had water views.
Where to Stay Near the Best Boothbay Harbor Restaurants
Boothbay Harbor Inn is where we chose to stay on our recent visit. It is right next to the footbridge, making it a convenient place to stay to explore Boothbay Harbor on foot. The rooms are simple and comfortable. They also offer coffee and drinks in the main building behind the lobby. When we went on our boat tour, there was also a stop right outside so we could get off the boat in front of our hotel. We were able to walk to all restaurants in Boothbay Harbor from this location, so it was very convenient.
For details on other options for staying in Boothbay Harbor, check out this article.
Final Thoughts on the Best Boothbay Harbor Maine Restaurants
Although Boothbay Harbor is known for seafood and fresh lobster, I was pleasantly surprised by the nice variety of options for seafood lovers and others. Not only were there casual options like fried seafood and burgers, but there was a lot of sushi (including vegetarian options), and some more upscale dinner places. We picked out a couple of nice places to visit during our stay and dined and snacked at more casual places when we didn’t have a reservation. That mix of variety made it easy to enjoy our time in the Boothbay Harbor region.
