#but grandmothers are always an excellent addition to any piece of media

[hug-them-trees]

GIVE US BRUNO’S NONNA

[ancestorsalive]

The Joy of Being a Woman in Her Seventies

-- by Mary Pipher, Feb 27, 2019

This article originally appeared in the New York Times Sunday Review, on January 12th, 2019.

“When I told my friends I was writing a book on older women like us, they immediately protested, “I am not old.” What they meant was that they didn’t act or feel like the cultural stereotypes of women their age. Old meant bossy, useless, unhappy and in the way. Our country’s ideas about old women are so toxic that almost no one, no matter her age, will admit she is old.

In America, ageism is a bigger problem for women than aging. Our bodies and our sexuality are devalued, we are denigrated by mother-in-law jokes, and we’re rendered invisible in the media. Yet, most of the women I know describe themselves as being in a vibrant and happy life stage. We are resilient and know how to thrive in the margins. Our happiness comes from self-knowledge, emotional intelligence and empathy for others.

Most of us don’t miss the male gaze. It came with catcalls, harassment and unwanted attention. Instead, we feel free from the tyranny of worrying about our looks. For the first time since we were 10, we can feel relaxed about our appearance. We can wear yoga tights instead of nylons and bluejeans instead of business suits.

Yet, in this developmental stage, we are confronted by great challenges. We are unlikely to escape great sorrow for long. We all suffer, but not all of us grow. Those of us who grow do so by developing our moral imaginations and expanding our carrying capacities for pain and bliss. In fact, this pendulum between joy and despair is what makes old age catalytic for spiritual and emotional growth.

By our 70s, we’ve had decades to develop resilience. Many of us have learned that happiness is a skill and a choice. We don’t need to look at our horoscopes to know how our day will go. We know how to create a good day.

We have learned to look every day for humor, love and beauty. We’ve acquired an aptitude for appreciating life. Gratitude is not a virtue but a survival skill, and our capacity for it grows with our suffering. That is why it is the least privileged, not the most, who excel in appreciating the smallest of offerings.

Many women flourish as we learn how to make everything workable. Yes, everything. As we walk out of a friend’s funeral, we can smell wood smoke in the air and taste snowflakes on our tongues.

Our happiness is built by attitude and intention. Attitude is not everything, but it’s almost everything. I visited the jazz great Jane Jarvis when she was old, crippled and living in a tiny apartment with a window facing a brick wall. I asked if she was happy and she replied, “I have everything I need to be happy right between my ears.”

We may not have control, but we have choices. With intention and focused attention, we can always find a forward path. We discover what we are looking for. If we look for evidence of love in the universe, we will find it. If we seek beauty, it will spill into our lives any moment we wish. If we search for events to appreciate, we discover them to be abundant.

There is an amazing calculus in old age. As much is taken away, we find more to love and appreciate. We experience bliss on a regular basis. As one friend said: “When I was young I needed sexual ecstasy or a hike to the top of a mountain to experience bliss. Now I can feel it when I look at a caterpillar on my garden path.”

Older women have learned the importance of reasonable expectations. We know that all our desires will not be fulfilled, that the world isn’t organized around pleasing us and that others, especially our children, are not waiting for our opinions and judgments. We know that the joys and sorrows of life are as mixed together as salt and water in the sea. We don’t expect perfection or even relief from suffering. A good book, a piece of homemade pie or a call from a friend can make us happy. As my aunt Grace, who lived in the Ozarks, put it, “I get what I want, but I know what to want.”

We can be kinder to ourselves as well as more honest and authentic. Our people-pleasing selves soften their voices and our true selves speak more loudly and more often. We don’t need to pretend to ourselves and others that we don’t have needs. We can say no to anything we don’t want to do. We can listen to our hearts and act in our own best interest. We are less angst-filled and more content, less driven and more able to live in the moment with all its lovely possibilities.

Many of us have a shelterbelt of good friends and long-term partners. There is a sweetness to 50-year-old friendships and marriages that can’t be described in language. We know each other’s vulnerabilities, flaws and gifts; we’ve had our battles royal and yet are grateful to be together. A word or a look can signal so much meaning. Lucky women are connected to a rich web of women friends. Those friends can be our emotional health insurance policies.

The only constant in our lives is change. But if we are growing in wisdom and empathy, we can take the long view. We’ve lived through seven decades of our country’s history, from Truman to Trump. I knew my great-grandmother, and if I live long enough, will meet my great-grandchildren. I will have known seven generations of family. I see where I belong in a long line of Scotch-Irish ancestors. I am alive today only because thousands of generations of resilient homo sapiens managed to procreate and raise their children. I come from, we all come from, resilient stock, or we wouldn’t be here.

By the time we are 70, we have all had more tragedy and more bliss in our lives than we could have foreseen. If we are wise, we realize that we are but one drop in the great river we call life and that it has been a miracle and a privilege to be alive.”

* * *

Mary Pipher is a clinical psychologist in Lincoln, Neb., and the author of the #1 New York Times’ bestseller, Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls, in addition to 9 other books. Her most recent book is: ‘Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing As We Age.’

[janekira2]

The Scoop: May 13, 2020 Edition

In this edition

COVID-19 special enrollment for uninsured residents in Vermont, Nevada ends Friday

Colorado’s insurance commissioner asks Congress to create reinsurance program

Insurers in Vermont propose modest rate increases, despite uncertainties due to Covid-19

UnitedHealthcare plans to rejoin Maryland exchange in 2021

Health insurers offer premium credits due to reduced healthcare utilization amid pandemic

IRS allows employers to offer mid-year plan change, enrollment flexibility for workers

Wyoming’s Joint Revenue Committee will again consider Medicaid expansion

HHS issues new maximum out-of-pocket limits, new SEP

COVID-19 special enrollment for uninsured residents in Vermont, Nevada ends Friday

The COVID-19 special enrollment periods in Vermont and Nevada will end this Friday, May 15. After that, residents in those states will need a qualifying event in order to sign up for a health plan, as is the case in most other states. The loss of employer-sponsored health insurance is a qualifying event, so people who lose their coverage amid the pandemic will still be able to enroll in a new plan.

After Friday, COVID-19 enrollment windows will continue for uninsured residents (without qualifying events) in Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, California, and the District of Columbia.

Colorado’s insurance commissioner asks federal lawmakers to create reinsurance program

Colorado’s insurance commissioner, Michael Conway, is asking Colorado’s congressional delegation to push for a federal reinsurance program as part of the next bill to provide COVID-19 relief. Conway’s letter highlights the progress Colorado has made in fostering a stable individual insurance market and low uninsured rate, but notes that a federal reinsurance program could do even more to strengthen the individual market and make coverage more affordable.

Colorado is one of a dozen states with a state-based reinsurance program, all of which rely on federal funding via 1332 waivers. Conway’s letter clarifies that these states should be allowed to maintain their existing reinsurance programs, in addition to a federal program. The ACA created a federal reinsurance program that stabilized the markets in every state from 2014 through 2016, but it was a temporary program that ended at the end of 2016.

Washington’s insurance commissioner, Mike Kreidler, sent a similar letter to Washington’s congressional delegation last month, encouraging Congress to reinstate the ACA’s reinsurance program. Washington does not have a state-based reinsurance program. Kreidler’s letter explained that he proposed legislation in 2018 to create one, but it was not enacted due to the cost. Reinsurance programs are most beneficial to people who pay full price for their coverage (ie, they don’t get a premium subsidy), and Washington’s individual insurance market has a higher-than-average percentage of enrollees who pay full price.

Insurers in Vermont propose modest rate increases, despite uncertainties due to Covid-19

Insurers submitted 2021 rate filings for individual market plans in Vermont this week, and David Anderson has an excellent overview of how the state’s two insurers are approaching the cost uncertainties presented by COVID-19. Both insurers have proposed single-digit average rate increases: 6.3 percent for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, and 7.3 percent for MVP.

In terms of COVID-19, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont is projecting that the disease will not have any significant effect on their costs in 2021, while MVP is projecting roughly a $10 per member per month increase in costs due to COVID-19 (a combination of vaccine costs as well as increased elective procedures in early 2021 to compensate for the procedures that have been delayed this year amid the pandemic).

For perspective, MVP’s current overall premiums are lower than BCBSVT’s, and that will continue to be the case if the proposed rate changes are approved. Vermont is a unique state in that the entire state is one rating area (so premiums don’t vary from one area of the state to another), and premiums also do not vary by age. BCBSVT has a lower-cost catastrophic plan, but MVP’s metal level plans are all priced quite a bit lower than BCBSVT’s.

UnitedHealthcare plans to rejoin Maryland exchange in 2021

UnitedHealthcare offered coverage in Maryland’s exchange from 2014 through 2016, but left after the end of 2016, as the carrier did in many states. For 2021, however, the insurer has filed plans to rejoin Maryland’s exchange, and will offer coverage alongside CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and Kaiser Permanente.

Health insurers offer premium rebates due to lower healthcare spending during pandemic

Last month, numerous auto insurers announced they would send rebates to policyholders because Americans are driving much less and thus having fewer car crashes. Some health insurers are now getting on board with that idea, as overall medical claims have dropped due to canceled elective services.

UnitedHealthcare is offering premium credits – ranging from 5 to 20 percent – for June, for individual and group plans. In Michigan, Priority Health is offering a 15 percent premium credit for June and July for their individual and small-group enrollees, plus potential premium credits for large-group plans later this year, depending on how much excess premium revenue is generated this year. In Washington, Premera Blue Cross is offering a one-time premium credit of up to 15 percent for small- and large-group plans, although their premium relief program does not apply to individual market enrollees.

IRS allows employers to offer mid-year plan change, enrollment flexibility to workers

Under normal IRS rules, employers are not allowed to let their workers make health insurance coverage changes outside of open enrollment unless the worker experiences a qualifying life event. So in general, employees cannot enroll in or disenroll from their employer’s plan midway through the plan year without a qualifying event, nor can they switch from one plan option to another. But to address the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRS published rule changes this week that relax those rules, allowing (but not requiring) employers to give their employees mid-year flexibility to enroll, disenroll (if they gain access to a different plan) or switch from one plan to another.

The new rules also allow employees to make mid-year changes to their FSA (flexible spending account) contributions, which is normally not allowed. And for those with FSA plan years or grace periods that end in 2020, the IRS is allowing the employer to give enrollees until the end of 2020 to use their remaining FSA funds. The normal “use it or lose it” rules for FSAs do not allow account holders to use funds past the end of the plan year or grace period, but the IRS is letting employers provide some flexibility here as well.

Wyoming’s Joint Revenue Committee will again consider Medicaid expansion

Wyoming is one of 14 states where Medicaid eligibility has not been expanded, meaning that there’s a coverage gap for residents who earn less than the federal poverty level. Last fall, Wyoming’s Joint Revenue Committee voted in favor of Medicaid expansion, but the bill died in committee on the first day of the 2020 legislative session. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the circumstances, however, as many previously employed Wyoming residents are now without a job – and in many cases, newly uninsured. Last week, Wyoming lawmakers voted to have the Joint Revenue Committee once again consider Medicaid expansion. The committee could spend the next several months on the issue, but lawmakers also noted that it might be brought up as soon as the special session that’s tentatively scheduled for late June.

HHS issues new maximum out-of-pocket limits, new SEP

Last week, HHS finalized the 2021 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters. This annual rule-making document covers a wide range of issues related to the insurance markets, and is summarized here, here, and here, by Katie Keith.

Each year, HHS uses the Benefit and Payment Parameters to issue maximum out-of-pocket limits for the coming plan year. For 2021, the limits are $8,550 for a single individual and $17,100 for a family (up from $8,150 and $16,300 this year). These limits apply to all non-grandmothered, non-grandfathered plans, for any in-network treatment of essential health benefits. Many insurers offer plans with maximum out-of-pocket limits below these levels, but they cannot be higher.

HHS has also finalized a new special enrollment period for people who are enrolled in a Silver plan with cost-sharing reductions but then experience a change in income that makes them newly ineligible for cost-sharing reductions. This rule won’t take effect until 2022, when it will allow people in this situation to switch to a Bronze or Gold plan. (Currently, they can only switch to a different Silver plan.)

One fairly drastic change HHS had proposed was not finalized: The proposed rule change would have eliminated premium subsidies for people with $0 (after-subsidy) plans whose coverage auto-renewed. The idea was to require people to return to the exchange each year to redetermine their subsidy eligibility, but this proposal received overwhelmingly negative public comments and HHS opted to not finalize it. So auto-renewal with premium subsidies will continue to be available, even for people whose subsidy covers the full cost of their plan. (Premium subsidies always have to be reconciled with the IRS after the end of the plan year.)

Louise Norris is an individual health insurance broker who has been writing about health insurance and health reform since 2006. She has written dozens of opinions and educational pieces about the Affordable Care Act for healthinsurance.org. Her state health exchange updates are regularly cited by media who cover health reform and by other health insurance experts.

The post The Scoop: May 13, 2020 Edition appeared first on healthinsurance.org.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8246807 https://www.healthinsurance.org/blog/2020/05/13/the-scoop-may-13-2020-edition/

[tonyduncanbb73]

New England News: The Rock Hunts Down Some Bissell Brothers

And other food and beverage updates from around New England

Broadening the scope a bit, here’s the latest restaurant news from beyond Greater Boston; we’re keeping an eye out for dining developments throughout New England. This piece will be updated on a rolling basis, covering restaurant openings, closures, and more in Portsmouth, Providence, Portland, and elsewhere.

Check back for updates — the most recent ones will always be at the top — and email boston@eater.com with any news tips pertaining to New England restaurant news beyond Boston.

Note: Jump to the bottom of this page for a list of other links pertaining to New England dining, including a guide to Portsmouth and Kittery, an archive of Maine news, a map of the hottest new restaurants in Providence, and more.

January 9, 2018

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Lunch Lady Food Truck debuted at the end of 2017 in Concord, serving a school-themed menu featuring items named for grades one through 10. There are burgers, barbecue pork nachos, Buffalo wings, and Reuben egg rolls, among many other items, including sides and drinks. Find it by the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Rd.), and keep an eye on social media for other locations.

DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Burger joint Hop + Grind (7 Madbury Rd. — Madbury Commons) opened at the end of November. The restaurant butchers and grinds its own meats and makes its soda in-house. There are beef, chicken, and pork burgers and two versions of veggie burgers, plus chicken fried mac and cheese and a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Hop + Grind also serves craft beer and ice cream malts.

MAINE — As a new year kicks off, Portland Food Map takes a look back at the year in 2017 — exploring new restaurants, notable events, trends, and obituaries — while looking ahead towards openings slated for 2018.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Rock apparently has great taste in beer and sent an assistant to procure some. The famed Bissell Brothers Brewing Company (4 Thompsons Pt.) shared the story on Twitter: “An assistant for The Rock just showed up, he took a private jet here to pick up Substance cans. Got shown some credentials… either we just got massively played or THAT IS AWESOME!!”

Also in Portland, Definitive Brewing Company is under construction and could open in the spring at 35 Industrial Wy., near Allagash Brewing Company, according to the Portland Food Map. Few other details are available at this point, but stay tuned for more from Maine.

SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE — The poke trend is creeping its way north to South Portland: Big Fin Poke, which specializes in the Hawaiian raw fish dish, is now open at 29 Western Ave., with this location joining a second in Westbrook, Maine. In addition to rice and salad bowls topped with seafood, chicken, beef, or tofu, Big Fin Poke also serves poke burritos, or seaweed wraps stuffed with sushi rice and proteins.

December 19, 2017

Facebook

Smoked pork loin chop at Nibblesworth in Portsmouth

KITTERY, MAINE — The Caribbean-inspiredBlue Mermaid Island Grill, which was previously open in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for over 20 years, returns to the dining scene this week, opening its new Kittery location at 10 Shapleigh Rd. on Thursday, December 21, right next to Tributary Brewing Company. Opening weekend is reservation-only; call (207) 703-2754.

Checkout our beautiful, brand new store front, isn’t she gorgeous?! … . . #bluemermaid #bluemermaidkittery #kitteryme #kittery #newlocation #storefront #restaurantdesign

A post shared by Blue Mermaid (@bluemermaid_kittery) on Dec 16, 2017 at 10:26am PST

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Biryani Pot, which has a location in Framingham, Massachusetts, will add a location in Nashua (295 Daniel Webster Hwy.), and the grand opening will happen soon. The restaurant specializes in Hyderabadi cuisine, including biryani with chicken, goat, egg, shrimp, or vegetables.

PORTLAND, MAINE — Tuscan Table arrives at 390 Gorham Rd. in South Portland on Wednesday, December 20. The restaurant has ties to Royal River Grillhouse in Yarmouth, Maine, and Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro in Freeport, Maine. The restaurant will serve Italian cuisine.

In other Portland news, Bon Appetit recently featured a look at six of the city’s newest restaurants to check out, including Hunt & Alpine Club’s little sibling Little Giant (211 Danforth St.), which is both a restaurant and a market; Noble Barbecue (1706 Forest Ave.), which serves a “formidable” brisket sandwich and more; and Belleville (1 North St.), home of “legitimate Roman-style pizza.”

Eater Maine is also currently featuring some of the hottest new spots in Portland and beyond in the latest updated Heatmap; check it out here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A restaurant with a wonderfully silly name opened recently in New Hampshire, and it specializes in wood-fired cooking. Nibblesworth (409 The Hill) was started by wife-and-husband team Jenny and Tom Nelson, who launched the restaurant with a goal of taking “classic recipes and rejuvenat[ing] them for today’s palate.” The menu includes items like poutine, pierogi, seafood stew, and lobster tacos. As previously reported, it has taken the place of Blue Mermaid Island Grill, which closed in June and reopens in Kittery this week, as mentioned above.

December 12, 2017

Bill Addison for Eater

Sally’s Apizza

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Nuts & Bolts Brewing Company inches closer to an opening this winter at 7 York St. in the Pepperrell Mill, per the Portland Food Map. The brewery is the work of Patrick Doherty and Deedra Zeeh, and they’re providing progress updates on social media.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A new collaboration aims to bring tortillas made with local corn to a pair of restaurants in New Hampshire. Vida Tortilla unites the owners of Vida Cantina (2456 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth) and Dos Amigos Burritos (26 N Main St., Concord, and other locations) with Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Rd., Lee), and they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the equipment needed to produce the tortillas.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT — One of New Haven’s oldest and best pizza restaurants, Sally’s Apizza(237 Wooster St.), has been sold to new owners, as Eater reports. The names of those now involved will not be made public until January, but they apparently plan to try to expand the restaurant nationwide.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Portland Harbor Hotel (468 Fore St.) will lean into the cold of winter with an ice bar and ice sculptures in its courtyard garden. From January 25 to 27, the Ice Bar will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online. There will be specialty cocktails and small bites available.

December 5, 2017

Facebook

Whiskey & Wine Concord

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Elda opens its doors today, arriving at 140 Main St. with regional-inspired small plates from Bowman Brown, who relocated to the Northeast from Salt Lake City and is a James Beard-nominated chef. The restaurant is named for Brown’s grandmother and will initially serve food only, with wine, beer, and a full bar menu coming soon.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — From the same owners behind Gale Motor Co. in Manchester, Whiskey & Wine has been open for nearly a month in Concord (148 N. Main St.), and it serves exactly that, with 34 varieties of whiskey and American and European wines. The varied food menu includes items like miso and tonkotsu ramen, pulled pork tacos, sushi rolls, chicken potstickers, and seared scallops.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Highroller Lobster, a popular food truck in Portland, now has a permanent home at 104 Exchange St. The restaurant opened over the weekend and will officially begin operations Wednesday through Thursday, starting on December 6, serving lobster in several different forms (including lobster grilled cheese), plus corn dogs, burgers, and a surf n’ turf option.

November 29, 2017

Facebook

The Wilder, Portsmouth

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Rover Wood Fired Bagels and Pizza is now open at 111 Elm St. Founders Kimberly Chaurette and Alec Rutter, both alums of Somerville’s Forge Baking Company, started Rover as a bagel pop-up, appearing in Salem at Bambolina and local farmers markets. They’re now in business as a brick-and-mortar up in Maine, serving up bagels and sandwiches, with wood-fired pizza on the way before the end of the year.

Instagram

A brunch burger at Sonny’s, closing on December 31

PORTLAND, MAINE — Sonny’s, a nearly decade-old restaurant in Old Port (83 Exchange St.), will close at the end of the year. Taking its place: Black Cow, a burger-and-shake shop with an old-fashioned soda fountain. Jay Villani and Garry Bowcott, who own Sonny’s, Local 188, and Salvage BBQ, are behind the new project, and longtime Local 188 chef Nicholas Nappi (who took a hiatus from the group and worked at Eventide and Hugo’s in the interim) is partnering with them for Black Cow. December 31 is the final day for Sonny’s, and Black Cow could open as soon as mid-February.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — The team behind the Wallingford Dram — an excellent cocktail bar in Kittery, Maine — has opened a new spot in Portsmouth. The Wilder, a “no-rules New England gastropub,” is now open at 174 Fleet St., the site of the former United Kingdom-themed Coat of Arms bar. It’s open daily, with bar service starting at 3:30 p.m. with snacks, the full menu available starting at 5 p.m., and a late-night menu offered until 1 a.m. Dishes include everything from Scotch duck eggs to braised kid ragu, which most likely refers to goats, not children. For dessert? Apple cider beignets with maple sauce. And shakshuka makes an appearance on the late-night menu.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND — A food hall slated for Providence just met its fundraising goal through a Kickstarter campaign. The forthcoming West Park Food Hall (233 West Park St.) will have a number of restaurants, a brewery, and a roastery, with communal seating and a roof deck. It raised more than $120,000, which will go towards various expenses, including design and legal costs.

Instagram

The second level at Thee Red Fez is now White Rabbit

In other Providence news, Thee Red Fez (49 Peck St.) is changing things up, converting the upstairs dining room into a cocktail bar with its own name, White Rabbit. Get dinner at the Fez Tuesday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m., and drink snazzy cocktails upstairs Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.

And in other Providence news, North is now up and running at its new location, the first floor of the Dean Hotel (122 Fountain St.). Stay tuned for details on what the team plans to do with the original space at 3 Luongo Sq. — owner James Mark promises a simpler neighborhood spot that could open in a few short months.

Further Reading

Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Spicy miso ramen at Anju Noodle Bar in Kittery, Maine

New England’s 38 Essential Restaurants: A guide to the best of the best throughout New England, compiled by Eater restaurant editor Bill Addison with the help of food writers from around the region.

The 9 Hottest New Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island: Updated in October 2017, this map highlights some of the hot new spots to hit the Providence dining scene in 2017.

Eater Maine: Eater Boston’s sister site to the north has been largely retired, but stop by the homepage now and then for updates to major maps, such as the Heatmap, which tracks some of the hottest new openings.

Maine Restaurant News Archive on Eater Boston: While most Maine news going forward will appear right here in this New England news round-up, older stories are archived at the Maine Restaurant News Archive link.

A Guide to Dining and Drinking in Portsmouth and Kittery: Take a trip up to the New Hampshire-Maine border.

Eater Recommends: What to Eat and Drink in Portsmouth and Kittery: Don’t have time to read the whole guide mentioned above? Skip to this map, which highlights some of the Eater Boston team’s Portsmouth and Kittery favorites.

Where to Drink Beer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: And here’s the beer-specific accompaniment to the above two links.

[tonyduncanbb73]

New England News: The Rock Hunts Down Some Bissell Brothers

And other food and beverage updates from around New England

Broadening the scope a bit, here’s the latest restaurant news from beyond Greater Boston; we’re keeping an eye out for dining developments throughout New England. This piece will be updated on a rolling basis, covering restaurant openings, closures, and more in Portsmouth, Providence, Portland, and elsewhere.

Check back for updates — the most recent ones will always be at the top — and email boston@eater.com with any news tips pertaining to New England restaurant news beyond Boston.

Note: Jump to the bottom of this page for a list of other links pertaining to New England dining, including a guide to Portsmouth and Kittery, an archive of Maine news, a map of the hottest new restaurants in Providence, and more.

January 9, 2018

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Lunch Lady Food Truck debuted at the end of 2017 in Concord, serving a school-themed menu featuring items named for grades one through 10. There are burgers, barbecue pork nachos, Buffalo wings, and Reuben egg rolls, among many other items, including sides and drinks. Find it by the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Rd.), and keep an eye on social media for other locations.

DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Burger joint Hop + Grind (7 Madbury Rd. — Madbury Commons) opened at the end of November. The restaurant butchers and grinds its own meats and makes its soda in-house. There are beef, chicken, and pork burgers and two versions of veggie burgers, plus chicken fried mac and cheese and a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Hop + Grind also serves craft beer and ice cream malts.

MAINE — As a new year kicks off, Portland Food Map takes a look back at the year in 2017 — exploring new restaurants, notable events, trends, and obituaries — while looking ahead towards openings slated for 2018.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Rock apparently has great taste in beer and sent an assistant to procure some. The famed Bissell Brothers Brewing Company (4 Thompsons Pt.) shared the story on Twitter: “An assistant for The Rock just showed up, he took a private jet here to pick up Substance cans. Got shown some credentials… either we just got massively played or THAT IS AWESOME!!”

Also in Portland, Definitive Brewing Company is under construction and could open in the spring at 35 Industrial Wy., near Allagash Brewing Company, according to the Portland Food Map. Few other details are available at this point, but stay tuned for more from Maine.

SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE — The poke trend is creeping its way north to South Portland: Big Fin Poke, which specializes in the Hawaiian raw fish dish, is now open at 29 Western Ave., with this location joining a second in Westbrook, Maine. In addition to rice and salad bowls topped with seafood, chicken, beef, or tofu, Big Fin Poke also serves poke burritos, or seaweed wraps stuffed with sushi rice and proteins.

December 19, 2017

Facebook

Smoked pork loin chop at Nibblesworth in Portsmouth

KITTERY, MAINE — The Caribbean-inspiredBlue Mermaid Island Grill, which was previously open in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for over 20 years, returns to the dining scene this week, opening its new Kittery location at 10 Shapleigh Rd. on Thursday, December 21, right next to Tributary Brewing Company. Opening weekend is reservation-only; call (207) 703-2754.

Checkout our beautiful, brand new store front, isn’t she gorgeous?! … . . #bluemermaid #bluemermaidkittery #kitteryme #kittery #newlocation #storefront #restaurantdesign

A post shared by Blue Mermaid (@bluemermaid_kittery) on Dec 16, 2017 at 10:26am PST

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Biryani Pot, which has a location in Framingham, Massachusetts, will add a location in Nashua (295 Daniel Webster Hwy.), and the grand opening will happen soon. The restaurant specializes in Hyderabadi cuisine, including biryani with chicken, goat, egg, shrimp, or vegetables.

PORTLAND, MAINE — Tuscan Table arrives at 390 Gorham Rd. in South Portland on Wednesday, December 20. The restaurant has ties to Royal River Grillhouse in Yarmouth, Maine, and Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro in Freeport, Maine. The restaurant will serve Italian cuisine.

In other Portland news, Bon Appetit recently featured a look at six of the city’s newest restaurants to check out, including Hunt & Alpine Club’s little sibling Little Giant (211 Danforth St.), which is both a restaurant and a market; Noble Barbecue (1706 Forest Ave.), which serves a “formidable” brisket sandwich and more; and Belleville (1 North St.), home of “legitimate Roman-style pizza.”

Eater Maine is also currently featuring some of the hottest new spots in Portland and beyond in the latest updated Heatmap; check it out here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A restaurant with a wonderfully silly name opened recently in New Hampshire, and it specializes in wood-fired cooking. Nibblesworth (409 The Hill) was started by wife-and-husband team Jenny and Tom Nelson, who launched the restaurant with a goal of taking “classic recipes and rejuvenat[ing] them for today’s palate.” The menu includes items like poutine, pierogi, seafood stew, and lobster tacos. As previously reported, it has taken the place of Blue Mermaid Island Grill, which closed in June and reopens in Kittery this week, as mentioned above.

December 12, 2017

Bill Addison for Eater

Sally’s Apizza

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Nuts & Bolts Brewing Company inches closer to an opening this winter at 7 York St. in the Pepperrell Mill, per the Portland Food Map. The brewery is the work of Patrick Doherty and Deedra Zeeh, and they’re providing progress updates on social media.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A new collaboration aims to bring tortillas made with local corn to a pair of restaurants in New Hampshire. Vida Tortilla unites the owners of Vida Cantina (2456 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth) and Dos Amigos Burritos (26 N Main St., Concord, and other locations) with Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Rd., Lee), and they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the equipment needed to produce the tortillas.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT — One of New Haven’s oldest and best pizza restaurants, Sally’s Apizza(237 Wooster St.), has been sold to new owners, as Eater reports. The names of those now involved will not be made public until January, but they apparently plan to try to expand the restaurant nationwide.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Portland Harbor Hotel (468 Fore St.) will lean into the cold of winter with an ice bar and ice sculptures in its courtyard garden. From January 25 to 27, the Ice Bar will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online. There will be specialty cocktails and small bites available.

December 5, 2017

Facebook

Whiskey & Wine Concord

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Elda opens its doors today, arriving at 140 Main St. with regional-inspired small plates from Bowman Brown, who relocated to the Northeast from Salt Lake City and is a James Beard-nominated chef. The restaurant is named for Brown’s grandmother and will initially serve food only, with wine, beer, and a full bar menu coming soon.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — From the same owners behind Gale Motor Co. in Manchester, Whiskey & Wine has been open for nearly a month in Concord (148 N. Main St.), and it serves exactly that, with 34 varieties of whiskey and American and European wines. The varied food menu includes items like miso and tonkotsu ramen, pulled pork tacos, sushi rolls, chicken potstickers, and seared scallops.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Highroller Lobster, a popular food truck in Portland, now has a permanent home at 104 Exchange St. The restaurant opened over the weekend and will officially begin operations Wednesday through Thursday, starting on December 6, serving lobster in several different forms (including lobster grilled cheese), plus corn dogs, burgers, and a surf n’ turf option.

November 29, 2017

Facebook

The Wilder, Portsmouth

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Rover Wood Fired Bagels and Pizza is now open at 111 Elm St. Founders Kimberly Chaurette and Alec Rutter, both alums of Somerville’s Forge Baking Company, started Rover as a bagel pop-up, appearing in Salem at Bambolina and local farmers markets. They’re now in business as a brick-and-mortar up in Maine, serving up bagels and sandwiches, with wood-fired pizza on the way before the end of the year.

Instagram

A brunch burger at Sonny’s, closing on December 31

PORTLAND, MAINE — Sonny’s, a nearly decade-old restaurant in Old Port (83 Exchange St.), will close at the end of the year. Taking its place: Black Cow, a burger-and-shake shop with an old-fashioned soda fountain. Jay Villani and Garry Bowcott, who own Sonny’s, Local 188, and Salvage BBQ, are behind the new project, and longtime Local 188 chef Nicholas Nappi (who took a hiatus from the group and worked at Eventide and Hugo’s in the interim) is partnering with them for Black Cow. December 31 is the final day for Sonny’s, and Black Cow could open as soon as mid-February.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — The team behind the Wallingford Dram — an excellent cocktail bar in Kittery, Maine — has opened a new spot in Portsmouth. The Wilder, a “no-rules New England gastropub,” is now open at 174 Fleet St., the site of the former United Kingdom-themed Coat of Arms bar. It’s open daily, with bar service starting at 3:30 p.m. with snacks, the full menu available starting at 5 p.m., and a late-night menu offered until 1 a.m. Dishes include everything from Scotch duck eggs to braised kid ragu, which most likely refers to goats, not children. For dessert? Apple cider beignets with maple sauce. And shakshuka makes an appearance on the late-night menu.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND — A food hall slated for Providence just met its fundraising goal through a Kickstarter campaign. The forthcoming West Park Food Hall (233 West Park St.) will have a number of restaurants, a brewery, and a roastery, with communal seating and a roof deck. It raised more than $120,000, which will go towards various expenses, including design and legal costs.

Instagram

The second level at Thee Red Fez is now White Rabbit

In other Providence news, Thee Red Fez (49 Peck St.) is changing things up, converting the upstairs dining room into a cocktail bar with its own name, White Rabbit. Get dinner at the Fez Tuesday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m., and drink snazzy cocktails upstairs Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.

And in other Providence news, North is now up and running at its new location, the first floor of the Dean Hotel (122 Fountain St.). Stay tuned for details on what the team plans to do with the original space at 3 Luongo Sq. — owner James Mark promises a simpler neighborhood spot that could open in a few short months.

Further Reading

Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Spicy miso ramen at Anju Noodle Bar in Kittery, Maine

New England’s 38 Essential Restaurants: A guide to the best of the best throughout New England, compiled by Eater restaurant editor Bill Addison with the help of food writers from around the region.

The 9 Hottest New Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island: Updated in October 2017, this map highlights some of the hot new spots to hit the Providence dining scene in 2017.

Eater Maine: Eater Boston’s sister site to the north has been largely retired, but stop by the homepage now and then for updates to major maps, such as the Heatmap, which tracks some of the hottest new openings.

Maine Restaurant News Archive on Eater Boston: While most Maine news going forward will appear right here in this New England news round-up, older stories are archived at the Maine Restaurant News Archive link.

A Guide to Dining and Drinking in Portsmouth and Kittery: Take a trip up to the New Hampshire-Maine border.

Eater Recommends: What to Eat and Drink in Portsmouth and Kittery: Don’t have time to read the whole guide mentioned above? Skip to this map, which highlights some of the Eater Boston team’s Portsmouth and Kittery favorites.

Where to Drink Beer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: And here’s the beer-specific accompaniment to the above two links.

[tonyduncanbb73]

New England News: The Rock Hunts Down Some Bissell Brothers

And other food and beverage updates from around New England

Broadening the scope a bit, here’s the latest restaurant news from beyond Greater Boston; we’re keeping an eye out for dining developments throughout New England. This piece will be updated on a rolling basis, covering restaurant openings, closures, and more in Portsmouth, Providence, Portland, and elsewhere.

Check back for updates — the most recent ones will always be at the top — and email boston@eater.com with any news tips pertaining to New England restaurant news beyond Boston.

Note: Jump to the bottom of this page for a list of other links pertaining to New England dining, including a guide to Portsmouth and Kittery, an archive of Maine news, a map of the hottest new restaurants in Providence, and more.

January 9, 2018

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Lunch Lady Food Truck debuted at the end of 2017 in Concord, serving a school-themed menu featuring items named for grades one through 10. There are burgers, barbecue pork nachos, Buffalo wings, and Reuben egg rolls, among many other items, including sides and drinks. Find it by the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Rd.), and keep an eye on social media for other locations.

DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Burger joint Hop + Grind (7 Madbury Rd. — Madbury Commons) opened at the end of November. The restaurant butchers and grinds its own meats and makes its soda in-house. There are beef, chicken, and pork burgers and two versions of veggie burgers, plus chicken fried mac and cheese and a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Hop + Grind also serves craft beer and ice cream malts.

MAINE — As a new year kicks off, Portland Food Map takes a look back at the year in 2017 — exploring new restaurants, notable events, trends, and obituaries — while looking ahead towards openings slated for 2018.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Rock apparently has great taste in beer and sent an assistant to procure some. The famed Bissell Brothers Brewing Company (4 Thompsons Pt.) shared the story on Twitter: “An assistant for The Rock just showed up, he took a private jet here to pick up Substance cans. Got shown some credentials… either we just got massively played or THAT IS AWESOME!!”

Also in Portland, Definitive Brewing Company is under construction and could open in the spring at 35 Industrial Wy., near Allagash Brewing Company, according to the Portland Food Map. Few other details are available at this point, but stay tuned for more from Maine.

SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE — The poke trend is creeping its way north to South Portland: Big Fin Poke, which specializes in the Hawaiian raw fish dish, is now open at 29 Western Ave., with this location joining a second in Westbrook, Maine. In addition to rice and salad bowls topped with seafood, chicken, beef, or tofu, Big Fin Poke also serves poke burritos, or seaweed wraps stuffed with sushi rice and proteins.

December 19, 2017

Facebook

Smoked pork loin chop at Nibblesworth in Portsmouth

KITTERY, MAINE — The Caribbean-inspiredBlue Mermaid Island Grill, which was previously open in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for over 20 years, returns to the dining scene this week, opening its new Kittery location at 10 Shapleigh Rd. on Thursday, December 21, right next to Tributary Brewing Company. Opening weekend is reservation-only; call (207) 703-2754.

Checkout our beautiful, brand new store front, isn’t she gorgeous?! … . . #bluemermaid #bluemermaidkittery #kitteryme #kittery #newlocation #storefront #restaurantdesign

A post shared by Blue Mermaid (@bluemermaid_kittery) on Dec 16, 2017 at 10:26am PST

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Biryani Pot, which has a location in Framingham, Massachusetts, will add a location in Nashua (295 Daniel Webster Hwy.), and the grand opening will happen soon. The restaurant specializes in Hyderabadi cuisine, including biryani with chicken, goat, egg, shrimp, or vegetables.

PORTLAND, MAINE — Tuscan Table arrives at 390 Gorham Rd. in South Portland on Wednesday, December 20. The restaurant has ties to Royal River Grillhouse in Yarmouth, Maine, and Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro in Freeport, Maine. The restaurant will serve Italian cuisine.

In other Portland news, Bon Appetit recently featured a look at six of the city’s newest restaurants to check out, including Hunt & Alpine Club’s little sibling Little Giant (211 Danforth St.), which is both a restaurant and a market; Noble Barbecue (1706 Forest Ave.), which serves a “formidable” brisket sandwich and more; and Belleville (1 North St.), home of “legitimate Roman-style pizza.”

Eater Maine is also currently featuring some of the hottest new spots in Portland and beyond in the latest updated Heatmap; check it out here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A restaurant with a wonderfully silly name opened recently in New Hampshire, and it specializes in wood-fired cooking. Nibblesworth (409 The Hill) was started by wife-and-husband team Jenny and Tom Nelson, who launched the restaurant with a goal of taking “classic recipes and rejuvenat[ing] them for today’s palate.” The menu includes items like poutine, pierogi, seafood stew, and lobster tacos. As previously reported, it has taken the place of Blue Mermaid Island Grill, which closed in June and reopens in Kittery this week, as mentioned above.

December 12, 2017

Bill Addison for Eater

Sally’s Apizza

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Nuts & Bolts Brewing Company inches closer to an opening this winter at 7 York St. in the Pepperrell Mill, per the Portland Food Map. The brewery is the work of Patrick Doherty and Deedra Zeeh, and they’re providing progress updates on social media.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A new collaboration aims to bring tortillas made with local corn to a pair of restaurants in New Hampshire. Vida Tortilla unites the owners of Vida Cantina (2456 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth) and Dos Amigos Burritos (26 N Main St., Concord, and other locations) with Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Rd., Lee), and they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the equipment needed to produce the tortillas.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT — One of New Haven’s oldest and best pizza restaurants, Sally’s Apizza(237 Wooster St.), has been sold to new owners, as Eater reports. The names of those now involved will not be made public until January, but they apparently plan to try to expand the restaurant nationwide.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Portland Harbor Hotel (468 Fore St.) will lean into the cold of winter with an ice bar and ice sculptures in its courtyard garden. From January 25 to 27, the Ice Bar will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online. There will be specialty cocktails and small bites available.

December 5, 2017

Facebook

Whiskey & Wine Concord

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Elda opens its doors today, arriving at 140 Main St. with regional-inspired small plates from Bowman Brown, who relocated to the Northeast from Salt Lake City and is a James Beard-nominated chef. The restaurant is named for Brown’s grandmother and will initially serve food only, with wine, beer, and a full bar menu coming soon.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — From the same owners behind Gale Motor Co. in Manchester, Whiskey & Wine has been open for nearly a month in Concord (148 N. Main St.), and it serves exactly that, with 34 varieties of whiskey and American and European wines. The varied food menu includes items like miso and tonkotsu ramen, pulled pork tacos, sushi rolls, chicken potstickers, and seared scallops.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Highroller Lobster, a popular food truck in Portland, now has a permanent home at 104 Exchange St. The restaurant opened over the weekend and will officially begin operations Wednesday through Thursday, starting on December 6, serving lobster in several different forms (including lobster grilled cheese), plus corn dogs, burgers, and a surf n’ turf option.

November 29, 2017

Facebook

The Wilder, Portsmouth

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Rover Wood Fired Bagels and Pizza is now open at 111 Elm St. Founders Kimberly Chaurette and Alec Rutter, both alums of Somerville’s Forge Baking Company, started Rover as a bagel pop-up, appearing in Salem at Bambolina and local farmers markets. They’re now in business as a brick-and-mortar up in Maine, serving up bagels and sandwiches, with wood-fired pizza on the way before the end of the year.

Instagram

A brunch burger at Sonny’s, closing on December 31

PORTLAND, MAINE — Sonny’s, a nearly decade-old restaurant in Old Port (83 Exchange St.), will close at the end of the year. Taking its place: Black Cow, a burger-and-shake shop with an old-fashioned soda fountain. Jay Villani and Garry Bowcott, who own Sonny’s, Local 188, and Salvage BBQ, are behind the new project, and longtime Local 188 chef Nicholas Nappi (who took a hiatus from the group and worked at Eventide and Hugo’s in the interim) is partnering with them for Black Cow. December 31 is the final day for Sonny’s, and Black Cow could open as soon as mid-February.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — The team behind the Wallingford Dram — an excellent cocktail bar in Kittery, Maine — has opened a new spot in Portsmouth. The Wilder, a “no-rules New England gastropub,” is now open at 174 Fleet St., the site of the former United Kingdom-themed Coat of Arms bar. It’s open daily, with bar service starting at 3:30 p.m. with snacks, the full menu available starting at 5 p.m., and a late-night menu offered until 1 a.m. Dishes include everything from Scotch duck eggs to braised kid ragu, which most likely refers to goats, not children. For dessert? Apple cider beignets with maple sauce. And shakshuka makes an appearance on the late-night menu.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND — A food hall slated for Providence just met its fundraising goal through a Kickstarter campaign. The forthcoming West Park Food Hall (233 West Park St.) will have a number of restaurants, a brewery, and a roastery, with communal seating and a roof deck. It raised more than $120,000, which will go towards various expenses, including design and legal costs.

Instagram

The second level at Thee Red Fez is now White Rabbit

In other Providence news, Thee Red Fez (49 Peck St.) is changing things up, converting the upstairs dining room into a cocktail bar with its own name, White Rabbit. Get dinner at the Fez Tuesday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m., and drink snazzy cocktails upstairs Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.

And in other Providence news, North is now up and running at its new location, the first floor of the Dean Hotel (122 Fountain St.). Stay tuned for details on what the team plans to do with the original space at 3 Luongo Sq. — owner James Mark promises a simpler neighborhood spot that could open in a few short months.

Further Reading

Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Spicy miso ramen at Anju Noodle Bar in Kittery, Maine

New England’s 38 Essential Restaurants: A guide to the best of the best throughout New England, compiled by Eater restaurant editor Bill Addison with the help of food writers from around the region.

The 9 Hottest New Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island: Updated in October 2017, this map highlights some of the hot new spots to hit the Providence dining scene in 2017.

Eater Maine: Eater Boston’s sister site to the north has been largely retired, but stop by the homepage now and then for updates to major maps, such as the Heatmap, which tracks some of the hottest new openings.

Maine Restaurant News Archive on Eater Boston: While most Maine news going forward will appear right here in this New England news round-up, older stories are archived at the Maine Restaurant News Archive link.

A Guide to Dining and Drinking in Portsmouth and Kittery: Take a trip up to the New Hampshire-Maine border.

Eater Recommends: What to Eat and Drink in Portsmouth and Kittery: Don’t have time to read the whole guide mentioned above? Skip to this map, which highlights some of the Eater Boston team’s Portsmouth and Kittery favorites.

Where to Drink Beer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: And here’s the beer-specific accompaniment to the above two links.

[tonyduncanbb73]

New England News: The Rock Hunts Down Some Bissell Brothers

And other food and beverage updates from around New England

Broadening the scope a bit, here’s the latest restaurant news from beyond Greater Boston; we’re keeping an eye out for dining developments throughout New England. This piece will be updated on a rolling basis, covering restaurant openings, closures, and more in Portsmouth, Providence, Portland, and elsewhere.

Check back for updates — the most recent ones will always be at the top — and email boston@eater.com with any news tips pertaining to New England restaurant news beyond Boston.

Note: Jump to the bottom of this page for a list of other links pertaining to New England dining, including a guide to Portsmouth and Kittery, an archive of Maine news, a map of the hottest new restaurants in Providence, and more.

January 9, 2018

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Lunch Lady Food Truck debuted at the end of 2017 in Concord, serving a school-themed menu featuring items named for grades one through 10. There are burgers, barbecue pork nachos, Buffalo wings, and Reuben egg rolls, among many other items, including sides and drinks. Find it by the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Rd.), and keep an eye on social media for other locations.

DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Burger joint Hop + Grind (7 Madbury Rd. — Madbury Commons) opened at the end of November. The restaurant butchers and grinds its own meats and makes its soda in-house. There are beef, chicken, and pork burgers and two versions of veggie burgers, plus chicken fried mac and cheese and a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Hop + Grind also serves craft beer and ice cream malts.

MAINE — As a new year kicks off, Portland Food Map takes a look back at the year in 2017 — exploring new restaurants, notable events, trends, and obituaries — while looking ahead towards openings slated for 2018.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Rock apparently has great taste in beer and sent an assistant to procure some. The famed Bissell Brothers Brewing Company (4 Thompsons Pt.) shared the story on Twitter: “An assistant for The Rock just showed up, he took a private jet here to pick up Substance cans. Got shown some credentials… either we just got massively played or THAT IS AWESOME!!”

Also in Portland, Definitive Brewing Company is under construction and could open in the spring at 35 Industrial Wy., near Allagash Brewing Company, according to the Portland Food Map. Few other details are available at this point, but stay tuned for more from Maine.

SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE — The poke trend is creeping its way north to South Portland: Big Fin Poke, which specializes in the Hawaiian raw fish dish, is now open at 29 Western Ave., with this location joining a second in Westbrook, Maine. In addition to rice and salad bowls topped with seafood, chicken, beef, or tofu, Big Fin Poke also serves poke burritos, or seaweed wraps stuffed with sushi rice and proteins.

December 19, 2017

Facebook

Smoked pork loin chop at Nibblesworth in Portsmouth

KITTERY, MAINE — The Caribbean-inspiredBlue Mermaid Island Grill, which was previously open in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for over 20 years, returns to the dining scene this week, opening its new Kittery location at 10 Shapleigh Rd. on Thursday, December 21, right next to Tributary Brewing Company. Opening weekend is reservation-only; call (207) 703-2754.

Checkout our beautiful, brand new store front, isn’t she gorgeous?! … . . #bluemermaid #bluemermaidkittery #kitteryme #kittery #newlocation #storefront #restaurantdesign

A post shared by Blue Mermaid (@bluemermaid_kittery) on Dec 16, 2017 at 10:26am PST

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Biryani Pot, which has a location in Framingham, Massachusetts, will add a location in Nashua (295 Daniel Webster Hwy.), and the grand opening will happen soon. The restaurant specializes in Hyderabadi cuisine, including biryani with chicken, goat, egg, shrimp, or vegetables.

PORTLAND, MAINE — Tuscan Table arrives at 390 Gorham Rd. in South Portland on Wednesday, December 20. The restaurant has ties to Royal River Grillhouse in Yarmouth, Maine, and Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro in Freeport, Maine. The restaurant will serve Italian cuisine.

In other Portland news, Bon Appetit recently featured a look at six of the city’s newest restaurants to check out, including Hunt & Alpine Club’s little sibling Little Giant (211 Danforth St.), which is both a restaurant and a market; Noble Barbecue (1706 Forest Ave.), which serves a “formidable” brisket sandwich and more; and Belleville (1 North St.), home of “legitimate Roman-style pizza.”

Eater Maine is also currently featuring some of the hottest new spots in Portland and beyond in the latest updated Heatmap; check it out here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A restaurant with a wonderfully silly name opened recently in New Hampshire, and it specializes in wood-fired cooking. Nibblesworth (409 The Hill) was started by wife-and-husband team Jenny and Tom Nelson, who launched the restaurant with a goal of taking “classic recipes and rejuvenat[ing] them for today’s palate.” The menu includes items like poutine, pierogi, seafood stew, and lobster tacos. As previously reported, it has taken the place of Blue Mermaid Island Grill, which closed in June and reopens in Kittery this week, as mentioned above.

December 12, 2017

Bill Addison for Eater

Sally’s Apizza

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Nuts & Bolts Brewing Company inches closer to an opening this winter at 7 York St. in the Pepperrell Mill, per the Portland Food Map. The brewery is the work of Patrick Doherty and Deedra Zeeh, and they’re providing progress updates on social media.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A new collaboration aims to bring tortillas made with local corn to a pair of restaurants in New Hampshire. Vida Tortilla unites the owners of Vida Cantina (2456 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth) and Dos Amigos Burritos (26 N Main St., Concord, and other locations) with Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Rd., Lee), and they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the equipment needed to produce the tortillas.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT — One of New Haven’s oldest and best pizza restaurants, Sally’s Apizza(237 Wooster St.), has been sold to new owners, as Eater reports. The names of those now involved will not be made public until January, but they apparently plan to try to expand the restaurant nationwide.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Portland Harbor Hotel (468 Fore St.) will lean into the cold of winter with an ice bar and ice sculptures in its courtyard garden. From January 25 to 27, the Ice Bar will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online. There will be specialty cocktails and small bites available.

December 5, 2017

Facebook

Whiskey & Wine Concord

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Elda opens its doors today, arriving at 140 Main St. with regional-inspired small plates from Bowman Brown, who relocated to the Northeast from Salt Lake City and is a James Beard-nominated chef. The restaurant is named for Brown’s grandmother and will initially serve food only, with wine, beer, and a full bar menu coming soon.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — From the same owners behind Gale Motor Co. in Manchester, Whiskey & Wine has been open for nearly a month in Concord (148 N. Main St.), and it serves exactly that, with 34 varieties of whiskey and American and European wines. The varied food menu includes items like miso and tonkotsu ramen, pulled pork tacos, sushi rolls, chicken potstickers, and seared scallops.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Highroller Lobster, a popular food truck in Portland, now has a permanent home at 104 Exchange St. The restaurant opened over the weekend and will officially begin operations Wednesday through Thursday, starting on December 6, serving lobster in several different forms (including lobster grilled cheese), plus corn dogs, burgers, and a surf n’ turf option.

November 29, 2017

Facebook

The Wilder, Portsmouth

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Rover Wood Fired Bagels and Pizza is now open at 111 Elm St. Founders Kimberly Chaurette and Alec Rutter, both alums of Somerville’s Forge Baking Company, started Rover as a bagel pop-up, appearing in Salem at Bambolina and local farmers markets. They’re now in business as a brick-and-mortar up in Maine, serving up bagels and sandwiches, with wood-fired pizza on the way before the end of the year.

Instagram

A brunch burger at Sonny’s, closing on December 31

PORTLAND, MAINE — Sonny’s, a nearly decade-old restaurant in Old Port (83 Exchange St.), will close at the end of the year. Taking its place: Black Cow, a burger-and-shake shop with an old-fashioned soda fountain. Jay Villani and Garry Bowcott, who own Sonny’s, Local 188, and Salvage BBQ, are behind the new project, and longtime Local 188 chef Nicholas Nappi (who took a hiatus from the group and worked at Eventide and Hugo’s in the interim) is partnering with them for Black Cow. December 31 is the final day for Sonny’s, and Black Cow could open as soon as mid-February.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — The team behind the Wallingford Dram — an excellent cocktail bar in Kittery, Maine — has opened a new spot in Portsmouth. The Wilder, a “no-rules New England gastropub,” is now open at 174 Fleet St., the site of the former United Kingdom-themed Coat of Arms bar. It’s open daily, with bar service starting at 3:30 p.m. with snacks, the full menu available starting at 5 p.m., and a late-night menu offered until 1 a.m. Dishes include everything from Scotch duck eggs to braised kid ragu, which most likely refers to goats, not children. For dessert? Apple cider beignets with maple sauce. And shakshuka makes an appearance on the late-night menu.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND — A food hall slated for Providence just met its fundraising goal through a Kickstarter campaign. The forthcoming West Park Food Hall (233 West Park St.) will have a number of restaurants, a brewery, and a roastery, with communal seating and a roof deck. It raised more than $120,000, which will go towards various expenses, including design and legal costs.

Instagram

The second level at Thee Red Fez is now White Rabbit

In other Providence news, Thee Red Fez (49 Peck St.) is changing things up, converting the upstairs dining room into a cocktail bar with its own name, White Rabbit. Get dinner at the Fez Tuesday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m., and drink snazzy cocktails upstairs Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.

And in other Providence news, North is now up and running at its new location, the first floor of the Dean Hotel (122 Fountain St.). Stay tuned for details on what the team plans to do with the original space at 3 Luongo Sq. — owner James Mark promises a simpler neighborhood spot that could open in a few short months.

Further Reading

Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Spicy miso ramen at Anju Noodle Bar in Kittery, Maine

New England’s 38 Essential Restaurants: A guide to the best of the best throughout New England, compiled by Eater restaurant editor Bill Addison with the help of food writers from around the region.

The 9 Hottest New Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island: Updated in October 2017, this map highlights some of the hot new spots to hit the Providence dining scene in 2017.

Eater Maine: Eater Boston’s sister site to the north has been largely retired, but stop by the homepage now and then for updates to major maps, such as the Heatmap, which tracks some of the hottest new openings.

Maine Restaurant News Archive on Eater Boston: While most Maine news going forward will appear right here in this New England news round-up, older stories are archived at the Maine Restaurant News Archive link.

A Guide to Dining and Drinking in Portsmouth and Kittery: Take a trip up to the New Hampshire-Maine border.

Eater Recommends: What to Eat and Drink in Portsmouth and Kittery: Don’t have time to read the whole guide mentioned above? Skip to this map, which highlights some of the Eater Boston team’s Portsmouth and Kittery favorites.

Where to Drink Beer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: And here’s the beer-specific accompaniment to the above two links.

[tonyduncanbb73]

New England News: The Rock Hunts Down Some Bissell Brothers

And other food and beverage updates from around New England

Broadening the scope a bit, here’s the latest restaurant news from beyond Greater Boston; we’re keeping an eye out for dining developments throughout New England. This piece will be updated on a rolling basis, covering restaurant openings, closures, and more in Portsmouth, Providence, Portland, and elsewhere.

Check back for updates — the most recent ones will always be at the top — and email boston@eater.com with any news tips pertaining to New England restaurant news beyond Boston.

Note: Jump to the bottom of this page for a list of other links pertaining to New England dining, including a guide to Portsmouth and Kittery, an archive of Maine news, a map of the hottest new restaurants in Providence, and more.

January 9, 2018

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Lunch Lady Food Truck debuted at the end of 2017 in Concord, serving a school-themed menu featuring items named for grades one through 10. There are burgers, barbecue pork nachos, Buffalo wings, and Reuben egg rolls, among many other items, including sides and drinks. Find it by the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Rd.), and keep an eye on social media for other locations.

DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Burger joint Hop + Grind (7 Madbury Rd. — Madbury Commons) opened at the end of November. The restaurant butchers and grinds its own meats and makes its soda in-house. There are beef, chicken, and pork burgers and two versions of veggie burgers, plus chicken fried mac and cheese and a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Hop + Grind also serves craft beer and ice cream malts.

MAINE — As a new year kicks off, Portland Food Map takes a look back at the year in 2017 — exploring new restaurants, notable events, trends, and obituaries — while looking ahead towards openings slated for 2018.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Rock apparently has great taste in beer and sent an assistant to procure some. The famed Bissell Brothers Brewing Company (4 Thompsons Pt.) shared the story on Twitter: “An assistant for The Rock just showed up, he took a private jet here to pick up Substance cans. Got shown some credentials… either we just got massively played or THAT IS AWESOME!!”

Also in Portland, Definitive Brewing Company is under construction and could open in the spring at 35 Industrial Wy., near Allagash Brewing Company, according to the Portland Food Map. Few other details are available at this point, but stay tuned for more from Maine.

SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE — The poke trend is creeping its way north to South Portland: Big Fin Poke, which specializes in the Hawaiian raw fish dish, is now open at 29 Western Ave., with this location joining a second in Westbrook, Maine. In addition to rice and salad bowls topped with seafood, chicken, beef, or tofu, Big Fin Poke also serves poke burritos, or seaweed wraps stuffed with sushi rice and proteins.

December 19, 2017

Facebook

Smoked pork loin chop at Nibblesworth in Portsmouth

KITTERY, MAINE — The Caribbean-inspiredBlue Mermaid Island Grill, which was previously open in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for over 20 years, returns to the dining scene this week, opening its new Kittery location at 10 Shapleigh Rd. on Thursday, December 21, right next to Tributary Brewing Company. Opening weekend is reservation-only; call (207) 703-2754.

Checkout our beautiful, brand new store front, isn’t she gorgeous?! … . . #bluemermaid #bluemermaidkittery #kitteryme #kittery #newlocation #storefront #restaurantdesign

A post shared by Blue Mermaid (@bluemermaid_kittery) on Dec 16, 2017 at 10:26am PST

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Biryani Pot, which has a location in Framingham, Massachusetts, will add a location in Nashua (295 Daniel Webster Hwy.), and the grand opening will happen soon. The restaurant specializes in Hyderabadi cuisine, including biryani with chicken, goat, egg, shrimp, or vegetables.

PORTLAND, MAINE — Tuscan Table arrives at 390 Gorham Rd. in South Portland on Wednesday, December 20. The restaurant has ties to Royal River Grillhouse in Yarmouth, Maine, and Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro in Freeport, Maine. The restaurant will serve Italian cuisine.

In other Portland news, Bon Appetit recently featured a look at six of the city’s newest restaurants to check out, including Hunt & Alpine Club’s little sibling Little Giant (211 Danforth St.), which is both a restaurant and a market; Noble Barbecue (1706 Forest Ave.), which serves a “formidable” brisket sandwich and more; and Belleville (1 North St.), home of “legitimate Roman-style pizza.”

Eater Maine is also currently featuring some of the hottest new spots in Portland and beyond in the latest updated Heatmap; check it out here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A restaurant with a wonderfully silly name opened recently in New Hampshire, and it specializes in wood-fired cooking. Nibblesworth (409 The Hill) was started by wife-and-husband team Jenny and Tom Nelson, who launched the restaurant with a goal of taking “classic recipes and rejuvenat[ing] them for today’s palate.” The menu includes items like poutine, pierogi, seafood stew, and lobster tacos. As previously reported, it has taken the place of Blue Mermaid Island Grill, which closed in June and reopens in Kittery this week, as mentioned above.

December 12, 2017

Bill Addison for Eater

Sally’s Apizza

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Nuts & Bolts Brewing Company inches closer to an opening this winter at 7 York St. in the Pepperrell Mill, per the Portland Food Map. The brewery is the work of Patrick Doherty and Deedra Zeeh, and they’re providing progress updates on social media.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A new collaboration aims to bring tortillas made with local corn to a pair of restaurants in New Hampshire. Vida Tortilla unites the owners of Vida Cantina (2456 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth) and Dos Amigos Burritos (26 N Main St., Concord, and other locations) with Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Rd., Lee), and they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the equipment needed to produce the tortillas.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT — One of New Haven’s oldest and best pizza restaurants, Sally’s Apizza(237 Wooster St.), has been sold to new owners, as Eater reports. The names of those now involved will not be made public until January, but they apparently plan to try to expand the restaurant nationwide.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Portland Harbor Hotel (468 Fore St.) will lean into the cold of winter with an ice bar and ice sculptures in its courtyard garden. From January 25 to 27, the Ice Bar will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online. There will be specialty cocktails and small bites available.

December 5, 2017

Facebook

Whiskey & Wine Concord

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Elda opens its doors today, arriving at 140 Main St. with regional-inspired small plates from Bowman Brown, who relocated to the Northeast from Salt Lake City and is a James Beard-nominated chef. The restaurant is named for Brown’s grandmother and will initially serve food only, with wine, beer, and a full bar menu coming soon.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — From the same owners behind Gale Motor Co. in Manchester, Whiskey & Wine has been open for nearly a month in Concord (148 N. Main St.), and it serves exactly that, with 34 varieties of whiskey and American and European wines. The varied food menu includes items like miso and tonkotsu ramen, pulled pork tacos, sushi rolls, chicken potstickers, and seared scallops.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Highroller Lobster, a popular food truck in Portland, now has a permanent home at 104 Exchange St. The restaurant opened over the weekend and will officially begin operations Wednesday through Thursday, starting on December 6, serving lobster in several different forms (including lobster grilled cheese), plus corn dogs, burgers, and a surf n’ turf option.

November 29, 2017

Facebook

The Wilder, Portsmouth

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Rover Wood Fired Bagels and Pizza is now open at 111 Elm St. Founders Kimberly Chaurette and Alec Rutter, both alums of Somerville’s Forge Baking Company, started Rover as a bagel pop-up, appearing in Salem at Bambolina and local farmers markets. They’re now in business as a brick-and-mortar up in Maine, serving up bagels and sandwiches, with wood-fired pizza on the way before the end of the year.

Instagram

A brunch burger at Sonny’s, closing on December 31

PORTLAND, MAINE — Sonny’s, a nearly decade-old restaurant in Old Port (83 Exchange St.), will close at the end of the year. Taking its place: Black Cow, a burger-and-shake shop with an old-fashioned soda fountain. Jay Villani and Garry Bowcott, who own Sonny’s, Local 188, and Salvage BBQ, are behind the new project, and longtime Local 188 chef Nicholas Nappi (who took a hiatus from the group and worked at Eventide and Hugo’s in the interim) is partnering with them for Black Cow. December 31 is the final day for Sonny’s, and Black Cow could open as soon as mid-February.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — The team behind the Wallingford Dram — an excellent cocktail bar in Kittery, Maine — has opened a new spot in Portsmouth. The Wilder, a “no-rules New England gastropub,” is now open at 174 Fleet St., the site of the former United Kingdom-themed Coat of Arms bar. It’s open daily, with bar service starting at 3:30 p.m. with snacks, the full menu available starting at 5 p.m., and a late-night menu offered until 1 a.m. Dishes include everything from Scotch duck eggs to braised kid ragu, which most likely refers to goats, not children. For dessert? Apple cider beignets with maple sauce. And shakshuka makes an appearance on the late-night menu.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND — A food hall slated for Providence just met its fundraising goal through a Kickstarter campaign. The forthcoming West Park Food Hall (233 West Park St.) will have a number of restaurants, a brewery, and a roastery, with communal seating and a roof deck. It raised more than $120,000, which will go towards various expenses, including design and legal costs.

Instagram

The second level at Thee Red Fez is now White Rabbit

In other Providence news, Thee Red Fez (49 Peck St.) is changing things up, converting the upstairs dining room into a cocktail bar with its own name, White Rabbit. Get dinner at the Fez Tuesday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m., and drink snazzy cocktails upstairs Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.

And in other Providence news, North is now up and running at its new location, the first floor of the Dean Hotel (122 Fountain St.). Stay tuned for details on what the team plans to do with the original space at 3 Luongo Sq. — owner James Mark promises a simpler neighborhood spot that could open in a few short months.

Further Reading

Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Spicy miso ramen at Anju Noodle Bar in Kittery, Maine

New England’s 38 Essential Restaurants: A guide to the best of the best throughout New England, compiled by Eater restaurant editor Bill Addison with the help of food writers from around the region.

The 9 Hottest New Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island: Updated in October 2017, this map highlights some of the hot new spots to hit the Providence dining scene in 2017.

Eater Maine: Eater Boston’s sister site to the north has been largely retired, but stop by the homepage now and then for updates to major maps, such as the Heatmap, which tracks some of the hottest new openings.

Maine Restaurant News Archive on Eater Boston: While most Maine news going forward will appear right here in this New England news round-up, older stories are archived at the Maine Restaurant News Archive link.

A Guide to Dining and Drinking in Portsmouth and Kittery: Take a trip up to the New Hampshire-Maine border.

Eater Recommends: What to Eat and Drink in Portsmouth and Kittery: Don’t have time to read the whole guide mentioned above? Skip to this map, which highlights some of the Eater Boston team’s Portsmouth and Kittery favorites.

Where to Drink Beer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: And here’s the beer-specific accompaniment to the above two links.

[tonyduncanbb73]

New England News: The Rock Hunts Down Some Bissell Brothers

And other food and beverage updates from around New England

Broadening the scope a bit, here’s the latest restaurant news from beyond Greater Boston; we’re keeping an eye out for dining developments throughout New England. This piece will be updated on a rolling basis, covering restaurant openings, closures, and more in Portsmouth, Providence, Portland, and elsewhere.

Check back for updates — the most recent ones will always be at the top — and email boston@eater.com with any news tips pertaining to New England restaurant news beyond Boston.

Note: Jump to the bottom of this page for a list of other links pertaining to New England dining, including a guide to Portsmouth and Kittery, an archive of Maine news, a map of the hottest new restaurants in Providence, and more.

January 9, 2018

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Lunch Lady Food Truck debuted at the end of 2017 in Concord, serving a school-themed menu featuring items named for grades one through 10. There are burgers, barbecue pork nachos, Buffalo wings, and Reuben egg rolls, among many other items, including sides and drinks. Find it by the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Rd.), and keep an eye on social media for other locations.

DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Burger joint Hop + Grind (7 Madbury Rd. — Madbury Commons) opened at the end of November. The restaurant butchers and grinds its own meats and makes its soda in-house. There are beef, chicken, and pork burgers and two versions of veggie burgers, plus chicken fried mac and cheese and a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Hop + Grind also serves craft beer and ice cream malts.

MAINE — As a new year kicks off, Portland Food Map takes a look back at the year in 2017 — exploring new restaurants, notable events, trends, and obituaries — while looking ahead towards openings slated for 2018.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Rock apparently has great taste in beer and sent an assistant to procure some. The famed Bissell Brothers Brewing Company (4 Thompsons Pt.) shared the story on Twitter: “An assistant for The Rock just showed up, he took a private jet here to pick up Substance cans. Got shown some credentials… either we just got massively played or THAT IS AWESOME!!”

Also in Portland, Definitive Brewing Company is under construction and could open in the spring at 35 Industrial Wy., near Allagash Brewing Company, according to the Portland Food Map. Few other details are available at this point, but stay tuned for more from Maine.

SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE — The poke trend is creeping its way north to South Portland: Big Fin Poke, which specializes in the Hawaiian raw fish dish, is now open at 29 Western Ave., with this location joining a second in Westbrook, Maine. In addition to rice and salad bowls topped with seafood, chicken, beef, or tofu, Big Fin Poke also serves poke burritos, or seaweed wraps stuffed with sushi rice and proteins.

December 19, 2017

Facebook

Smoked pork loin chop at Nibblesworth in Portsmouth

KITTERY, MAINE — The Caribbean-inspiredBlue Mermaid Island Grill, which was previously open in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for over 20 years, returns to the dining scene this week, opening its new Kittery location at 10 Shapleigh Rd. on Thursday, December 21, right next to Tributary Brewing Company. Opening weekend is reservation-only; call (207) 703-2754.

Checkout our beautiful, brand new store front, isn’t she gorgeous?! … . . #bluemermaid #bluemermaidkittery #kitteryme #kittery #newlocation #storefront #restaurantdesign

A post shared by Blue Mermaid (@bluemermaid_kittery) on Dec 16, 2017 at 10:26am PST

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Biryani Pot, which has a location in Framingham, Massachusetts, will add a location in Nashua (295 Daniel Webster Hwy.), and the grand opening will happen soon. The restaurant specializes in Hyderabadi cuisine, including biryani with chicken, goat, egg, shrimp, or vegetables.

PORTLAND, MAINE — Tuscan Table arrives at 390 Gorham Rd. in South Portland on Wednesday, December 20. The restaurant has ties to Royal River Grillhouse in Yarmouth, Maine, and Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro in Freeport, Maine. The restaurant will serve Italian cuisine.

In other Portland news, Bon Appetit recently featured a look at six of the city’s newest restaurants to check out, including Hunt & Alpine Club’s little sibling Little Giant (211 Danforth St.), which is both a restaurant and a market; Noble Barbecue (1706 Forest Ave.), which serves a “formidable” brisket sandwich and more; and Belleville (1 North St.), home of “legitimate Roman-style pizza.”

Eater Maine is also currently featuring some of the hottest new spots in Portland and beyond in the latest updated Heatmap; check it out here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A restaurant with a wonderfully silly name opened recently in New Hampshire, and it specializes in wood-fired cooking. Nibblesworth (409 The Hill) was started by wife-and-husband team Jenny and Tom Nelson, who launched the restaurant with a goal of taking “classic recipes and rejuvenat[ing] them for today’s palate.” The menu includes items like poutine, pierogi, seafood stew, and lobster tacos. As previously reported, it has taken the place of Blue Mermaid Island Grill, which closed in June and reopens in Kittery this week, as mentioned above.

December 12, 2017

Bill Addison for Eater

Sally’s Apizza

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Nuts & Bolts Brewing Company inches closer to an opening this winter at 7 York St. in the Pepperrell Mill, per the Portland Food Map. The brewery is the work of Patrick Doherty and Deedra Zeeh, and they’re providing progress updates on social media.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A new collaboration aims to bring tortillas made with local corn to a pair of restaurants in New Hampshire. Vida Tortilla unites the owners of Vida Cantina (2456 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth) and Dos Amigos Burritos (26 N Main St., Concord, and other locations) with Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Rd., Lee), and they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the equipment needed to produce the tortillas.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT — One of New Haven’s oldest and best pizza restaurants, Sally’s Apizza(237 Wooster St.), has been sold to new owners, as Eater reports. The names of those now involved will not be made public until January, but they apparently plan to try to expand the restaurant nationwide.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Portland Harbor Hotel (468 Fore St.) will lean into the cold of winter with an ice bar and ice sculptures in its courtyard garden. From January 25 to 27, the Ice Bar will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online. There will be specialty cocktails and small bites available.

December 5, 2017

Facebook

Whiskey & Wine Concord

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Elda opens its doors today, arriving at 140 Main St. with regional-inspired small plates from Bowman Brown, who relocated to the Northeast from Salt Lake City and is a James Beard-nominated chef. The restaurant is named for Brown’s grandmother and will initially serve food only, with wine, beer, and a full bar menu coming soon.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — From the same owners behind Gale Motor Co. in Manchester, Whiskey & Wine has been open for nearly a month in Concord (148 N. Main St.), and it serves exactly that, with 34 varieties of whiskey and American and European wines. The varied food menu includes items like miso and tonkotsu ramen, pulled pork tacos, sushi rolls, chicken potstickers, and seared scallops.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Highroller Lobster, a popular food truck in Portland, now has a permanent home at 104 Exchange St. The restaurant opened over the weekend and will officially begin operations Wednesday through Thursday, starting on December 6, serving lobster in several different forms (including lobster grilled cheese), plus corn dogs, burgers, and a surf n’ turf option.

November 29, 2017

Facebook

The Wilder, Portsmouth

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Rover Wood Fired Bagels and Pizza is now open at 111 Elm St. Founders Kimberly Chaurette and Alec Rutter, both alums of Somerville’s Forge Baking Company, started Rover as a bagel pop-up, appearing in Salem at Bambolina and local farmers markets. They’re now in business as a brick-and-mortar up in Maine, serving up bagels and sandwiches, with wood-fired pizza on the way before the end of the year.

Instagram

A brunch burger at Sonny’s, closing on December 31

PORTLAND, MAINE — Sonny’s, a nearly decade-old restaurant in Old Port (83 Exchange St.), will close at the end of the year. Taking its place: Black Cow, a burger-and-shake shop with an old-fashioned soda fountain. Jay Villani and Garry Bowcott, who own Sonny’s, Local 188, and Salvage BBQ, are behind the new project, and longtime Local 188 chef Nicholas Nappi (who took a hiatus from the group and worked at Eventide and Hugo’s in the interim) is partnering with them for Black Cow. December 31 is the final day for Sonny’s, and Black Cow could open as soon as mid-February.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — The team behind the Wallingford Dram — an excellent cocktail bar in Kittery, Maine — has opened a new spot in Portsmouth. The Wilder, a “no-rules New England gastropub,” is now open at 174 Fleet St., the site of the former United Kingdom-themed Coat of Arms bar. It’s open daily, with bar service starting at 3:30 p.m. with snacks, the full menu available starting at 5 p.m., and a late-night menu offered until 1 a.m. Dishes include everything from Scotch duck eggs to braised kid ragu, which most likely refers to goats, not children. For dessert? Apple cider beignets with maple sauce. And shakshuka makes an appearance on the late-night menu.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND — A food hall slated for Providence just met its fundraising goal through a Kickstarter campaign. The forthcoming West Park Food Hall (233 West Park St.) will have a number of restaurants, a brewery, and a roastery, with communal seating and a roof deck. It raised more than $120,000, which will go towards various expenses, including design and legal costs.

Instagram

The second level at Thee Red Fez is now White Rabbit

In other Providence news, Thee Red Fez (49 Peck St.) is changing things up, converting the upstairs dining room into a cocktail bar with its own name, White Rabbit. Get dinner at the Fez Tuesday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m., and drink snazzy cocktails upstairs Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.

And in other Providence news, North is now up and running at its new location, the first floor of the Dean Hotel (122 Fountain St.). Stay tuned for details on what the team plans to do with the original space at 3 Luongo Sq. — owner James Mark promises a simpler neighborhood spot that could open in a few short months.

Further Reading

Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Spicy miso ramen at Anju Noodle Bar in Kittery, Maine

New England’s 38 Essential Restaurants: A guide to the best of the best throughout New England, compiled by Eater restaurant editor Bill Addison with the help of food writers from around the region.

The 9 Hottest New Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island: Updated in October 2017, this map highlights some of the hot new spots to hit the Providence dining scene in 2017.

Eater Maine: Eater Boston’s sister site to the north has been largely retired, but stop by the homepage now and then for updates to major maps, such as the Heatmap, which tracks some of the hottest new openings.

Maine Restaurant News Archive on Eater Boston: While most Maine news going forward will appear right here in this New England news round-up, older stories are archived at the Maine Restaurant News Archive link.

A Guide to Dining and Drinking in Portsmouth and Kittery: Take a trip up to the New Hampshire-Maine border.

Eater Recommends: What to Eat and Drink in Portsmouth and Kittery: Don’t have time to read the whole guide mentioned above? Skip to this map, which highlights some of the Eater Boston team’s Portsmouth and Kittery favorites.

Where to Drink Beer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: And here’s the beer-specific accompaniment to the above two links.

[tonyduncanbb73]

New England News: The Rock Hunts Down Some Bissell Brothers

And other food and beverage updates from around New England

Broadening the scope a bit, here’s the latest restaurant news from beyond Greater Boston; we’re keeping an eye out for dining developments throughout New England. This piece will be updated on a rolling basis, covering restaurant openings, closures, and more in Portsmouth, Providence, Portland, and elsewhere.

Check back for updates — the most recent ones will always be at the top — and email boston@eater.com with any news tips pertaining to New England restaurant news beyond Boston.

Note: Jump to the bottom of this page for a list of other links pertaining to New England dining, including a guide to Portsmouth and Kittery, an archive of Maine news, a map of the hottest new restaurants in Providence, and more.

January 9, 2018

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Lunch Lady Food Truck debuted at the end of 2017 in Concord, serving a school-themed menu featuring items named for grades one through 10. There are burgers, barbecue pork nachos, Buffalo wings, and Reuben egg rolls, among many other items, including sides and drinks. Find it by the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Rd.), and keep an eye on social media for other locations.

DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Burger joint Hop + Grind (7 Madbury Rd. — Madbury Commons) opened at the end of November. The restaurant butchers and grinds its own meats and makes its soda in-house. There are beef, chicken, and pork burgers and two versions of veggie burgers, plus chicken fried mac and cheese and a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Hop + Grind also serves craft beer and ice cream malts.

MAINE — As a new year kicks off, Portland Food Map takes a look back at the year in 2017 — exploring new restaurants, notable events, trends, and obituaries — while looking ahead towards openings slated for 2018.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Rock apparently has great taste in beer and sent an assistant to procure some. The famed Bissell Brothers Brewing Company (4 Thompsons Pt.) shared the story on Twitter: “An assistant for The Rock just showed up, he took a private jet here to pick up Substance cans. Got shown some credentials… either we just got massively played or THAT IS AWESOME!!”

Also in Portland, Definitive Brewing Company is under construction and could open in the spring at 35 Industrial Wy., near Allagash Brewing Company, according to the Portland Food Map. Few other details are available at this point, but stay tuned for more from Maine.

SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE — The poke trend is creeping its way north to South Portland: Big Fin Poke, which specializes in the Hawaiian raw fish dish, is now open at 29 Western Ave., with this location joining a second in Westbrook, Maine. In addition to rice and salad bowls topped with seafood, chicken, beef, or tofu, Big Fin Poke also serves poke burritos, or seaweed wraps stuffed with sushi rice and proteins.

December 19, 2017

Facebook

Smoked pork loin chop at Nibblesworth in Portsmouth

KITTERY, MAINE — The Caribbean-inspiredBlue Mermaid Island Grill, which was previously open in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for over 20 years, returns to the dining scene this week, opening its new Kittery location at 10 Shapleigh Rd. on Thursday, December 21, right next to Tributary Brewing Company. Opening weekend is reservation-only; call (207) 703-2754.

Checkout our beautiful, brand new store front, isn’t she gorgeous?! … . . #bluemermaid #bluemermaidkittery #kitteryme #kittery #newlocation #storefront #restaurantdesign

A post shared by Blue Mermaid (@bluemermaid_kittery) on Dec 16, 2017 at 10:26am PST

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Biryani Pot, which has a location in Framingham, Massachusetts, will add a location in Nashua (295 Daniel Webster Hwy.), and the grand opening will happen soon. The restaurant specializes in Hyderabadi cuisine, including biryani with chicken, goat, egg, shrimp, or vegetables.

PORTLAND, MAINE — Tuscan Table arrives at 390 Gorham Rd. in South Portland on Wednesday, December 20. The restaurant has ties to Royal River Grillhouse in Yarmouth, Maine, and Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro in Freeport, Maine. The restaurant will serve Italian cuisine.

In other Portland news, Bon Appetit recently featured a look at six of the city’s newest restaurants to check out, including Hunt & Alpine Club’s little sibling Little Giant (211 Danforth St.), which is both a restaurant and a market; Noble Barbecue (1706 Forest Ave.), which serves a “formidable” brisket sandwich and more; and Belleville (1 North St.), home of “legitimate Roman-style pizza.”

Eater Maine is also currently featuring some of the hottest new spots in Portland and beyond in the latest updated Heatmap; check it out here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A restaurant with a wonderfully silly name opened recently in New Hampshire, and it specializes in wood-fired cooking. Nibblesworth (409 The Hill) was started by wife-and-husband team Jenny and Tom Nelson, who launched the restaurant with a goal of taking “classic recipes and rejuvenat[ing] them for today’s palate.” The menu includes items like poutine, pierogi, seafood stew, and lobster tacos. As previously reported, it has taken the place of Blue Mermaid Island Grill, which closed in June and reopens in Kittery this week, as mentioned above.

December 12, 2017

Bill Addison for Eater

Sally’s Apizza

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Nuts & Bolts Brewing Company inches closer to an opening this winter at 7 York St. in the Pepperrell Mill, per the Portland Food Map. The brewery is the work of Patrick Doherty and Deedra Zeeh, and they’re providing progress updates on social media.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A new collaboration aims to bring tortillas made with local corn to a pair of restaurants in New Hampshire. Vida Tortilla unites the owners of Vida Cantina (2456 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth) and Dos Amigos Burritos (26 N Main St., Concord, and other locations) with Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Rd., Lee), and they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the equipment needed to produce the tortillas.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT — One of New Haven’s oldest and best pizza restaurants, Sally’s Apizza(237 Wooster St.), has been sold to new owners, as Eater reports. The names of those now involved will not be made public until January, but they apparently plan to try to expand the restaurant nationwide.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Portland Harbor Hotel (468 Fore St.) will lean into the cold of winter with an ice bar and ice sculptures in its courtyard garden. From January 25 to 27, the Ice Bar will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online. There will be specialty cocktails and small bites available.

December 5, 2017

Facebook

Whiskey & Wine Concord

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Elda opens its doors today, arriving at 140 Main St. with regional-inspired small plates from Bowman Brown, who relocated to the Northeast from Salt Lake City and is a James Beard-nominated chef. The restaurant is named for Brown’s grandmother and will initially serve food only, with wine, beer, and a full bar menu coming soon.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — From the same owners behind Gale Motor Co. in Manchester, Whiskey & Wine has been open for nearly a month in Concord (148 N. Main St.), and it serves exactly that, with 34 varieties of whiskey and American and European wines. The varied food menu includes items like miso and tonkotsu ramen, pulled pork tacos, sushi rolls, chicken potstickers, and seared scallops.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Highroller Lobster, a popular food truck in Portland, now has a permanent home at 104 Exchange St. The restaurant opened over the weekend and will officially begin operations Wednesday through Thursday, starting on December 6, serving lobster in several different forms (including lobster grilled cheese), plus corn dogs, burgers, and a surf n’ turf option.

November 29, 2017

Facebook

The Wilder, Portsmouth

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Rover Wood Fired Bagels and Pizza is now open at 111 Elm St. Founders Kimberly Chaurette and Alec Rutter, both alums of Somerville’s Forge Baking Company, started Rover as a bagel pop-up, appearing in Salem at Bambolina and local farmers markets. They’re now in business as a brick-and-mortar up in Maine, serving up bagels and sandwiches, with wood-fired pizza on the way before the end of the year.

Instagram

A brunch burger at Sonny’s, closing on December 31

PORTLAND, MAINE — Sonny’s, a nearly decade-old restaurant in Old Port (83 Exchange St.), will close at the end of the year. Taking its place: Black Cow, a burger-and-shake shop with an old-fashioned soda fountain. Jay Villani and Garry Bowcott, who own Sonny’s, Local 188, and Salvage BBQ, are behind the new project, and longtime Local 188 chef Nicholas Nappi (who took a hiatus from the group and worked at Eventide and Hugo’s in the interim) is partnering with them for Black Cow. December 31 is the final day for Sonny’s, and Black Cow could open as soon as mid-February.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — The team behind the Wallingford Dram — an excellent cocktail bar in Kittery, Maine — has opened a new spot in Portsmouth. The Wilder, a “no-rules New England gastropub,” is now open at 174 Fleet St., the site of the former United Kingdom-themed Coat of Arms bar. It’s open daily, with bar service starting at 3:30 p.m. with snacks, the full menu available starting at 5 p.m., and a late-night menu offered until 1 a.m. Dishes include everything from Scotch duck eggs to braised kid ragu, which most likely refers to goats, not children. For dessert? Apple cider beignets with maple sauce. And shakshuka makes an appearance on the late-night menu.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND — A food hall slated for Providence just met its fundraising goal through a Kickstarter campaign. The forthcoming West Park Food Hall (233 West Park St.) will have a number of restaurants, a brewery, and a roastery, with communal seating and a roof deck. It raised more than $120,000, which will go towards various expenses, including design and legal costs.

Instagram

The second level at Thee Red Fez is now White Rabbit

In other Providence news, Thee Red Fez (49 Peck St.) is changing things up, converting the upstairs dining room into a cocktail bar with its own name, White Rabbit. Get dinner at the Fez Tuesday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m., and drink snazzy cocktails upstairs Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.

And in other Providence news, North is now up and running at its new location, the first floor of the Dean Hotel (122 Fountain St.). Stay tuned for details on what the team plans to do with the original space at 3 Luongo Sq. — owner James Mark promises a simpler neighborhood spot that could open in a few short months.

Further Reading

Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Spicy miso ramen at Anju Noodle Bar in Kittery, Maine

New England’s 38 Essential Restaurants: A guide to the best of the best throughout New England, compiled by Eater restaurant editor Bill Addison with the help of food writers from around the region.

The 9 Hottest New Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island: Updated in October 2017, this map highlights some of the hot new spots to hit the Providence dining scene in 2017.

Eater Maine: Eater Boston’s sister site to the north has been largely retired, but stop by the homepage now and then for updates to major maps, such as the Heatmap, which tracks some of the hottest new openings.

Maine Restaurant News Archive on Eater Boston: While most Maine news going forward will appear right here in this New England news round-up, older stories are archived at the Maine Restaurant News Archive link.

A Guide to Dining and Drinking in Portsmouth and Kittery: Take a trip up to the New Hampshire-Maine border.

Eater Recommends: What to Eat and Drink in Portsmouth and Kittery: Don’t have time to read the whole guide mentioned above? Skip to this map, which highlights some of the Eater Boston team’s Portsmouth and Kittery favorites.

Where to Drink Beer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: And here’s the beer-specific accompaniment to the above two links.

[tonyduncanbb73]

New England News: The Rock Hunts Down Some Bissell Brothers

And other food and beverage updates from around New England

Broadening the scope a bit, here’s the latest restaurant news from beyond Greater Boston; we’re keeping an eye out for dining developments throughout New England. This piece will be updated on a rolling basis, covering restaurant openings, closures, and more in Portsmouth, Providence, Portland, and elsewhere.

Check back for updates — the most recent ones will always be at the top — and email boston@eater.com with any news tips pertaining to New England restaurant news beyond Boston.

Note: Jump to the bottom of this page for a list of other links pertaining to New England dining, including a guide to Portsmouth and Kittery, an archive of Maine news, a map of the hottest new restaurants in Providence, and more.

January 9, 2018

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Lunch Lady Food Truck debuted at the end of 2017 in Concord, serving a school-themed menu featuring items named for grades one through 10. There are burgers, barbecue pork nachos, Buffalo wings, and Reuben egg rolls, among many other items, including sides and drinks. Find it by the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Rd.), and keep an eye on social media for other locations.

DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Burger joint Hop + Grind (7 Madbury Rd. — Madbury Commons) opened at the end of November. The restaurant butchers and grinds its own meats and makes its soda in-house. There are beef, chicken, and pork burgers and two versions of veggie burgers, plus chicken fried mac and cheese and a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Hop + Grind also serves craft beer and ice cream malts.

MAINE — As a new year kicks off, Portland Food Map takes a look back at the year in 2017 — exploring new restaurants, notable events, trends, and obituaries — while looking ahead towards openings slated for 2018.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Rock apparently has great taste in beer and sent an assistant to procure some. The famed Bissell Brothers Brewing Company (4 Thompsons Pt.) shared the story on Twitter: “An assistant for The Rock just showed up, he took a private jet here to pick up Substance cans. Got shown some credentials… either we just got massively played or THAT IS AWESOME!!”

Also in Portland, Definitive Brewing Company is under construction and could open in the spring at 35 Industrial Wy., near Allagash Brewing Company, according to the Portland Food Map. Few other details are available at this point, but stay tuned for more from Maine.

SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE — The poke trend is creeping its way north to South Portland: Big Fin Poke, which specializes in the Hawaiian raw fish dish, is now open at 29 Western Ave., with this location joining a second in Westbrook, Maine. In addition to rice and salad bowls topped with seafood, chicken, beef, or tofu, Big Fin Poke also serves poke burritos, or seaweed wraps stuffed with sushi rice and proteins.

December 19, 2017

Facebook

Smoked pork loin chop at Nibblesworth in Portsmouth

KITTERY, MAINE — The Caribbean-inspiredBlue Mermaid Island Grill, which was previously open in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for over 20 years, returns to the dining scene this week, opening its new Kittery location at 10 Shapleigh Rd. on Thursday, December 21, right next to Tributary Brewing Company. Opening weekend is reservation-only; call (207) 703-2754.

Checkout our beautiful, brand new store front, isn’t she gorgeous?! … . . #bluemermaid #bluemermaidkittery #kitteryme #kittery #newlocation #storefront #restaurantdesign

A post shared by Blue Mermaid (@bluemermaid_kittery) on Dec 16, 2017 at 10:26am PST

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Biryani Pot, which has a location in Framingham, Massachusetts, will add a location in Nashua (295 Daniel Webster Hwy.), and the grand opening will happen soon. The restaurant specializes in Hyderabadi cuisine, including biryani with chicken, goat, egg, shrimp, or vegetables.

PORTLAND, MAINE — Tuscan Table arrives at 390 Gorham Rd. in South Portland on Wednesday, December 20. The restaurant has ties to Royal River Grillhouse in Yarmouth, Maine, and Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro in Freeport, Maine. The restaurant will serve Italian cuisine.

In other Portland news, Bon Appetit recently featured a look at six of the city’s newest restaurants to check out, including Hunt & Alpine Club’s little sibling Little Giant (211 Danforth St.), which is both a restaurant and a market; Noble Barbecue (1706 Forest Ave.), which serves a “formidable” brisket sandwich and more; and Belleville (1 North St.), home of “legitimate Roman-style pizza.”

Eater Maine is also currently featuring some of the hottest new spots in Portland and beyond in the latest updated Heatmap; check it out here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A restaurant with a wonderfully silly name opened recently in New Hampshire, and it specializes in wood-fired cooking. Nibblesworth (409 The Hill) was started by wife-and-husband team Jenny and Tom Nelson, who launched the restaurant with a goal of taking “classic recipes and rejuvenat[ing] them for today’s palate.” The menu includes items like poutine, pierogi, seafood stew, and lobster tacos. As previously reported, it has taken the place of Blue Mermaid Island Grill, which closed in June and reopens in Kittery this week, as mentioned above.

December 12, 2017

Bill Addison for Eater

Sally’s Apizza

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Nuts & Bolts Brewing Company inches closer to an opening this winter at 7 York St. in the Pepperrell Mill, per the Portland Food Map. The brewery is the work of Patrick Doherty and Deedra Zeeh, and they’re providing progress updates on social media.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A new collaboration aims to bring tortillas made with local corn to a pair of restaurants in New Hampshire. Vida Tortilla unites the owners of Vida Cantina (2456 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth) and Dos Amigos Burritos (26 N Main St., Concord, and other locations) with Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Rd., Lee), and they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the equipment needed to produce the tortillas.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT — One of New Haven’s oldest and best pizza restaurants, Sally’s Apizza(237 Wooster St.), has been sold to new owners, as Eater reports. The names of those now involved will not be made public until January, but they apparently plan to try to expand the restaurant nationwide.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Portland Harbor Hotel (468 Fore St.) will lean into the cold of winter with an ice bar and ice sculptures in its courtyard garden. From January 25 to 27, the Ice Bar will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online. There will be specialty cocktails and small bites available.

December 5, 2017

Facebook

Whiskey & Wine Concord

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Elda opens its doors today, arriving at 140 Main St. with regional-inspired small plates from Bowman Brown, who relocated to the Northeast from Salt Lake City and is a James Beard-nominated chef. The restaurant is named for Brown’s grandmother and will initially serve food only, with wine, beer, and a full bar menu coming soon.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — From the same owners behind Gale Motor Co. in Manchester, Whiskey & Wine has been open for nearly a month in Concord (148 N. Main St.), and it serves exactly that, with 34 varieties of whiskey and American and European wines. The varied food menu includes items like miso and tonkotsu ramen, pulled pork tacos, sushi rolls, chicken potstickers, and seared scallops.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Highroller Lobster, a popular food truck in Portland, now has a permanent home at 104 Exchange St. The restaurant opened over the weekend and will officially begin operations Wednesday through Thursday, starting on December 6, serving lobster in several different forms (including lobster grilled cheese), plus corn dogs, burgers, and a surf n’ turf option.

November 29, 2017

Facebook

The Wilder, Portsmouth

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Rover Wood Fired Bagels and Pizza is now open at 111 Elm St. Founders Kimberly Chaurette and Alec Rutter, both alums of Somerville’s Forge Baking Company, started Rover as a bagel pop-up, appearing in Salem at Bambolina and local farmers markets. They’re now in business as a brick-and-mortar up in Maine, serving up bagels and sandwiches, with wood-fired pizza on the way before the end of the year.

Instagram

A brunch burger at Sonny’s, closing on December 31

PORTLAND, MAINE — Sonny’s, a nearly decade-old restaurant in Old Port (83 Exchange St.), will close at the end of the year. Taking its place: Black Cow, a burger-and-shake shop with an old-fashioned soda fountain. Jay Villani and Garry Bowcott, who own Sonny’s, Local 188, and Salvage BBQ, are behind the new project, and longtime Local 188 chef Nicholas Nappi (who took a hiatus from the group and worked at Eventide and Hugo’s in the interim) is partnering with them for Black Cow. December 31 is the final day for Sonny’s, and Black Cow could open as soon as mid-February.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — The team behind the Wallingford Dram — an excellent cocktail bar in Kittery, Maine — has opened a new spot in Portsmouth. The Wilder, a “no-rules New England gastropub,” is now open at 174 Fleet St., the site of the former United Kingdom-themed Coat of Arms bar. It’s open daily, with bar service starting at 3:30 p.m. with snacks, the full menu available starting at 5 p.m., and a late-night menu offered until 1 a.m. Dishes include everything from Scotch duck eggs to braised kid ragu, which most likely refers to goats, not children. For dessert? Apple cider beignets with maple sauce. And shakshuka makes an appearance on the late-night menu.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND — A food hall slated for Providence just met its fundraising goal through a Kickstarter campaign. The forthcoming West Park Food Hall (233 West Park St.) will have a number of restaurants, a brewery, and a roastery, with communal seating and a roof deck. It raised more than $120,000, which will go towards various expenses, including design and legal costs.

Instagram

The second level at Thee Red Fez is now White Rabbit

In other Providence news, Thee Red Fez (49 Peck St.) is changing things up, converting the upstairs dining room into a cocktail bar with its own name, White Rabbit. Get dinner at the Fez Tuesday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m., and drink snazzy cocktails upstairs Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.

And in other Providence news, North is now up and running at its new location, the first floor of the Dean Hotel (122 Fountain St.). Stay tuned for details on what the team plans to do with the original space at 3 Luongo Sq. — owner James Mark promises a simpler neighborhood spot that could open in a few short months.

Further Reading

Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Spicy miso ramen at Anju Noodle Bar in Kittery, Maine

New England’s 38 Essential Restaurants: A guide to the best of the best throughout New England, compiled by Eater restaurant editor Bill Addison with the help of food writers from around the region.

The 9 Hottest New Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island: Updated in October 2017, this map highlights some of the hot new spots to hit the Providence dining scene in 2017.

Eater Maine: Eater Boston’s sister site to the north has been largely retired, but stop by the homepage now and then for updates to major maps, such as the Heatmap, which tracks some of the hottest new openings.

Maine Restaurant News Archive on Eater Boston: While most Maine news going forward will appear right here in this New England news round-up, older stories are archived at the Maine Restaurant News Archive link.

A Guide to Dining and Drinking in Portsmouth and Kittery: Take a trip up to the New Hampshire-Maine border.

Eater Recommends: What to Eat and Drink in Portsmouth and Kittery: Don’t have time to read the whole guide mentioned above? Skip to this map, which highlights some of the Eater Boston team’s Portsmouth and Kittery favorites.

Where to Drink Beer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: And here’s the beer-specific accompaniment to the above two links.

[tonyduncanbb73]

New England News: The Rock Hunts Down Some Bissell Brothers

And other food and beverage updates from around New England

Broadening the scope a bit, here’s the latest restaurant news from beyond Greater Boston; we’re keeping an eye out for dining developments throughout New England. This piece will be updated on a rolling basis, covering restaurant openings, closures, and more in Portsmouth, Providence, Portland, and elsewhere.

Check back for updates — the most recent ones will always be at the top — and email boston@eater.com with any news tips pertaining to New England restaurant news beyond Boston.

Note: Jump to the bottom of this page for a list of other links pertaining to New England dining, including a guide to Portsmouth and Kittery, an archive of Maine news, a map of the hottest new restaurants in Providence, and more.

January 9, 2018

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Lunch Lady Food Truck debuted at the end of 2017 in Concord, serving a school-themed menu featuring items named for grades one through 10. There are burgers, barbecue pork nachos, Buffalo wings, and Reuben egg rolls, among many other items, including sides and drinks. Find it by the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Rd.), and keep an eye on social media for other locations.

DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Burger joint Hop + Grind (7 Madbury Rd. — Madbury Commons) opened at the end of November. The restaurant butchers and grinds its own meats and makes its soda in-house. There are beef, chicken, and pork burgers and two versions of veggie burgers, plus chicken fried mac and cheese and a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Hop + Grind also serves craft beer and ice cream malts.

MAINE — As a new year kicks off, Portland Food Map takes a look back at the year in 2017 — exploring new restaurants, notable events, trends, and obituaries — while looking ahead towards openings slated for 2018.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Rock apparently has great taste in beer and sent an assistant to procure some. The famed Bissell Brothers Brewing Company (4 Thompsons Pt.) shared the story on Twitter: “An assistant for The Rock just showed up, he took a private jet here to pick up Substance cans. Got shown some credentials… either we just got massively played or THAT IS AWESOME!!”

Also in Portland, Definitive Brewing Company is under construction and could open in the spring at 35 Industrial Wy., near Allagash Brewing Company, according to the Portland Food Map. Few other details are available at this point, but stay tuned for more from Maine.

SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE — The poke trend is creeping its way north to South Portland: Big Fin Poke, which specializes in the Hawaiian raw fish dish, is now open at 29 Western Ave., with this location joining a second in Westbrook, Maine. In addition to rice and salad bowls topped with seafood, chicken, beef, or tofu, Big Fin Poke also serves poke burritos, or seaweed wraps stuffed with sushi rice and proteins.

December 19, 2017

Facebook

Smoked pork loin chop at Nibblesworth in Portsmouth

KITTERY, MAINE — The Caribbean-inspiredBlue Mermaid Island Grill, which was previously open in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for over 20 years, returns to the dining scene this week, opening its new Kittery location at 10 Shapleigh Rd. on Thursday, December 21, right next to Tributary Brewing Company. Opening weekend is reservation-only; call (207) 703-2754.

Checkout our beautiful, brand new store front, isn’t she gorgeous?! … . . #bluemermaid #bluemermaidkittery #kitteryme #kittery #newlocation #storefront #restaurantdesign

A post shared by Blue Mermaid (@bluemermaid_kittery) on Dec 16, 2017 at 10:26am PST

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Biryani Pot, which has a location in Framingham, Massachusetts, will add a location in Nashua (295 Daniel Webster Hwy.), and the grand opening will happen soon. The restaurant specializes in Hyderabadi cuisine, including biryani with chicken, goat, egg, shrimp, or vegetables.

PORTLAND, MAINE — Tuscan Table arrives at 390 Gorham Rd. in South Portland on Wednesday, December 20. The restaurant has ties to Royal River Grillhouse in Yarmouth, Maine, and Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro in Freeport, Maine. The restaurant will serve Italian cuisine.

In other Portland news, Bon Appetit recently featured a look at six of the city’s newest restaurants to check out, including Hunt & Alpine Club’s little sibling Little Giant (211 Danforth St.), which is both a restaurant and a market; Noble Barbecue (1706 Forest Ave.), which serves a “formidable” brisket sandwich and more; and Belleville (1 North St.), home of “legitimate Roman-style pizza.”

Eater Maine is also currently featuring some of the hottest new spots in Portland and beyond in the latest updated Heatmap; check it out here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A restaurant with a wonderfully silly name opened recently in New Hampshire, and it specializes in wood-fired cooking. Nibblesworth (409 The Hill) was started by wife-and-husband team Jenny and Tom Nelson, who launched the restaurant with a goal of taking “classic recipes and rejuvenat[ing] them for today’s palate.” The menu includes items like poutine, pierogi, seafood stew, and lobster tacos. As previously reported, it has taken the place of Blue Mermaid Island Grill, which closed in June and reopens in Kittery this week, as mentioned above.

December 12, 2017

Bill Addison for Eater

Sally’s Apizza

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Nuts & Bolts Brewing Company inches closer to an opening this winter at 7 York St. in the Pepperrell Mill, per the Portland Food Map. The brewery is the work of Patrick Doherty and Deedra Zeeh, and they’re providing progress updates on social media.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A new collaboration aims to bring tortillas made with local corn to a pair of restaurants in New Hampshire. Vida Tortilla unites the owners of Vida Cantina (2456 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth) and Dos Amigos Burritos (26 N Main St., Concord, and other locations) with Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Rd., Lee), and they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the equipment needed to produce the tortillas.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT — One of New Haven’s oldest and best pizza restaurants, Sally’s Apizza(237 Wooster St.), has been sold to new owners, as Eater reports. The names of those now involved will not be made public until January, but they apparently plan to try to expand the restaurant nationwide.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Portland Harbor Hotel (468 Fore St.) will lean into the cold of winter with an ice bar and ice sculptures in its courtyard garden. From January 25 to 27, the Ice Bar will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online. There will be specialty cocktails and small bites available.

December 5, 2017

Facebook

Whiskey & Wine Concord

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Elda opens its doors today, arriving at 140 Main St. with regional-inspired small plates from Bowman Brown, who relocated to the Northeast from Salt Lake City and is a James Beard-nominated chef. The restaurant is named for Brown’s grandmother and will initially serve food only, with wine, beer, and a full bar menu coming soon.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — From the same owners behind Gale Motor Co. in Manchester, Whiskey & Wine has been open for nearly a month in Concord (148 N. Main St.), and it serves exactly that, with 34 varieties of whiskey and American and European wines. The varied food menu includes items like miso and tonkotsu ramen, pulled pork tacos, sushi rolls, chicken potstickers, and seared scallops.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Highroller Lobster, a popular food truck in Portland, now has a permanent home at 104 Exchange St. The restaurant opened over the weekend and will officially begin operations Wednesday through Thursday, starting on December 6, serving lobster in several different forms (including lobster grilled cheese), plus corn dogs, burgers, and a surf n’ turf option.

November 29, 2017

Facebook

The Wilder, Portsmouth

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Rover Wood Fired Bagels and Pizza is now open at 111 Elm St. Founders Kimberly Chaurette and Alec Rutter, both alums of Somerville’s Forge Baking Company, started Rover as a bagel pop-up, appearing in Salem at Bambolina and local farmers markets. They’re now in business as a brick-and-mortar up in Maine, serving up bagels and sandwiches, with wood-fired pizza on the way before the end of the year.

Instagram

A brunch burger at Sonny’s, closing on December 31

PORTLAND, MAINE — Sonny’s, a nearly decade-old restaurant in Old Port (83 Exchange St.), will close at the end of the year. Taking its place: Black Cow, a burger-and-shake shop with an old-fashioned soda fountain. Jay Villani and Garry Bowcott, who own Sonny’s, Local 188, and Salvage BBQ, are behind the new project, and longtime Local 188 chef Nicholas Nappi (who took a hiatus from the group and worked at Eventide and Hugo’s in the interim) is partnering with them for Black Cow. December 31 is the final day for Sonny’s, and Black Cow could open as soon as mid-February.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — The team behind the Wallingford Dram — an excellent cocktail bar in Kittery, Maine — has opened a new spot in Portsmouth. The Wilder, a “no-rules New England gastropub,” is now open at 174 Fleet St., the site of the former United Kingdom-themed Coat of Arms bar. It’s open daily, with bar service starting at 3:30 p.m. with snacks, the full menu available starting at 5 p.m., and a late-night menu offered until 1 a.m. Dishes include everything from Scotch duck eggs to braised kid ragu, which most likely refers to goats, not children. For dessert? Apple cider beignets with maple sauce. And shakshuka makes an appearance on the late-night menu.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND — A food hall slated for Providence just met its fundraising goal through a Kickstarter campaign. The forthcoming West Park Food Hall (233 West Park St.) will have a number of restaurants, a brewery, and a roastery, with communal seating and a roof deck. It raised more than $120,000, which will go towards various expenses, including design and legal costs.

Instagram

The second level at Thee Red Fez is now White Rabbit

In other Providence news, Thee Red Fez (49 Peck St.) is changing things up, converting the upstairs dining room into a cocktail bar with its own name, White Rabbit. Get dinner at the Fez Tuesday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m., and drink snazzy cocktails upstairs Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.

And in other Providence news, North is now up and running at its new location, the first floor of the Dean Hotel (122 Fountain St.). Stay tuned for details on what the team plans to do with the original space at 3 Luongo Sq. — owner James Mark promises a simpler neighborhood spot that could open in a few short months.

Further Reading

Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Spicy miso ramen at Anju Noodle Bar in Kittery, Maine

New England’s 38 Essential Restaurants: A guide to the best of the best throughout New England, compiled by Eater restaurant editor Bill Addison with the help of food writers from around the region.

The 9 Hottest New Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island: Updated in October 2017, this map highlights some of the hot new spots to hit the Providence dining scene in 2017.

Eater Maine: Eater Boston’s sister site to the north has been largely retired, but stop by the homepage now and then for updates to major maps, such as the Heatmap, which tracks some of the hottest new openings.

Maine Restaurant News Archive on Eater Boston: While most Maine news going forward will appear right here in this New England news round-up, older stories are archived at the Maine Restaurant News Archive link.

A Guide to Dining and Drinking in Portsmouth and Kittery: Take a trip up to the New Hampshire-Maine border.

Eater Recommends: What to Eat and Drink in Portsmouth and Kittery: Don’t have time to read the whole guide mentioned above? Skip to this map, which highlights some of the Eater Boston team’s Portsmouth and Kittery favorites.

Where to Drink Beer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: And here’s the beer-specific accompaniment to the above two links.

[tonyduncanbb73]

New England News: The Rock Hunts Down Some Bissell Brothers

And other food and beverage updates from around New England

Broadening the scope a bit, here’s the latest restaurant news from beyond Greater Boston; we’re keeping an eye out for dining developments throughout New England. This piece will be updated on a rolling basis, covering restaurant openings, closures, and more in Portsmouth, Providence, Portland, and elsewhere.

Check back for updates — the most recent ones will always be at the top — and email boston@eater.com with any news tips pertaining to New England restaurant news beyond Boston.

Note: Jump to the bottom of this page for a list of other links pertaining to New England dining, including a guide to Portsmouth and Kittery, an archive of Maine news, a map of the hottest new restaurants in Providence, and more.

January 9, 2018

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Lunch Lady Food Truck debuted at the end of 2017 in Concord, serving a school-themed menu featuring items named for grades one through 10. There are burgers, barbecue pork nachos, Buffalo wings, and Reuben egg rolls, among many other items, including sides and drinks. Find it by the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Rd.), and keep an eye on social media for other locations.

DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Burger joint Hop + Grind (7 Madbury Rd. — Madbury Commons) opened at the end of November. The restaurant butchers and grinds its own meats and makes its soda in-house. There are beef, chicken, and pork burgers and two versions of veggie burgers, plus chicken fried mac and cheese and a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Hop + Grind also serves craft beer and ice cream malts.

MAINE — As a new year kicks off, Portland Food Map takes a look back at the year in 2017 — exploring new restaurants, notable events, trends, and obituaries — while looking ahead towards openings slated for 2018.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Rock apparently has great taste in beer and sent an assistant to procure some. The famed Bissell Brothers Brewing Company (4 Thompsons Pt.) shared the story on Twitter: “An assistant for The Rock just showed up, he took a private jet here to pick up Substance cans. Got shown some credentials… either we just got massively played or THAT IS AWESOME!!”

Also in Portland, Definitive Brewing Company is under construction and could open in the spring at 35 Industrial Wy., near Allagash Brewing Company, according to the Portland Food Map. Few other details are available at this point, but stay tuned for more from Maine.

SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE — The poke trend is creeping its way north to South Portland: Big Fin Poke, which specializes in the Hawaiian raw fish dish, is now open at 29 Western Ave., with this location joining a second in Westbrook, Maine. In addition to rice and salad bowls topped with seafood, chicken, beef, or tofu, Big Fin Poke also serves poke burritos, or seaweed wraps stuffed with sushi rice and proteins.

December 19, 2017

Facebook

Smoked pork loin chop at Nibblesworth in Portsmouth

KITTERY, MAINE — The Caribbean-inspiredBlue Mermaid Island Grill, which was previously open in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for over 20 years, returns to the dining scene this week, opening its new Kittery location at 10 Shapleigh Rd. on Thursday, December 21, right next to Tributary Brewing Company. Opening weekend is reservation-only; call (207) 703-2754.

Checkout our beautiful, brand new store front, isn’t she gorgeous?! … . . #bluemermaid #bluemermaidkittery #kitteryme #kittery #newlocation #storefront #restaurantdesign

A post shared by Blue Mermaid (@bluemermaid_kittery) on Dec 16, 2017 at 10:26am PST

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Biryani Pot, which has a location in Framingham, Massachusetts, will add a location in Nashua (295 Daniel Webster Hwy.), and the grand opening will happen soon. The restaurant specializes in Hyderabadi cuisine, including biryani with chicken, goat, egg, shrimp, or vegetables.

PORTLAND, MAINE — Tuscan Table arrives at 390 Gorham Rd. in South Portland on Wednesday, December 20. The restaurant has ties to Royal River Grillhouse in Yarmouth, Maine, and Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro in Freeport, Maine. The restaurant will serve Italian cuisine.

In other Portland news, Bon Appetit recently featured a look at six of the city’s newest restaurants to check out, including Hunt & Alpine Club’s little sibling Little Giant (211 Danforth St.), which is both a restaurant and a market; Noble Barbecue (1706 Forest Ave.), which serves a “formidable” brisket sandwich and more; and Belleville (1 North St.), home of “legitimate Roman-style pizza.”

Eater Maine is also currently featuring some of the hottest new spots in Portland and beyond in the latest updated Heatmap; check it out here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A restaurant with a wonderfully silly name opened recently in New Hampshire, and it specializes in wood-fired cooking. Nibblesworth (409 The Hill) was started by wife-and-husband team Jenny and Tom Nelson, who launched the restaurant with a goal of taking “classic recipes and rejuvenat[ing] them for today’s palate.” The menu includes items like poutine, pierogi, seafood stew, and lobster tacos. As previously reported, it has taken the place of Blue Mermaid Island Grill, which closed in June and reopens in Kittery this week, as mentioned above.

December 12, 2017

Bill Addison for Eater

Sally’s Apizza

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Nuts & Bolts Brewing Company inches closer to an opening this winter at 7 York St. in the Pepperrell Mill, per the Portland Food Map. The brewery is the work of Patrick Doherty and Deedra Zeeh, and they’re providing progress updates on social media.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A new collaboration aims to bring tortillas made with local corn to a pair of restaurants in New Hampshire. Vida Tortilla unites the owners of Vida Cantina (2456 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth) and Dos Amigos Burritos (26 N Main St., Concord, and other locations) with Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Rd., Lee), and they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the equipment needed to produce the tortillas.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT — One of New Haven’s oldest and best pizza restaurants, Sally’s Apizza(237 Wooster St.), has been sold to new owners, as Eater reports. The names of those now involved will not be made public until January, but they apparently plan to try to expand the restaurant nationwide.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Portland Harbor Hotel (468 Fore St.) will lean into the cold of winter with an ice bar and ice sculptures in its courtyard garden. From January 25 to 27, the Ice Bar will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online. There will be specialty cocktails and small bites available.

December 5, 2017

Facebook

Whiskey & Wine Concord

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Elda opens its doors today, arriving at 140 Main St. with regional-inspired small plates from Bowman Brown, who relocated to the Northeast from Salt Lake City and is a James Beard-nominated chef. The restaurant is named for Brown’s grandmother and will initially serve food only, with wine, beer, and a full bar menu coming soon.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — From the same owners behind Gale Motor Co. in Manchester, Whiskey & Wine has been open for nearly a month in Concord (148 N. Main St.), and it serves exactly that, with 34 varieties of whiskey and American and European wines. The varied food menu includes items like miso and tonkotsu ramen, pulled pork tacos, sushi rolls, chicken potstickers, and seared scallops.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Highroller Lobster, a popular food truck in Portland, now has a permanent home at 104 Exchange St. The restaurant opened over the weekend and will officially begin operations Wednesday through Thursday, starting on December 6, serving lobster in several different forms (including lobster grilled cheese), plus corn dogs, burgers, and a surf n’ turf option.

November 29, 2017

Facebook

The Wilder, Portsmouth

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Rover Wood Fired Bagels and Pizza is now open at 111 Elm St. Founders Kimberly Chaurette and Alec Rutter, both alums of Somerville’s Forge Baking Company, started Rover as a bagel pop-up, appearing in Salem at Bambolina and local farmers markets. They’re now in business as a brick-and-mortar up in Maine, serving up bagels and sandwiches, with wood-fired pizza on the way before the end of the year.

Instagram

A brunch burger at Sonny’s, closing on December 31

PORTLAND, MAINE — Sonny’s, a nearly decade-old restaurant in Old Port (83 Exchange St.), will close at the end of the year. Taking its place: Black Cow, a burger-and-shake shop with an old-fashioned soda fountain. Jay Villani and Garry Bowcott, who own Sonny’s, Local 188, and Salvage BBQ, are behind the new project, and longtime Local 188 chef Nicholas Nappi (who took a hiatus from the group and worked at Eventide and Hugo’s in the interim) is partnering with them for Black Cow. December 31 is the final day for Sonny’s, and Black Cow could open as soon as mid-February.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — The team behind the Wallingford Dram — an excellent cocktail bar in Kittery, Maine — has opened a new spot in Portsmouth. The Wilder, a “no-rules New England gastropub,” is now open at 174 Fleet St., the site of the former United Kingdom-themed Coat of Arms bar. It’s open daily, with bar service starting at 3:30 p.m. with snacks, the full menu available starting at 5 p.m., and a late-night menu offered until 1 a.m. Dishes include everything from Scotch duck eggs to braised kid ragu, which most likely refers to goats, not children. For dessert? Apple cider beignets with maple sauce. And shakshuka makes an appearance on the late-night menu.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND — A food hall slated for Providence just met its fundraising goal through a Kickstarter campaign. The forthcoming West Park Food Hall (233 West Park St.) will have a number of restaurants, a brewery, and a roastery, with communal seating and a roof deck. It raised more than $120,000, which will go towards various expenses, including design and legal costs.

Instagram

The second level at Thee Red Fez is now White Rabbit

In other Providence news, Thee Red Fez (49 Peck St.) is changing things up, converting the upstairs dining room into a cocktail bar with its own name, White Rabbit. Get dinner at the Fez Tuesday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m., and drink snazzy cocktails upstairs Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.

And in other Providence news, North is now up and running at its new location, the first floor of the Dean Hotel (122 Fountain St.). Stay tuned for details on what the team plans to do with the original space at 3 Luongo Sq. — owner James Mark promises a simpler neighborhood spot that could open in a few short months.

Further Reading

Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Spicy miso ramen at Anju Noodle Bar in Kittery, Maine

New England’s 38 Essential Restaurants: A guide to the best of the best throughout New England, compiled by Eater restaurant editor Bill Addison with the help of food writers from around the region.

The 9 Hottest New Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island: Updated in October 2017, this map highlights some of the hot new spots to hit the Providence dining scene in 2017.

Eater Maine: Eater Boston’s sister site to the north has been largely retired, but stop by the homepage now and then for updates to major maps, such as the Heatmap, which tracks some of the hottest new openings.

Maine Restaurant News Archive on Eater Boston: While most Maine news going forward will appear right here in this New England news round-up, older stories are archived at the Maine Restaurant News Archive link.

A Guide to Dining and Drinking in Portsmouth and Kittery: Take a trip up to the New Hampshire-Maine border.

Eater Recommends: What to Eat and Drink in Portsmouth and Kittery: Don’t have time to read the whole guide mentioned above? Skip to this map, which highlights some of the Eater Boston team’s Portsmouth and Kittery favorites.

Where to Drink Beer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: And here’s the beer-specific accompaniment to the above two links.

[tonyduncanbb73]

New England News: The Rock Hunts Down Some Bissell Brothers

And other food and beverage updates from around New England

Broadening the scope a bit, here’s the latest restaurant news from beyond Greater Boston; we’re keeping an eye out for dining developments throughout New England. This piece will be updated on a rolling basis, covering restaurant openings, closures, and more in Portsmouth, Providence, Portland, and elsewhere.

Check back for updates — the most recent ones will always be at the top — and email boston@eater.com with any news tips pertaining to New England restaurant news beyond Boston.

Note: Jump to the bottom of this page for a list of other links pertaining to New England dining, including a guide to Portsmouth and Kittery, an archive of Maine news, a map of the hottest new restaurants in Providence, and more.

January 9, 2018

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Lunch Lady Food Truck debuted at the end of 2017 in Concord, serving a school-themed menu featuring items named for grades one through 10. There are burgers, barbecue pork nachos, Buffalo wings, and Reuben egg rolls, among many other items, including sides and drinks. Find it by the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Rd.), and keep an eye on social media for other locations.

DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Burger joint Hop + Grind (7 Madbury Rd. — Madbury Commons) opened at the end of November. The restaurant butchers and grinds its own meats and makes its soda in-house. There are beef, chicken, and pork burgers and two versions of veggie burgers, plus chicken fried mac and cheese and a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Hop + Grind also serves craft beer and ice cream malts.

MAINE — As a new year kicks off, Portland Food Map takes a look back at the year in 2017 — exploring new restaurants, notable events, trends, and obituaries — while looking ahead towards openings slated for 2018.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Rock apparently has great taste in beer and sent an assistant to procure some. The famed Bissell Brothers Brewing Company (4 Thompsons Pt.) shared the story on Twitter: “An assistant for The Rock just showed up, he took a private jet here to pick up Substance cans. Got shown some credentials… either we just got massively played or THAT IS AWESOME!!”

Also in Portland, Definitive Brewing Company is under construction and could open in the spring at 35 Industrial Wy., near Allagash Brewing Company, according to the Portland Food Map. Few other details are available at this point, but stay tuned for more from Maine.

SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE — The poke trend is creeping its way north to South Portland: Big Fin Poke, which specializes in the Hawaiian raw fish dish, is now open at 29 Western Ave., with this location joining a second in Westbrook, Maine. In addition to rice and salad bowls topped with seafood, chicken, beef, or tofu, Big Fin Poke also serves poke burritos, or seaweed wraps stuffed with sushi rice and proteins.

December 19, 2017

Facebook

Smoked pork loin chop at Nibblesworth in Portsmouth

KITTERY, MAINE — The Caribbean-inspiredBlue Mermaid Island Grill, which was previously open in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for over 20 years, returns to the dining scene this week, opening its new Kittery location at 10 Shapleigh Rd. on Thursday, December 21, right next to Tributary Brewing Company. Opening weekend is reservation-only; call (207) 703-2754.

Checkout our beautiful, brand new store front, isn’t she gorgeous?! … . . #bluemermaid #bluemermaidkittery #kitteryme #kittery #newlocation #storefront #restaurantdesign

A post shared by Blue Mermaid (@bluemermaid_kittery) on Dec 16, 2017 at 10:26am PST

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Biryani Pot, which has a location in Framingham, Massachusetts, will add a location in Nashua (295 Daniel Webster Hwy.), and the grand opening will happen soon. The restaurant specializes in Hyderabadi cuisine, including biryani with chicken, goat, egg, shrimp, or vegetables.

PORTLAND, MAINE — Tuscan Table arrives at 390 Gorham Rd. in South Portland on Wednesday, December 20. The restaurant has ties to Royal River Grillhouse in Yarmouth, Maine, and Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro in Freeport, Maine. The restaurant will serve Italian cuisine.

In other Portland news, Bon Appetit recently featured a look at six of the city’s newest restaurants to check out, including Hunt & Alpine Club’s little sibling Little Giant (211 Danforth St.), which is both a restaurant and a market; Noble Barbecue (1706 Forest Ave.), which serves a “formidable” brisket sandwich and more; and Belleville (1 North St.), home of “legitimate Roman-style pizza.”

Eater Maine is also currently featuring some of the hottest new spots in Portland and beyond in the latest updated Heatmap; check it out here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A restaurant with a wonderfully silly name opened recently in New Hampshire, and it specializes in wood-fired cooking. Nibblesworth (409 The Hill) was started by wife-and-husband team Jenny and Tom Nelson, who launched the restaurant with a goal of taking “classic recipes and rejuvenat[ing] them for today’s palate.” The menu includes items like poutine, pierogi, seafood stew, and lobster tacos. As previously reported, it has taken the place of Blue Mermaid Island Grill, which closed in June and reopens in Kittery this week, as mentioned above.

December 12, 2017

Bill Addison for Eater

Sally’s Apizza

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Nuts & Bolts Brewing Company inches closer to an opening this winter at 7 York St. in the Pepperrell Mill, per the Portland Food Map. The brewery is the work of Patrick Doherty and Deedra Zeeh, and they’re providing progress updates on social media.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A new collaboration aims to bring tortillas made with local corn to a pair of restaurants in New Hampshire. Vida Tortilla unites the owners of Vida Cantina (2456 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth) and Dos Amigos Burritos (26 N Main St., Concord, and other locations) with Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Rd., Lee), and they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the equipment needed to produce the tortillas.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT — One of New Haven’s oldest and best pizza restaurants, Sally’s Apizza(237 Wooster St.), has been sold to new owners, as Eater reports. The names of those now involved will not be made public until January, but they apparently plan to try to expand the restaurant nationwide.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Portland Harbor Hotel (468 Fore St.) will lean into the cold of winter with an ice bar and ice sculptures in its courtyard garden. From January 25 to 27, the Ice Bar will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online. There will be specialty cocktails and small bites available.

December 5, 2017

Facebook

Whiskey & Wine Concord

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Elda opens its doors today, arriving at 140 Main St. with regional-inspired small plates from Bowman Brown, who relocated to the Northeast from Salt Lake City and is a James Beard-nominated chef. The restaurant is named for Brown’s grandmother and will initially serve food only, with wine, beer, and a full bar menu coming soon.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — From the same owners behind Gale Motor Co. in Manchester, Whiskey & Wine has been open for nearly a month in Concord (148 N. Main St.), and it serves exactly that, with 34 varieties of whiskey and American and European wines. The varied food menu includes items like miso and tonkotsu ramen, pulled pork tacos, sushi rolls, chicken potstickers, and seared scallops.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Highroller Lobster, a popular food truck in Portland, now has a permanent home at 104 Exchange St. The restaurant opened over the weekend and will officially begin operations Wednesday through Thursday, starting on December 6, serving lobster in several different forms (including lobster grilled cheese), plus corn dogs, burgers, and a surf n’ turf option.

November 29, 2017

Facebook

The Wilder, Portsmouth

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Rover Wood Fired Bagels and Pizza is now open at 111 Elm St. Founders Kimberly Chaurette and Alec Rutter, both alums of Somerville’s Forge Baking Company, started Rover as a bagel pop-up, appearing in Salem at Bambolina and local farmers markets. They’re now in business as a brick-and-mortar up in Maine, serving up bagels and sandwiches, with wood-fired pizza on the way before the end of the year.

Instagram

A brunch burger at Sonny’s, closing on December 31

PORTLAND, MAINE — Sonny’s, a nearly decade-old restaurant in Old Port (83 Exchange St.), will close at the end of the year. Taking its place: Black Cow, a burger-and-shake shop with an old-fashioned soda fountain. Jay Villani and Garry Bowcott, who own Sonny’s, Local 188, and Salvage BBQ, are behind the new project, and longtime Local 188 chef Nicholas Nappi (who took a hiatus from the group and worked at Eventide and Hugo’s in the interim) is partnering with them for Black Cow. December 31 is the final day for Sonny’s, and Black Cow could open as soon as mid-February.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — The team behind the Wallingford Dram — an excellent cocktail bar in Kittery, Maine — has opened a new spot in Portsmouth. The Wilder, a “no-rules New England gastropub,” is now open at 174 Fleet St., the site of the former United Kingdom-themed Coat of Arms bar. It’s open daily, with bar service starting at 3:30 p.m. with snacks, the full menu available starting at 5 p.m., and a late-night menu offered until 1 a.m. Dishes include everything from Scotch duck eggs to braised kid ragu, which most likely refers to goats, not children. For dessert? Apple cider beignets with maple sauce. And shakshuka makes an appearance on the late-night menu.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND — A food hall slated for Providence just met its fundraising goal through a Kickstarter campaign. The forthcoming West Park Food Hall (233 West Park St.) will have a number of restaurants, a brewery, and a roastery, with communal seating and a roof deck. It raised more than $120,000, which will go towards various expenses, including design and legal costs.

Instagram

The second level at Thee Red Fez is now White Rabbit

In other Providence news, Thee Red Fez (49 Peck St.) is changing things up, converting the upstairs dining room into a cocktail bar with its own name, White Rabbit. Get dinner at the Fez Tuesday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m., and drink snazzy cocktails upstairs Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.

And in other Providence news, North is now up and running at its new location, the first floor of the Dean Hotel (122 Fountain St.). Stay tuned for details on what the team plans to do with the original space at 3 Luongo Sq. — owner James Mark promises a simpler neighborhood spot that could open in a few short months.

Further Reading

Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Spicy miso ramen at Anju Noodle Bar in Kittery, Maine

New England’s 38 Essential Restaurants: A guide to the best of the best throughout New England, compiled by Eater restaurant editor Bill Addison with the help of food writers from around the region.

The 9 Hottest New Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island: Updated in October 2017, this map highlights some of the hot new spots to hit the Providence dining scene in 2017.

Eater Maine: Eater Boston’s sister site to the north has been largely retired, but stop by the homepage now and then for updates to major maps, such as the Heatmap, which tracks some of the hottest new openings.

Maine Restaurant News Archive on Eater Boston: While most Maine news going forward will appear right here in this New England news round-up, older stories are archived at the Maine Restaurant News Archive link.

A Guide to Dining and Drinking in Portsmouth and Kittery: Take a trip up to the New Hampshire-Maine border.

Eater Recommends: What to Eat and Drink in Portsmouth and Kittery: Don’t have time to read the whole guide mentioned above? Skip to this map, which highlights some of the Eater Boston team’s Portsmouth and Kittery favorites.

Where to Drink Beer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: And here’s the beer-specific accompaniment to the above two links.

[tonyduncanbb73]

New England News: The Rock Hunts Down Some Bissell Brothers

And other food and beverage updates from around New England

Broadening the scope a bit, here’s the latest restaurant news from beyond Greater Boston; we’re keeping an eye out for dining developments throughout New England. This piece will be updated on a rolling basis, covering restaurant openings, closures, and more in Portsmouth, Providence, Portland, and elsewhere.

Check back for updates — the most recent ones will always be at the top — and email boston@eater.com with any news tips pertaining to New England restaurant news beyond Boston.

Note: Jump to the bottom of this page for a list of other links pertaining to New England dining, including a guide to Portsmouth and Kittery, an archive of Maine news, a map of the hottest new restaurants in Providence, and more.

January 9, 2018

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Lunch Lady Food Truck debuted at the end of 2017 in Concord, serving a school-themed menu featuring items named for grades one through 10. There are burgers, barbecue pork nachos, Buffalo wings, and Reuben egg rolls, among many other items, including sides and drinks. Find it by the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Rd.), and keep an eye on social media for other locations.

DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Burger joint Hop + Grind (7 Madbury Rd. — Madbury Commons) opened at the end of November. The restaurant butchers and grinds its own meats and makes its soda in-house. There are beef, chicken, and pork burgers and two versions of veggie burgers, plus chicken fried mac and cheese and a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Hop + Grind also serves craft beer and ice cream malts.

MAINE — As a new year kicks off, Portland Food Map takes a look back at the year in 2017 — exploring new restaurants, notable events, trends, and obituaries — while looking ahead towards openings slated for 2018.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Rock apparently has great taste in beer and sent an assistant to procure some. The famed Bissell Brothers Brewing Company (4 Thompsons Pt.) shared the story on Twitter: “An assistant for The Rock just showed up, he took a private jet here to pick up Substance cans. Got shown some credentials… either we just got massively played or THAT IS AWESOME!!”

Also in Portland, Definitive Brewing Company is under construction and could open in the spring at 35 Industrial Wy., near Allagash Brewing Company, according to the Portland Food Map. Few other details are available at this point, but stay tuned for more from Maine.

SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE — The poke trend is creeping its way north to South Portland: Big Fin Poke, which specializes in the Hawaiian raw fish dish, is now open at 29 Western Ave., with this location joining a second in Westbrook, Maine. In addition to rice and salad bowls topped with seafood, chicken, beef, or tofu, Big Fin Poke also serves poke burritos, or seaweed wraps stuffed with sushi rice and proteins.

December 19, 2017

Facebook

Smoked pork loin chop at Nibblesworth in Portsmouth

KITTERY, MAINE — The Caribbean-inspiredBlue Mermaid Island Grill, which was previously open in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for over 20 years, returns to the dining scene this week, opening its new Kittery location at 10 Shapleigh Rd. on Thursday, December 21, right next to Tributary Brewing Company. Opening weekend is reservation-only; call (207) 703-2754.

Checkout our beautiful, brand new store front, isn’t she gorgeous?! … . . #bluemermaid #bluemermaidkittery #kitteryme #kittery #newlocation #storefront #restaurantdesign

A post shared by Blue Mermaid (@bluemermaid_kittery) on Dec 16, 2017 at 10:26am PST

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Biryani Pot, which has a location in Framingham, Massachusetts, will add a location in Nashua (295 Daniel Webster Hwy.), and the grand opening will happen soon. The restaurant specializes in Hyderabadi cuisine, including biryani with chicken, goat, egg, shrimp, or vegetables.

PORTLAND, MAINE — Tuscan Table arrives at 390 Gorham Rd. in South Portland on Wednesday, December 20. The restaurant has ties to Royal River Grillhouse in Yarmouth, Maine, and Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro in Freeport, Maine. The restaurant will serve Italian cuisine.

In other Portland news, Bon Appetit recently featured a look at six of the city’s newest restaurants to check out, including Hunt & Alpine Club’s little sibling Little Giant (211 Danforth St.), which is both a restaurant and a market; Noble Barbecue (1706 Forest Ave.), which serves a “formidable” brisket sandwich and more; and Belleville (1 North St.), home of “legitimate Roman-style pizza.”

Eater Maine is also currently featuring some of the hottest new spots in Portland and beyond in the latest updated Heatmap; check it out here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A restaurant with a wonderfully silly name opened recently in New Hampshire, and it specializes in wood-fired cooking. Nibblesworth (409 The Hill) was started by wife-and-husband team Jenny and Tom Nelson, who launched the restaurant with a goal of taking “classic recipes and rejuvenat[ing] them for today’s palate.” The menu includes items like poutine, pierogi, seafood stew, and lobster tacos. As previously reported, it has taken the place of Blue Mermaid Island Grill, which closed in June and reopens in Kittery this week, as mentioned above.

December 12, 2017

Bill Addison for Eater

Sally’s Apizza

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Nuts & Bolts Brewing Company inches closer to an opening this winter at 7 York St. in the Pepperrell Mill, per the Portland Food Map. The brewery is the work of Patrick Doherty and Deedra Zeeh, and they’re providing progress updates on social media.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A new collaboration aims to bring tortillas made with local corn to a pair of restaurants in New Hampshire. Vida Tortilla unites the owners of Vida Cantina (2456 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth) and Dos Amigos Burritos (26 N Main St., Concord, and other locations) with Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Rd., Lee), and they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the equipment needed to produce the tortillas.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT — One of New Haven’s oldest and best pizza restaurants, Sally’s Apizza(237 Wooster St.), has been sold to new owners, as Eater reports. The names of those now involved will not be made public until January, but they apparently plan to try to expand the restaurant nationwide.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Portland Harbor Hotel (468 Fore St.) will lean into the cold of winter with an ice bar and ice sculptures in its courtyard garden. From January 25 to 27, the Ice Bar will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online. There will be specialty cocktails and small bites available.

December 5, 2017

Facebook

Whiskey & Wine Concord

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Elda opens its doors today, arriving at 140 Main St. with regional-inspired small plates from Bowman Brown, who relocated to the Northeast from Salt Lake City and is a James Beard-nominated chef. The restaurant is named for Brown’s grandmother and will initially serve food only, with wine, beer, and a full bar menu coming soon.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — From the same owners behind Gale Motor Co. in Manchester, Whiskey & Wine has been open for nearly a month in Concord (148 N. Main St.), and it serves exactly that, with 34 varieties of whiskey and American and European wines. The varied food menu includes items like miso and tonkotsu ramen, pulled pork tacos, sushi rolls, chicken potstickers, and seared scallops.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Highroller Lobster, a popular food truck in Portland, now has a permanent home at 104 Exchange St. The restaurant opened over the weekend and will officially begin operations Wednesday through Thursday, starting on December 6, serving lobster in several different forms (including lobster grilled cheese), plus corn dogs, burgers, and a surf n’ turf option.

November 29, 2017

Facebook

The Wilder, Portsmouth

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Rover Wood Fired Bagels and Pizza is now open at 111 Elm St. Founders Kimberly Chaurette and Alec Rutter, both alums of Somerville’s Forge Baking Company, started Rover as a bagel pop-up, appearing in Salem at Bambolina and local farmers markets. They’re now in business as a brick-and-mortar up in Maine, serving up bagels and sandwiches, with wood-fired pizza on the way before the end of the year.

Instagram

A brunch burger at Sonny’s, closing on December 31

PORTLAND, MAINE — Sonny’s, a nearly decade-old restaurant in Old Port (83 Exchange St.), will close at the end of the year. Taking its place: Black Cow, a burger-and-shake shop with an old-fashioned soda fountain. Jay Villani and Garry Bowcott, who own Sonny’s, Local 188, and Salvage BBQ, are behind the new project, and longtime Local 188 chef Nicholas Nappi (who took a hiatus from the group and worked at Eventide and Hugo’s in the interim) is partnering with them for Black Cow. December 31 is the final day for Sonny’s, and Black Cow could open as soon as mid-February.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — The team behind the Wallingford Dram — an excellent cocktail bar in Kittery, Maine — has opened a new spot in Portsmouth. The Wilder, a “no-rules New England gastropub,” is now open at 174 Fleet St., the site of the former United Kingdom-themed Coat of Arms bar. It’s open daily, with bar service starting at 3:30 p.m. with snacks, the full menu available starting at 5 p.m., and a late-night menu offered until 1 a.m. Dishes include everything from Scotch duck eggs to braised kid ragu, which most likely refers to goats, not children. For dessert? Apple cider beignets with maple sauce. And shakshuka makes an appearance on the late-night menu.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND — A food hall slated for Providence just met its fundraising goal through a Kickstarter campaign. The forthcoming West Park Food Hall (233 West Park St.) will have a number of restaurants, a brewery, and a roastery, with communal seating and a roof deck. It raised more than $120,000, which will go towards various expenses, including design and legal costs.

Instagram

The second level at Thee Red Fez is now White Rabbit

In other Providence news, Thee Red Fez (49 Peck St.) is changing things up, converting the upstairs dining room into a cocktail bar with its own name, White Rabbit. Get dinner at the Fez Tuesday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m., and drink snazzy cocktails upstairs Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.

And in other Providence news, North is now up and running at its new location, the first floor of the Dean Hotel (122 Fountain St.). Stay tuned for details on what the team plans to do with the original space at 3 Luongo Sq. — owner James Mark promises a simpler neighborhood spot that could open in a few short months.

Further Reading

Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Spicy miso ramen at Anju Noodle Bar in Kittery, Maine

New England’s 38 Essential Restaurants: A guide to the best of the best throughout New England, compiled by Eater restaurant editor Bill Addison with the help of food writers from around the region.

The 9 Hottest New Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island: Updated in October 2017, this map highlights some of the hot new spots to hit the Providence dining scene in 2017.

Eater Maine: Eater Boston’s sister site to the north has been largely retired, but stop by the homepage now and then for updates to major maps, such as the Heatmap, which tracks some of the hottest new openings.

Maine Restaurant News Archive on Eater Boston: While most Maine news going forward will appear right here in this New England news round-up, older stories are archived at the Maine Restaurant News Archive link.

A Guide to Dining and Drinking in Portsmouth and Kittery: Take a trip up to the New Hampshire-Maine border.

Eater Recommends: What to Eat and Drink in Portsmouth and Kittery: Don’t have time to read the whole guide mentioned above? Skip to this map, which highlights some of the Eater Boston team’s Portsmouth and Kittery favorites.

Where to Drink Beer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: And here’s the beer-specific accompaniment to the above two links.

[tonyduncanbb73]

New England News: The Rock Hunts Down Some Bissell Brothers

And other food and beverage updates from around New England

Broadening the scope a bit, here’s the latest restaurant news from beyond Greater Boston; we’re keeping an eye out for dining developments throughout New England. This piece will be updated on a rolling basis, covering restaurant openings, closures, and more in Portsmouth, Providence, Portland, and elsewhere.

Check back for updates — the most recent ones will always be at the top — and email boston@eater.com with any news tips pertaining to New England restaurant news beyond Boston.

Note: Jump to the bottom of this page for a list of other links pertaining to New England dining, including a guide to Portsmouth and Kittery, an archive of Maine news, a map of the hottest new restaurants in Providence, and more.

January 9, 2018

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Lunch Lady Food Truck debuted at the end of 2017 in Concord, serving a school-themed menu featuring items named for grades one through 10. There are burgers, barbecue pork nachos, Buffalo wings, and Reuben egg rolls, among many other items, including sides and drinks. Find it by the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Rd.), and keep an eye on social media for other locations.

DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Burger joint Hop + Grind (7 Madbury Rd. — Madbury Commons) opened at the end of November. The restaurant butchers and grinds its own meats and makes its soda in-house. There are beef, chicken, and pork burgers and two versions of veggie burgers, plus chicken fried mac and cheese and a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Hop + Grind also serves craft beer and ice cream malts.

MAINE — As a new year kicks off, Portland Food Map takes a look back at the year in 2017 — exploring new restaurants, notable events, trends, and obituaries — while looking ahead towards openings slated for 2018.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Rock apparently has great taste in beer and sent an assistant to procure some. The famed Bissell Brothers Brewing Company (4 Thompsons Pt.) shared the story on Twitter: “An assistant for The Rock just showed up, he took a private jet here to pick up Substance cans. Got shown some credentials… either we just got massively played or THAT IS AWESOME!!”

Also in Portland, Definitive Brewing Company is under construction and could open in the spring at 35 Industrial Wy., near Allagash Brewing Company, according to the Portland Food Map. Few other details are available at this point, but stay tuned for more from Maine.

SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE — The poke trend is creeping its way north to South Portland: Big Fin Poke, which specializes in the Hawaiian raw fish dish, is now open at 29 Western Ave., with this location joining a second in Westbrook, Maine. In addition to rice and salad bowls topped with seafood, chicken, beef, or tofu, Big Fin Poke also serves poke burritos, or seaweed wraps stuffed with sushi rice and proteins.

December 19, 2017

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Smoked pork loin chop at Nibblesworth in Portsmouth

KITTERY, MAINE — The Caribbean-inspiredBlue Mermaid Island Grill, which was previously open in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for over 20 years, returns to the dining scene this week, opening its new Kittery location at 10 Shapleigh Rd. on Thursday, December 21, right next to Tributary Brewing Company. Opening weekend is reservation-only; call (207) 703-2754.

Checkout our beautiful, brand new store front, isn’t she gorgeous?! … . . #bluemermaid #bluemermaidkittery #kitteryme #kittery #newlocation #storefront #restaurantdesign

A post shared by Blue Mermaid (@bluemermaid_kittery) on Dec 16, 2017 at 10:26am PST

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Biryani Pot, which has a location in Framingham, Massachusetts, will add a location in Nashua (295 Daniel Webster Hwy.), and the grand opening will happen soon. The restaurant specializes in Hyderabadi cuisine, including biryani with chicken, goat, egg, shrimp, or vegetables.

PORTLAND, MAINE — Tuscan Table arrives at 390 Gorham Rd. in South Portland on Wednesday, December 20. The restaurant has ties to Royal River Grillhouse in Yarmouth, Maine, and Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro in Freeport, Maine. The restaurant will serve Italian cuisine.

In other Portland news, Bon Appetit recently featured a look at six of the city’s newest restaurants to check out, including Hunt & Alpine Club’s little sibling Little Giant (211 Danforth St.), which is both a restaurant and a market; Noble Barbecue (1706 Forest Ave.), which serves a “formidable” brisket sandwich and more; and Belleville (1 North St.), home of “legitimate Roman-style pizza.”

Eater Maine is also currently featuring some of the hottest new spots in Portland and beyond in the latest updated Heatmap; check it out here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A restaurant with a wonderfully silly name opened recently in New Hampshire, and it specializes in wood-fired cooking. Nibblesworth (409 The Hill) was started by wife-and-husband team Jenny and Tom Nelson, who launched the restaurant with a goal of taking “classic recipes and rejuvenat[ing] them for today’s palate.” The menu includes items like poutine, pierogi, seafood stew, and lobster tacos. As previously reported, it has taken the place of Blue Mermaid Island Grill, which closed in June and reopens in Kittery this week, as mentioned above.

December 12, 2017

Bill Addison for Eater

Sally’s Apizza

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Nuts & Bolts Brewing Company inches closer to an opening this winter at 7 York St. in the Pepperrell Mill, per the Portland Food Map. The brewery is the work of Patrick Doherty and Deedra Zeeh, and they’re providing progress updates on social media.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A new collaboration aims to bring tortillas made with local corn to a pair of restaurants in New Hampshire. Vida Tortilla unites the owners of Vida Cantina (2456 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth) and Dos Amigos Burritos (26 N Main St., Concord, and other locations) with Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Rd., Lee), and they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the equipment needed to produce the tortillas.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT — One of New Haven’s oldest and best pizza restaurants, Sally’s Apizza(237 Wooster St.), has been sold to new owners, as Eater reports. The names of those now involved will not be made public until January, but they apparently plan to try to expand the restaurant nationwide.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Portland Harbor Hotel (468 Fore St.) will lean into the cold of winter with an ice bar and ice sculptures in its courtyard garden. From January 25 to 27, the Ice Bar will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online. There will be specialty cocktails and small bites available.

December 5, 2017

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Whiskey & Wine Concord

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Elda opens its doors today, arriving at 140 Main St. with regional-inspired small plates from Bowman Brown, who relocated to the Northeast from Salt Lake City and is a James Beard-nominated chef. The restaurant is named for Brown’s grandmother and will initially serve food only, with wine, beer, and a full bar menu coming soon.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — From the same owners behind Gale Motor Co. in Manchester, Whiskey & Wine has been open for nearly a month in Concord (148 N. Main St.), and it serves exactly that, with 34 varieties of whiskey and American and European wines. The varied food menu includes items like miso and tonkotsu ramen, pulled pork tacos, sushi rolls, chicken potstickers, and seared scallops.

PORTLAND, MAINE — The Highroller Lobster, a popular food truck in Portland, now has a permanent home at 104 Exchange St. The restaurant opened over the weekend and will officially begin operations Wednesday through Thursday, starting on December 6, serving lobster in several different forms (including lobster grilled cheese), plus corn dogs, burgers, and a surf n’ turf option.

November 29, 2017

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The Wilder, Portsmouth

BIDDEFORD, MAINE — Rover Wood Fired Bagels and Pizza is now open at 111 Elm St. Founders Kimberly Chaurette and Alec Rutter, both alums of Somerville’s Forge Baking Company, started Rover as a bagel pop-up, appearing in Salem at Bambolina and local farmers markets. They’re now in business as a brick-and-mortar up in Maine, serving up bagels and sandwiches, with wood-fired pizza on the way before the end of the year.

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A brunch burger at Sonny’s, closing on December 31

PORTLAND, MAINE — Sonny’s, a nearly decade-old restaurant in Old Port (83 Exchange St.), will close at the end of the year. Taking its place: Black Cow, a burger-and-shake shop with an old-fashioned soda fountain. Jay Villani and Garry Bowcott, who own Sonny’s, Local 188, and Salvage BBQ, are behind the new project, and longtime Local 188 chef Nicholas Nappi (who took a hiatus from the group and worked at Eventide and Hugo’s in the interim) is partnering with them for Black Cow. December 31 is the final day for Sonny’s, and Black Cow could open as soon as mid-February.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — The team behind the Wallingford Dram — an excellent cocktail bar in Kittery, Maine — has opened a new spot in Portsmouth. The Wilder, a “no-rules New England gastropub,” is now open at 174 Fleet St., the site of the former United Kingdom-themed Coat of Arms bar. It’s open daily, with bar service starting at 3:30 p.m. with snacks, the full menu available starting at 5 p.m., and a late-night menu offered until 1 a.m. Dishes include everything from Scotch duck eggs to braised kid ragu, which most likely refers to goats, not children. For dessert? Apple cider beignets with maple sauce. And shakshuka makes an appearance on the late-night menu.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND — A food hall slated for Providence just met its fundraising goal through a Kickstarter campaign. The forthcoming West Park Food Hall (233 West Park St.) will have a number of restaurants, a brewery, and a roastery, with communal seating and a roof deck. It raised more than $120,000, which will go towards various expenses, including design and legal costs.

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The second level at Thee Red Fez is now White Rabbit

In other Providence news, Thee Red Fez (49 Peck St.) is changing things up, converting the upstairs dining room into a cocktail bar with its own name, White Rabbit. Get dinner at the Fez Tuesday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m., and drink snazzy cocktails upstairs Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.

And in other Providence news, North is now up and running at its new location, the first floor of the Dean Hotel (122 Fountain St.). Stay tuned for details on what the team plans to do with the original space at 3 Luongo Sq. — owner James Mark promises a simpler neighborhood spot that could open in a few short months.

Further Reading

Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Spicy miso ramen at Anju Noodle Bar in Kittery, Maine

New England’s 38 Essential Restaurants: A guide to the best of the best throughout New England, compiled by Eater restaurant editor Bill Addison with the help of food writers from around the region.

The 9 Hottest New Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island: Updated in October 2017, this map highlights some of the hot new spots to hit the Providence dining scene in 2017.

Eater Maine: Eater Boston’s sister site to the north has been largely retired, but stop by the homepage now and then for updates to major maps, such as the Heatmap, which tracks some of the hottest new openings.

Maine Restaurant News Archive on Eater Boston: While most Maine news going forward will appear right here in this New England news round-up, older stories are archived at the Maine Restaurant News Archive link.

A Guide to Dining and Drinking in Portsmouth and Kittery: Take a trip up to the New Hampshire-Maine border.

Eater Recommends: What to Eat and Drink in Portsmouth and Kittery: Don’t have time to read the whole guide mentioned above? Skip to this map, which highlights some of the Eater Boston team’s Portsmouth and Kittery favorites.

Where to Drink Beer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: And here’s the beer-specific accompaniment to the above two links.