For a long time, if residents of Hancock County wanted to find above-average food near home to nosh on - be it expensive or not - they had to head to MDI in the summer or venture out to a handful of places on the Blue Hill peninsula. Ellsworth might have been a good place to go buy tires or a coffee maker, but usually if they were hungry during their shopping trip their options were fast food or something similar.
Don't get me wrong, I love a greasy spoon. A grilled cheese sandwich with a side of fries for $4.95 is sometimes exactly what I need. But variety is nice and having quality fare among your choices is even better.
The explosion of fine food options in southern Maine (Portland, specifically) is finally rippling north, with tasty choices becoming more apparent in Ellsworth of late. Thankfully there are multiple Ellsworth eateries where you can pay with the few bills in your wallet and don't have to pull out your credit card. They are casual joints with flavors that make your taste buds pop instead of falling asleep.
So, to the chase: Finelli Pizza & Subs has been around for close to a decade now and likely will be for a while. When they came on the scene (first in Bar Harbor for a year or two before relocating near Rite Aid), they instantly raised the quality of pizza that can be found in Downeast Maine. Their pizza was named the best in eastern Maine by the BDN, and deservedly so. A mid-sized pie runs about $20, but you call fill up on two slices for $4, a lip-smacking bargain.
86 This at the lower traffic light on Main Street opened a few months ago. They have great, flavor-filled burritos they also can be made in salad form. Marinated chicken, pork, beef, veggie and with all the spices you crave. They tend to be open for lunch hours, but stay open into Friday and Saturday evenings. Closed Sun & Mon.
For dessert, Morton's Moo on School Street (behind the Maine Grind) is the penultimate ice cream parlor. They have great homemade ice cream (chocolate chipotle was on the list tonight, and the ginger is awesome) plus cake slices, Belgian waffles, sorbets, cookies, and other sweets. The atmosphere is fun (look for the toy train that comes through the wall above the counter) and family friendly.
There's also Cleonice, a fine restaurant on Main Street where you more than likely will pay with a credit card, but it is well worth it. The owners produce much of their own ingredients at their farm in Bucksport and their wine list is somehow simultaneously terrific and unimposing to novices (like myself). I almost never order wine when I eat out, but they make it easy. The chicken wings on the tapas menu are to drool for, and there's a lot more that will make you do the same.
Of course, there are other good food institutions in Ellsworth that have been around for some time. There's the iconic Rooster Brother, which does not prepare any food other than cookies, different coffee drinks and breads to go. But between the gourmet food items on the first floor and its kitchen and cookware selection on the second floor, it draws people from miles away (dozens definitely, maybe hundreds of miles). It has been in Ellsworth for decades and there is nothing like it in eastern Maine.
There also is John Edward's Market on Main Street. John Ed's is a straight up grocery store, with most of their items made in a sustainable way (organic, 100% recycled, etc.). I'm usually in there at some point every day, getting coffee or a bag of chips and a sandwich. They also carry a large supply of dietary supplements.
And there are other places to eat, too. Some places that I've never been to have decent reputations. There are others that I've not frequented enough to put higher up this list but are worth mentioning. Finn's on Main Street is one (I had a good, greasy fish sandwich there last week). The Maine Grind is another.
The Maine Grind is in transition; it is being taking over by the owners of Cleonice, who plan to install a pizza oven in the coming weeks. Prior to the change in management, it would not have made this list, but already they are offering soups that are a cut above most places. It's long been a decent place to hang out with laptop and ride the wifi with a cup of coffee, and I'm hoping the new selection of pizza and sandwiches make it that much more appealing.
Why are the owners of Cleonice doing this? Apparently, they will have to move out of their current location sometime later this year, and are considering the large, open, unfinished semi-basement of the Maine Grind building as a location for their restaurant. Running the cafe upstairs too seems like a natural match.
