OT: Where do I get lump, meat, fish, wine and beer in Bar Harbor?

Foghorn · August 2014

My mother-in-law has rented a house in Bar Harbor for a week for a family vacation. It has a large deck with one of those combo grills that has one area for cooking with gas and one area for cooking with charcoal. We will eat out a couple of times, but she specifically liked the outdoor space and grill as she anticipates that my son and I will cook some nice meals most evenings.

I'm flying into Portland. The rest of the family is already visiting Cape Cod and will be driving up from there. Is there somewhere in Bar Harbor to get lump (and good meat, fish, wine, beer, etc)? Should I make a pit stop in Portland after I land? Or should I task other family members with lugging stuff from Cape Cod or Boston? I am reluctant to do the latter because there have been several threads posted on here about having other people buy meat for you and ending up with the wrong cuts. My mother-in-law in particular can't resist a bargain.

Thanks for looking and thanks in advance for any input.

ChillyWillis · August 2014

Wicked Good is a company from Maine who makes VERY good lump. It is relatively easy to find up there.

As for meat fish and beer I can't recommend anyplace in Maine, however if you have family on the cape right now I would HIGHLY recommend going to the butcher I use just outside of Plymouth. It would only be 15 min out of their way while they were heading north to Maine and has BY FAR the best beef and pork in MA that I've found. There are also some good liquor stores in the area if you are looking for good craft beer or harder to find spirits.

Although I'm not overly familiar with the Bar Harbor area, I've found the problem with buying things in Maine is that generally you'll have to drive a long way to get to a store and once you get there you have to deal with a very limited selection because... Well... You're in Maine. I do well up there because my father in law lives up there and knows where to get everything. If your not with locals, stock up beforehand that way your not driving ridiculous distances while you want to be relaxing and eating lobsters.

If you do decide to have your family grab stuff on the way up feel free to send me a PM and I can give you the info for the butcher shop (and a store near by that sells WGWW)

PS Maine lobster grilled over good lump with garlic herb compound butter and lemon may be the single best food in the world. Do it, just trust me.

Skiddymarker · August 2014

@fishlessman - sounds to be from your neck of the woods.....?

jhl192 · August 2014

Wickedgoodcharcoal.com will tell you where you can buy it. The further you get into Maine the further apart the stores are. Bar Harbor is beautiful. Enjoy!

TFols · August 2014

+1 on grilling lobster while you're up there. At about $6 a # it's cheaper than beef.

Foghorn · August 2014

Thanks @ChillyWillis and others. I'll think about the butcher shop in Plymouth but I probably will pass.

On a day when my wife is shepherding her 75 year old mother and 85 year old stepfather on a 6 hour drive in a car packed to the gills it would be a lot to ask. Plus, it still has the potential - no matter how much I try to prevent it - for me to arrive to Bar Harbor and hear "I know you had ordered and prepaid for that meat by a credit card over the phone, but when I got to the store, I looked around and he had some select bottom round on sale so I got that and had him keep the prime ribeyes he had already packaged up for us..., etc" I couldn't do that to your butcher.

The Wicked Good suggestion is excellent. I will probably get some along the way as there are several stores that are less than 5 minutes out of the way.

Mickey · August 2014

We found that by sitting out and drinking our wine out of a Dixie Cup it announced to all we were a Texans better than flying a flag. We stayed at the Atlantic Oceanside in Baa Haa Baa last month. Be sure and spend time in the Acadia National Park. Our favorite town was Camden.

Mickey · August 2014

Those people swim in some COLD water:

Foghorn · August 2014

@Mickey, I don't think we'll be drinking wine out of Dixie cups because although it would be fine with me and my wife, she is a direct descendant of Roger Williams and some of her family (the portion that still live in New England) strive to maintain the high regional standards.

The water is cold there, but I will probably go in it. I know it will be colder than the Cape Cod waters where we usually swim when we visit, but if the locals can take it then so can I.

Besides, it may lead to another great family moment such as when my then 6 year old son told his fine New England grandma "That water is so cold it makes your balls hurt".

Mickey · August 2014

)

) nothing like putting a Texan in New England. We only saw one (other than ours) Texas lic in New England (and it was an Aggies 4Runner). Have a safe trip.

Mickey · August 2014

THE VERY BEST sandwich EVER in my short well traveled 66 years was last month in Maine. Cappy's Chowder House in Camden. I had a Reuben with fried Haddock. ""Reuben Your Way — Choose the best PASTRAMI we can buy OR fresh fried HADDOCK, served on grilled marble rye with swiss cheese, Morse’s sauerkraut, and thousand island dressing 12.99"" It was so good we drove to where they make the Morse's Sauerkraut & Pickles and brought some back to Texas.

Carolina Q · August 2014

I haven't been to Bah Hahbah in years but unless it has changed (a lot), you'll want to BYOEverything. As I recall, Ellsworth is nearby and they had a hardware store.

Still have the axe I bought there... in the 70s.

Here are the Maine grocery stores by town... http://www.downtownme.com/maine_grocery_stores_46.htm Don't know how up to date it is, but things don't change much Down East.

At best, shop in Portland. And buy a cooler - it's a hike to Bar Harbor! Better yet, buy it now and put it on the plane with you!

)

Enjoy your trip... And eat a lot of lobstah.

fishlessman · August 2014

mainegg lives just south around verona, i would try and ask her but typically tourist places near the beach in maine charge more for the lobster, get inland a few miles, 4.99 a pound seems typical right now unless you know a local. beer prices in maine are thru the roof but buy some corked allagash, extremely pricey but some of the best beer out there, its on another level

when your folks are driving north up 95, theres a liquor barn accesss off the highway in new hampshire, have them stop there, its got to be 40 percent cheaper than maine liquor and wine, no beer at the liquor store

) ive never been to the harbor, when i hit bangor ive always headed north and west to the mountains. bangor would be a good place to stock up

Foghorn · August 2014

Thank you @fishlessman

Acn · August 2014

I can't provide too many recommendations in Bar Harbor - I avoid there as best I can during the summer. I do think there is a Hannaford in Bar Harbor proper, that can serve for most of your basics. If you go the most direct route from Portland, you will be going through Ellsworth, that will be the last relatively large town you'll go through. Bangor is the 3rd largest city in the State, and you'll be driving through there as well. I can recommend both McLaughlin Seafood and Bangor, Wine & Cheese - the latter more for their beer selection. Fishless mentioned Allagash, that is outstanding, but also try the Maine Beer Company line. It won't be very cheap, but their selection is the best I know of in the Bangor area. I would say if you're going to ask your wife and inlaws to stop on the way from the Cape, definitely go for the NH Liquor Store. Best selection and prices you'll get on wine and liquor. Portland has both a Trader Joe's and a Whole Foods if you want to stock up there.

While MDI is very nice; Acadia National Park is wonderful, definitely take the time to explore the carriage roads. Cadillac Mountain provides fantastic views of the area, and if you get yourselves up really early, watching the sunrise from the summit is amazing (and a right of passage for every high school senior within 50 miles of the island), even if it won't be the first light that hits the US until the fall. I do hope you get a chance to explore more than just Bar Harbor - inland is very nice, when we went up in July we did go to Baxter State Park, my daughter saw her first moose. Explore down the coast; the Blue Hill Penisula is very nice, and the stretch from Belfast down through Camden/Rockport is one of my favorite spots there.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to send them to me; I was born and raised outside Bangor and my Dad still works for travel & tourism, so if I don't immediately have an answer for you, I can get one.

Foghorn · August 2014

Awesome.

Thank you @Acn.

Foghorn · August 2014

@fishlessman and @Acn,

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for the recommendations about Allagash beer. Their saison and their tripel reserve may be the two best beers I have ever tasted.

@ChillyWillis and @jhl192, THANK YOU as well. I picked up Wicked Good Weekend Warrior in Freeport after looking at their website. It was the best charcoal I have ever used. I never even had to clean out the grill as it leaves essentially zero ash.

Hannaford's in Bar Harbor met my grocery needs. I met the butcher on day one and he cut me some filets and some thick pork chops like folks have been doing around here (the chops only cost $3.99/lb). The rest of the family is still raving.

So, thanks to my fellow eggers for significantly enhancing a vacation with my in-laws.

I'm starting to wonder how they ever managed without me.

Phatchris · August 2014

Only been to Bar Harbor once camping and we had a great time. There was a great liquor store just outside of Bar Harbor possibly in Ellsworth, if you like Gin pick up a bottle or 3 of Back River Gin, it's made in Maine and phenomenal... Also if you have time check out Brownes on Commercial street in Portland... Lots of smoked fish and caviar as well as fresh stuff.

Phatchris · August 2014

It's Global Beverage Warehouse in Ellsworth.... Dropped more than a couple bills in there B-)

While in Ellsworth grab some fried clams from Jordans snack bar and a slice of pizza from Finelli Pizzeria.

Thank me later
B-)

Foghorn · August 2014

Thanks @Phatchris.

I guess I should have made it clear from the last post that the trip was over and I was back at the airport. Sorry.

Phatchris · August 2014

That's what I get for not reading the latest post :((

timekpr1 · August 2014

Wicked Good is the only charcoal I use.

ChillyWillis · August 2014

@Foghorn‌ glad you liked WGWW it's one of my favorites. Good to know you and your family enjoyed it as well. :-bd

Cookinbob · August 2014

As you have surmised, you will have limited selection and very high prices in Bar Harbor. Portland is a long way from Bar Harbor, but you could shop there. You will pass Bangor (less than an hour from Bar Harbor) which should have everything you need. The town of Ellsworth is the last real town before bar Harbor, and will have full service grocery stores, and maybe a meat market. You will probably not find prime cuts there, but you should find all the makings needed for some excellent cooks.

OT: Where do I get lump, meat, fish, wine and beer in Bar Harbor?

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