10 Must-Visit Restaurants in Kennebunkport, Maine
Seasonal seafood shacks, delightful pastries from Zuni Café alums, amaro carts, and more.
For over 100 years, Kennebunkport has been one of the most popular vacation destinations in Maine. The historic fishing village offers the idyllic Vacationland experience visitors expect: mornings spent strolling through historic Dock Square, afternoons lounging on Gooch’s Beach, and evening walks on Ocean Avenue where you stop and smell the beach roses—and of course, spot the Bush Compound (if that’s your kind of thing).
While there’s no shortage of venues to find the quintessential Holy Trinity of Maine—chowder, lobster roll, whoopie pie—there’s a lot more than just standard vacation fare here. Chefs with stacked resumes and restaurants with a national presence are opting to open up shop in KPT, while other legacy businesses continue to adapt and expand their menus and concepts. And some just keep doing what they’ve been doing perfectly over the years. Here are 10 must-tries for your next visit.
Batson River Brewing & Distilling’s Kennebunk location. / Courtesy photo
Batson River Brewing & Distilling
There’s no shortage of craft beer in Maine, and Batson River is brewing up some of the best around. While the group now has properties across the state, the Kennebunk location is the original. With a large outdoor space and two floors inside, the bar and restaurant are a hot spot throughout the year. The menu features seasonal and signature beers, cocktails, and crowd-pleasing dishes like duck fat cornbread and a smash burger with Boursin cheese. Holiday fans, don’t miss the seasonal overlay when the space turns into a highly decorated winter wonderland, complete with themed drinks.
12 Western Ave., Kennebunk, Maine, 207-967-8821, batsonriver.com.
Pastries and tea at Bev’s Cafe & Market. / Nicole Wolf Photo
Bev’s Cafe & Market
Founded by two longtime alums of San Francisco’s famous Zuni Café, Bev’s serves up breakfast, lunch, and a tasty spread of pastries five days a week. With exceptional sandwiches and more, the sunny space has quickly become a neighborhood mainstay since its summer 2023 debut. Co-owner Nate Norris greets regulars as he clears tables from the steady stream of guests throughout the day, and the hospitality in general is off the charts. The menu rotates and specials are noted on Post-its at the register, but fingers crossed co-owner Annie Callan’s massive cinnamon buns never leave.
41 Main St., Kennebunk, Maine, instagram.com/bevs_cafe.
The Clam Shack
It’s easy to find the Clam Shack: You’ll spot the line from the center of town. Sitting on one side of the bridge over the Kennebunk River, the Clam Shack, open seasonally, has been operating since 1968 and is the best spot around for fried seafood. There’s other quintessential seafood shack favorites, too, like lobster rolls and clam cake burgers, but nothing says “summer in Maine” like fried scallops and clam strips.
2 Western Ave., Kennebunk, Maine, 207-967-3321, theclamshack.net.
Earth at Hidden Pond in Kennebunkport. / Courtesy photo
Earth at Hidden Pond
Despite the name, going to Earth at Hidden Pond for the first time feels like landing on another planet. As you drive down the quiet road leading to Hidden Pond, one of the most luxurious resorts in Maine, you may be wondering if you’re in the right place. Bringing local sourcing to a new level, the team grows many ingredients onsite to showcase in both dishes and drinks. The warm dining room is stunning, marrying the outdoors to the inside complete with ample hardwood accents lining the walls and a chandelier crafted from a restored apple tree. The menu is available as a three-, four-, or five-course dinner, with a few options per course. You can’t go wrong, unless you pass up the legendary doughnuts with a sassafras and sarsaparilla glaze, served with vanilla ice cream. If you splurge to stay on the property, you can even have a meal from the restaurant delivered straight to your cottage door. (Note: The resort is seasonal, but the restaurant is open year-round.)
354 Goose Rocks Rd., Kennebunkport, Maine, 207-967-6550, earthathiddenpond.com.
Mabel’s Lobster Claw
A Kennebunkport mainstay since the 1950s, Mabel’s is a casual, seasonal restaurant with all the staples: fried clams, lobster rolls, and its famous baked stuffed lobster. The front porch is the perfect place to soak in the warmer days of summer. Plus, you never know who you’ll see: Martha Stewart has been known to dine here—and if it’s good enough for Martha, it’s good enough for us.
124 Ocean Ave., Kennebunkport, Maine, 207-967-2562, mabelslobster.com.
Nunan’s Lobster Hut
Nunan’s is a seasonal, no-frills seafood shack, serving up lobster in almost every classic way you could want it: steamed, in a roll, in a stew—and the list goes on. Lobster is the family business, with the Nunans not only cooking them but catching them as well. This is the perfect laidback spot for a quintessential Maine meal of chowder, steamers, and lobster with a surprisingly great selection of local beer to wash it all down. Don’t miss the selection of house-made pies and cobblers for dessert, and don’t forget cash—no cards accepted.
9 Mills Rd., Kennebunkport, Maine, 207-967-4362, nunanslobsterhut.com.
Rococo Dessert Bar in Kennebunk. / Photo by Michael D. Wilson Photography
Rococo
Rococo has been spinning up unique flavors of ice cream in Kennebunk for years. The town staple recently relocated from its original space and added a glamorous dessert bar to its operations as part of the move. Here, find all the classic flavors—like goat cheese blackberry chambord—as well as sundaes, boozy milkshakes, and cocktails. Looking for a scoop on the go? There’s a seasonal scoop shop, too.
8 Western Ave., Kennebunk, Maine, 207-360-0804, rococoicecream.com.
Rosella in Kennebunk. / Courtesy photo
Rosella
This popular sustainable sushi spot from New York’s East Village expanded to Kennebunkport’s Grand Hotel in summer 2023, focused on utilizing locally caught fish and shellfish, particularly overlooked species. The sushi and sashimi selections are the standouts on the menu, with options such as porgy from Rhode Island, scallops from Massachusetts, and yellowtail amberjack from Maine. But don’t miss other dishes such as laksa smoked eel or the Kennebunkport Cali roll, made with Jonah crab, radish, avocado, and jalapeño. For dessert, splurge on “Eggs Galore,” a curious combination of tamago, caviar, and maple syrup.
1 Chase Hill Rd, Kennebunk, Maine, 207-967-6540, rosellakpt.com.
Via Sophia by the Sea in Kennebunk. / Courtesy photo
Via Sophia by the Sea
Just outside the center of Kennebunkport, Via Sophia by the Sea is the place to go for house-made pasta and scratch Italian fare. The space is chic and a perfect choice no matter the temperature, with an enormous fireplace in the dining room and ample patio space for warmer weather. Don’t miss the freshly baked focaccia, cavatelli with Italian sausage, and impressive amaro cart.
27 Western Ave., Kennebunk, Maine, 207-967-6530, viarestaurants.com.
White Barn Inn Restaurant in Kennebunk. / Courtesy photo
White Barn Inn Restaurant
Chances are, you’ve seen photos of the 50-year-old White Barn Inn Restaurant before: The dramatic picture window in the center of the dining room lends itself perfectly to extremely photogenic seasonal scenes, whether a giant pumpkin, a collection of wildflowers, or snowy pine trees. Located at the 150-year-old White Barn Inn, the romantic, Forbes Five-Star restaurant is undoubtedly one of the area’s most iconic, popular both with local regulars and hotel guests. Luxurious tasting menus include one focused on lobster, among other options. For diners seeking a more relaxed option, Little Barn is adjacent to the dining room and functions as the laidback companion—don’t miss the skate wing schnitzel.
37 Beach Ave., Kennebunk, Maine, 207-967-2321, aubergeresorts.com.
