Where to find Maine’s 10 ‘hidden gem’ foodie destinations

The website OnlyInYourState.com, which produces social media-friendly stories and photo galleries specific to each state, has put together a list of what it calls 10 top “under-the-radar” Maine restaurants.

Everyone knows about all the high-end restaurants in foodie destination Portland, or the favorite stops in more tourist-friendly places along U.S. Route 1. But this latest list is different in that it seeks to inventory some of the best-tasting food Maine has to offer off the beaten path.

And in some cases, the facades of the “hidden gem” restaurants in question can be deceptive.

As the headline of the post declares, the restaurants “don’t look like much, but wow … they’re good.”

These delicious eats can be found in establishments that in some cases are essentially converted campers, barns, trailers and garden sheds, and as the post explains, “simply just don’t stand out from the street.”

The 10, which weren’t listed in any particular order, are as follows:

You can click here to read what OnlyInYourState has to say about each of these great Maine establishments, but here are a few excerpts to whet your appetite in the meantime:

On Ebenezer’s: “Known for its one-of-a-kind Belgian brews, Ebenezer’s was named by Beer Advocate Magazine as the number one beer bar, not just in America, but the entire world — five times!”

On Bresca and the Honey Bee: “It’s run by James Beard Award-nominated chef Krista Kern Desjarlais, former chef/owner of Portland’s Bresca, where she’s slinging gourmet hot dogs, sandwiches and more to hungry beachgoers all summer. On the menu: Alsace Dog — bockwurst, sauerkraut, violet mustard, beer jelly.”

On El El Frijoles: “Operating out of a converted barn behind the owners’ house, it would be easy to miss this spicy stop on the Blue Hill Peninsula. On the menu: Spicy lobster burrito.”