Off the beaten path: Biddeford
By Heather Chandler and Jasmine Haines
Getting off the beaten path requires a spirit of adventure and a desire to discover your own true experience of a place. In this new series, we profile our favorite places to get off-the-beaten-path in Maine. These articles are meant to be an introduction, and not at all comprehensive. There are just so many sweet spots to explore, we couldn’t possibly include them all in this inaugural section. Consider this a jumping off point to fuel your own sense of adventure, with a few guideposts along the way. One great resource to find out what’s happening in Maine’s downtowns is the Main Street Maine program, a compilation of local life in Maine’s nationally recognized historic downtowns. Learn more at mainstreetmaine.org.
The Peperell Mill Campus, as seen from the Saco River, joining Biddeford with neighboring Saco. Photo courtesy of Heart of Biddeford
Biddeford
With popular eateries, breweries and an increasingly hopping night scene, it makes sense that Biddeford has recently become a big draw in the Pine Tree State. The former mill town has experienced a renaissance – a “Biddessance,” some say – in recent years as artists, entrepreneurs and millennials have flocked here, attracted by lower rents than the nearby cities and the creative reuse of former industrial and commercial spaces. Innovative artists, passionate foodies, creative thinkers and motivated makers have been coming together to build a community that is well worth the short de- tour from the Maine Turnpike.
North Dam Mill at the Pepperell Mill Campus. Photo courtesy of Jen Hazard
A transformation like this doesn’t just happen; it takes years of planning, investment and ardent belief. In addition to city leadership, some of the trailblazers in that process have been the leaders of the local Maine Street America programs – Heart of Biddeford and Saco Main Street – who have long worked to make the towns equally inviting to businesses, visitors and residents. Local arts collaborative Engine has helped to propel the creative community, with a gallery and community space on Main Street. And developer Doug Sanford, owner of the Pepperell Mill Campus, deserves credit for recognizing the potential in the vast, 19th-century brick factory buildings in the city’s shared industrial center and for re-envisioning them as lively mixed-use spaces where people now live, work and enjoy life. Metalwork letters on a gate at the entrance to the main complex at Pepperell Mills read “RESURGAM” – “I will rise again” – and indeed the Saco/Biddeford mills are once again a hive of activity.
A good indication of a city’s hipness is often reflected in how good its coffee shops and cafés are. And Biddeford has several. Elements: Books, Coffee & Beer brews a great cup and, as the name implies, also offers an impressive and thoughtfully curated selection of used books, local craft beer and live music. A short walk down Main Street, Time & Tide is a specialty coffee shop and roastery with a mission of conscious sourcing. Try a cup of their flagship blend, The Commodore, or book a tour of their roasting facilities. If bagels are your thing, pop into Rover Bagels for a wood-fired sea salt bagel, plain or topped with their garlic chili cream cheese – or try a bagel sandwich!
Perhaps one of the most beloved of Biddeford’s breakfast and lunch spots is the Palace Diner. There are only 15 stools in this authentic, restored 1920s Pollard car diner, but a meal here is always worth the wait. Diners rave about the pancakes and fried chicken sandwich. Served by the unfailingly pleasant staff, the tuna melt is a culinary blast from the past and one of the most satisfying you will ever find.
Inside the Palace Diner in Biddeford. Photo courtesy of Heart of Biddeford.
Stop in for lunch or takeout at New Morning Natural Foods Market and Café and try one of their garden salads, hot panini sandwiches or made-from-scratch soups. Open since 1976, this market and café has been providing the community with nourishing food and sustainable ingredients – including some grown at their own organic farm – for decades.
Another favorite lunch spot is the newly opened Part and Parcel, a small specialty market and café with a beautifully curated selection of groceries, fresh produce, beer, wine and more. Try their version of an Italian on a ciabatta roll or their turkey avocado BLT.
If a special celebration is in order (and really, when isn’t it?), Elda, named after the grandmother of six-time James Beard Semifinalist chef Bowman Brown, is excellent for an innovative and elegant dinner date or special occasion. The menu offers a variety of dishes that highlight the best of the seasonal local ingredients like Acadian redfish or short ribs with a fermented blueberry reduction – and can be ordered à la carte or as part of a four-course prix fixe menu.
In the mood for comfort food? Head over to Dizzy Birds Rotisserie, where the birds are organic and humanely raised. Try the chicken, for sure, but the slow-cooked prime rib and green bean casserole are also crowd-pleasers. Room for dessert? Head down the road to Sweet Cream Dairy, which serves homemade ice cream that locals will tell you is the best they’ve ever had. Try the citrus gin or the buttercream and blueberries. Vegans, rejoice! They have you covered, too, with plenty of options, including the dairy-free chocolate sorbet.
If you’re in the area for a few days – and there’s plenty to make it worth sticking around – walk across the bridge to neighboring Saco. For local brews, cocktails and live entertainment, check out Run of the Mill Brew Pub and Up & Up. In Pepperell Square, New Moon’s chef and owner Neil Dumont curates a creative seasonal menu with vegetarian, gluten-free and vegan options that locals love. Try their Thai chicken salad or their corned beef hash.
The nearby Quiero Café (which also just opened a Portland location) is a Latin American eatery with authentic flavor. The name translates to “I want coffee,” so be sure to try a latte or espresso. The menu goes beyond coffee and features traditional Latin American street food like empanadas, tamales and burritos, but you will also find tropical smoothies, desserts and more.
If you’re in the mood for seafood, Sea Salt Lobster is just a short drive away. This local favorite serves up fresh-off-the-boat seafood. Keep it classic with their Maine lobster roll or shake things up with their tasty haddock tacos.
Back on the other side of the river, you’ll find the Biddessaince has given rise to more options for local brews and spirits than you’ll know what to do with. The nearly 200-year-old textile mill complex that once used the waters of the Saco River to power its massive looms today hosts several craft beverage developers.
On tap at Banded Brewing Co. Photo courtesy of Carey Kish
At Round Turn Distilling, the signature, award-winning Bimini Gin is smooth and satisfying in a Tom Collins or a classic gin and tonic. Dirigo Brewing, named after the state motto, “I Lead,” specializes in lagers and offers guests a striking view of the river from their spacious tasting room. Patience is practiced here: it takes at least three times longer to produce their Helles Lager than it does the average pale ale. Banded Brewing Co. offers a great selection and special events throughout the week, including “neighborhood night” every Thursday.
For locally-designed fashion, you won’t want to miss suger on Washington Street, a chic boutique featuring the Angelrox® clothing line and a mindfully curated line of jewelry and more. They’re known for their stylish and comfy dresses and separates, made from sustainable bamboo and organic cotton and crafted in Biddeford’s mill district. If you can’t make it to Biddeford, they also have a store in Portland.
Biddeford is also home to a historic and rumored-to-be haunted theater officially called City Theater but known among old-timers as the Salle de l’Opera. Book a seat in the balcony to catch a play, concert or film. Highlights of the 2019–20 season include The Drowsy Chaperone, Noises Off and Little Women as well as holiday screenings of It’s a Wonderful Life.
Interested in learning more about the history of the mills and the region? Check out the Biddeford Mills Museum, where visitors can learn about the area’s industrial past, tour the hidden spaces below the factories and see the massive pieces of machinery that made Saco and Biddeford a center of textile production for more than a century. Across the river (but still on Main Street), the Saco Museum, founded in 1867, is one of Maine’s oldest museums. In its historic building, it preserves and interprets more than two centuries of makers in Maine; a summer exhibit will highlight the 19th-century Saco-made furniture that is highly prized among collectors.
A vendor set up at the Biddeford Farmers’ Market. Photo courtesy of Heart of Biddeford
Save the date!
Music in the Park
June-August
Wednesdays, 5:30 – 7 pm
This weekly concert series, presented by the Heart of Biddeford, showcases some of Maine and New England’s best musical talent and includes a diverse range of music styles. Bring a picnic or enjoy take-out from one of several food trucks. The location varies and rotates through four local parks. Check their website or Facebook page for more details.
Riverjam Fest
August / September
Main Street Saco and Heart of Biddeford join forces to throw this fun, family-friendly affair. With concerts, a makers’ fair, canoe races and more, it’s all free to attend.
Off the beaten path: read more from this series
Winding roads, rivers and coves lead to picture-perfect seascapes and classic New England small towns in Maine’s Mid-Midcoast