Restaurants in Brunswick, Maine

The coast of Maine is replete with quaint, cozy towns, and each of these towns is dotted with equally quaint and cozy restaurants. Visitors and locals alike enjoy the variety of cuisine along the Maine coast, from traditional Maine lobster to many different ethnic options in dining. The town of Brunswick, just thirty miles north of Portland, Maine, is among the larger towns on the coast and it has a large variety of restaurants from which to choose. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Brunswick Naval Air Station, the Maine State Music Theatre, and it is a crossroads for coastal tourism. Although still in the realm of quaint and cozy, Brunswick is a small town with many of the amenities of larger cities, including many interesting and tasty restaurants.

Joshua's Tavern was our introduction to the state of Maine, as it was the very first place we stopped upon entering the state, and we enjoyed lunch one late July day. While a summer rain poured down outside its windows, we sat in Joshua's Tavern and feasted on crabmeat rolls, fish and chips, and of course, succulent boiled Maine lobster. The staff is friendly, the ambiance quiet and cozy, and Joshua's sits right in the middle of town on the main street that runs through Brunswick. The lower level of Joshua's is a traditional pub with a bar, dart board, and heavy tables, while upstairs is a sunny luncheon room for airier dining. Joshua's Tavern is named after the Civil War hero, Joshua Chamberlain, and visitors can read about Chamberlain on the back of the menu.

Just down the main street from Joshua's Tavern is The Great Impasta. Mainers are known for their clipped, friendly accents that usually involve dropping the letter "R" from the ends of their words. The Great Impasta plays on this accent, but once anyone has dined at the tiny restaurant on the corner of Maine Street and Coastal Route One, they will forget the play on words and simply revel in the delicious food. The Great Impasta serves fine Italian cuisine that cannot be matched anywhere along the rest of the Midcoast; or anywhere in Maine, for that matter. The meal begins with a basket of Garlic Knots, which have to be tasted to be believed, and then follows the main dish which might be anything from Linguine, Fettucini, Lasagna, and Spaghetti, to a whole array of seafoods, poultry dishes, and vegetarian dishes. The desserts at The Great Impasta are made on the premises and are decadent displays of Tiramisu, Canoli, Spumoni, and a variety of cheesecakes. As if the food were not enough, The Great Impasta is set in a small, intimate building that makes visitors feel as though they have stepped into old Italy.

Taking a short drive away from the main part of downtown Brunswick, if visitors will drive a few miles down Bath Road toward the Naval Air Station, they will find an area called Cook's Corner. Just before Cook's Corner sits an old fashioned drive-in that looks like something out of the 1950s. This cute little drive-in is called Fat Boy's. Fat Boy's may have a less-than-appealing name, but the food is excellent and it is a fun place to go. Cars can park in the large parking lot at Fat Boy's and wait for a friendly waitress to come and take their order, or visitors can go inside the small drive-in and eat in an old-fashioned booth. The menu is chock full of tasty lunch and dinner items including burgers, hot dogs, onion rings, french fries, and BLTs; and of course there are the traditional Maine lobster and crab rolls, as well as fish and chips. With such tasty food, the menu is surprisingly inexpensive, and the staff at Fat Boy's is friendly and energetic. A visit to Brunswick would not be complete without a visit to Fat Boy's.

These are only a few of the wonderful restaurants in Brunswick, Maine. Visitors will also find the typical chain and fast food restaurants found elsewhere, such as McDonald's, Applebees, Friendly's, Subway, and Starbucks Coffee. Come to Brunswick, Maine and find fine dining and great food along with views that cannot be matched.