Bar Harbor’s restaurant scene is one of the strongest of any small coastal town in New England — a function of decades of visitors with sophisticated expectations and the extraordinary quality of ingredients available from the surrounding Gulf of Maine. Knowing which restaurants are worth your time and money makes a significant difference.
Lobster
Thurston’s Lobster Pound in Bernard is widely considered the finest traditional lobster pound on the island — eat on the deck overlooking Bass Harbor without the tourist markup. Geddy’s Pub on Main Street is the most dependable downtown option with consistently good lobster rolls. Stewman’s Lobster Pound offers outdoor seating with harbor views.
Fine Dining
Havana on Main Street is consistently the most acclaimed fine dining restaurant in Bar Harbor — Latin-influenced menu using local Maine ingredients. Reservations essential. The Reading Room at the Bar Harbor Inn offers formal dining overlooking the harbor — reserve a window table for sunset. Café This Way on Mount Desert Street bridges casual and refined with creative food in a warm space. Mache Bistro on Cottage Street offers thoughtful French-influenced cooking with personal service.
Breakfast
Café This Way — the gold standard for Bar Harbor breakfast. Arrive before 8am or expect a wait. Jeannie’s Great Maine Breakfast — traditional American breakfast with large portions. Jordan Pond House in Acadia — the famous popovers with strawberry jam on the lawn are an Acadia tradition since 1847. Book in advance.
Casual and Lunch
Side Street Café on Rodick Lane — consistent and reasonably priced, popular with locals. Rosalie’s Pizza — thin-crust pizza since 1975, lines are real and pizza is genuinely good. Nakorn Thai — best non-seafood option when someone needs a break from lobster.
Oysters
Havana has an excellent oyster selection at the bar. Galyn’s on Main Street has a raw bar with local oysters and waterfront views — good for a casual oyster lunch.
Ice Cream
Ben and Bill’s Chocolate Emporium — famous for lobster ice cream and enormous selection of conventional flavors. Lines substantial on summer evenings but worth it. Mount Desert Island Ice Cream (MDIIC) — small-batch artisan alternative with multiple locations.
Practical Dining Tips
- Reservations: Make them — popular restaurants fill weeks ahead in July and August
- Timing: Eat at 5:30pm or 9pm to avoid the 7-8pm peak crush
- Lunch vs dinner: Better value at lunch — same quality, shorter waits, lower prices
- Away from Main Street: Best dining tends to be a block or two off the main tourist corridor
- Beyond Bar Harbor: Thurston’s in Bernard and Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound on Route 3 are both worth the short drive
Plan Your Trip
Ready to visit Bar Harbor? Browse Bar Harbor lodging and start planning. For more on Bar Harbor, see our guide to Things to Do in Bar Harbor with Kids, our Best Time to Visit Bar Harbor guide, and our Camden vs Bar Harbor comparison.
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📌 Visiting Acadia? Read our complete Acadia National Park Visitor Guide before you go.
📌 Getting to Bar Harbor without a car? Read our complete Getting to Bar Harbor Without a Car guide — Concord Coach from Boston, the Island Explorer, and a 3-day car-free itinerary.