One Perfect Food-Fueled Day in Biddeford, Maine

In Biddeford, it’s relatively easy for most people to spend a food-fueled day exploring the area on foot due to the robust selection of restaurants and activities all within a mile of downtown. That means there’s no excuse not to visit the little Maine mill town, which is steadily building its own reputation as a national dining destination. After all, this tiny Vacationland spot is as charming as it is tranquil — making it ideal for a mini escape from the big city.

By Amtrak, it’s a two-hour ride from Boston’s North Station to Biddeford. Disembark at the Saco Transportation Center on Factory Island, just steps from downtown Biddeford across the Saco River. The earliest train puts you in at 10:55 a.m. — just in time for brunch.

11 a.m.: Brunch

Start your trip at Palace Diner, the 15-seat brunch spot that helped put Biddeford on the map as a food destination and earned a place on Eater’s list of the best 38 restaurants in America in 2018.

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Co-founders Greg Mitchell and Chad Conley resurrected a decades-old restaurant in a historic train dining car, striking a balance between nostalgia and modern magic. Fill up on a Lumberjack breakfast of lemon-buttermilk flapjacks, over-easy eggs, bacon, and smashed potatoes, or tackle a towering tuna melt stacked with crispy iceberg lettuce and zesty pickles on griddled challah. While the setting is part of the appeal, seats can be hard to come by; thankfully, the food also makes good takeout for Mechanics Park, which overlooks the nearby river.

If you’re too hungry to wait in line at Palace, grab a pastry — such as a chocolate-studded schoggiweggli bun with a decadent schmear of hazelnut cream — from Swiss-style bakery and confectionary Edelweiss Pastry Shop, or try a takeout bagel sandwich at Rover Bagel, a former Salem pop-up that has become a Biddeford staple for its excellent wood-fired bagels. For a guaranteed pick-up, order online when Rover opens, as the bagels sell out quickly.

Activity interlude: Hike, swim, shop

Wander over to 140-acre Clifford Park, just east of downtown, which houses a playground, basketball and tennis courts, an outdoor skatepark, and miles of wooded trails. Alternatively, head a few miles by bike or car share to the coast and enjoy the sandy beaches and nature preserves of Biddeford Pool, where you can nosh on lobster rolls and garlic fries at F.O. Goldthwaite’s Pool Lobster, or Fortune’s Rocks Beach, where you can watch local surfers ride the waves. If you prefer a less outdoorsy option, stay downtown and shop at Biddeford storefronts like Sugar, which features Maine-made gifts; import and design studio Wooven Designs; well-curated Biddeford Vintage Market; and New England cheese and specialty shop Nibblesford.

2 p.m.: Post-activity drinks and lunch

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After some adventuring, perk up at Elements: Books Coffee Beer, where you can sip the house-roasted PRIDE, a medium-dark roast benefiting Equality Maine. As the store’s name suggests, you could also drink a local beer like Rosalita by Barreled Souls while searching for a new novel to keep you busy on the train ride home. You can also get your caffeine fix sipping Biddeford-based Maine Coast Roast or relax with herbal tea from Wild Few Herb Farm at the new Catface Cafe, co-owned by acclaimed restaurateur Krista Cole. While you’re there, don’t miss treats like the Mainer, a Maine blueberry popover with maple pastry cream and vanilla sugar, from executive chef Mimi Weissenborn, who also spearheads the culinary programs at Cole’s other restaurants, Sur Lie in Portland and Gather in Yarmouth.

Then, sit down to a shrimp taco or massive burrito at subterranean Mexican restaurant Coco Bar and Grill, which wins fans with family recipes. Or how about some fried squid cradled in a tender milk bun? That’s the squidwich at Fish & Whistle, a delightful upstart from Kate Hamm and Jason Eckerson, alumni of Portland’s Leeward and Eventide, respectively. Alternatively, try dueling Italians — Maine’s signature sub — from the original George’s Sandwich Shop (open since 1948 but under new ownership as of spring 2022) and the new Original George’s (OG’s Sandwich Shop, opened in summer 2022 by relatives of the other George’s founder) so you can weigh in on a nascent sandwich war.

Activity interlude: Tour Pepperell Mill Campus

Next, tour the Pepperell Mill Campus, which comprises several former textile mill buildings now offering a mix of apartments, offices, production spaces, and retail. Take a glassblowing class at Belfire Hot Glass and Gallery, learn about the area’s textile industry at Biddeford Mills Museum, or do a drinks crawl: Play skee ball and pinball at Banded Brewing Co. with a pint of German-style Pepperell Pils; try a Campfire cocktail highlighting house-made gin alongside tonic syrup and sea smoke bitters at Round Turn Distilling; and down a gluten-free draft of English ale-influenced Little Brown Job while listening to live music at Lucky Pigeon Brewing.

6 p.m.: Dinner

Dine at Peruvian-influenced Magnus On Water, where dishes like sea bass sashimi and braised short rib with spicy yuca and sweet potato pair well with innovative cocktails such as the Black Mamba, a tequila-based cocktail featuring caramelized, sparkling, and salty fruit additions. Beverage director Brian Catapang’s operation was recently named one of the best cocktail bars in the world by the new Pinnacle Guide. Or, opt for a casual meal of New York-meets-Neapolitan-style homemade sausage pizza at Coletti’s, or a pie with toasted pistachio and pickled Fresno pepper from Peng’s.

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8 p.m.: After-dinner drinks

Admittedly, Biddeford’s still a bit light on late-night offerings, but you’ll find some gems open till 9 or 10 p.m., including Sacred Profane Brewing, which has two floors, a patio, and makes just two superb beers — a dark and a light lager. The Czech-style tankpub (a nod to the tankovna pubs of the Czech Republic) is a project by beer power couple Brienne Allan — former brewer and production manager of Salem’s Notch Brewing and a beer industry-abuse whistleblower — and Michael Fava, former brewer at Newcastle’s Oxbow Brewing and current beverage director of Portland’s famed Novare Res beer bar. Seasonal cocktails and wines from Slovakia and the Czech Republic round out Sacred Profane’s beverage list.

9 p.m.: After after-dinner drinks

If you’re spending the night at the boutique Lincoln Hotel (or if you’re just looking for a last late-night-ish drink), grab a nightcap at the Lobby Bar, an elegant gathering place thanks to its mid-century modern decor, ample leather and velvet seating, and creative takes on classic cocktails. Alternatively, head downstairs to Batson River Brewing & Distilling and sidle up to the bar for a draft of Loon Call, the company’s German-style pilsner.