Extended Weekend on Maine’s Southern Coast - August 2026

Travel
Written By Gracie Goldberg

We just got back from an extended weekend in Southern Maine with my husband’s family! We stayed in Saco from Friday through Tuesday morning, and here’s everywhere we ate.

There were definitely pros and cons to staying in Saco. It gives you easy access to a bunch of different towns and places within about 30 minutes in most directions, but there isn’t a ton going on in Saco itself. It’s a great home base for exploring Southern Maine, as long as you go into it knowing you’ll be doing a bit of driving!

Baba’s Cafe - Peaks Island

We took a day trip to Peaks Island (a quick ferry ride from Portland) and stopped at Baba’s Cafe for coffee. It’s such a cute spot, serving up seriously good coffee and baked goods—the perfect stop while exploring the island!

Fernleaf Bakery - Saco

We popped into Fernleaf for coffee before hitting the road to head home, and I had such a good iced honey latte! We got there on the earlier side, so we didn’t get to experience the full breadth of their baked goods, but from what we did see, they looked seriously good. Definitely a spot I’d like to come back to!

Rover Bagel - Biddeford

We ordered Rover Bagel for pickup and absolutely loved it! They make sourdough bagels using a combination of New York and Montreal techniques, and you can actually taste the best of both styles. They’re soft and chewy with that slightly charred, wood-fired crust you get from a Montreal-style bagel. I kept mine simple with cream cheese and marinated tomato, and it was delicious!

Catface Cafe - Biddeford

We wandered into Catface Cafe by chance while looking for a spot that could accommodate our big group, and what an amazing surprise! I had a miso caramel latte and the most delicious breakfast sandwich. I got the Biddeford, which comes with soufflé eggs, cheddar, sausage, and gochujang aioli. Such a fun combination of flavors and so delicious!

FinestKind - Saco

We did takeout from Finestkind since we were a larger group and the space itself is pretty small, but everything we picked up was incredible! We got some delicious coffees, and every food item we tried was amazing. The standouts for me were definitely the brown butter waffle and the cinnamon roll. I also picked up a bag of their granola and have been eating it with yogurt every morning since we got home!

Johnny Shucks Maine Lobster - Old Orchard Beach

On our first night, we headed to Old Orchard Beach and stopped at Johnny Shucks for lobster rolls. They were really good, and we loved that they came with waffle fries! The main drag of OOB wasn’t really my scene, but I certainly won’t complain about a great lobster roll and some waffle fries!

Inn at Peaks Island - Peaks Island

We stopped for lunch at the Inn at Peaks Island while we were exploring the island for the day and had some really nice lobster BLTs. Was it anything to write home about? Not necessarily, but it was good, hit the spot, and made for an easy lunch while we were there!

The Clam Shack - Kennebunkport

The Clam Shack in Kennebunkport is a favorite of ours, and if we’re anywhere close to the area when it’s open, we’re stopping! We love their lobster rolls, which come with both mayo and butter and are served on a bun. They’re delicious, unfussy, and so easy to eat. They also have some of the best French fries out there!

Sea Salt Lobster Restaurant - Saco

My husband and I stopped into Sea Salt Lobster for a last-minute, quick lunch and were pleasantly surprised! The lobster roll was delicious, and we also loved the crab quesadilla. It’s definitely a no-frills spot, but a great option for a casual lunch and some really good seafood!

Mr. Tuna - Portland

Obviously, no trip to Portland is complete for me without a stop at Mr. Tuna! This time, I tried one of their “dons,” which are essentially bowls of seafood served over rice, and it was fantastic. I got the Subarashii Don with tuna tartare, scallop, and salmon, and added an egg yolk. It was perfect!

The Bait Shed - Scarborough

The Bait Shed was one of my favorite casual meals of the trip. It’s tucked into a neighborhood right on the water, and they’re serving up some seriously fresh seafood. The oysters were incredible, and the lobster dinner I got was perfection. My husband got the lazy lobster and loved it, and my brother-in-law had a crab roll that was also a hit.

My only tip is to go on the earlier side (or for lunch!) because there aren’t any lights out on the deck once the sun goes down.

Scales - Portland

Scales has been on my Portland hit list for a while now, and I’m so happy we were finally able to go on this trip! The food was amazing and incredibly fresh, the service was great, and the atmosphere was so fun, with all of the fresh seafood lined up in front of you.

Everything we had was delicious, but the standouts for me were the oysters, a seasonal tomato and stone fruit salad, the cod, and my seafood stew. I also loved the butterscotch pudding for dessert, which came topped with caramel popcorn. It was one of the most fun—and delicious—desserts I’ve had in a while!

Bandaloop - Arundel

We went to Bandaloop for dinner one night, and while it’s a really cool space, it probably isn’t somewhere I would rush back to. We had a few nice appetizers—the fried sunchokes were definitely my favorite—and I had the mussels for dinner, which were good. My husband got the burger and loved it, but overall, everything else was just fine.

The Maine Scoop Company - Scarborough

We went to The Maine Scoop Company, where I had one of the best sundaes of my life: the Pine Point Perfection. It’s your choice of ice cream layered with peanut butter sauce, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and peanuts, and it was soooo good. I’m usually not a huge peanut butter person, but this was the perfect combination of salty and sweet!

Garside’s Ice Cream - Saco

We stopped at Garside’s Ice Cream after dinner on our first night and had some delicious ice cream! Nothing too fancy or over-the-top, but a great spot to stop if you’re in Saco. I got the Oreo ice cream with hot fudge and was very happy with my choice!

Frinklepod Farm - Arundel

We stopped at Frinklepod Farm on our way to Kennebunkport, and I’m so glad we decided to pull over and check it out! They had an incredible selection of fresh, beautiful produce, and we walked away with radishes, carrots, tomatoes (both cherry and heirloom), lettuces, and some stunning purple new potatoes.

Places that I wanted to try that we didn’t get to:

Gracie Goldberg
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