Our 8 favorite Maine restaurants for outdoor dining

By Emily Burnham, Bangor Daily News Staff

As long as the weather is warm enough that you’re not shivering and there’s no precipitation, when given the option at a restaurant of indoor or outdoor seating, there’s a high likelihood most Mainers will choose the latter. We don’t get to spend the entire year outdoors and still be comfortable, so when we get the chance, we usually jump at it.

It’s even better when said outdoor seating is comfortable, cool and even, in some cases, truly beautiful. Here are eight patios, decks and docks that offer some of the best vibes in the state. 

Kimberly’s at the Marina, Hampden

Besides the Maine seafood-centric menu and fun array of cocktails, what’s really nice about Kimberley’s at the Marina in Hampden is that despite it being less than a mile from Bangor, it feels like you’re out in the country, on a remote stretch of the Penobscot River. The expansive deck, the big stone firepit and primo views of bald eagles and other birds fishing in the river only add to the experience. 

Marshall Wharf Brewing Co., Belfast

Part of the vanguard of Maine’s renowned craft beer scene, Marshall Wharf is beloved statewide for its effortlessly cool beer garden, located directly on Belfast Harbor. With its fun mix of decor, its rotating array of live music and its famously cozy fireplace, it’s just as nice to visit on a hot summer day as it is a cool fall evening. 

Mill Inn & Cafe, Dover-Foxcroft

In the heart of Piscataquis County there’s the Mill Inn & Cafe, a restaurant that grew out of the redeveloped mill in downtown Dover-Foxcroft. It’s nice year-round, but its expansive and beautifully designed patio is where it’s at in the summer months; enjoy breakfast in the sunshine, or cocktails in the cool evening air. 

Lompoc Cafe, Bar Harbor

Is this the prettiest patio in Maine? It’s certainly up there. The trees, flowers and other greenery. The little twinkly lights. The local art. The bocce court. It’s just as nice to have a glass of wine and read a book in the late afternoon as it is to have dinner and cocktails late into the night. There’s great live music, too.

Terlingua, Portland

The warren of seating areas in Terlingua’s expansive patio seems to never end, with plenty of room for both intimate dinner dates and raucous family meals. It’s pretty easy to have a really good time at this Portland favorite, with its extensive menu of barbecue, tacos, shareable plates and tequila-forward cocktails. It’s also heated in the winter, so you can enjoy outdoor dining year-round.

Frye’s Leap General Store and Cafe, Frye Island

It’s a store. It’s a restaurant. It’s a marina. It’s a takeout joint. It’s a bar. It’s a little bit of everything at Frye’s Leap General Store and Cafe on Frye Island, and it’s the next best thing to actually owning a camp on Sebago Lake. The bustling outdoor dining area makes you feel like you’re a part of this longstanding Maine summer community, especially since it’s only accessible by boat. And the food is pretty darn good, too.

Dockside Tavern and Rowboat Joe’s, Greenville

You’ve got two options when you head to this lakeside eatery. You can have a meal and a drink on the deck at the Dockside Tavern, the venerable Moosehead Lake-adjacent restaurant. Or, you can let loose a little bit at its sister bar, the Caribbean-themed Rowboat Joe’s, a no-frills beer and cocktail hut on the water. You’re going to have a good time, either way. 

Tinder Hearth, Brooksville

Make sure you make reservations as soon as they become available at Tinder Hearth, the bakery and pizza restaurant in the scenic seaside town of Brooksville. If you manage to snag a table, you’ll be treated to delicious food and some of the loveliest dining surroundings in Maine; a bohemian farm-to-table oasis that’s quietly become one of the most acclaimed restaurants in the state.