For those who are making Winter Harbor their home base to avoid the crowds in Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park while visiting Maine, it should give you some relief to know that there are plenty of food options in this small town.
And while you won’t find as many options or upscale locations as you will in Bar Harbor, the food quality of many of Winter Harbor’s restaurants will give most in Bar Harbor a run for their money.
Here are Winter Harbor’s nine best restaurant choices for 2023.
Best Dinner Spots
The Gallery Restaurant and Cocktail Bar
Address: 15 Chapel Ln, Winter Harbor, ME 04693
The Gallery Restaurant and Cocktail Bar is a chill little gem in Winter Harbor, offering a bit of an upscale vibe and a number of colorful cocktails.
When we say little, we mean little, as this spot offers a bar area and a handful of smaller tables throughout the indoor dining area.
This place is as much of a hangout as it is a restaurant, but the limited menu offered is vibrant and delicious.
The decor, music, and overall setting make it both charming and cozy – there’s not another place like it nearby.
Local Tip – the kids are welcome and will enjoy several kid-friendly mocktails!
Treehouse Seaside Grill
Address: 10 Newman St, Winter Harbor, ME 04693
The newest addition to Winter Harbor is the Treehouse Seaside Grill which opened just in time for the summer of 2023 and does not disappoint if you’re looking for something a little more upscale for dinner.
The first thing you’ll notice when dining here is the beautiful exterior and interior of the restaurant itself almost match that of the view it provides of Henry Cove outside.
This place combines a rustic New England look and an airy interior, with intimate tables located around the perimeter of the dining room and larger tables in the center.
The food and drinks are pricey, but are pretty in-line with most of the other upscale restaurants in Maine.
The owner is a former chef at the Winter Harbor Yacht club just up the road, and you can tell – there aren’t many options that won’t impress here.
The Treehouse Seaside Grille offers just about any kind of seafood you’d want, using local Maine ingredients and prepared with an international flair.
For those who prefer something “from the land”, the burgers are thick, juicy, and excellent.
Local Tip – the blueberry mojito…just trust us and try it.
Chase’s Restaurant
Address: 193 Main St, Winter Harbor, ME 04693
Chase’s is a little diner-style restaurant in Winter Harbor that offers breakfast, lunch, and early dinner. The atmosphere is chill and the staff friendly.
Their menu is pretty extensive ranging from seafood and sandwiches to burgers and steaks, so even the pickiest eaters should find something they like.
While the food and service are good, it’s located right in the heart of Winter Harbor near the ferry making it one of the more popular restaurants in town.
So once the dinner rush begins around 5 pm, it can be tough to grab a table and the waits can be lengthy even on weeknights.
Local Tip – if you’re looking for a filling breakfast, give Chase’s a try!
Bunker’s Seafood & Spirits
Address: 260 E Schoodic Dr, Birch Harbor, ME 04613
Bunker’s Seafood & Spirits is located just up the road in Birch Harbor, only about a five minute drive from Winter Harbor.
Bunker’s was once Bunker’s Wharf, but rebranded in June of 2023 under new ownership with an updated menu.
This is a more casual dining spot, making for a good lunch stop with a number of fried seafood options at affordable prices.
They offer plenty of dinner items too, and a number of local Maine beer options to go along.
Bunker’s sits right on the edge of the water overlooking Bunkers Harbor, and the views are one of its best attributes.
From almost anywhere in the indoor dining room or at the bar, you can look out at this small fishing cove and community.
And there’s an outdoor seating area with tables and umbrellas, literally feet from the water where you’ll see local fishing boats anchored. Pups will love this patio area.
Local Tip – the lobster and crab rolls here are AWESOME.
Winter Harbor Lobster Co-Op
Address: 23 Pendleton Rd, Winter Harbor, ME 04693
The Winter Harbor Lobster Co-Op is owned and operated by locals whose roots run deep in the area and who offer the best local lobster money can buy.
Everyone knows lobster don’t come cheap, but they offer them at some of the more reasonable prices you’ll find here.
You can grab fresh live lobster to take home and cook on your own, or have it steamed right there on the spot to take and enjoy.
They also offer a number of other fresh seafood options including crab meat, halibut, scallops, bisques, and dips among plenty of other local creations.
While this place is small, they do offer some meals for those who want to order and eat at a few tables located nearby.
And since this spot will have out-of-area visitors craving lobster long after they return home, the Winter Harbor Lobster Co-Op offers the ability to order fresh lobster online and have it shipped to your home.
Local Tip – the staff will gladly let you in on some lobster prep secrets if you ask!
Best Lunch/Breakfast Spots
JM Gerrish Cafe
Address: 352 Main St, Winter Harbor, ME 04693
You’ll feel like you’re stepping back in time upon entering JM Gerrish Cafe, with its classic diner style, checkered floors and padded stools at the ice cream bar giving it the appearance of a small town hangout in an old TV show.
To further solidify the small town vibe of this place, these folks hand write their daily specials on a whiteboard to display out front each day.
But don’t let that fool you because the food here is great, the menu is diverse, and the service is awesome.
Their lunch staples are their lobster rolls and clam chowder, and their breakfast biscuits and gravy will give the very best from the south a run for their money.
And one of the main attractions, their ice cream, is delicious.
This place is only open for breakfast and lunch, closing up shop each day around 3 pm.
Local Tip – go for breakfast, order the blueberry pancakes, and thank us after!
Pickled Wrinkle
Address: 9 E Schoodic Dr, Birch Harbor, ME 04613
For those who have just explored the beautiful Schoodic Point, the Pickled Wrinkle is located just as you leave and makes for a great casual dining option with plenty of local Maine beers on tap.
Named for an old Downeast Maine delicacy, pickled wrinkles are large sea snails that are pickled and served here when available.
If that’s not appetizing to you, no worries, as the Pickled Wrinkle offers a variety of appetizers, pizzas, burgers, lobster rolls, and other sandwiches that may go down easier.
There are a number of tables in the dining room, along with an outdoor seating area with picnic tables where those with dogs can eat and drink.
They do serve breakfast and dinner, closing up around 8 pm most nights.
Local Tip – Whether sitting outdoor or indoor, the blueberry lemonade is always refreshing and one of the hits of this little restaurant – featuring an excellent wild blueberry taste.
Fisherman’s Galley / The Hot Dog Cart
Address: 7 Newman St, Winter Harbor, ME 04693
The Fisherman’s Galley restaurant has closed its doors. But the Hot Dog Cart is a food cart located right outside of it, offering to-go food with some outdoor seating nearby.
The Hot Dog Cart not only offers tasty hot dogs, but some of the classic menu items from the old restaurant including their top-awarded lobster roll – lauded as one of the best you’ll find in Maine.
These lobster rolls are made strictly with claw meat, the best part of the lobster. And luckily for all of us, they still offer their blueberry pie.
The food here is pricier than you might expect at a hot dog cart lunch spot, but well worth it. The owner and staff couldn’t be friendlier and will make you feel just like a regular.
Local Tip – try the homemade pickles – they’re juicy, refreshing, and the size of a full grown cucumber!
The Bakery
Address: 127 Main St, Winter Harbor, ME 04693
For those looking to scratch their coffee itch and/or satisfy their sweet tooth, The Bakery should be your first stop.
It’s a quaint little bakery on the side of the road that is more of an order-to-go spot, but does offer a few small tables and chairs for those who want to eat onsite.
They’re usually open from around 8 am – 1 pm, and offer a number of morning breakfast treats including cinnamon rolls, maple donuts, a variety of coffee cakes, and muffins.
They also offer some tasty dessert items, including some of the best local-made pies you’ll taste.
Get here early, as parking and onsite seating is limited and they tend to sell out of some items by mid-morning as this is a popular spot.
Local Tip – when available, the rhubarb coffee cake is AMAZING.
Final Word
Winter Harbor is a small town, and you’ll find that many of its restaurants echo that small town vibe.
Even so, Winter Harbor’s restaurants boast some of the best seafood, atmosphere, and service in all of Maine.
If staying in Winter Harbor and looking for some unique local spots to visit outside of the restaurant scene, consider making a day trip north to one of Maine’s hidden gems in Sandy River Beach and/or Jasper Beach.