Great Maine Pizza
Sometimes nothing else will do. Here are ten places guaranteed to satisfy your craving.
There comes a point in every family's vacation when the grill just won't do it. Maybe you stayed in the lake a little too long. Maybe dad forgot to pick up the lobsters when he was in town. Perhaps, even, the Maine weather took one of those unexpected turns for the rainy, and the walls of your house or cabin seem closer together after a month of outdoor activity. It's a perfect night for eating out.
Enter your friendly neighborhood pizza house. Chances are, wherever you're located in Maine, there's bound to be one. According to a study conducted by Pizza Marketing Quarterly, Maine has a higher number of pizza shops per capita than any other state in the country. At the same time, we have one of the lowest average numbers of stores owned per proprietor. It all translates down to one happy fact:
We've got a ton of mom and pop pizzerias available to satisfy our flatbread craving.
There are a lot of reasons to love your favorite pizza. So many factors go into our enjoyment of this time-honored junk food, one that is simultaneously maligned as the downfall of health and revered as the savior of our hedonistic culinary souls. It could be the pure flavor of the sauce. A particular blend of cheese. Your favorite combination of toppings. And yet, some of the biggest draws have nothing to do with food. The nostalgic glow of the neon sign in a Rockland storefront you've been frequenting since you were a child can make a decent slice decadent; a flickering candle at a tavern in Bath can turn run-of-the-mill into romantic.
Presented here are ten of the best pizzerias this state has to offer, listed alphabetically by town. If you have a favorite that we didn't list here, we'd love to know about it. If you don't, this is a perfect place to start.
The Cabin
552 Washington Street, Bath
207-443-6224
Across from the huge green warehouse of Bath Iron Works, a ways down Washington Street, sits what looks like an old-fashioned tavern and inn. The Cabin's well-worn interior provides perhaps the most historic atmosphere for Mainers to enjoy their pizza under the most contentious tag line in the state: "The only real pizza in Maine." And while that boast is still up for discussion, what isn't is the fact that you're eating in a maritime museum display, a galley filled with glowering lights, nooks and crannies for private eating, warped floors, low ceilings, and exposed beams. An imaginative diner might start to feel like quaffing rum, by gum, or singing a chanty if it wasn't for the pan of the Cabin's famous pizza suddenly arriving at his table. And pizzas at this local landmark aren't just for dinner any more: order a dessert pizza like a chocolate or pumpkin pie before you head back to sea.
Finelli's Pizza & Subs
Route 1, Ellsworth Triangle, Ellsworth
207-664-0230
Voted the Best Pizza in Maine by the Bangor Daily News, it's hard to deny the greatness of the super-crisp crust on a Finelli's pizza. There is no Finelli behind the counter, however. The folks that serve you are David and Linda Schneider - or manager and self-proclaimed "head slave," Alex Knight - who are not Italians but transplants from Providence, Rhode Island. There, they ran Fellini's Pizzeria, voted best Pizza in Providence on an annual basis. Notice a trend? The owners moved to Maine to get away from the craziness of owning such a popular eatery, but it's clear that they'll never escape popularity if they continue to produce such creations as the Pizza Bianca, with ropes of fresh ricotta, mozzarella, spinach, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil.
Pat's Pizza
85 Center Street, Orono
207-784-8221
While old-timers and University of Maine students still associate the telltale green and orange Pat's Pizza sign with its original location in Orono, this multi-unit pizzeria (with eleven other locations throughout the Pine Tree State) is the state's most visible and beloved local pizza chain. Expect a consistency from whichever Pat's you visit, be it in the maroon tee shirts of the servers to the antique knickknacks and signs that hang from every available inch of wall space. Founder Pat Farnsworth bought the original in 1931 for a whopping $175, and in 1953 changed the name from Farnsworth's Café to Pat's Pizza in honor of his most popular menu item. Pat passed away in 2003 after almost seventy years of hard work; it's precisely that work ethic that endeared him to Maine's population.
Flatbread
72 Commercial Street, Portland
207-772-8777
Pizza joints aside, it's hard to find restaurants these days with not only good food, but positive social messages built into the establishment's philosophy. Flatbread is one of those places. Everything on the menu, which is spartan at best (one salad choice for a starter, a small selection of pizzas, one fantastic brownie sundae for dessert), is made from all-natural and organic ingredients. Handmade banners and posters sum up the restaurant's many goals, like giving back to the community at large: every week, one night is dedicated to a local nonprofit, and proceeds from dinners are donated to that organization. But positive messages aside: How's the pizza? Simply put, it's flawlessly prepared in the roaring wood fires of Flatbread's handmade oven. Watching the cooks slide your meal in and out of the inferno is half the fun, and the crisped, smoky result is enough to draw anyone into the restaurant, regardless of politics. And that's the whole point.
Portland Pie
505 Fore Street, Portland
207-772-1231
Portland Pie has always been a favorite of Portland pizza eaters. Crust made with local beer, fantastic topping combinations (the Harbormaster, made with BBQ chicken, caramelized onions, and bacon, is pretty hard to beat), and timely delivery always put it near the top of everyone's lists. And its move from a cramped, one-table joint to a more spacious environment bumped it to number one on more than a few lists. It's open late as well, so it can still be a logical stop after you come home from the beach, get everyone cleaned up, take that summertime nap, and head into town for a late evening stroll - or better yet, order in and dine outside. As far as traditional, round, delivery pizzas go, it's by far the best in the city.
Ricetta's
29 Western Avenue, South Portland
207-775-7400
240 U.S. Route 1, Falmouth
207-781-3100
The wood-fired pizza at this South Portland mainstay has been named the area's best pizza for as long as anyone can remember, or 1990, whichever comes first. It's easy to see why. Despite its clandestine South Portland location on one end of a mini-strip mall (the Falmouth stop is a little more autonomous), it has a lunch buffet that has provided hordes of locals with all-you-can-eat thin crust pizza since its inception. Thick crust - or "spesso" - offerings are also popular for those needing more substantial amounts of dough. Try the house specialty, which shares the restaurants' name: the "Ricetta" has fresh tomato, prosciutto, sautéed scallions with garlic, ricotta, and mozzarella.
The Red Onion
Main Street, Rangeley
207-864-5022
Folks living or vacationing in the Rangeley Lakes region should consider themselves lucky. They're pretty far out there, and whatever pizza place sits on Main Street is the pizza place they're stuck with. But not only is the Red Onion the best pizzeria for an hour in any direction, it might be one of the best pizzerias for two hours in any direction. The pies are flat, like the griddlecakes that fed Rangeley's famous loggers a hundred years ago, and are served daily to the same burly stock (sitting alongside tanned families of five vacationing from Rhode Island, of course). The kids will love the décor, which includes a stuffed cobra entangled in war with a stuffed mongoose, parents will love sending the kids across the street to the local gift shop, and the servers will love passing you another piece of homemade strawberry rhubarb pie.
Thorndike Creamery
385 Main Street, Rockland
207-594-4126
Right in the center of picturesque Rockland, the Thorndike Creamery might be the kind of place pizza lovers pass right on by. As its name states, it is primarily an ice-cream shop. Flavors are scrawled on the wall-sized chalkboards that run behind the counter, and the only evidence of pizza in sight is the glowing red neon sign that hangs in the window. But this town favorite indeed does dish up the flatbread, New York style, available by the slice at the counter. Put in your order, and the pieces are slid into the pizza warmer and come out crisp around the edges. What makes this place so popular isn't so much the perfection of the slice, but its perfect pairing with its sweet cousin for the second course. Bring the kids, and fill 'em up with dinner and dessert all in one stop.
Movie Pizza Shoppe
258 Jefferson Street, Waldoboro
207-832-4049
It might be hard to get more unassuming than the little one-story, gray-shingled shack that houses the Movie Pizza Shoppe on Jefferson Street in Waldoboro. Sandwiched in between a room of movie rentals and the Ice Cream Corner, this joint serves pizza that locals rave about and out-of-towners travel into Waldoboro for. It's not thin crust, and it's not deep dish, despite it being baked in a pan with higher sides than the thin metal discs New York-style pizzas are baked on. The crust pushes its way up the sides of the pan as it bakes in the store's mini-deck ovens, resulting in a crispy, dark ring of crust along the outside and a moist and chewy everything else. It's a one-stop-shop for your evening's entertainment.
Grand Central Café
Railroad Square, Waterville
207-872-9135
Stu Silverman has owned the Railroad Square Cinema in Waterville for twenty-five years. For ten of those, he has also stoked the flaming logs in the brick oven pizzeria next door and served countless pies to both locals and Colby College students. (He has a few good Tex Mex offerings, too, but that's another subject for another list.) The sauce is laced with a bold garlic flavor and the sides of the puffed crust are flecked with blistered char - a beautiful bitter foil to the richness of the cheese, the way the burnt sugar on a crème br?lée offsets the sweetness below. Choose from The Pizza Collection, with eclectic selections such as the Maui Waui (Hawaiian) and the Red and the Black (red peppers and portabella mushroom), or just get a Basic (cheese and sauce). Any way you have it sliced, you won't forget it.
Enter your friendly neighborhood pizza house. Chances are, wherever you're located in Maine, there's bound to be one. According to a study conducted by Pizza Marketing Quarterly, Maine has a higher number of pizza shops per capita than any other state in the country. At the same time, we have one of the lowest average numbers of stores owned per proprietor. It all translates down to one happy fact:
We've got a ton of mom and pop pizzerias available to satisfy our flatbread craving.
There are a lot of reasons to love your favorite pizza. So many factors go into our enjoyment of this time-honored junk food, one that is simultaneously maligned as the downfall of health and revered as the savior of our hedonistic culinary souls. It could be the pure flavor of the sauce. A particular blend of cheese. Your favorite combination of toppings. And yet, some of the biggest draws have nothing to do with food. The nostalgic glow of the neon sign in a Rockland storefront you've been frequenting since you were a child can make a decent slice decadent; a flickering candle at a tavern in Bath can turn run-of-the-mill into romantic.
Presented here are ten of the best pizzerias this state has to offer, listed alphabetically by town. If you have a favorite that we didn't list here, we'd love to know about it. If you don't, this is a perfect place to start.
The Cabin
552 Washington Street, Bath
207-443-6224
Across from the huge green warehouse of Bath Iron Works, a ways down Washington Street, sits what looks like an old-fashioned tavern and inn. The Cabin's well-worn interior provides perhaps the most historic atmosphere for Mainers to enjoy their pizza under the most contentious tag line in the state: "The only real pizza in Maine." And while that boast is still up for discussion, what isn't is the fact that you're eating in a maritime museum display, a galley filled with glowering lights, nooks and crannies for private eating, warped floors, low ceilings, and exposed beams. An imaginative diner might start to feel like quaffing rum, by gum, or singing a chanty if it wasn't for the pan of the Cabin's famous pizza suddenly arriving at his table. And pizzas at this local landmark aren't just for dinner any more: order a dessert pizza like a chocolate or pumpkin pie before you head back to sea.
Finelli's Pizza & Subs
Route 1, Ellsworth Triangle, Ellsworth
207-664-0230
Voted the Best Pizza in Maine by the Bangor Daily News, it's hard to deny the greatness of the super-crisp crust on a Finelli's pizza. There is no Finelli behind the counter, however. The folks that serve you are David and Linda Schneider - or manager and self-proclaimed "head slave," Alex Knight - who are not Italians but transplants from Providence, Rhode Island. There, they ran Fellini's Pizzeria, voted best Pizza in Providence on an annual basis. Notice a trend? The owners moved to Maine to get away from the craziness of owning such a popular eatery, but it's clear that they'll never escape popularity if they continue to produce such creations as the Pizza Bianca, with ropes of fresh ricotta, mozzarella, spinach, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil.
Pat's Pizza
85 Center Street, Orono
207-784-8221
While old-timers and University of Maine students still associate the telltale green and orange Pat's Pizza sign with its original location in Orono, this multi-unit pizzeria (with eleven other locations throughout the Pine Tree State) is the state's most visible and beloved local pizza chain. Expect a consistency from whichever Pat's you visit, be it in the maroon tee shirts of the servers to the antique knickknacks and signs that hang from every available inch of wall space. Founder Pat Farnsworth bought the original in 1931 for a whopping $175, and in 1953 changed the name from Farnsworth's Café to Pat's Pizza in honor of his most popular menu item. Pat passed away in 2003 after almost seventy years of hard work; it's precisely that work ethic that endeared him to Maine's population.
Flatbread
72 Commercial Street, Portland
207-772-8777
Pizza joints aside, it's hard to find restaurants these days with not only good food, but positive social messages built into the establishment's philosophy. Flatbread is one of those places. Everything on the menu, which is spartan at best (one salad choice for a starter, a small selection of pizzas, one fantastic brownie sundae for dessert), is made from all-natural and organic ingredients. Handmade banners and posters sum up the restaurant's many goals, like giving back to the community at large: every week, one night is dedicated to a local nonprofit, and proceeds from dinners are donated to that organization. But positive messages aside: How's the pizza? Simply put, it's flawlessly prepared in the roaring wood fires of Flatbread's handmade oven. Watching the cooks slide your meal in and out of the inferno is half the fun, and the crisped, smoky result is enough to draw anyone into the restaurant, regardless of politics. And that's the whole point.
Portland Pie
505 Fore Street, Portland
207-772-1231
Portland Pie has always been a favorite of Portland pizza eaters. Crust made with local beer, fantastic topping combinations (the Harbormaster, made with BBQ chicken, caramelized onions, and bacon, is pretty hard to beat), and timely delivery always put it near the top of everyone's lists. And its move from a cramped, one-table joint to a more spacious environment bumped it to number one on more than a few lists. It's open late as well, so it can still be a logical stop after you come home from the beach, get everyone cleaned up, take that summertime nap, and head into town for a late evening stroll - or better yet, order in and dine outside. As far as traditional, round, delivery pizzas go, it's by far the best in the city.
Ricetta's
29 Western Avenue, South Portland
207-775-7400
240 U.S. Route 1, Falmouth
207-781-3100
The wood-fired pizza at this South Portland mainstay has been named the area's best pizza for as long as anyone can remember, or 1990, whichever comes first. It's easy to see why. Despite its clandestine South Portland location on one end of a mini-strip mall (the Falmouth stop is a little more autonomous), it has a lunch buffet that has provided hordes of locals with all-you-can-eat thin crust pizza since its inception. Thick crust - or "spesso" - offerings are also popular for those needing more substantial amounts of dough. Try the house specialty, which shares the restaurants' name: the "Ricetta" has fresh tomato, prosciutto, sautéed scallions with garlic, ricotta, and mozzarella.
The Red Onion
Main Street, Rangeley
207-864-5022
Folks living or vacationing in the Rangeley Lakes region should consider themselves lucky. They're pretty far out there, and whatever pizza place sits on Main Street is the pizza place they're stuck with. But not only is the Red Onion the best pizzeria for an hour in any direction, it might be one of the best pizzerias for two hours in any direction. The pies are flat, like the griddlecakes that fed Rangeley's famous loggers a hundred years ago, and are served daily to the same burly stock (sitting alongside tanned families of five vacationing from Rhode Island, of course). The kids will love the décor, which includes a stuffed cobra entangled in war with a stuffed mongoose, parents will love sending the kids across the street to the local gift shop, and the servers will love passing you another piece of homemade strawberry rhubarb pie.
Thorndike Creamery
385 Main Street, Rockland
207-594-4126
Right in the center of picturesque Rockland, the Thorndike Creamery might be the kind of place pizza lovers pass right on by. As its name states, it is primarily an ice-cream shop. Flavors are scrawled on the wall-sized chalkboards that run behind the counter, and the only evidence of pizza in sight is the glowing red neon sign that hangs in the window. But this town favorite indeed does dish up the flatbread, New York style, available by the slice at the counter. Put in your order, and the pieces are slid into the pizza warmer and come out crisp around the edges. What makes this place so popular isn't so much the perfection of the slice, but its perfect pairing with its sweet cousin for the second course. Bring the kids, and fill 'em up with dinner and dessert all in one stop.
Movie Pizza Shoppe
258 Jefferson Street, Waldoboro
207-832-4049
It might be hard to get more unassuming than the little one-story, gray-shingled shack that houses the Movie Pizza Shoppe on Jefferson Street in Waldoboro. Sandwiched in between a room of movie rentals and the Ice Cream Corner, this joint serves pizza that locals rave about and out-of-towners travel into Waldoboro for. It's not thin crust, and it's not deep dish, despite it being baked in a pan with higher sides than the thin metal discs New York-style pizzas are baked on. The crust pushes its way up the sides of the pan as it bakes in the store's mini-deck ovens, resulting in a crispy, dark ring of crust along the outside and a moist and chewy everything else. It's a one-stop-shop for your evening's entertainment.
Grand Central Café
Railroad Square, Waterville
207-872-9135
Stu Silverman has owned the Railroad Square Cinema in Waterville for twenty-five years. For ten of those, he has also stoked the flaming logs in the brick oven pizzeria next door and served countless pies to both locals and Colby College students. (He has a few good Tex Mex offerings, too, but that's another subject for another list.) The sauce is laced with a bold garlic flavor and the sides of the puffed crust are flecked with blistered char - a beautiful bitter foil to the richness of the cheese, the way the burnt sugar on a crème br?lée offsets the sweetness below. Choose from The Pizza Collection, with eclectic selections such as the Maui Waui (Hawaiian) and the Red and the Black (red peppers and portabella mushroom), or just get a Basic (cheese and sauce). Any way you have it sliced, you won't forget it.
- By: Andy King
