Top Restaurants In Augusta, Maine

Any Augusta local will recommend The Red Barn if you have a hankering for a lobster roll, seafood chowder, ‘steamers,’ or fried shellfish. A place that refreshingly leaves pretension behind, The Red Barn is a no frills seafood joint with picnic tables and booths for enjoying Maine classics. For those in your party who aren’t enticed by seafood, The Red Barn offers chicken dishes.

Located in downtown Augusta, close to the Kennebec River, Riverfront BBQ and Grille offers southern-style favorites like ‘Memphis rub’ ribs and chicken, jambalaya, and smoked sausage with rice, beans, and cornbread. After lunch or dinner, visit The Gin Mill upstairs for a drink, or take a walk on the ‘Rail Trail,’ a nearby paved pathway for bikers and joggers that runs along the river from Augusta to Hallowell and Gardiner.

A breakfast, lunch and dinner destination on the fancier side of things in Augusta, Cloud 9 Restaurant is part of a locally-owned upscale hotel called The Senator Inn & Spa. The lunch crowd at Cloud 9, largely comprised of state workers from the nearby Capitol, rushes in for the weekday pizza buffet.

While not technically located in Augusta, this restaurant is a long-standing favorite among central- Mainers. It is located in Hallowell, Augusta’s more whimsical neighbor to the south. Slates Restaurant is full of color: tables and walls are painted with vibrant hues and goddess-themed motifs, and the establishment regularly hosts local musicians and displays work by local artists.

The Liberal Cup is a popular, rustic microbrewery and restaurant that often features local rock and blues artists. If you plan to visit on a Tuesday, be prepared to participate in The Liberal Cup’s trivia night. Arrive early and snag a table because the bar and booths fill up fast.

A favorite lunch spot in Augusta, The Bay Wrap offers imaginative wraps with a lot of personality. Whether inspired by Greek, Southern, Thai, German, or Arab cuisine, The Bay Wrap’s sandwiches are great meals on the go, packed with things like jasmine rice and teriyaki chicken, or pulled pork and spicy slaw.

Located just west of Augusta, The Pizza Stone is a family-owned restaurant that makes specialty pizzas, salads, and sandwiches, and it is open for lunch and dinner. While the restaurant has some tables indoors, as well as picnic benches outside, this pizza joint is best for pick-up orders. The Pizza Stone offers a variety of specialty pizzas.

A great place for breakfast or lunch in historic Augusta, Downtown Diner serves up eggs, pancakes, and waffles, along with sandwiches, salads, soups, pies, and cookies; good, simple food made completely from scratch. This restaurant has been part of the revitalization of Augusta’s historic waterfront district, and it is a favorite in the Augusta community.

A longstanding take-out joint in central Maine, Whippers is known for its Italians, hot sandwiches, pizza, and their ‘Big Whip.’ Whippers is busy at lunchtime, so if you’re in Augusta, try their delivery service. Whippers is conveniently located next to the traffic circle on the east side of the river, and to several different routes that lead to the Maine coast.

The only locally-owned bagel shop in the area, Bagel Mainea is the place to go for bagel sandwiches. Bagel Mainea makes a variety of sweet and savory bagels, including blueberry, pumpkin, black olive rosemary, and sourdough cheddar.

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