An Abundance of Incredible Food Surrounds Acadia National Park

In 2023, nearly 4 million people visited Maine’s Acadia National Park, aka the “Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast,” making it the seventh most popular national park in the United States. This mountainous marvel sprawls across the traditional territory of the Passamaquoddy, Wabanaki, N’dakina, and Penobscot people, including 20 islands, a peninsula, and over 150 miles of pine-forested trails on the Atlantic coast.

Acadia is also surrounded by — and home to — inspiring food, from legendary popovers in the park at Jordan Pond House to Maine lobster, hauled fresh from the ocean via the interactive Acadia Lobster Cruise or in lobster rolls at seafood shacks, like Thurston’s Lobster Pound. Whether you check Acadia National Park off your bucket list in the height of the summer travel season or in the quiet, colorful fall, consider celebrating the accomplishment with one of these destinations for exquisite meals.

Abel's Lobster

Maine has so much good seafood that it’s hard to keep up. Peekytoe crab, sometimes called rock crab, is a delicious, cheaper alternative to the state’s most famous crustacean. For example, the crab roll costs about one-third the price of the lobster roll at Charlotte’s Legendary Lobster Pound. Another local speciality, pickled wrinkle, is a preserved whelk — a type of large sea snail — sometimes available at The Pickled Wrinkle in Birch Harbor, near the Schoodic Peninsula portion of Acadia.

But at the end of the day, no trip to Maine is complete without lobster. At Mount Desert Island’s Abel’s Lobster, indoor and outdoor tables overlook pristine Somes Sound. In recent years, new owner Mandy Fountaine has freshened the menu at the family-friendly, no-reservations charmer. Avoid donning a bib with the pre-picked lazy lobster, which is boiled in seawater over a wood fire and served with brown butter sauce, grits, and peas, or an order of aromatic lobster bisque garnished with crispy leek and housemade saltines. At Abel’s, even the cocktail menu plays to the crustacean-loving crowd with a Daley Martini featuring lobster-infused port alongside dry vermouth, celery bitters, and vodka or gin.

Havana

As a gateway to Acadia and Cadillac Mountain on Mount Desert Island, the small town of Bar Harbor bustles during the high season, with dozens of dining and drinking options such as Lompoc Cafe — where you can eat scallops with Korean barbecue sauce and play bocce — and the scenic rooftop at Atlantic Brewing Company’s Midtown brewpub. When it’s time for a memorable night out, though, nothing compares to Havana.

Owners Michael Boland and Deirdra Swords’ colorful, upscale restaurant blends local ingredients with Latin American cuisine for sublime takes on classics like a lobster-filled moqueca, the coconutty Brazilian stew; saffron-infused paella brimming with mussels, scallops, and more; and a punchy mojito starring Stone Pier rum from Three of Strong Spirits in Portland, Maine. An acclaimed, globetrotting wine selection also showcases local gems like Morphos pét-nat from Oyster River Winegrowers and Bluet’s Champagne Method wild blueberry wine. If you can’t score a reservation, try The Parilla, Havana’s patio, which only takes walk-ins for more casual fare like mixed grill platters.

Aragosta at Goose Cove

Some of Acadia is impressively remote — take the section on Isle au Haut, a French name that translates to High Island. To hike its trails, you’ll need to take a ferry from Stonington. A lovely destination in its own right — highlights include housemade pasta with an ocean view at Fin and Fern and beautiful beverages at a cafe from Deer Isle roaster 44 North Coffee — Stonington is just a 10-minute drive from one of the country’s most acclaimed restaurants, Aragosta at Goose Cove.

The Italian word for lobster, Aragosta is chef and owner Devin Finigan’s ode to the region’s seasonal bounty, presented in ever-evolving tasting menus full of produce foraged on 21 awe-inspiring acres of coastal property, plus hyperlocal seafood like oysters and, of course, lobster, often stuffed into luscious pasta with a buttery sauce. Table reservations can be communal or private — super-private, if you’re one of the few diners per night who score a spot in the wine cellar or greenhouses, but there’s not a bad seat in sight. To extend the experience, you can even stay at one of Aragosta’s luxurious cottages or suites that boast similarly iconic views, plus a bottle of chilled bubbly waiting in the mini fridge.