17 days
14 dozen oysters
24 new varieties
35 total varieties
13 raw bars
Here are all the ones I enjoyed. I used a 5 point scale, with a + and - for a bit more separation. Even the 3s were very good. Thanks to Kade for helping me keep track!
Portland
Foster Point (New Meadows River) 4
Sheepscot (Sheepscot River) 4+
Ocean Kiss (New Meadows River) 4+
Winnegance (New Meadows River) 3
Portland
Grace Point (Yarmouth) 3
Butterfield (Yarmouth) 4
Merritt Isle (Harpswell) 4
Brinestone (Brunswick) 3-
Portland
Arcadian Petite (Damariscotta) 5
Sandy Point (Chebeague) 5
Empress (Casco Bay) 5
Bristol
Pemaquid (Damariscotta) 5
(Cocktails, Selects and Jumbos)
Bristol
Pemaquid (Damariscotta)
(Super Jumbo) 4
Bristol
Pemaquid Selects (Damariscotta) 5
Edgecomb
Farewell (Damariscotta) 4+
Recompense Cove (Freeport) 5
Norumbega (Damariscotta) 5
Edgecomb
Farewell (Damariscotta) 4+
Recompense Cove (Freeport) 5
Newcastle
Blackstone Point
Dodge Cove
Glidden Point
Heron Island
Johns River
Moondancers
(Damariscotta)
Didn't rate the Shuck Station ones because I tried them all last year.
Edgecomb
Recompense Cove (Freeport) 5
Norumbega (Damariscotta) 5
Portland
Saltwind (Scarborough) 3+
Pleasant Cove (Damariscotta) 4
Boss Gibson (New Brunswick, Canada) 3+
Rockland
Wheeler's Bay (Spruce Head) 3
Ice House (Port Clyde) 3+
Glidden Point (Edgecomb)
Mere Point (Brunswick)
Two of these varieties I tried last year.
Rockport
Tommy Island (Tommy Harbor) 5
Topsiders (Damariscotta) 4
Glidden Point Selects (Damariscotta) 3+
Bar Harbor
Mackerel Cove (Swans Island) 4
Mount Desert Island (Western Bay) 4+
Wild Harvest 5
Cranberry (Great Cranberry Island) 4
Bar Harbor
Blondes (Hadley Point) 5
Bar Harbor
Blondes (Mount Desert Island) 5
Trenton
Cadillac (Trenton) 3
Brewer
Bay Oysters (Damariscotta) 4
14 dozen plus two Jumbos
All from Maine (except for Boss Gibson)
35 total varieties
24 new varieties
13 bars/restaurants
For this trip, if I had to select the best places for oysters, and had to narrow it to three, I would select The Hub, Scully's Sea Products and Eventide. I'm talking best environment, best shuckers and best oysters. But the rest were not bad - not at all.
Counting last year, our first ever visit to Maine, this makes 29 dozen oysters (plus two jumbos), 73 total varieties, 62 Maine varieties.
This trip I also scoped out (in-person) many other raw bars and seafood restaurants that serve oysters:
Maine Oyster Co. - Portland
It was not open. Appears to be more of a shucking school.
Primo - Rockland
We ate a fabulous meal here. They did not have oysters on the dinner menu. However, they had an afternoon oyster event at the barn outside. We didn't know about that until too late. Would be worth looking into.
Archer's on the Pier - Rockland
We ate here. Oysters are shucked out of view, in the kitchen. I prefer an open bar with a designated shucker. They also were serving a variety I had already tried. I skipped
the oysters.
Peter Ott's on the Water - Camden
Moved on from here after learning they had only one variety (Pemaquid). I had already tried them. Looks like a great restaurant, though.
The Waterfront Restaurant - Camden
Same for The Waterfront. Varieties I had already tried. Also, the shucking appeared to be done back in the kitchen.
Galyn's - Bar Harbor
Very nice restaurant. Didn't eat here, though. Hostess said, "We shuck them in the kitchen and bring them out." Again, not my style.
Geddy's - Bar Harbor
This place is a potential spot for a future visit. They had one or two varieties. What I appreciated is that the host told me that The Loft, a bit down the road, had the best variety of oysters in Bar Harbor.
The Barnacle - Bar Harbor
They only had one variety (Blondes). Didn't eat there. Very nice decor. On the second stop to observe, I noticed the oysters being sent up via dumb waiter from the basement "kitchen."
Sweet Pea's Cafe - Bar Harbor
We ate a wonderful meal here. It's the perfect atmosphere for oysters. I was going to try Blondes there, but sadly they were all out. No doubt I would return here to try oysters. I would just arrive very early.
Click here for last year's Oyster Tally.
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