The Lompoc - Bar Harbor

The Lompoc has been one of our favorite Bar Harbor restaurants ever since we first started coming here for vacations.

The Lompoc opened in 1989 as a small café and gradually evolved into what it is today: a slightly larger small café. Over the years, we have enlarged the space, adding a garden, a bocce court, a larger bar and a heated open air dining room.

We change our menu three times a year, every year, because we choose to use seasonal fish and locally grown, organic produce, and because we like to try new things. Some items return due to requests and some we can never change.

We have been recommended by "The New York Times", "Gourmet Magazine", "Yankee Magazine Travel Guide" and were voted the regional winner of "favorite restaurant" in a 2002 contest sponsored by the Maine Department of Agriculture.

One of the great things about the Lompoc is that even if you don't have dinner here, you can still come for the music. There are talented musicians on stage every Friday and Saturday night. Blues, rock, jazz, folk, bluegrass, soul...the offerings run the gamut. And if you have a talent to share, come down on Thursday nights in the summer for Open Mic night.

Our bar features locally made Atlantic Brewing Company ales on draft, 15 wines and ports by the glass, and an array of specialty cocktails, including the Lompoc Blueberry Cosmo and the Limoncella Lemon Drop. We welcome visitors to join the zany bunch of regulars at our bar; we'll take good care of you. Or stop by for a game of bocce. It's as much fun as a game of billiards, but you don't have to put down your beer while you play.

Rosalie's Pizza - Bar Harbor

Had a great mushroom pizza last night at Rosalie's. First of the season but certainly not the last. Rosalie's serves up the best "traditional" chewy crust type of pizza on the island. Unfortunely you have to wait until 4pm to get one and its only open during "the season".

Rosalie's Pizza 46 Cottage Street, Bar Harbor, ME

Insider tip: Avoid the big line downstairs and head up to the second floor. If your lucky you can grab a table and put in your order at the counter. Or call in your order and do take out. Perfect for enjoying the summer concerts on the green. Also don't forget your veggies - Rosalie's has a great selection of salads. The staff is mainly imported Eastern European students so listen hard for your name when they call it out!

Sips - Southwest Harbor

I overlooked Sips in Southwest Harbor when it first openned. As a local I chalked it up as another place targeting the tourists. But on a recent visit for a late breakfast I've decided that is an all around great place for locals and people from away.

Outside Sips looks terrible. Like many of the buildings in Southwest Harbor, practical vinal siding has replaced much of the original wooden exteriors of the downtown buildings, details have been removed, all leading to a less then presentable downtown at least in the eyes of tourists used to "New England" tourist towns glitz up to their former or even created glory.

But anyway, wander inside and you're in for a treat. Sips cosy interior looks like something you'd find in New York or Boston. From the looks of things you might expect to be paying Starbucks prices for coffee, bagels etc but remember this is Southwest Harbor not Bar Harbor so the prices are surpisingly reasonable. I had an excellent bagel, egg and bacon sandwich and it was under $3.50.

Great coffee, bagels and cosy interior what's not to love in Southwest Harbor?

Sips

A new addition to Southwest Harbor is brought to you by Sawyer's Specialties Wine & Cheese - this wine bar style restaurant serves wine friendly small plates of innovative creations including salads, cheese & olive plates, bruschetta, seafood crepes, desserts and more. A nice selection of wines by the bottle or glass. Open for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

Gringo's Bar Harbor

A favorite among the college students from Bar Harbor's College of the Atlantic, Gringo's serves up some tasty take out (seating is limited) burritos. Get either a mini or the grande and get ready for the "heft" of these packed full flour tortillas. Its about as close to fast food as Bar Harbor gets and its a fine alternative to fried seafood.

Maine is probably the furthest place you'll ever be from Mexico but these burritos make for a great lunch.

Bar Harbor Golf

On July 14, 1894, the local paper, the Bar Harbor Record, noted “A golf club has been formed and links covering one and three fourths miles have been laid out at Kebo Valley...

Indeed today Bar Harbor boasts a golf course within walking distance from its downtown. The Kebo Valley Golf Club was founded in 1888 making it the the 8th oldest golf club in the United States and has challenged the skills of many of the country’s finest players, most influential politicians and leaders of industry. Nestled between Cadillac and Dorr Mountain in Bar Harbor, Maine, Kebo is a spectacular 6,131 yard, classic link and parkland golf course. Much of Kebo Valley Golf Course shares its borders with Acadia National Park, in fact at one point on the Park Loop road you pass the course on the left.

As you play on the course keep an eye out for wildlife, including Whitetail Deer, Red Fox, and the famous "mangy coyote" that always appears in the Police Beat. Look up once in a while to spot American Bald Eagles soaring above the links as well as hawks and falcons.

From Kebo management:

"Our championship par 70 course consistently ranks among America’s best public courses. We are rated among the "Top 15" public courses in New England by the New England Journal of Golf, among the "Top 10" classical public golf courses by Golf Digest and received a four star rating in Golf Digest’s Places to Play."

Photo from 1911: President Taft cards a 27 on what was then the "Elbow" hole, which is today's 17th hole. This hole is now commonly referred to as the "Taft" hole.

Note: For less serious golfers and kids, there is always Pirate's Cove mini golf just outside of town on Route 3!

http://www.kebovalleyclub.com
http://www.piratescove.net/location/7

Seal Cove, 1887

Map of Mount Desert Island, 1887

Enjoying lunch at Geddy's

Captain Crunch, Seth, Caffrey and Ed enjoy a meal at Geddy's. Geddy's posts photos of their customers on their web site - www.geddys.com