I always look forward to the sacred opportunities to walk through these doors. My friends consider me a pusher when it comes to this place. If they say,"hey let's go get an app", I'm talking this place up. A drink, I'm raving! Dinner, I'm drooling on myself as I try to make the easy sell on why we need to go. The ambiance is so chill, staff is attentive, and as I've already mentioned, the food and drinks are to die for. Plenty of vegetarian, gluten free, and pescatarian options which are clearly labeled throughout the menu. Their specials are always unique and ever changing to keep you enticed by new flavors. Their regular dining options are always top of the line. Many if not all their dishes feature local farmers, fishermen, cheese makers, growers, producers, roasters, and or purveyors. Also, the pasta is handmade in one of the dining rooms. Maybe you will catch someone rolling out some pasta dough! Their wine list is spot on. One of my friends ended up tracking down one of their wines to have on hand at his house. The beers are mostly Maine beers that are handpicked to satisfy all types of beer drinkers whether on tap or bottled. Overall, you just gotta go...now! read more

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Came to this restaurant with a good friend and had an amazing time. This place definitely gives off a homey and positive environment, making it the perfect place to go with someone on a date! The customer service was very friendly, as our waiter helped my friend and I decide on what dish to order. The food was also extremely delicious, making me want to come back again to try more of their dishes. Overall awesome experience and definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Brunswick. read more

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We were very disappointed with the food here. I'd been here several times and it's always been excellent, which is why I made reservations to bring our out of town guests. We started great, they gave us a lovely private room and our waiter, Jackson, was excellent. We started with appetizers, the focaccia was dry and tasteless, the rice balls were ok, but not well seasoned and the salad while tasty was scant and not well presented. All of the main courses were small and had very little seasoning. I was so looking forward to a good meal and even tried something different, the polenta with the lamb, but it really had no flavor! My husband got the chicken parmigiana which was the best of the entrees, but even his was not like what we'd had in the past at this restaurant. I asked the waiter if the kitchen staff had changed, but he said no. I'd chalk it up to just a bad night, but I'd sent other friends here and they said it wasn't good for them either. Our guests commented on the limited menu but to me that usually means that the food they are serving should be exceptional, and it wasn't! So this restaurant now off our list! Sad! read more

We've been going here for a number of years, even got their takeout while they were closed during the pandemic. Unfortunately, there has been a steady decline in the quality of their food in the past year or two. Last time we ate there several weeks ago, most everything was distinctly mediocre-the menu hasn't seen much of an upgrade lately either. I understand the original owner/chef, Tim O'brien, is not involved any more, which might account for the decline. Can't recommend it any more. read more

Enoteca Athena. Just say it. Let the words roll out of your mouth. It's so pleasurable to say. It feels fancy, it feels worldly. E-no-tec-ahhhhhh-the-na. Yum. You know what else is delicious about this place? Everything. Making a reservation for a large party? Effortless. Having them split our bills into many (many) individual checks? Seamless. Our private room with the large, wooden square table (which, by the way, is such a refreshing change from the standard long rectangle ones - you can't see the people at the other end of them!), the fairy and globe lights, the bottles of wine tucked here and there on appropriate surfaces throughout the restaurant (which I found incredibly charming)? Just lovely. Think indie coffee shop meets romantic European cafe. Our server? Perfect. We've gone to restaurants all over the state as a group of twelve, and usually have three or four people waiting on us. I'm nearly positive that there was only one woman doing it all - and she was on point all night, never missing a beat. Everything from ordering to drinks to food recommendations to serving us... it couldn't have been more perfect. Our drinks? So satisfying. I had a refreshing - and very healthy pour of the - lambrusco that came in a poco grande glass. Friends around me had cocktails and the general remark was that "they were strong", but I'd rather pay $10 for a strong drink than $14 for a weak one any day. The food? Abundant and delicious. We had the: - Peloponnese Hummus ($5): Made from chickpeas, evoo, spices. This was good, but very as expected. So if you like hummus, you can't go wrong with this. Unfortunately, it's sister spreads were SO delicious, that it just didn't stand up as well against them. + Skorthalia spread ($5): Made from potato, garlic, olive oil, apple cider vinegar. Like a mashed potato spread with a tremendous amount of roasted garlic... which I loved and couldn't get enough of. Could easily eat this as a Thanksgiving side. + Htipiti spread ($5): Made with whipped feta, grilled hot pepper. If you like htipiti spread, you'll love this one. Not too hot, just cheesy enough, and delicious as a cold thick spread on a crusty piece of bread. Kind of reminded me a of a fiery pimento cream cheese. + Ricotta spread with honey and walnuts ($5): Where did you come from, manna from Heaven? We had to order more of this because it was just so delicious. It tasted like Italian ricotta pie and was an amazing addition with the other flavors we got. Digression: You ever eat something at a restaurant and think: "I so wish I could share this ____ (fill-in-the-blank)"? Throughout the spreads, I just kept wanting my loved ones to be with me, because I know they would have just loved them! The sign of a really good restaurant must be when you're preparing to come back and are still on the pre-app apps. - Tempura Fried Cardoons ($10ish): think vegetarian calamari. No, it wasn't seafoody, but the texture, the preparation, and the way in which it was served reminded me of calamari. Cardoons are a thistle-like plant (think: swiss chard stem, but the flavor of an artichoke). They weren't my favorite thing of the night, but I liked the opportunity to try something new. + Arancino ($4.25): A fried risotto ball with a mozzarella center (daily preparation). Ours was with pumpkin and cheese... and it couldn't have been more perfectly prepared or more seasonally appropriate. It was meaty, it was dense, it was hearty, it was flavorful. This is vegetarian? This is only $4.25? I could get two... and be blissfully, painfully full. Change nothing about this, Enoteca Athena (except - please keep it veg-friendly!). + Squash Blossom ($10ish): I believe it was phyllo dough wrapped around a squash blossom filled with cheese and butternut squash, then fried. No complaints here! Finally...The price? It was just right. This was one of those moments when I realized just how painfully expensive living in Portland is. The quality and quantity of food we got for the price we paid was mind-boggling (in a good way). I'll finish with this thought: I don't love going out to dinner. So when people ask me "Where's your favorite restaurant?" I just never really have an answer. I think I do now. read more

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We ordered takeout because they were too busy and couldn't get a table for us. I paid 16 dollars for a piece of grilled chicken (9 dollars... equivalent to a quarter of a breast!) and greekamole (2 tbs). Won't be going back. read more

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The appetizers we had were outstanding. Really enjoyed the fried artichokes. Wonderful ambiance and great service. My risotto was good but could have used a little more flavor. Wife and daughter enjoyed their chicken parm very much. Lovely place read more

Amazing food all so good! We had two bottles of wine each person had a meal and we had a ton of different appetizers and desserts...nothing let us down! Can be pricey but the quality of the food is definitely there. read more

Enoteca Athena - Risotto - Wine Bars Near Me - Brunswick, Maine

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Three of us enjoyed dinner here on a Friday night. We had the Greek sampler platter, Greek nachos (house pita chips, kima (spiced Eastern River Cattle Co. beef & tomato), bechamel, scallions, olives, Greek yogurt) aarancinis to start. For our mains, we shared the Greek Salad and Caesar Salad. We had the cannoli for dessert. I would rate this 3.5* with the following to gain 2 more stars: 1. More variety of an authentic Greek Meze in a smorgasbord style. The traditional Greek restaurants have more platters with a variety of samples and these are often preferred over main courses. Our sampler had, feta, olives, hummus, pita bread, spanakopita roll, grilled & marinated spicy artichokes for $17. 2. Cocktails at $10 each- they were small enough and for a small Maine town, these were Boston or Ny prices 3. Connoli shell was overdone and too crunchy. Nearly fell off the cream filling read more

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We went there last evening and the experience was incredible from the start. Excellent waitress, food was outstanding and nighttime atmosphere was delightful. Highly recommend this experience for everyone. Thank you for making our Brunswick experience even better!!! read more

Really, the only problem I have with Enoteca Athena is that it's all the way up in Brunswick. It's not thaaaat far away, but it's far enough away that don't usually feel like going that far for dinner. The things I like the most about Enoteca Athena are: Nice cocktail list, including a "make you own Negroni" section. Negronis are probably my favorite cocktail, and while technically I guess any bar that has multiple gins, vermouths and amari has a design your own Negroni option, it's cool that they list them all out for you. Evocative and original wine tasting notes. Arancini of the day! The only thing better than deep fried balls of risotto, is deep fried balls of risotto that change their flavor ever time you go! A nicely varied menu. Its a fairly small menu, appropriately so for a fairly small restaurant, but it gives a nice selection of options. You can get a simple gyro, or spaghetti and meatballs, or you can go with grilled octopus or crepes with pear and white truffle oil. The service has always been exceptionally friendly and helpful. Also, it's super cute inside and the prices are reasonable. read more

On that rarest of things, a business trip to Brunswick Maine, my colleagues and I reserved the back room of this delightful little restaurant and were treated to some of the most wonderful food and service I could imagine. The staff was so kind and gracious and welcoming to our drunkenly party of 30+ people, and the food was just fantastic. We had a fixed menu that had a fair amount of meat dishes on it, which I passed on, but the veggie-friendly dishes (a cheese-filled pasta; cucumbers with tzatziki) were outstanding. Then, for dessert, we got pistachio olive oil cake, and it was so good I could have wept. I'm not exaggerating: best cake I've ever had. Our table ordered a second round of it because it was so good. Lighter than air, lightly sweet and moist with delicate pistachio flavor and just a hint of sea salt to complement the sweetness. Apparently it's the restaurant owner's grandmother's recipe, and I will be eternally grateful that they're sharing it with the likes of me. Everything else was spot-on...great lighting and decor and ambience. Go here, frequently and often, if you're in the area. read more

I stopped here on a whim, so glad I did! The food, the cocktails, the service we're all excellent! They have a Negroni menu! Can't wait to come back. read more

Well prepared drinks & food- all creative & so delicious! Wait staff friendly & knowledgeable. Bit pricy tho. Will definitely go back! Many apps & main dishes we want to try read more

Great service! Best Chicken Parm ever! Excellent bread and spreads!

Traveling from Augusta to Portland and looked for a restaurant on the way instead of eating at one of Portland's fine restaurants. What a good decision. The menu is very interesting and it was difficult to pick. My entree was delicious and filling. I plan to make this a regular stop on future visits. I thought the prices represented a great value. read more

Enoteca Athena - Ciambotta (V, GF) // $20 a southern Italian staple at Nonna's house - Wine Bars Near Me - Brunswick, Maine

If you like Greek/Italian you'll love Enoteca. This is a truly unique venue in Maine. The owners understand the food and wine like no place we have been to in Maine. We had two casual relaxed dinners with drinks and wine and were impressed on both occasions. Greek favorites as well as innovative twists on dished like kebabs, gyros and even oysters. We had such a fun time trying the wines suggested by the waitress. The oysters with prosecco mignonette were outstanding. You won't be disappointed. read more

What a local gem! Great food, warm ambience -- and the SERVICE. This is how it's done. Jess is a peach, and a wealth of knowledge for those of us struggling to navigate the Greek wine varietals. She knows the menu, knows the wines, and knows how to give you the best experience to showcase both. TIP: Try the cheese plate with a glass of Thrapsathiri. Cheeses are served with good, chewy bread, honey and mostarda. The Thrapsathiri has an exotic flavor with honey on the finsh. The combination: a match made in heaven! Also GREAT: The Greek Nachos: pita chips topped with kima (eastern river cattle co. beef, tomatoes & cinnamon), bechamel, scallion, tomatoes & greek yogurt drizzle. Pair it with the Atlantis Red -- a zin-like wine with great fruit and spice. Really picks up the cinnamon in the Nachos. A real treat! We've been looking for a local place to call home. I think we found it. read more

I really, really want to like this place because I love their sister restaurant (Trattoria Athena) so much. But, although the food is pretty outstanding, their cocktails leave a lot to be desired. I've had their "Sap Bucket" (tasted like pine trees), a Lavender Lemonade (that tasted like a box of potpourri), and some sort of Lemon drink. The lemon drink was so bitter that I had to ask for sugar on the side to sweeten it up because the salt and lemon rind on the rim wasn't helping the taste any. The waitress was extremely attentive and was nice enough to take the lemon drink off the final bill without me asking. The lamb gyro was pretty good, but the greek platter seemed a bit small for the $16 price. All in all, this place is not quite up to the high bar Trattoria Athena has set, but its beautiful location and friendly staff suggest it will get there eventually. Please work on a more palatable cocktail menu! read more

Had a lovely meal here just before Valentine's Day. Hubby had a fabulous greek style meatloaf. I had acorn squash roasted and stuffed with feta cheese, sausage and fennel. It was fabulous.l The coffee is god too. Each of us also had a cocktail. I had one called "What the Halva?" And if anyone knows what halva is...I do, I love it and this was halva in a glass!! Good service and nice atmosphere. read more

Delicious food, beautiful ambiance and excellent service! The hand crafted cocktails are a must!

We are out of towners up from Pennsylvania vacationing in Harpswell for our 5th or maybe 6th straight Summer. This place is unbelievable! Thankfully my wife did some quick web research on another site (trip advisor) and was able to read between the lines as many of their negative reviews there simply from folks who do not like Mediterranean fare. We started with the Antipasti and Greek appetizer platters which were both amazing! The dates on a slate were great. Highly recommended getting both! We had 3 younger girls (11-13) with us who were not interested in coming here but all 3 of them are every bit of there spaghetti & meatballs dish! Our two older teenage boys were in food heaven. Dinner wise the the gyros were stellar as was the drunken shrimp and the special bucatini! Wines by the glass were tasty as was the unusual Italian Pilsner "topopils". The staff was great as was our waitress! We all want to come back ASAP - likely in another night or two. Keep up the passion! read more

One of the best places I've ever eaten. Great atmosphere, great drinks, and great food

Went here tonight with a group of 8. We were seated alone in the room to the left, which was perfect, as we might have been a bit loud. We started with both of the platters (mezze and antipasto I think). To me, those were the highlight of the meal. Most of what I had was off the greek platter and it was all delicious. The feta was great quality, the spinach pie was tasty, the hummus and the olives were both good as well. We also ordered the buffalo cauliflower which I really liked. For my main course I had the chicken parm. I thought it was just OK. In hindsight I'd probably stick with the Greek side of the menu, and maybe even order a couple of appetizers as my main course. Service was nice, although a bit slow, but overall it was a pleasant experience with good food. I will definitely return the next time i'm in the area. read more

My friend and I had a wonderful dinner here last night- charming atmosphere and great service too- I am embarrassed that we did not get her name- my friend did not care for the wine the server had recommended- when the server asked and discovered this, she went to the bar and returned with two samples of other wines! Then replaced the first glass- Bear in mind, my companion did not complain about the first glass and would have finished it. Wow! We shared fried artichoke appetizer which was a special- fantastic and a tasty, light dipping sauce- both had gyro and a salad-very good- service was top notch- food was memorable- will definitely be back!!! read more

First time at this location. The drinks were fantastic, food is all made from scratch and its amazing, and the service was awesome too. Great experience and will be back. read more

Had a few drink and a app last time I was there. I went back and heard a staff member say make sure they spit in her food she didn't tip me well last time. I'm not sure what I left last time but this is never acceptable. read more

This is a long overdue review (I was here in October) and I am writing it because it is Negroni Week and the best negroni I ever had was here. The entire family really liked the food and the service was excellent. What sets this apart and makes it exceptional to me, an adventuresome cocktail drinker, is the "build your own" negroni bar with 2,592 potential combinations. Our server (she was great) recommended the Bar Hill Tom Cat (gin), Cynar 70 (amaro), and Allessio Chianto (vermouth) combination. Best cocktail I ever had. Having one as I write this review. read more

Food is absolutely delicious! I took one star away because of the time it takes to get your food/served and also because of the portion for dinner. It's more of a lunch portion. But the gluten free options s are killer. Definitely recommended! read more

We stayed in Brunswick for a night at a bed and breakfast off Maine Street. After searching on Yelp for a tasty place with a possible happy hour or wine menu, this was the place! With a casual feel and market lighting and the open kitchen area, I knew this place wouldn't be your typical Maine restaurant, which was great. They had many different wines on the menu to choose from, as well as beers. We ordered the antipasto platter of sliced meats & cheeses, crostini, which paired great with our wines. Overall the atmosphere was great and the staff was knowledgable about everything. Our waiter was a little slow coming back with our bill, but I wouldn't mind coming here again. read more

Recently came here for 2nd time on trip to Maine. If anything, better than the first time. Buffalo Cauliflower bites and carciofini fritti were both new experiences thoroughly enjoyed. The fritti were totally ungreasy, delicious, light, flavorful. Fusilli con Gamberi was my entree choice, with no regrets. Did I mention the Fire and Ice cocktail -- I'd come just for them. Not many restaurants that we plot a travel excuse to go visit again. This is one of them. read more

This is one of the best Italian/Greek restaurants I've ever had the pleasure to eat at. I have never reviewed a restaurant in my life and just had to give 5 stars to the amazing food, atmosphere and service. 10/10 would eat here once a week! read more

I've been to Enoteca Athena four times. When I first walked in, it was like I walked into a taverna in a fishing village on the Adriatic Sea: the type of place where all the seafood was caught that day, the meats, herbs, and produce were raised and grown by local farmers and someone's grandma is in the back making fresh pasta. The food is incredibly thoughtful. Every dish seems simple yet complex and has textures that allow each ingredient to be tasted as the diner savors this amazing food. Fried artichoke hearts and stems with lemon garlic aioli are crunchy and rich without feeling heavy; the aioli provides a bright acidic counter the yummy fried artichokes. Butternut squash, feta, cumin, mint, and dill are combined into slightly charred falafel-style fritters that are savory and complimented by a creamy not-overly-garlicky tzatziki. I had a salad with local greens, yellow-eye peas, wild blueberries, and a lemon garlic fennel pollen vinaigrette: a bright, refreshing combination of beautifully-layered flavors and textures. Monkfish chowder with local roasted corn, garlic, potatoes and leeks was delicate and herbaceous: atypical to most chowders that are laden with butter, milk, and cream; the wonderful monkfish was the star of this zuppa that made me wish I ordered the entrée-size bowl. Olive oil confit of fennel and garlic with roasted cherry pepper sauce, shaved pecorino and toasted herbed breadcrumbs provided a balanced array subtle and exciting flavors. My favorite dish was Drunken Haloumi: a piece of creamy haloumi baked with Metaxa Brandy, fresh figs, honey, sea salt and black pepper and was a sublime culinary experience. Masciarelli gnochetti sardi pasta with sautéed guanciale bacon, chianti butter, white wine, red sauce, hot pepper flakes, broccoli rabe, and pecorino del parco aged sheep's milk cheese was perfect tiny pieces of pasta in a sweet, tangy silky, luscious sauce. The guanciale was cut into tiny slivers and didn't overwhelm, the broccoli rabe was a nice green touch. When I finished, I asked for bread so what was left didn't fall victim to a dishrag. Baklava with pistachios, walnuts and lavender honey was a Mediterranean comfort dessert at the highest level of divine. Nonna's light, airy pistachio olive oil cake is a piece of bundt cake that is fluffy and full of pistachio flavor with a dollop of Frangelico whipped cream. Individual hazelnut and dark chocolate torte with fresh whipped cream and olive oil on the plate is rich fudgy, nutty,and unapologetically sinful. While the food is beyond reproach, the staff is engaging, knowledgeable, and helpful. This intimate establishment is the type of place where you can tell the people working there enjoy working there. It's the type of place that makes diners smile knowing they'll be back for more. read more

Really surprised this place had positive reviews. My boyfriend and I came here for dinner because we are staying near town for the weekend. We started with the Greekamole which was very good (a spin on guacamole). The service was slow throughout the night - it took about 45 minutes for our food. The risotto was extremely salty, to a level where it was difficult for me to eat. For $22 it was not worth it at all. I don't think I would give this place another chance unfortunately. read more

Since they have reopened, the quality of food is so much better! This is NOT just a wine bar anymore! Think fresh, handmade pasta, sauces made from pressed tomatoes and garlic, and not a bland bite to be found! Brunswick is so lucky to have such a cool, creative, delicious restaurant! read more

Excellent choice on Main Street. My wife and I were seated immediately and got an excellent recommendation on wine choice. We got the antipasti platter, which was pretty standard, but very well done. Personally, I got the stuffed red peppers and they were excellent! The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Glad we stumbled into this little gem! read more

Stopped in for dinner on a business trip. Typical touristy joint. Food was OK, service was slow. I sat at the bar because there were only 2 spots left in the place. It's fine, just nothing to write home about. read more

Given a gift card for Enoteca - We were new here, but longtime Brunswick eatery patrons. Disappointed - The mushroom risotto was soupy and salty. Falafel appetizer portion was tiny. Tried to use our gift card to pay and leave a tip, but informed by the server that gift cards couldn't be used to tip any amount - I'm sure the card was purchased with real money. Stupid policy. Way better options are just a few doors down. read more

Bustling on a late September Tuesday, this place delivered!! Unique Greek/Italian options. Fungi Fritti special was awesome! Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms lightly breaded and fried, then coated in house buffalo sauce, served with tsatsiki sauce. Awesome! Spaghetti a la Amatriciana special (in honor of the earthquake victims from the dishe's namesake village) was the best I've ever had! Generous bacon and lardo in a great red sauce! Nice wine list and cocktails as well! This place is not to be missed! read more

Big kudos!! Had such a great dinner tonight. Great food and wine along with stellar service. They have the distancing figured out and all staff in masks. Other patrons respecting mask requirements which made it feel safe. Our server even found us a pair of reading glasses and sanitized them for us since we forgot a pair and couldn't read the menu! So nice to get out and feel safe eating indoors and able to support local!! read more