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    The Riverside Café

    3.7 (178 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican
    Open 7:00 am - 2:00 pm

    The Riverside Café Photos

    THE RIVERSIDE CAFÉ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - The Riverside Café

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    Amazing breakfast, friendly service, and ambiance. A perfect stop if you're in the area or passing through. Highly recommend!

    Plate #3 eggs, lots of perfect bacon, crispy home fries and a pancake
    Renee S.

    The place was almost full when we ran in from the rain, literally. It was quite homey with nice local art on the walls. We were seated quickly and then slowly but surely waited on. Maybe one of the wait staff was off or the rain drove everyone inside. We ordered drinks and got those. After about 20 minutes we were able to order. The wait staff was honest when I asked about the hash and said it isn't homemade. Food came out about 30 minutes later. They were hopping now! The food was excellent and made up for the long wait. Bacon that perfect spot between soggy and crisp, really tasty and crispy home fries. The pancakes were good, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Order the Maine maple syrup!! When the bill came I noticed that the short stack of pancakes we wanted, 2 pancakes, one with chocolate chips and one plain was charged as 2 individual ones plus the chocolate chips instead of a stack with chocolate chips. Short stack is $5.55 and they charged us $3.75 per pancake plus $1.75 for chocolate chips. All she had to say was we would be charged for individual pancakes but nothing! That was a major disappointment. Otherwise this would be 5 stars.

    Bacon, eggs and home fries.
    Ross S.

    We were driving through Ellsworth and looking for breakfast and happened upon this very nice location in Main Street. We were seated quickly and our waitress did a great job. My eggs were just a tad overcooked but everything else was fine. My wife had an omelet and was pleased with it. Coffee was kept full and the restaurant had a nice local feel.

    Entrance
    Catherine P.

    Nice little locals diner on the main street. Good, diverse menu, and the diner is in an older building with lots of character. I ordered a short stack of the blueberry buckwheat pancakes with a side of bacon, and my mother ordered the Cobb salad. Both were more than enough for us. The waitress was friendly and attentive.

    Jim W.

    Nice sized 'diner' type cafe. All your standard breakfast options. We went with tomato juice to start. Pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs and French toast with blueberries. Food was good, service was okay.

    Beth E.

    I loved this old building as it has lots of character. Our server was friendly and efficient. The menu is extensive, but I truly dislike being nickled and dimed for extras. Maple syrup, sour cream, sour dough bread, salsa, etc were all charges of an extra $1 or more. I settled on a western omelet, although they called it something else. I liked that I had the ability to make it a 2 egg instead of 3 egg. The omelet came with potatoes and toast. Food arrived timely and was nice and hot. The toast was buttered perfectly and the potatoes were tasty. The omelet had very little cheese and the onions were raw. Not my favorite omelet.

    Tuna melt with Cole slaw
    Diane H.

    One of my favorite places in Ellsworth for breakfast or lunch! Today it was a solo lunch, seated at the bar. Tuna melt with cheddar cheese and a side of coleslaw. Loved that it was made with toast versus grilled. A healthier version I wasn't expecting but enjoyed. My server was also very solicitous, despite having lots of people to serve.

    Liz G.

    First I was overlooked to be seated, which shouldn't be difficult since there was just another couple and I. The waitress did give a heartfelt apology. Once I was seated it took no time for her to take my order. I got the vegetable eggs benedict. The hollandaise sauce was split not very appetizing to look at. The egg was cooked perfectly, it would have been a 4 star if the sauce wasn't split. Home fries were ok, I have had better. I should have gotten the pumpkin pancakes that were on the specials board. I'll be back and try this place again.

    Omelette with potatoes - wished the toppings were precooked
    Ashley M.

    Very busy when we went, but the staff was friendly and worked quickly to get us seated. I ordered the crab quiche which came with potatoes and fruit. The quiche did not skimp on the crab at all, could have used a little more flavor and extra cheese on top - but maybe that's just me. The potatoes were well seasoned but a little over cooked. And the fruit was so fresh and such a treat. I also got a side of hollandaise to try. Don't waste your time on that one. It didn't taste like hollandaise at all, very citrusy but not from lemon, maybe orange? And the sauce was broken and watered down. My partner ordered an omelette which was a huge portion and also came with potatoes. The omelette looked beautiful! But he complained because the veggies inside were not precooked, so he was left with undercooked vegetables that water logged the omelette. Why on letters and pizzas don't precook veggies beforehand is a constant question we struggle to find the answer for. Of note, we saw many table around us order pancakes and the portion is gigantic! Not a single table finished the order, so consider sharing if ordering. You will most likely have food to go, we both did even going in super hungry. Again, the staff was very quick and friendly, place was open, inviting and clean.

    Entrance
    Clau R.

    My sister, 2 of our friends, and I checked out Riverside Café last Saturday morning before starting the next leg of our road trip. It was around 10am and pretty busy, with almost all tables being full. We just wanted coffee, so we asked the host if we could get 4 to go and she quickly served us. We waited a few minutes while the coffees were being made, and off we went! They have an espresso machine, so we ordered 2 cappuccino's and 2 latte's. The coffee was good, and the interior of the restaurant looked aesthetic and cute! I can't speak to the quality of the food, but looked like a lot of people were ordering eggs benedict, so perhaps that is one of the fav items on the menu. The only reason I am knocking off a star is because we felt that the service could have been a little better in the end. First, when they handed us our coffee's, 2 of the lids were clearly broken and would have caused the scalding hot coffee to spill all over us, had we not asked to replace them. The lids had split open right underneath the opening where you drink from, meaning that the second we would have tilted the coffee cup to drink, the liquid would have spilled out of the lid and onto us. Second, the coffee was scalding hot (which is not a bad thing and definitely better than the alternative). However, they did not give us coffee cup sleeves, and we tried to find them but couldn't see any. We ended up having to gingerly hold the cups via one finger on the rim of the bottom of the cup and another on the lid. This is certainly not the end of the world by any means, but it did make a lasting impression for better or for worse. Either way, thank you for the coffee and quick service!

    Homemade Cinnamon Roll
    Chi L.

    My boyfriend and I vacationed in Maine and had the opportunity to stumble upon this cute town with this awesome all day breakfast cafe. We stopped by here to grab breakfast before going to Acadia National Park. Such a simple and cute breakfast place. It was rather busy when we arrived but was lucky enough to get a table with no problem. The pricing for the menu items is inexpensive and large portion. I got French toast, which they also offered me real maple syrup for a slight up charge. We also got one of their homemade cinnamon roll, which was warm, soft and sweet tooth craving goodness. Would definitely come here again for breakfast if we are ever back in the area.

    Victoria K.

    The food was delicious and totally reasonably priced. We have basically been doing a foodie tour of the northeast on this vacation and this is my favorite breakfast yet! My husband got the eggs plate and I got the Lox Eggs Benedict and it was absolutely delicious. I'm just sad I didn't have a refrigerator to bring it back to because it was more than I could eat. The hollandaise sauce was so good and they were very generous with the Lox. Really pleased! Sorry for the cropped picture I couldn't help myself but to dig in before I took the photo. So so good.

    Blueberries buttermilk pancakes, $5.50. Real maple syrup, $$1.00.

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    No pics, cuz I ate it too fast. But, the sausage gravy biscuits was good and definitely and definitely country.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - The Riverside Café

    What time do they stop serving breakfast during the week?

    All day!! They close at 2!

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    Airline Brewing Company Pub

    Airline Brewing Company Pub

    4.1
    (179 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    Ellsworth's best known little brew pub is also a friendly little place to get the best beer in…read moretown. The food is above average (I recommend the baked potatoes!). Flights of beer in a small cozy setting. Oatmeal stout among the best I've had. Famous for their Red Ale. You really can't find better beer In Ellsworth!

    They have traditional Cornish pasties, which my husband says are the best thing he's ever eaten. He…read morealso loves the Steak and Ale Pie. I like the Blackened Haddock Tacos and the pretzel sticks. Pro Tip: get BOTH the "beer cheese" and the "beer mustard" and get extra of both. You might have extra, but you can use the extra on sandwiches tomorrow. The extra mustard is also great with cheese and crackers as a snack. The blueberry cobbler is fantastic! The peanut butter pretzel pie did not impress my husband; he said the pretzels themselves tasted cheap, like grocery store pretzels. I have been trying to get them to add a vegetarian pasty to the menu. They have almost nothing vegetarian in there, and a Greggs style cheese and onion pasty would also be extremely traditional and surely wildly popular. PLEASE ADD A VEGETARIAN PASTY!! And/or a fish pasty, which would also be very traditional. Oooh, what about a Stargazy Pasty with leeks and cream? Now, THAT would be traditional and would certainly get some media attention. I will raise my rating to 5 stars as soon as this place adds a good vegetarian or fish Signature Entree (preferably a pasty!!). That is literally the only reason they're not getting 5 stars, that it's way too oriented towards meat eaters. (They do have a grilled cheese toasty and a vegan garden burger, so I would still go there if you are vegetarian or vegan, but keep your expectations low when it comes to selection.)

    Photos
    A view from the back
    A view from the back
    Airline Brewing Company Pub
    Cottage Pie

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    Cottage Pie
    Provender Kitchen + Bar

    Provender Kitchen + Bar

    4.4
    (193 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$$

    We greatly enjoyed our dinner at Provender and highly recommend it. The tuna nacho appetizer was…read morephenomenal. My cocktail (I forget the name, but something with pineapple rum) was very good too. Our entrees were good as well. The chicken with a truffle cream sauce was very well done. I had the rigatoni with short rib, and enjoyed it, although I'll try something else next time. The chocolate torte for dessert was small, but very, very good. Service was friendly, helpful, and efficient. Ambiance is not fancy, but modern and comfortable. I appreciated the lounge / house music in the background... audible enough to set the vibe, but very easy to have a conversation over. The need to give credit card information to make a reservation had dissuaded me from trying Provender in the past, but now I'm kicking myself for not coming sooner. I am eagerly looking forward to my next visit.

    The appetizers were excellent!…read more We ordered mussels which were tasty and generous, could have been is own meal. If it was served with crusty bread instead of a thick slice of toasted bread, it would have been perfect. The nachos were unique and delicious with generous toppings and ahi tuna... also could have been a meal by itself... chef's kiss to those two items! Our entrees were a dish called Gnudi- which if you don't know what they are(we didn't and when we looked it up, it said it is similar to gnocchi- IT ISN'T!!!) ask before you order, if you've never had it, it's very unique and we didn't care for it at all... there was no recourse given by the restaurant... make sure you know what it is!! Our other entree was rigatoni that was topped with ricotta and short rib sauce, shredded cheese... it was tasty, but very pricey for a bowl of pasta... To make a reservation, you need to give a credit card and if you don't show up, your card is charged $25 per person. The service was friendly until we didn't like the Gnudi... then it was a little weird... It was fine, but not exceptional... Cold bottles of water are given to the table and refreshed as necessary. The restroom is not kept up, could use shine attention, a little elbow grease to clean it. They are on Facebook and offer specials on their burgers.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    S'more's Chocolate Moose and Creme Brûlée
    S'more's Chocolate Moose and Creme Brûlée
    Provender Kitchen + Bar

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    Fogtown Brewing Company

    Fogtown Brewing Company

    4.4
    (78 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $

    Five stars for the pizza! Recommended by a friend, so I decided to check it out. I chose a…read moremargherita pie this time. Fantastic pizza! Now I will recommend it to others. Cool little spot, almost a backyard feel. Employees were kind and helpful.

    Wow wow wow! I think this was the overall best brewery we visited while in Maine! The beer and the…read morefood were incredible! Add in the ambiance and you get this gem in Ellsworth. We walked over from the main strip of downtown and loved the vibe as soon as we arrived. Walking down the stairs to get to the brewery versus the glass blowing shop was so cute. With apples on the ground from the apple trees, it couldn't be more "Maine". When walking in, you order at the bar for both food and drink and then there is a booth/trailer out back where the food comes out. The inside is set up for open mic night and then outside they have a full stage where they host live music. There is plenty of seating outside at the picnic tables as well. We ordered a couple beers, the Margherita pizza, the potato chips, and the Carrot Top salad. I cannot tell you howwwwwwwww amazing the salad was!! I have never had a salad like this and I ate every last bite. The roasted carrots were so good, combined with the crispy onions and the dressing; it was heaven. The chips were incredible and the dip that comes with it just elevates it that much more. I believe it was a pickle dip of some sort? I can't remember specifically, just that I needed a vat of it. Then the pizza?! We couldn't finish it but man did we want to! Add all this tasty food to a beautiful backdrop and we were the happiest little foodies in Maine. Hands down best stop in Ellsworth!

    Photos
    Fogtown Brewing Company
    One of our most popular pies, the 'Elote', made with fire-roasted corn, spicy crema & cilantro oil.
    One of our most popular pies, the 'Elote', made with fire-roasted corn, spicy crema & cilantro oil.
    Live music on the Beer Garden Stage

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    Live music on the Beer Garden Stage
    Finn's Irish Pub

    Finn's Irish Pub

    4.2
    (308 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    Ok. I'm not going to lie. When I first looked at the menu I actually headed next door to…read moreMargarita's to eat instead. Boy do I regret that decision! We came back the following night for a REAL treat... First of all, Tony was our server. What an absolute sweetheart!! He had nothing but fantastic recommendations for us. He was definitely not your standard "waiter". He spoke to us like we were regulars, which we appreciated, considering we were from Massachusetts. We ordered three of his suggestions: wings, fish and chips and the spicy margarita. Outside of what was recommended we also got the beer cheese and GIANT soft pretzel, bangers and mash and the creme brûlée. First off- this was my first time trying beer cheese, so I was beyond excited. I hate pretzels, however. Guess what?? They were BOTH SOOO GOOD!! The pretzel was the size of my giant head and was so soft & salty. It really paired well with the creamy beer cheese. I'd come back just for this appetizer every time. The wings too, actually! I was a little hesitant because I read the word "dill" on the menu but they really tasted more like Buffalo wings with a note of dill at the very end. I think I might be in love.... On to the main event! The Smithwick's beer battered fish and chips... WOW. It was a little different than I'm used to (which was a great thing in this case). The batter was thick and crispy (I'm used to thinner) and the haddock was super moist. Very fresh! I order this meal wherever I go and this is definitely in my top 3 (out of probably 50 others). I was hoping I could switch out the chips for fries because, well, I've never had traditional chips before! I must say I was pleasantly impressed though! They were the BEST and completed the dish perfectly. My fiancé had the bangers and mashed. He said it was good and very traditional. I did not indulge, so I can't relay that in my review. Last, we ended the meal with a MUST try....the creme brûlée. LEAVE ROOM FOR THIS DESSERT! The top was a hard sugar coating while the rest was truly a creamy dream. I might have to stop back in JUST for this before I head back home! 5 stars. Definitely. 6 stars for service!!

    This place is quite good. It is mostly geared towards meat eaters, but it actually has a few fish…read moreentrees, although there's nothing vegetarian in the Entrees section of the menu. They try to make up for that by having a variety of mac and cheese, but although the base mac and cheese is good, all but one of the interesting variations are meat-based. The only vegetarian mac and cheese variation is the "Classic Tomato Mac" which I found rather disappointing. The tomatoes were not particularly good, kind of watery and bland. I would raise this rating to 5 stars in a heartbeat if they add a couple more interesting vegetarian mac and cheese variations. It would be so easy. What about a caramelized onion and mushroom mac and cheese? A jalapeno popper mac and cheese? Or make that tomato one more interesting by adding some basil pesto or switching the tomato slices for a sundried tomato pesto? So many possibilities!

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Pumpkin Spice Martini
    Pumpkin Spice Martini
    Finn's Irish Pub

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    Union River Lobster Pot

    Union River Lobster Pot

    4.3
    (366 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Outstanding lobster rolls in addition to their lobster offerings. Their 1.25 lb lobster came out…read moreperfect. Abby was our server today. They have three seating options: inside (air conditioned) outside with a screened in porch, or outside with picnic table seating by the Union River. I like the River option on cooler days, but you can also see what the drought has really done to the water level. Tip: Their Lobster Pot Red Ale is a must try.

    Apparently we got lucky and were seated right away though food took a long time to arrive anyway…read more Everyone at the table enjoyed their food whether it was lobster rolls, the lazy lobster dish or the steak tips with large chunks of meat. The baked stuffed haddock dish I got was okay. I didn't get much flavor from it. The garlicky mashed potatoes side was doing the heavier lifting on that front. It seems likely that I ordered the wrong thing. Service was just okay, with no apologies or acknowledgement for the long wait and a bit of time passed with empty cups before they offered drink refills as well. Ambiance is loud open restaurant style with live music in the patio and some lobster fishing related decor. Because the table enjoyed their food much more than I did, I would be disingenuous to rate it less than four but I was not impressed. One of our family members considers this place as their favorite lobster roll place so there's that.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Blueberry pie
    Blueberry pie
    Union River Lobster Pot

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    Helen's Restaurant of Ellsworth

    Helen's Restaurant of Ellsworth

    3.5
    (238 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    Stopped by this iconic restaurant at the recommendation of the innkeeper where I was staying. It…read morewas packed to the gills (pun intended) with both locals and the hordes of tourists who descend to this part of Maine to visit the Acadia region. The place is apparently famous for its pies, and if course, since it is Maine, fir seafood. A lot of the dishes in the menu are market price, which is understandable. The waitress was Megan and she was all smiles and very friendly, and there's a small army of staff working their tuchis off on Sunday, which is when I dropped by. Super generous portions, which seems to be the standard for this region of Maine. I started with the basic Maine dish of seafood chowder. Helen's seafood chowder is a rich, creamy soup that celebrates the fresh flavors of the area. Tender chunks of haddock, clams, shrimp, and scallops are simmered with potatoes, onions, and celery in a white thickish broth seasoned with butter, herbs, and perhaps a touch of black pepper? Every spoonful was hearty, comforting, and filled with the sweet, briny taste of the sea and packed with chunks of seafood. Definitely Maine style comfort food! Once again, I went for the fish and chips and that was a hit! Flaky, fresh Haddock coated in a light, crispy golden batter and fried to perfection. Served alongside hot, hand-cut fries, this classic favorite of mine was (as usual) accompanied by creamy coleslaw, tangy tartar sauce, and a fresh lemon wedge for the perfect finishing touch. Did I mention that the blueberry pie was out of this world? YUM! And they have military and veterans' discount!

    Down(east) home cooking! I ordered a classic turkey club w/ fries & some potato skins (because…read morehusky men like food). Helen's gave me exactly what I wanted for this evening and exactly what I was expecting. They were out of banana cream pie. But another pie looked good. Turns out it was a vanilla cream pie w/ cinnamon graham cracker crust and it was excellent! The restaurant seemed to be hosting a small gathering for firefighters and other first responders tonight. It's the type of place where all people say hello to you and make you feel comfortable. And I got all this from a takeout order! A throwback to the good old days. I will return... for banana cream pie

    Photos
    Hometown decor
    Hometown decor
    Blueberry pie!
    Blueberry pie!
    Front entrance

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    Front entrance

    The Riverside Café - tradamerican - Updated August 2026

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