Sample Some Gourmet Eats in Maine: Creative, Rustic, & Locally Sourced

As late summer segues into fall here on the MidCoast—and as the region’s spectacular autumn foliage begins to crank up—we’re already looking forward to a cozy winter here at The Craignair Inn by the Sea, a year-round destination for the finest in luxury B&B hospitality in lovely, tucked-away Spruce Head, Maine.

The colder season serves up lots and lots of special charm, not least the serene, rejuvenating quiet and the ravishing beauty of the snowbound coast. Our lauded on-site dining, which delights overnight and day-visitor guests alike, is always a big-time draw to our coastal Inn, but the winter season comes with extra-special foodie appeal thanks to the fabulous pairing dinners on offer at our Causeway Restaurant.

Exceptional Maine Dinners at The Craignair Inn by the Sea’s Causeway Restaurant

The Causeway Restaurant provides year-round indoor and outdoor dining along the Spruce Head shore, complemented by our Clark Bar with its small plates and refreshing beverages. Locally sourced ingredients and a sort of luxe-rustic aesthetic drawing upon the bounty of land and sea help define the culinary experience at our Spruce Head B&B.

From October to April, The Causeway plays host to monthly pairing dinners that combine gourmet dishes with local and regional breweries, wineries, distilleries, and other Maine businesses. These festive occasions offer the chance not only to sample the creative spin on coastal New England cookery that defines the Causeway culinary philosophy but also some fine Maine-produced products that, needless to say, go mighty well with those delectable dishes.

Pairing Dinners at The Causeway Restaurant

We absolutely love planning these pairing dinners at The Causeway Restaurant, which besides across-the-board delighting diners and guests gives us the opportunity to expand and strengthen our partnerships and collaborations with Maine artisans, craftspeople, and entrepreneurs.

To give you an idea of what these special meals look like, let’s explore some of what was on the schedule last winter. We kicked things off back in October of last year with our North Meets South Pairing Dinner, wherein our Causeway chef joined forces with Chef John Woods from Mississippi for an exquisite mashup of American regional cuisines, backed up by the lip-smacking craft brews of Maine’s Waterman’s Beach Brewery. Dishes included Maine Lobster Hush Puppy, Magnolia Fried Green Tomato, and Gulf Shrimp & Creamy Grits, among other knockouts.

We also hosted a Maine Whiskey Night, pairing Causeway Restaurant barbecue with fine whiskeys distilled from all across Vacationland, as well as a special holiday dinner featuring wines and bubblies via Central Distributors.

We love throwing a Mardi Gras in Maine party, last year’s edition featured festive dishes paired up with artisan cocktails spotlighting the Maine craft spirits whipped up by Portland’s Hardshore Distilling Company.

Other pairing dinners our guests enjoyed last winter included German Night (authentic German cookery married with Boothbay Craft Brewing beers), Spanish Tasting Night accentuated by live Spanish music and Pine State Beverage-curated Spanish wines, and Cuban Tasting Night, a collaboration with Bissell Brothers Brewing.

Upcoming Pairing Dinners at The Causeway Restaurant & The Craignair Inn by the Sea

You can expect a similar high standard of collaboration, creativity, and epicurean choreography this upcoming fall, winter, and spring here at The Craignair Inn by the Sea and The Causeway Restaurant.

And we imagine your mouth may well be watering at this point, after that runthrough of last season’s superb monthly pairing meals at The Causeway. So how do you keep track of what’s on tap for this season? Definitely bookmark our pairing dinners page and regularly check back in to learn about what partnerships and themes we’ve got planned for the coming months.

Enjoy Gourmet Eats in Maine at The Craignair Inn by the Sea 

With accommodations here at The Craignair Inn by the Sea, you’ll find yourself within easy reach of some of the top restaurants in Maine. If you’re wondering about where to eat in Rockland, Maine, or other regional hubs, we’ve got you covered over at our Craignair Inn Journal. 

And you can expect absolutely blue-ribbon dining right on site here at The Craignair Inn by the Sea courtesy of our Causeway Restaurant and Clark Bar. We invite you to the table any time of the year, whenever you can steal away to our luxurious B&B across from Clark Island, but we absolutely hope you can join us for one of our upcoming pairing dinners at The Causeway: an unbeatable chance to explore Craignair Inn gastronomy as well as the talents of local Maine brewers, winemakers, distillers, and other artisans! 

Book your stay at The Craignair Inn by the Sea today!