There are a lot of great restaurants in Maine, but only one made the New York Times’ list of their 50 favorite places to eat.
The Press Herald says that over the past year, writers and editors at the New York Times made a list of the best places to eat. The Alna Store in Alna, Maine is the only place in Maine on that list.
This little market and restaurant in Alna, Maine is one of the best in the country
From the outside, this looks like an unassuming mom-and-pop store in Maine. But as the Times noted (via Press Herald),
On a rural crossroads covered in white clapboard, the Alna Store looks like the old-time country shop that it was for decades. But now, the shelves in back are stocked with natural wines, imported tinned fish and bracing housemade ferments (kimchi, hot sauce, curry kraut). And in front, an ambitious restaurant serves a thoroughly of-the-moment, local menu that’s full of sophisticated touches without being at all pretentious.
There is only one Alna Store. It is a store and diner that opened in December 2022 by Jasper Ludwig and Brian Haskins. They were also up for the Best New Restaurant James Beard Award.
Yes, they do have a shop where you can buy their fresh sourdough bread and other tasty bakery goods. They care a lot about food and making sure that the food system can last. They work with farmers, hunters, and artists in the area to get beautiful food and great service. It tastes good too!