Every now and then, we here at the Boston's Hidden Restaurants website feature a dining spot that is not exactly in the greater Boston area (sometimes quite far away from Beantown, actually), but elsewhere in the New England region. And sometimes we happen to come across a place that is so incredibly interesting that we feel like we just have to include it within the site. And so it goes with the Lompoc Cafe, a laid-back, friendly little restaurant in the beautiful village of Bar Harbor, Maine, that is rather unique even for this quirky downeast Maine town.
The Lompoc Cafe, which has made Bar Harbor its home since the late 1980s, is hidden away behind the busy streets of town in a mini-restaurant row that tends to be frequented more by locals and college students than tourists. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor dining (as well as a pub area), and it also has a bocce court where patrons can spend their time either before or after dinner. The outdoor dining area is very pleasing, especially in the summer when cooling sea breezes are coming off the water, which is only a few blocks away. If you like music, the Lompoc is a good place to go, as bands and musicians of nearly every genre can be found here on Friday and Saturday nights.
The menu at the Lompoc Cafe includes organic, locally-grown products and is wonderfully varied. Starters include a delicious goat cheese salad with sunflower seeds; a Southern-style salad that includes chicken, pecans, and all kinds of veggies; a mouthwatering beer-battered asparagus plate; a tasty and filling Persian plate that includes grape leaves, spicy hummus, and marinated feta, and freshly made soups and chowders that are well worth considering. For entrees, the outstanding chicken and white bean burrito is tough to beat, while the flatbread pizzas have a crispy thin crust and lots of options for toppings. For those who aren't as hungry, the sandwiches and wraps are mostly very good, with the ham and cheese sandwich being a standout (the ham is thickly cut and has little fat). Finally, if you like good beer, the selection at the Lompoc is excellent, as they have several Atlantic Brewing Company ales on tap, including Coal Porter, Island Ginger, and Bar Harbor Real Ale.
While many diners tend to look for seafood restaurants when they are in Bar Harbor, there are a number of non-seafood restaurants in town that should not be overlooked, including the Lompoc Cafe. From the healthy (and tasty) food to the friendly servers to the outdoor dining and bocce, the Lompoc Cafe has a lot going for it. You may not want to drive 300 miles from Boston just to try this restaurant, but if you happen to be visiting Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, don't miss this special spot.
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