What a run it's been for the Biddeford, Maine, culinary world. From James Beard-nominated chefs to incredible write-ups in Food & Wine Magazine and others, it truly has been an upward trajectory for the up-and-coming small city. Heck, Biddeford was even featured on Netflix.

The extremely popular series Somebody Feed Phil made a trip to Maine a few years back. The show's host, Phil Rosenthal,, even sat down with Forbes Magazine to talk about the season that included the Pine Tree State. One question asked was in regard to his favorite dining experience of the season, and, wouldn't you know it, it was in Biddeford.

Phil's answer was the famed Palace Diner Restaurant. The tiny establishment, which originally built in 1927, absolutely floored Phil. This is what he had to say of his experience.

What they’ve done [in Biddeford] is kept traditional diner foods on the menu but upgraded all the ingredients and cooking techniques. So, [customers] are getting idealized versions of omelets, French toast, pancakes, burgers, sandwiches. I loved them all. [Eating at the diner] became one of the favorite things I’ve ever done on this show.

This is considerable praise from a man who has spent a decade traveling the world eating. To be able to leave that kind of lasting impression is not only impressive, but also the goal of every chef in every restaurant on this planet.

The Palace Diner is run by Greg Mitchell and Chad Conley. The two took over the 14-seat diner car in 2014 and received praise for their creative takes on diner classics. The dining car itself is an absolute classic. There's more character in that little restaurant than entire cities. It's a very unique dining experience.

The Maine episode is the fourth in Season 5 of the show. It includes stops in Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Wiscasset, and more.

As for the Palace Diner, it's open daily 8am - 2pm. You can see the menu and find more info on the restaurant's website.

35 Maine Restaurants That are Worth a Long Drive to Get to

Thanks to our great listeners we were able to compile a list of many of Maine's great restaurants, cafes, pubs and bakeries that are worth a long drive to get to.

These great spots can be found across the state and waiting for you to give them a try.

How many have you been to?

Gallery Credit: Chris Sedenka

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