It feels like the Portland, Maine, restaurant scene needed a little bit of good news. After all, there's been a string of recent restaurant closures that have caused many in the area to question whether the food scene in the city has peaked or whether a shortage in staff, high rent and atmospheric conditions are sustainable.

The rumors of Portland's demise may end up being exaggerated. Because one of the city's most recognizable waterfront restaurants is about to get a facelift and reopen after more than six years of being shuddered.

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That would be the Dry Dock restaurant on Commercial Street. According to Portland Food Map, the owners behind Luke's Lobster have leased the vacated space with plans to renovate the building and revive the Dry Dock as a reimagined seafood tavern.

The curious case of Dry Dock's closure in 2018 has remained a gossip point in Portland for years. Initially, the restaurant appeared to close for a massive renovation with plans to reopen the following summer to enthusiastic summer crowds that the restaurant had hosted for decades.

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But that never happened. Instead, the restaurant remained closed as rumors persisted that it reopen again and again. In reality, the restaurant sat vacant and languished year after year as an eyesore on the waterfront. That will change soon enough.

The new owners behind Dry Dock plan to get to work immediately on their renovation plan. Their belief is that the restaurant will be ready to open for the summer of 2025.

While the Dry Dock will see a revival, many other notable restaurants in the city have closed. The list includes Slab, Thistle and Grouse, Golden Lotus, Free Street as well as Local 188.


 

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