Photo / Courtesy, First Serve Hospitality Group
Pictured here is the crispy chicken sandwich, fried and served with tomato, onion and pickle and topped with Harbor Burger Shack’s Wicked Harbor Sauce.
Updated: July 12, 2024
Friday Food Insider: '50s-inspired burger joint opens in Kittery
Photo / Courtesy, First Serve Hospitality Group
Harbor Burger Shack is located at 355 U.S. Route 1 in Kittery.
A reimagined 1950s roadside diner will officially open July 15 in Kittery, and will serve up hamburgers, hot dogs, shakes and fries.
Harbor Burger Shack, at 355 U.S. Route 1, comes from First Serve Hospitality Group, a restaurant collective that owns restaurants in Kittery and Kennebunkport, including Bob’s Clam Hut, Mabel’s Lobster Claw and H.B. Provisions.
The First Serve Hospitality Group told Mainebiz the spot has already "seen tremendous interest from both tourists and locals alike.
"It's been incredibly rewarding to watch people enjoy the space and see the smiles on their faces as they step through our doors and are transported back in time.”
The menu includes classic, simple foods like hamburgers, hot dogs, shakes, and fries, but with a twist. Menu highlights include the classic harbor burger, back from the beach burger, fried fish burger, hot diggity dogs, crispy chicken sandwich, various fry options, fried pickles and several milkshake flavors.
The 4,500-square-foot space will include seating for up to 90 people and a country store filled with souvenirs, local artisan gifts, retro candies, whoopie pies, a vintage “popcorn truck” and a cotton candy machine. The restaurant will also soon have an outdoor patio.
An authentic 1932 firetruck marks the restaurant's entry. The interior has a retro aesthetic, with teal blue walls, flag red and white tiles and mustard-yellow hanging lights. Vintage advertising posters of American cartoons and brands and original neon signs add to the nostalgic atmosphere.
Photo / Courtesy, First Serve Hospitality Group
A look at the inside of Harbor Burger Shack in Kittery.
The space boasts high ceilings, upcycled exposed wood beams and a large fireplace, as well as a large open kitchen with a long white marble ordering counter.
The restaurant will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., so grab your poodle skirt and saddle shoes and enter the 1950s food world.
Other news from Maine's foodie world
- After a multiyear search across the greater Portland market, Blaze Pizza is finally coming to Maine. The pizza shop will be located at 451 Payne Road in Scarborough. Blaze Pizza is known for its “fast-fire’d,” build-your-own pies, offering artisanal ingredients and options for those with dietary restrictions. Jeff Martin’s Wildefire Restaurant Group is the local franchisee behind the new Blaze, slated to open by early fall 2024.
- The International Caterers Association will hold its next workshop from July 23-24 in Saco. The event will provide industry networking, education, information gathering and social events. Attendees will begin with a lobster bake and venue tours at Blue Elephant Events and Catering at 265 North St. in Saco on July 23. A full day of education will be held July 24 at River Winds Farm and Estate in Saco. Attendees are expected to be from catering markets around the country, as diverse as Chicago, Salt Lake City, Baltimore, Brooklyn, N.Y., and Fort Worth, Texas.
- Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce’s 32nd Annual Taste of Waterville is planned for Wednesday, July 31, from noon to 10 p.m. at the Head of Falls in downtown Waterville. This adult-focused, day-long event will feature a variety of food options from area food trucks and bite booths, vendors, live music, brew sampling and beer/wine gardens. The event has no admission fee, so grab your 21-plus friends and head to Waterville.
What foodie events are you most excited to attend? The Mainebiz Food Insider wants to hear from you! Contact Alexis Wells at awells@mainebiz.biz.
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