🔒Friday Food Insider: Renovated Bristol barn becomes farm-driven restaurant

A century-old chicken barn at Broad Arrow Farm has been transformed into a year-round restaurant, marking the next chapter for the Rooting Pig, which opened Thursday after more than a year of restoration. The renovation of the Rooting Pig expands what began in 2022 as a seasonal farm stand charcuterie bar into a full-service restaurant. It is located at 33 Benner Road in Bristol. Owned by Maggy and Dan Sullivan, the Rooting Pig pairs indoor and outdoor dining with a menu built around ingredients grown at the Broken Arrow Farm and sourced from neighboring producers.

The opening also brings back the Broad Arrow Farm Market, which closed during the renovations in 2024. “Our goal has always been to reconnect our guests to their food: how it’s raised, how it tastes, and, perhaps most importantly, how it’s shared," said Maggy. "The farm’s relaxed, pastoral setting is integral to that goal." This summer, the Rooting Pig will be open Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 7 p.m., with winter hours to be posted at a later date.

About the kitchen

The menu emphasizes Maine's seasonal harvest, featuring vegetables, meats, seafood and grains from Broad Arrow Farm and neighboring producers. The restaurant also offers a craft beverage program of wine, beer and spirits. The kitchen is led by Red Hauge, who serves as head butcher, chef and culinary director. He most recently worked at Rockland-based Bleecker & Greer, which specializes in whole-animal butchery and charcuterie. Hauge's career includes stops at Publican Quality Meats in Chicago, Rialto in Cambridge, Mass. At the Rooting Pig, Hauge's approach centers on seasonal Maine ingredients, preservation techniques and rustic cooking. Hugh Crickmore oversees the front-of-house and beverage program.

Barn restoration

The Rooting Pig occupies an early 1900s chicken barn that underwent more than a year of updating by a team of Maine designers, builders and craftspeople.

The renovation preserved much of the barn's original character while creating a contemporary dining space featuring exposed wood, leather seating, communal tables and modern lighting. A screened porch and landscaped outdoor areas connect the restaurant to the surrounding fields and gardens.

Market reopens

The reopening also marks the return of the Broad Arrow Farm Market, located in the front of the restored barn. Managed by Ginger Dermott, the market offers homemade charcuterie, salami and butchered meats, prepared by the Rooting Pig team, along with seasonal vegetables, local cheeses, fresh bread, beer, wine and products from neighboring farms. The market shares the same hours as the restaurant.