COurtesy / City of Westbrook
33 Elmwood, in Westbrook, will close permanently on May 8.
March 4, 2022
Two dining destinations in southern Maine will soon close for good
File photo
Back Bay Grill, in Portland's West Bayside neighborhood, will close permanently in the next few weeks.
By William Hall
A white-tablecloth Portland restaurant and a casual eatery in Westbrook on Thursday both announced plans to permanently close.
A fixture of Portland’s foodie scene since before it was a foodie scene, Back Bay Grill will soon shutter after 35 years in business, owner Larry Matthews Jr. said in an email and on social media. In Westbrook, 33 Elmwood posted its own farewell, saying the popular restaurant, bowling center and event space will close indefinitely on May 8.
Neither business said much about the reasons for ending operations.
“I have come to the conclusion that it is time to close the doors to Back Bay Grill and say goodbye,” wrote Matthews. “This was not easy, but it is time for me to step out of the kitchen, and move on.”
Steve Quatrucci opened Back Bay Grill in 1987. The restaurant, which serves a mix of locally sourced meat and seafood dishes and stocks over 400 wines, has won numerous honors including the Wine Spectator Award every year since 1998.
Matthews, who joined Back Bay Grill as a sous-chef, purchased the restaurant in 2002 from then-owner Joel Freund.
Last August, Matthews said he was stepping back from day-to-day operations and converting his restaurant into a pop-up eatery incubator, overseen by a new management team. But the restaurant, at 65-67 Portland St. in West Bayside, has been been dark since December.
“I will be emptying the restaurant over the next few weeks, and selling equipment and other items,” Matthews said Thursday. “Back Bay Grill will live on in my memory, as I hope it does in yours.”
A few miles away at 33 Elmwood, “unforeseen circumstances” are causing its closure.
“We have greatly appreciated your business and support,” a Facebook post said. “It’s been a great ride over the past six years!”
33 Elmwood, named for its address in Westbrook, opened in 2016 under owner Myron Hamer and consultant Shawn Lewis. They converted a former flea market and bingo hall into a dining and entertainment center, complete with a restaurant, bar, “rec room,” 14 bowling lanes and even outdoor bocce courts.
The establishment quickly became a go-to for families and attracted a loyal following over the years.
By Friday morning, the announcement from 33 Elmwood and the goodbye from Back Bay Grill had each drawn hundreds of responses on social media.
“This is so sad to hear,” wrote one Facebook member about 33 Elmwood’s news. “One of the best places around to celebrate special events and our family had so many wonderful memories there. We will miss you, 33!”
On Back Bay Grill’s page, a fan wrote, “Back Bay Grill became my favorite restaurant in Maine from the first bite. You will be missed.”
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