With Conde Nast review, Biddeford gets another moment in national spotlight
Courtesy / City of Biddeford
Biddeford was noted for its vibrant downtown, inclusivity and revitalization efforts.
Move over, Portland, Biddeford’s in the spotlight. Again.
A glowing, detailed, 800-word article in Conde Nast Traveler magazine is the latest take on Biddeford’s renaissance, or “Biddaissance,” as some locals call it.
“Biddeford is rapidly becoming an updated model for how to take a negative — defunct former mills, in this case — and transform them, into not just nice shops and restaurants, but concepts that are cerebral and infectious,” the magazine wrote on Monday.
“Think affordable incubators for culinary creatives, visual artists, and plant-based fashion designers; art-centric hotels in what was once a hotel desert; and innovations by aquaculture and agriculture visionaries."
Conde Nast Traveler is a luxury travel and lifestyle publication with a readership of 3 million in the U.S.
In Biddeford, the magazine cited restaurants such as The Palace Diner and Elda, rare cookbook purveyor Rabelais, and the August arrival of the Lincoln Hotel as examples of the city's new vibrance.
“This article, and the numerous other affirmative articles, not only give residents some bragging rights, but also contribute to community pride, which is so important in perpetuating economic growth and in developing a strong sense of community, with strong neighborhoods and common aspirations and appreciations," Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant told Mainebiz.
“I point out to many that 10 years ago, on social media, Biddeford people identified themselves as living in ‘the Portland area.’ Today, they openly brag that they live in Biddeford. Seeing people in our community feeling this new pride is what pleases me the most,” Casavant said.
Biddeford has drawn a lot of press lately.
Earlier this year, Ben Jackson and Bowman Brown, chefs at Magnus on Water and Elda, respectively, were finalists for the James Beard Foundation awards.
The city was then singled out by Food & Wine magazine as one of four small cities in U.S. with “impressive food scenes worth checking out.”
To read the Conde Nast Traveler story, click here.
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Elda is open for reservations again starting June 1.
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