Seven spots for a family feast in Kennebunkport, Maine - The Boston Globe (2024)

These days, though, it’s also a culinary destination. Finding places to eat for our motley crew, which included a vegetarian, two picky kids, an avowed carnivore, a slightly cautious septuagenarian, and a former professional baker, was surprisingly simple. Here’s where we ate — and where you should, too.

Thursday Night: Mabel’s Lobster Claw

We commence our trip at Mabel’s Lobster Claw, a mainstay on Ocean Avenue since I was a kid. Growing up, it looked like a fisherman’s shack. These days, it’s sleeker, with nods to modern dishes like lobster risotto and crab melts. But the classics — namely, a lobster Savannah packed with scallops, shrimp, provolone cheese, red peppers, mushrooms, and buttery Newburg sauce — remain. The service is a little salty, and so is the air. Oh, and the people-watching is prime: On our visit, a chap from Newport held court at the bar and discussed yachting; a glamorous woman sipped white wine in a corner booth and wrote letters; and, every so often, a shuttle from a luxury inn would roll to a stop and deposit well-dressed hopefuls at the host stand to plead their case. Lines are long. Reserve in advance or aim for a 5:30 p.m. arrival. We squeezed into the last remaining indoor booth and toasted our good fortune with stiff, spicy margaritas and overflowing lobster rolls. Be nice to your neighbor; you’ll probably see them at the beach in the morning. 124 Ocean Ave., Kennebunkport, 207-967-5132, www.mabelslobster.com

Friday Morning: Bev’s

I stumbled downstairs to find a rosy pink box filled with treasures from Bev’s, a new cafe in downtown Kennebunk opened by Nate Norris and Annie Callan, alums of San Francisco’s famed Zuni Café: plum muffins, a fluffy biscuit with fresh strawberry jam, and a wedge of rich, eggy quiche laced with mushrooms and red peppers — earthy, warm, silky. Bev’s also serves dine-in breakfast and lunch delicacies like boiled eggs and salsa verde on rye triangles; focaccia smeared with tomato jam and stacks of shimmering mortadella. It’s a happy little gourmet hideaway, and a welcome break from clam rolls and fries. 41 Main St., Kennebunk

Friday Lunch: Bennett’s

We pre-ordered sandwiches from Bennett’s, a 1982 Kennebunk original that now has slicker outposts from Boston to Burlington. Find a spot in the gravelly parking lot, let the screen door slam behind you, and queue up for massive sandwiches: cheesesteaks, lobster subs as long as a presidential motorcade, and even gloriously craggy hashbrowns. A trip to the soda case is essential, too. Grab an orange can or two of Moxie, plus a bottle of potent, private-label cream soda or root beer. And be sure to bypass Doritos for ketchup-flavored Humpty Dumpty all-dressed ridges, well-stocked beneath the cash registers. 200 Sea Road, Kennebunk, 207-967-5401, www.bennettssandwichshop.com

Friday Dinner: Wandby Landing

If you’re looking for a sophisticated yet accessible spot to dine with family members of different taste persuasions, Wandby Landing is a salvation. In years past, this place was called On the Marsh, an antique-looking house set among proper gardens that seemed very civilized and adult. Now it’s a loud (but not too loud) two-story monument to creative pasta and pizza upstairs, with a boisterous bar scene below. My kids share a pizza (order the pepperoni, with perfect little cups for grease and crisp edges) and swill Shirley Temples; we split warm peeky toe crab toast swiped with brown butter and lemon aioli; a memorable bluefin tuna carpaccio with generous cuts of fish, kalamata olives, and dollops of black garlic aioli; and squid ink spaghetti laced with jalapeno and fresno chilis. For dessert, we fight over a thick dark chocolate cremeux with happy dots of peanut butter mousse. 46 Western Ave, Kennebunk, 207-849-8849, www.wandbylanding.com

Saturday Dinner: The Clam Shack

After a long day at the Splashtown USA water park, where lunch was cheese fries and hot dogs, we needed a relaxing repast: no reservations, just seafood served fast. So we line up at The Clam Shack, the iconic shanty on the Kennebunk River. Order your overstuffed lobster roll (served on a burger bun) with either butter or mayo; you’ll be issued a button declaring your preference, and I flaunt my mayo allegiance with pride. Steamers are stout and briny; plastic cups of frosé go down smooth; and picnic benches are plentiful. After your feast, take the requisite bridge shot with the river and “LOVE KBPT” sign in the background. Please, just don’t block the sidewalk. 2 Western Ave, Kennebunk, 207-967-3321, www.theclamshack.net

Saturday Dessert: Goose Rocks Dairy

There’s plenty of ice cream in downtown Kennebunkport, but we drive a couple miles out of town for the old-fashioned, ice-cream-stand vibes at Goose Rocks Dairy. It looks like a summer camp, dotted with string lights and little cabins; flavors are scrawled on a long chalkboard. This place has everything: old-school grape nut and maple walnut; classic peppermint stick and black raspberry; and next-level creations like chocolate stuffed with colossal mounds of peanut butter cups (no wan vanilla-scented peanut butter lite here); cherry amaretto; and salted caramel with chocolate pretzel chunks. The waffle cones are sweet, fresh, and oh-so enormous: A kiddie size is at least two scoops. Bring cash and bug spray. 278 Mills Road, Kennebunkport

Sunday Brunch: Mike’s All Day Breakfast

Last but not least, we pay a requisite visit to Mike’s All Day Breakfast. This is the classic diner out of Angela Lansbury’s dreams, where locals linger over black coffee and tourists crowd the patio taking selfies. Servers don’t seem to mind, either way: They’ll obligingly refill your cup, offer little bottles of real maple syrup, and compliment your selections (croissant French toast with raspberry-blueberry compote is a wise choice). All the breakfast standards are here, with a few twists: I go for the savory crepes, three to an order with a saucer of hollandaise, stuffed with tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms. My kids get thick French toast topped with scoops of fluffy butter (and real maple syrup, of course); we’re almost ready for a nap, but we need to be alert to navigate the packed parking lot. Arrive early, or prepare to wait beneath Mike’s awning on a wooden bench. 55 Western Ave., Kennebunk, 207-967-5132, www.mikesalldaybreakfast.com

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Kara Baskin can be reached at kara.baskin@globe.com. Follow her @kcbaskin.