Project Social Kitchen might not have a view of the water, but its patio still feels like a natural paradise complete with mossy waterfalls and overhead fairy lights. It’s easy to spend an entire evening snacking on plates of miso-dressed kale and brussels while sipping fruity cocktails and chatting with the staff—they’ll even bring you a heavy woven blanket if you get chilly after the sun goes down. Make sure to order the duck tacos.

We prefer outdoor tapas spot Havana Parrilla over its fancier seafood counterpart Havana because it's the perfect place to unwind after a day of exploring. Order one of the tropical cocktails that are the color of orange or pink highlighters on the patio, since you might not want to change out of your hiking pants and Tevas. The menu typically has a wide range of influences—definitely get whatever seasonal vegetables are available, as well as the cheesy provoleta and tangy salmon adobo.

Bar Harbor isn’t exactly a fine dining town, so Havana (sister restaurant to Havana Parilla) stands out as a place where you can impress somebody who deeply cares about white tablecloths and extensive wine lists. But despite serving $50 steaks, it’s not overly stuffy. Don’t fill up on smaller plates like sweet and mild Bar Harbor oysters and brisket tostadas. Save room for the giant plate of seafood paella with expertly crunchy socarrat.

If it’s a glorious day out, you should get at least one meal to go and eat it outside. Downeast Deli only does takeout, so grab a giant Italian sandwich and put it into your hiking backpack to share on a trail or at the top of a postcard-like vista. Sandwiches are piled high with sliced deli meat—we love the salami, mortadella, ham, and capicola situation—and they also have stuffed baked potatoes.

This bright second-story bar overlooking Main Street is the best place in town to sample oysters. You can get really academic trying to compare salinity notes in the bivalves plucked from different areas around Mount Desert Island, or you can just go all-in on a few dozen sweet Bar Harbor Blondes and have fun with toppings like blueberry jalapeno mignonette and pickled onion ice.

There are unfortunately no cats at this breakfast spot on Cottage Street, but you should still start your day here by scarfing down homemade corned beef hash and a flaky biscuit slathered in strawberry butter. The wraparound porch also makes for some good people-watching as morning adventurers prepare to kayak around the bay or bike Acadia’s carriage roads.

Not to be confused with Jordan Pond House inside of the park, Jordan’s Restaurant is a homey diner that’s made blueberries its entire personality. They’re most famous for their blueberry pancakes and muffins, but you shouldn’t ignore their stacked sandwiches served on thick slices of marbled rye bread. It costs $2 extra to get your pancakes with a cup of warm wild blueberry syrup, but it’s 1000% worth it.

This tiny bakery has tons of kitschy touches, like a display of decorative batter beaters and repurposed sewing machine tables. Most people line up for the palm-sized bagels, which are baked fresh daily and have a nice, fluffy chew. Order an everything with scallion cream cheese, and if you get there before 1pm, consider the cheesy omelet breakfast sandwiches.

Lunch gets straight to the point. There’s a numbered chalkboard menu behind the counter of paninis and Italian sandwiches, all of which can get quickly wrapped up if you want to eat on the village green or while adventuring through the park. The tandoori chicken panini comes with a curry slaw that gives the sandwich a warm savory crunch and tints the bread yellow, and you’ll probably want to bring a breath mint to chase down the capicola sandwich doused in herby, garlicky house sandwich oil.

Thrive’s juices and vegetable-filled burrito bowls are a nice contrast to all the butter-drenched lobster in Maine. The spinach and kale-filled revitalize smoothie is great when you need to quickly recover from feeling seasick on a boat tour, and the tightly wrapped breakfast burritos with creamy chipotle ranch should be your go-to source for pre-hike protein.

Lots of spots in Bar Harbor are closed between lunch and dinner, but not Atlantic Brewing Company. That's why their tasting room in Midtown should be your post-hike destination for crisp summer ales and snacking in the afternoon. Refuel by having a giant pretzel served with beer cheese and grainy mustard on the second-floor patio. Or, seek refuge from the sun (or rain) inside with some chicken karaage drizzled with mayo and a sauce that tastes like a happy marriage between sriracha and BBQ.

No matter what time of day it is, there’s always a crowd on Side Street Cafe’s outdoor patio grabbing a bite or day drinking. With plenty of sandwiches and salads, the menu has something for both your mom who doesn’t do seafood and your younger sibling who needs a lobster roll after falling down a LobsterTok rabbit hole. The summer shrimp salad is also a refreshing option with melon, cucumbers, and honey lime mint dressing, and make sure to order a slice of blueberry pie for dessert.

If the pancakes from Jeannie’s Great Maine Breakfast aren’t on your cute small-town to-do list, they should be. The buttermilk blueberry pancakes have so many berries in the batter that the edges of the stack are a deep blue hue, and adding a pot of real maple syrup for $2 is worth every penny. The homey diner is only open from 6am-1pm and gets packed with families and park-goers, so either arrive early or browse the nearby shops for lobster-themed ornaments while you wait.

There isn’t much nightlife in Bar Harbor, and the Thirsty Whale is one of the few spots in town open past 10pm. It’s divey in the best way, with thick spear-like fries, tons of lacquered wood-paneling, and servers that will take overfilled shots with you behind a tray to “hide from the security cameras.” There are 14 taps with lots of crushable Maine beers, so you can easily spend an evening debriefing the day’s adventures and plotting which part of Acadia you want to explore next.

This small shack is a bit further away from Bar Harbor’s downtown scene, but its location near the bridge connecting Mount Desert Island with mainland Maine makes it a great first or last stop of your trip. It can get very crowded during peak summer months, but it’s worth the wait for lobster feasts and buttery seafood rolls. Large pieces in the roll are tender and beautifully creamy in each bite, and other things like chicken wraps and mac and cheese will keep the crustacean-averse happy.