This Waterfront Maine Restaurant Serves Some of the Freshest Handmade Pasta in the State

Maine is known for lobster shacks and roadside fried-seafood stands. But down on the working waterfront in Stonington, there's a restaurant doing something a bit different. Fin & Fern has built a loyal following by pairing local seafood with handmade pasta, rolled fresh in-house just steps from where the boats dock. If you love fresh pasta, I think it’s a spot you'll want to check out.

Chef-owner Andrew Chappell opened the restaurant in 2019. A Johnson & Wales graduate with classical French training, Chappell has more than 30 years of experience cooking in restaurants, private homes, and chartered yachts from Bermuda to Australia. He first saw Maine from the deck of a yacht while cooking for a family in Bar Harbor. After three summers cruising the coastline, he decided to stay, eventually making Stonington his home.

What Makes Fin & Fern Different From Other Maine Restaurants

Plenty of coastal Maine restaurants serve fresh seafood, but very few make their own pasta. At Fin & Fern, every noodle and sauce is made from scratch, matching Italian comfort food with the daily local catch.

A few highlights I'd point you to on the pasta side of the menu:

• Ravioli: Cheese or lobster, with your choice of marinara, alfredo, pesto alfredo, or vodka sauce.
• Seafood Pasta: Lobster and shrimp over fettuccine alfredo.
• Spaghetti Arrabbiata: A spicy pasta loaded with shrimp, mussels, and lobster.
• The Fin & Fern Pasta: A house signature with caramelized mushrooms and onions, peas, bacon, and prosciutto in vodka sauce.

Because the kitchen cooks with the seasons, the daily specials change often, but there's always a steady selection of staples on the menu. Start with fresh Maine oysters, garlic-and-wine mussels, or lobster spring rolls before moving on to the pan-seared scallops, steak frites, or wood-fired pizzas.

The Sea Pig pizza pairs scallops and applewood bacon with ricotta and a maple drizzle, while the Basil Kush pizza brings together pesto, goat cheese, ricotta, and prosciutto. It’s creative without losing its coastal Maine roots, which is part of what makes Fin & Fern one of the most unique waterfront restaurants in Maine.

Why Stonington Is Worth the Trip

Fin & Fern sits right on Penobscot Bay in Stonington, which is the busiest lobster port in the state. While you eat, you can watch the lobster boats unload their catch at the docks, with gulls and distant foghorns in the background. It feels like a genuine slice of the coast.

The restaurant is a short walk from downtown Stonington's inns, gift shops, and century-old opera house, and the Isle au Haut ferry docks right next door. Stonington and neighboring Deer Isle connect to the mainland by a suspension bridge, about 30 minutes from Blue Hill and 90 minutes from Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. In other words: an easy, scenic day trip. You can plan your visit through the Stonington visitor site.

The Dining Experience

Inside, the dining room is bright and comfortable, with large windows framing views of the harbor. Depending on the weather, you can sit at the upstairs bar for a drink, on the covered deck (they provide blankets), or in the garden during the summer.

The harborside setting makes it a popular choice for date nights, anniversaries, and weekend getaways. If you plan to go, keep a few things in mind: reservations are highly recommended in the summer, and parties larger than five should call ahead. Because hours change by season, it’s best to check Fin & Fern’s website or Facebook page before you head out.

Scoring a table is usually the hardest part. Once you're in, all that's left is choosing between the lobster ravioli and the seafood pasta, finding a seat with a good view of the boats, and enjoying the meal. For anyone looking for proper, handmade pasta in Maine, I can't think of a better introduction than Fin & Fern.

If you love pairing a great meal with some moody ambiance, take a look at this highly recommended pasta restaurant in Maine, Wandby Landing, for your next evening out.