PORTLAND, Maine — Portland is known for its vast array of interesting, innovative and international cuisine choices. But there’s plenty of room on greater Portland’s menu for one more bite of scrumptious restaurant goodness.
At least four more eateries are on the way: A seafood-and-sushi place, a pizza joint, a Filipino food market and an as-yet undescribed bar and lounge called Karibu Kwetu, which means “welcome to our place” in Swahili.
Here’s what we know.
Keg and Kraken, 653 Congress St., Portland
Long-time Portland sushi purveyor Benkay closed up shop at this location, sometime in May, with no fanfare. It’s other operation at 16 Middle St. is still going strong.
Taking Benkay’s place, according to the Portland Food Map, will be Keg and Kraken.
“Keg and Kraken will continue to serve sushi and the menu will be augmented to include Thai dishes and tiki-style cocktails,” the Food Map reports.
The new owners are Jiraphon and Steve Richards, along with Nisachuan Young.
The Richards own a laundromat in Biddeford. Young, according to the Food Map, has experience in the hospitality business in Thailand, where she was the assistant director of food and beverage at the Four Seasons Hotel in Samui.
After a few renovations, the restaurant is expected to open later this month. Follow the progress on their Instagram account and website.
Riverton Station, 1569 Forest Ave., Portland
This new pizza-and-grill-themed restaurant in the outer reaches of the city’s Riverton neighborhood will occupy a building that served as a smoke shop, filling station and convenience store in the recent past.
According to the liquor license application filed with city officials, principal owner James Hoglund plans to offer, “meal options for everyone in the family to enjoy and at a price point they can enjoy often.”
A sample menu filed with the city lists burger, steak, pasta and salad offerings.
Hoglund’s father, Peter Hoglund Sr., is a partner in the venture. The elder Hoglund used to own the Yankee Bingo Hall in the 1990s, not far away, at Morrills Corner.
Find out more at Riverton Station’s Facebook page.
Buena Vista Filipino Food Market, 528 Main St., South Portland
Mae Tallarico, formerly of Bohol, a province in the Philippines, formally opened this new market on Saturday.
The market specializes in hard-to-find food, fresh produce and household products from the Philippines, “that will somehow get you the feeling of ‘being at home in Pinas’” to “loosen up your homesickness while living here abroad,” states its Facebook page.
Social media posts also show pictures of Filipino rolls, handbags, jackfruit and specialty beauty products.
Karibu Kwetu, 263 Saint John St., Portland
This new bar and lounge is coming to a vacant shop space right between Burundi Star Coffee and Huong’s Vietnamese Restaurant.
The space used to house a Cigarette Shopper.
The new name is a Swahili expression meaning “welcome to our place”.
According to the Portland Food Map, the owners are Antoine Bikamba, Thierry Mugabe and Bertrand Muguberi.
“Bikamba is from Rwanda and is a co-founder of 207 Bar and Restaurant on Cumberland Avenue,” the Food Map states. “Both Mugabe and Muguberi are from Burundi.”
Bikamba is also a leader in the Rwandan Association of Maine.
No details are yet available about the new venture, but 207 Bar and Restaurant is known for its lively atmosphere, drink specials, dancing and Afro-Caribbean-tinged menu.
