Amazing and delicious food and a fabulous ambiance
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Deborah Fahy
Market section with local food and curated gourmet items, plus fine dining restaurant - wine, cheese, gifts, etc. We went to shop but definitely will be back for dinner one night soon as the menu looks fantastic!
Well we did go back and I've updated my review accordingly. I submitted this review privately through Alna Stores booking service but no one bothered to respond.
We arrived on time for a 6:30pm reservation made well in advance and ended up standing around in the store for a half an hour while table after table was seated before us. While it was clear that the cause was limited space, and a table of 5 lingering where we were to be seated, all it would have taken to make us happy with the situation would have been for the guy hosting to check in with us after 15 or 20 minutes with an update and maybe even an apology for the wait. Even happier - a comped drink or dish. The food was great, but we drove a half an hour on a dark cold February night with guests from Boston and Toronto and found the indifferent hospitality really disappointing and surprising considering the NY Times write up etc.
Note - one star for service does not reflect on the wait staff.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 1
Jake Maxmin
I’ve been here a few times and I’m in awe of how they have transformed it, and done such an amazing job!
That being said, almost all of the dinner food at our table missed the mark for me, and I couldn’t finish my own food because the flavor was so off. I am unsure how sustainable it is to charge the prices they are listing without knocking everything out of the park.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Isaac Savitz
What a surprise. Belongs in Napa. Unique flavors. I had the best maple latte I’ve ever had. Like the best latte. Not just maple latte! This place cares and is passionate about food. Make a reservation.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken and Waffles
Dean McIlwrath
We had a fantastic meal for 5 at the Alna Store Saturday evening. Drinks, food, and service were all spectacular, and well worth the 50 minute drive from Phippsburg. Started off with great craft cocktails, including an unusual Peach Absinth Frappe and a perfectly executed gin and tonic. Apps were also fantastic, my favorite was the sour dough and pickle plate with a delicious mustard butter and added house-made caraway fennel chili crisp. Main courses were excellent, I had the best fresh fish plate ever, a whole trout expertly deboned with crisp skin and an amazing sauce with Italian peppers and fingerling potatoes. Scallops, braised pork, and chicken dishes all got rave reviews. Deserts were also outstanding, including delicious sorbet, an awesome crab apple custard with an olive oil shortbread crust, a flourless chocolate cake that was somehow both decadent and light, and an espresso martini that vanished before I could get a taste. Service was friendly and efficient, a great team effort with care taken to deliver the right plates to each diner and help us select the perfect dishes from the unusual choices on the current menu. Only downside (sarcasm here) for me was the store itself, which occupied part of our group for an extra 15 minutes after the meal and added extra $'s to the evening, but that was well worth it the next morning, as we tore into a sourdough baguette that was excellent even though not fresh out of the oven, complimented with some earthquake cheese and birch syrup. Looking at the online menu I thought this might be a restaurant trying to hard to be different to justify high prices, but that concern was 100% unfounded, and I cant wait to return. Definitely worth the trip and the expense if you are anywhere in the general vicinity.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sarah Greenier
Fantastic food, lovely rustic atmosphere & good mix of people. We can’t wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Colin W
Great chicken fried steak and sourdough donut! Highly recommended for brunch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tyler
Really lovely place. Fabulous deliberate food, unique and creative setting, friendly and thoughtful staff.
Kid-friendliness: As a parent I appreciated their designy coloring book pages and crayons. I also spotted a toy truck behind the welcome stand. Places that treat kiddos well get extra bonus points from me.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Blaine Horrocks
Heard so much in the news about this place. Stopped by 15 minutes after brunch closure to see if possible to purchase take home desert. Staff was emphatic “we’re closed” until dinner. “Do you have reservations; we’re opening again soon”. No thanks. Couldn’t accommodate a simple request having little to no effect on there upcoming dinner hour.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
David Post
Stopped in for lunch a Saturday. Great atmosphere and service. The burger was incredible. Pricing is fair as well. This place is a gem I wish was open every day. Its a must go.
What can’t I say? This place is among the best restaurants I have ever been too. Having traveled the east coast and explored some in Europe I have only ever encountered one other restaurant that consistently astounds me the way the Alna Store and its staff does.
Even though we live in the Portland area driving up for dinner doesn’t even phase me for a moment.
I’ve been five times now and every time has been superb. High quality, delicious food served in an honest, warm, and unpretentious manner has left me loving the place more every time. These people love food and you can tell.
For the sake of not writing an entire essay I’m going to stop here: don’t expect a red carpet and white gloves, that’s not the Alna store, expect phenomenal food, after being invited into what feels like their home.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Harry Nelson
We've heard raves about The Alna Store restaurant so 6 of us - 'foodies' from the Portland area - made an outing to Alna. The food was excellent, but for a high end restaurant, the service lousy. Perhaps because our rez was for 7:15 on a Thursday, we felt extremely rushed. We ordered appetizers and mains, and everything was brought out at once - there wasn't enough room on the table for all the food.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 2
Katie Pellecchia
Delicious!
Wheelchair accessibility: There is a wheelchair ramp
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
amy boyer
What a fabulous dining experience ! Such a cozy vibe with the most delicious dishes ! Everything was amazing and I cannot wait to go back! Service was excellent and Food was spectacular
Amazing and delicious food and a fabulous ambiance
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Market section with local food and curated gourmet items, plus fine dining restaurant - wine, cheese, gifts, etc. We went to shop but definitely will be back for dinner one night soon as the menu looks fantastic!
Well we did go back and I've updated my review accordingly. I submitted this review privately through Alna Stores booking service but no one bothered to respond.
We arrived on time for a 6:30pm reservation made well in advance and ended up standing around in the store for a half an hour while table after table was seated before us. While it was clear that the cause was limited space, and a table of 5 lingering where we were to be seated, all it would have taken to make us happy with the situation would have been for the guy hosting to check in with us after 15 or 20 minutes with an update and maybe even an apology for the wait. Even happier - a comped drink or dish. The food was great, but we drove a half an hour on a dark cold February night with guests from Boston and Toronto and found the indifferent hospitality really disappointing and surprising considering the NY Times write up etc.
Note - one star for service does not reflect on the wait staff.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 1
I’ve been here a few times and I’m in awe of how they have transformed it, and done such an amazing job!
That being said, almost all of the dinner food at our table missed the mark for me, and I couldn’t finish my own food because the flavor was so off. I am unsure how sustainable it is to charge the prices they are listing without knocking everything out of the park.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
What a surprise. Belongs in Napa. Unique flavors. I had the best maple latte I’ve ever had. Like the best latte. Not just maple latte! This place cares and is passionate about food. Make a reservation.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken and Waffles
We had a fantastic meal for 5 at the Alna Store Saturday evening. Drinks, food, and service were all spectacular, and well worth the 50 minute drive from Phippsburg. Started off with great craft cocktails, including an unusual Peach Absinth Frappe and a perfectly executed gin and tonic. Apps were also fantastic, my favorite was the sour dough and pickle plate with a delicious mustard butter and added house-made caraway fennel chili crisp. Main courses were excellent, I had the best fresh fish plate ever, a whole trout expertly deboned with crisp skin and an amazing sauce with Italian peppers and fingerling potatoes. Scallops, braised pork, and chicken dishes all got rave reviews. Deserts were also outstanding, including delicious sorbet, an awesome crab apple custard with an olive oil shortbread crust, a flourless chocolate cake that was somehow both decadent and light, and an espresso martini that vanished before I could get a taste. Service was friendly and efficient, a great team effort with care taken to deliver the right plates to each diner and help us select the perfect dishes from the unusual choices on the current menu. Only downside (sarcasm here) for me was the store itself, which occupied part of our group for an extra 15 minutes after the meal and added extra $'s to the evening, but that was well worth it the next morning, as we tore into a sourdough baguette that was excellent even though not fresh out of the oven, complimented with some earthquake cheese and birch syrup. Looking at the online menu I thought this might be a restaurant trying to hard to be different to justify high prices, but that concern was 100% unfounded, and I cant wait to return. Definitely worth the trip and the expense if you are anywhere in the general vicinity.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fantastic food, lovely rustic atmosphere & good mix of people. We can’t wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great chicken fried steak and sourdough donut! Highly recommended for brunch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Really lovely place. Fabulous deliberate food, unique and creative setting, friendly and thoughtful staff.
Kid-friendliness: As a parent I appreciated their designy coloring book pages and crayons. I also spotted a toy truck behind the welcome stand. Places that treat kiddos well get extra bonus points from me.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Heard so much in the news about this place. Stopped by 15 minutes after brunch closure to see if possible to purchase take home desert. Staff was emphatic “we’re closed” until dinner. “Do you have reservations; we’re opening again soon”.
No thanks. Couldn’t accommodate a simple request having little to no effect on there upcoming dinner hour.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Stopped in for lunch a Saturday. Great atmosphere and service. The burger was incredible. Pricing is fair as well. This place is a gem I wish was open every day. Its a must go.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Burger
Restaurantji Recommends
What can’t I say? This place is among the best restaurants I have ever been too. Having traveled the east coast and explored some in Europe I have only ever encountered one other restaurant that consistently astounds me the way the Alna Store and its staff does.
Even though we live in the Portland area driving up for dinner doesn’t even phase me for a moment.
I’ve been five times now and every time has been superb. High quality, delicious food served in an honest, warm, and unpretentious manner has left me loving the place more every time. These people love food and you can tell.
For the sake of not writing an entire essay I’m going to stop here: don’t expect a red carpet and white gloves, that’s not the Alna store, expect phenomenal food, after being invited into what feels like their home.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We've heard raves about The Alna Store restaurant so 6 of us - 'foodies' from the Portland area - made an outing to Alna. The food was excellent, but for a high end restaurant, the service lousy. Perhaps because our rez was for 7:15 on a Thursday, we felt extremely rushed. We ordered appetizers and mains, and everything was brought out at once - there wasn't enough room on the table for all the food.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 2
Delicious!
Wheelchair accessibility: There is a wheelchair ramp
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
What a fabulous dining experience ! Such a cozy vibe with the most delicious dishes ! Everything was amazing and I cannot wait to go back! Service was excellent and Food was spectacular
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Every morsel was delicious from start to finish
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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