CAMDEN – Mariners Buttermilk Kitchen will celebrate its grand opening on Thursday, April 25th. Mariners closed last winter after 41 years in business, and Buttermilk Kitchen of Atlanta moved into the space at 35 Elm St., spending the cold season renovating and preparing for spring. Resuming.
Buttermilk Kitchen at Mariners' mission statement states: It's about fostering connections, making memories and honoring the spirit of community that has defined this treasured space for more than 80 years. ”
Owner and executive chef Suzanne Vizetan said it's hard work, but it's also a labor of love.
“It's been amazing to see everything unfold and have a vision and see it all come to fruition,” she said, adding, “The community has been supportive.” “There's a lot of curiosity and excitement and we're excited too. This is a great town and we have great support from a lot of great people.”
The color scheme of the renovated space, including the breakfast bar, is the same as the Buttermilk Kitchen restaurant in Atlanta, which Vizetan still owns and operates.
“Same branding, same color scheme,” she said. “But here we went for a little more coastal flare.”
Vizesan said he plans to return to Atlanta quarterly to check on business there.
“I have an experienced team,” she said. “We've been open for 11 years, the kitchen manager has known me for 10 years, and the general manager has known me for eight years, so I feel like they can pull it off.”
Buttermilk Kitchen wanted the menu to be true to its Atlanta location, but needed items to make it a Maine restaurant.
“I knew all the products that were selling domestically, but I didn't know what would sell here. And I wanted to incorporate some of the things the Mariners were doing,” she said.
The Mariners chowder and hash will remain, and the lobster rolls will be eaten.
Buttermilk invited about 100 people to its soft opening on Wednesday, April 24th. And everything went well.
“It’s nice to see people in the building,” she said. “At home, we put blueberry jam on our pancakes, but here, especially with wild blueberries from Maine, people wanted to see what was inside, so it's definitely blueberry pancakes. We're always adjusting. , I'm researching what's selling and what's not.
Vizesan said he's pleasantly surprised that things that sell in Atlanta are selling here, but he thinks it will take a few months to find out what people really want.
Buttermilk General Manager Brandon Muggy grew up in a small town outside of Savannah, Georgia and moved to Atlanta eight years ago. Now he's a minor. He had worked for her at Buttermilk for four years, and when Vizetan decided to open a restaurant here, he offered to move here and run it for her.
McGee said he was the only Atlanta employee to come to Maine.
“I think this is going to be great,” he said. “We're ready for people in the community to come here and try our biscuits and gravy, corned beef hash, and pancakes. It's a great place to get your breakfast fix.”
Maggie said they also have traditional breakfast options. 2 eggs, toast, protein. Lunch will include soups, salads and sandwiches, including Dan's Haddock Chowder, he said.
“We also have unique elements, like chicken biscuits and grits,” he said.
McGee said he conducted a survey on Instagram to find out what people wanted.
“Blueberry pancakes were one of the things at the top of the list,” he said.
McGee said the restaurant closes at 2 p.m. and opens at 7 a.m. on weekdays, but on weekends it opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 3 p.m. It will be closed on Tuesdays.
McGee said they've been blessed with staffing.
“It worked well on the front of the house, but we could use another one in the kitchen, so if anyone wants to cook and be part of a great team, come join us,” he said.
Surprise guests who were seated far back in the restaurant, clearly enjoying breakfast and the peaceful harbor view, were former Mariners owners Becky and Dan Gabriel.
Becky said, “I'm very happy, I'm really happy.'' “It's my first time having biscuits and gravy and it's so good. It's the best atmosphere I've ever had.”
Dunn said he feels the location is helpful to the town.
“This town was in a weird place, somewhere between the old Mariner's and Buttermilk Kitchen,” he said. “What Mariners was today will be gone, and Buttermilk Kitchen will be great. She nailed it.”
Becky commented on the addition of a breakfast bar.
“Remember when we had the breakfast bar here before the fire?” she said.
“All the old nerds were sitting around it and we called it the mayor's office,” Dunn said.
Dan said they made it work, but Vizetan's imagination for this room was amazing.
Buttermilk Kitchen is located at Mariners. Facebook And even more Instagram.
Contact Chris Wolf at news@penbaypilot.com
