Description:

Café Miranda is a small, casual bistro located on a side street in downtown Rockland that serves lunch and dinner daily (year round). The chef/owner, Kerry Altiero has been in business since 1993 when he installed the first wood fired brick oven in the state of Maine.  The restaurant may be small seating about 40 people but the menu is HUGE at over 7 pages.  He features a little bit of everything from homemade pastas, soups, vegetarian dishes, perogies, Thai, Mexican, burgers, pizza, salads, Asian and anything else he can think of.  He has been doing it this was since he opened.  His motto is “Because We Can”.

The décor is eclectic 50s with metal tables and chairs, funky mismatched salt and pepper shakers and an open kitchen.  One of the two unisex bathrooms is dedicated to “The King” and has a back-lit full-sized bust of Elvis greeting you as you walk in.  For live, entertainment consider sitting at one of 4 seats at the counter and watch the masters at work.  The tiny kitchen and wood oven are right in front of you and you can watch them create the diverse dishes from a very, very small space.

Most of the food is sourced locally and in fact the owner has is own farm where he raises many of the greens and veggies in season. The breads of course are scrumptious and the Lobster Mac n Cheese a personal favorite.  He can make you love brussel sprouts or commit to being a vegetarian with his flavorful way of preparing vegetable dishes.  The portion sizes are very generous and the flavors bold.  When the dish is labeled “spicy” believe him.  Often he adds too many ingredients to list them all in the description so if you know you hate onions or have an allergy to red peppers make sure you tell the wait staff so you do not get any surprises.  All dishes are made to order and “hand crafted” so they are able and willing to deal with food restrictions.  They also offer gluten free pastas.

The restaurant recently was recognized with the 2013 Farm to Table Restaurant of Maine at the Harvest on the Harbor and in 2012, the chef/owner won the Lobster Chef of the Year award.