Cozy Winter Inns with Exceptional Restaurants
Winter in Maine has a way of drawing you inside—in the best way possible. At a select group of small, year-round inns across the state, intimate spaces, crackling fireplaces and warmly furnished rooms create a quiet retreat from the cold. With thoughtful touches, personalized service and standout on-site restaurants serving menus rooted in local seafood (think fresh Maine lobster, ice-cold oysters and sea scallops), seasonal produce and regional flavors, these charming properties make it easy to settle in, slow down and savor the quieter side of Maine’s cold-weather season.
Head to the MidCoast, where crisp salt air sweeps off Camden Harbor. The Norumbega Inn (voted a Best Hotel in the World by Travel + Leisure magazine in 2025 and a 2025 MICHELIN Key winner) offers a historic, castle-like setting with the warmth and intimacy of a small coastal retreat. While the on-site restaurant shifts to a pared-down bar and bites menu during the winter months, guests can still enjoy beautifully prepared dishes from native Peruvian Chef Marymarcel Densmore, alongside an inspired cocktail list curated by beverage director Steel Kilgore. On select weekends, the inn also hosts pop-up dinners led by some of Maine’s top chefs, making it a cozy and creatively driven dining destination even in the quieter season.
Also a a 2025 MICHELIN Key winner in Camden, Camden Harbour Inn offers contemporary rooms with sweeping views of the harbor. Its lauded on-site restaurant, Natalie’s, melds coastal refinement with bold seasonal flavors. Nearby, Hartstone Inn’s Electric Daisy adds a playful, globally inspired twist to Maine’s bounty, with chef’s tasting menus that turn a wintry night into a celebration.
Closer to the Androscoggin River, The Federal in Brunswick blends modern comfort with a deep sense of place. At 555 North, Chef Steve Corry and his wife Michelle craft warm, inviting plates featuring ingredients from local farms, fisheries and producers—proof that winter in Maine is a season of richness, not scarcity.
In Cape Elizabeth, Inn by the Sea offers a coastal retreat where dunes meet frosted shoreline. At Sea Glass, chefs showcase Maine’s winter harvest—think line-caught fish, local root vegetables and herbs grown just miles away. Settle in for a prix-fixe dinner framed by ocean views, then linger outdoors beside a heated fire table wrapped in wool blankets, listening to waves roll through the quiet.
Along the Kennebunk River, White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport pairs timeless New England charm with renowned, award-winning cuisine. Behind glowing barn windows, AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five-Star dining at White Barn Inn Restaurant honors come to life through ingredients sourced from nearby farms and waters, while Little Barn offers a more relaxed dining setting and simple-yet-elegantly executed dishes.
In The Maine Highlands, the Blair Hill Inn in Greenville stands above Moosehead Lake, wrapped in stillness and snow-quiet forests. After a day exploring frozen lakes and wooded trails, return to Slate Restaurant for thoughtful farm-to-table dishes that honor Maine’s winter pantry and the community of growers who shape it.
In the heart of Rangeley, The Rangeley Inn & Tavern blends historic charm with modern comfort. The tavern’s menu hits all the right notes—think lobster mac and cheese folded with butter-poached Maine lobster, maple-bourbon glazed salmon and fish and chips featuring Allagash beer-battered haddock. Pair it all with a pour from Maine’s thriving microbrew scene. It’s the kind of place where winter is best spent lingering a little longer—warm, well-fed and already planning tomorrow’s adventure.