When the genteel Asticou Inn & Restaurant in Northeast Harbor reopens for the 2020 season, Chef Emily Damon will be in the kitchen. Damon, a Northeast Harbor native, has deep ties not only to the village but also to the inn. She grew up in a hospitality family and earned her degree from the California Culinary Academy. Over the years, Chef Damon has gained a loyal following on Mount Desert Island.
The inn’s restaurant will open with a curbside and delivery menu (posted below), offered 5-8 p.m. beginning Friday, May 22. Delivery will be available in Northeast Harbor and Seal Harbor.
Management of the property changed this season as The Acadia Corp. did not renew its contract. Over the three years it operated the Asticou Inn, it gained a following for tea and popovers on the porch overlooking Northeast Harbor. According to a social media post, that tradition will remain using the original Jordan Pond house popover recipe.
The inn is located across the street from the Asticou Azalea Garden. It’s a pleasant stroll from Thuya Garden, a semiformal English herbaceous garden. And, it’s a short drive from the Rockefeller Garden, making is an especially popular destination for garden lovers.
