Kevin and Jessica DesVeaux Keep West Street Cafe in Motion

Apr 27

“We’re classic New England seafood, first and foremost.”

That’s how Jessica DesVeaux describes West Street Cafe, a longtime Bar Harbor restaurant she runs alongside her husband, Kevin. Since taking over in 2000, they’ve built a menu that reflects exactly what people come to Maine for, while making sure there’s something for everyone at the table.

“We cover everything from fried clams to lobster rolls to chowder,” she said. “If you bring your whole family, everyone’s going to find something they want.”

Lobster, of course, is at the center of it. It shows up across the menu, from rolls to pastas to sautés, and much of it is still handled in-house.

“We pick a lot of our lobster ourselves,” Kevin said. “And we don’t use frozen lobster. It’s all fresh. Why would we bring lobster from anywhere else when it’s right here?”

That approach extends beyond seafood. While the menu leans heavily into New England classics, it’s intentionally broad. There are burgers, chicken dishes, and a New York strip steak.

“We don’t skimp,” he said. “If someone wants a steak, we’re going to do a proper one.”

Over time, that consistency has become part of what keeps people coming back. Locals bring visiting family. Regulars return year after year. For many, it’s simply part of being in Bar Harbor.

“It’s a place people feel comfortable coming back to,” Kevin said.

That sense of familiarity shows up in the dining room as much as it does on the plate. On busy nights, the space fills with a mix of first-time visitors and longtime guests, all there for the same reason.

“Sometimes I walk through the dining room, and it’s just… alive,” he said. “You see people from all over, just happy. I can’t put a price on that.”

At West Street Cafe, the menu may start with lobster, but it’s the reliability of the experience that keeps it going.

Famous for:
Classic New England seafood in a thoughtfully designed, open dining space.

76 West St, Bar Harbor, ME | weststreetcafe.com