Peekytoe Provisions in Bar Harbor

At Peekytoe Provisions in Bar Harbor, seafood isn’t just sold, it’s celebrated. Owners Cyndi Bridges and Drew Smith opened their doors in 2014 intending to run a small neighborhood fish market where locals could buy fresh seafood throughout the year. “We originally just wanted to be a fish market,” Cyndi says. “But to show what people could make at home, we added a small menu, and it just grew from there.”

That modest market has become one of Bar Harbor’s most enduring gathering places. In 2023, the couple tore down their aging 19th-century building and rebuilt from the ground up, reopening last fall with 84 seats, a larger kitchen, and a renewed commitment to community. “The whole idea from the beginning was to provide year-round jobs for year-round people and be a year-round place,” Cyndi says. “Not just one that’s open four to six months out of the year.”

The adjoining market remains at the heart of the business. Customers can find locally sourced fish from Maine waters, sustainable aquaculture products, and an impressive collection of tinned seafood, sauces, and spices curated to complement what’s in the case. “We never use anything frozen,” Cyndi says. “It’s always coming in fresh, and we try to support as many local fisherpeople as we can.”

Each morning, when she walks through the doors, Cyndi still feels a sense of awe. “We both have a little imposter syndrome,” she admits. “We tore it down and watched it rise from the ashes. Every day I look around and think, look at this place. What did we do?”

ADDRESS:
244 Main Street in Bar Harbor, ME

FAMOUS FOR:
Fresh-caught seafood, inventive coastal cuisine, and keeping Bar Harbor fed all year long.

WEBSITE:
peekytoeprovisions.com

photos by Peter Logue