Lemon Bar in Rockland

Dec 19

Lemon Bar Finds Its Rhythm on Main Street

Lemon Bar opened on Main Street in Rockland last month, and it has already folded easily into the town’s evenings. The space is casual and compact, built around well-made cocktails, a thoughtful wine list, and a pace that invites people to linger. Some tables have games tucked into the corner, giving a date or a small group something to return to between rounds.

That early momentum has been surprising.

“We didn’t expect the response,” Carly Summers said. “That part still feels surreal.”

The bar is run by Carly and Wesley Summers, who are usually behind it together. The room draws people in different moods and at different moments in their day. Some arrive straight from work. Others come dressed for a night out. Some sit alone at the bar.

“You should be able to walk in however you are,” Wesley said. “That’s the whole point.”

The menu is built with that same sensibility. Cocktails follow familiar structures, with small shifts that invite curiosity without requiring explanation. The wine list is written to guide rather than test.

“We don’t like gatekeeping,” Carly said. “If you have a question, you should feel comfortable asking it.”

The space itself reflects a similar care. After years working in cocktail bars, Wesley shifted into carpentry and enrolled in a course at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in nearby Rockport. When the Lemon Bar space came together, he built the bar himself, along with other elements of the room, working alongside Carly and a close friend.

Working the bar together feels natural to them. They met on the job years ago, and service follows a rhythm they already understand.

“We’ve done this side by side for a long time,” Wesley said. “Being behind the bar together feels familiar.”

The buildout was different. Decisions came quickly, and the outcome was uncertain. Those early doubts have eased as the weeks pass and the work becomes routine.

“At some point it stopped feeling like a leap,” Carly said. “Now it just feels like tending to something we care about.”

FAMOUS FOR:
Tiny Martinis (their scaled-down martinis inspired by a bar they loved in Nashville)
The Espresso Martini (made with tequila, local espresso, and a family recipe)
The Negroni (offered in classic form and thoughtful variations, including the Kingston Negroni)

ADDRESS:
305 Main St, Rockland, ME

WEBSITE:
lemonbarmaine.com