“We’re just two girls having a good day.” So is everyone else here.

Apr 19

“I was working really hard to make someone else’s dream come true,” Anna Hymanson said. “And I was ready to do that for myself.”

That shift led her and Kelsey Woodworth to Day Boat Cafe. After years in the restaurant industry, the two decided to leave their jobs and build something of their own, without overcomplicating it.

They found their place in Waldoboro, a town they describe as “authentic Maine,” with an active working waterfront and a growing creative community. Tucked just off Route One, it’s not a place you stumble into. “If you want to come here, you will,” Anna said.

The name Day Boat Cafe is a nod to that setting. Fishing boats still head out daily nearby, and the rhythm of the water shapes life here. The cafe reflects that same sense of purpose. It’s built for both the people who work on the water and the ones who come to enjoy it.

Inside, nearly everything was done by hand. They refinished the floors, built the counters, sourced equipment, and shaped the space themselves. “We wanted it to feel really friendly and really democratic,” Kelsey said. “Like anyone could walk in and feel like it’s for them.”

The menu follows that thinking. Sandwiches, salads, and rotating prepared foods are made fresh each day, alongside freezer meals designed to make life a little easier. “People just want to be listened to,” Anna said. “And everybody deserves to eat.”

One unexpected standout is their green juice, made in-house from kale, fennel, ginger, lemon, and apple. It started as a way to use extra ingredients and quickly became something regulars now seek out.

At its core, Day Boat Cafe is about creating a place that fits into people’s lives. “We want you to feel taken care of when you walk in,” Anna said. “Like you can grab something good and go have a better day.”

Famous for:
Their green juice, freezer meals, and food that feels like someone actually made it for you.

17 Friendship Rd in Waldoboro, ME | dayboatmaine.com