The centerpiece of the White Barn Inn, this classy dining room—carved out of, yes, a barn—attracts gourmands from far and wide. The space is half the fun, with its soaring interior and an eclectic collection of country antiques displayed in a hayloft; window displays are changed with the seasons. Chef Matthew Padilla took over the kitchen in 2017, and he’s continued a long tradition of changing up the menu frequently and privileging local produce, fish, and game: Recent options on the four-course prix-fixe menu included oven-roasted duck breast, glazed with honey and served with huckleberry mostarda and shaved black truffles, and melt-in-your mouth short rib alongside delicata squash and pureed onion. There’s also a six-course lobster menu and a first-in-class wine cellar. Service is astonishingly attentive and knowledgeable, capping the experience.
Little Barn, a new and more casual bistro next door, is similarly impressive, without the prix-fixe or the dress code, but it’s hard to beat the original dining room.
Still one of Maine’s best meals.