In the latest episode of The Road Less Eaten, chef and host Biju Thomas visits three coastal towns in Maine, where life has been shaped by the land, the sea, and as Thomas says, “the people who make a living from both.”

There is a term for this in the East: aquaculture. Along the coast in towns like Freeport, Camden, and Biddeford, aquaculture knits together communities, grows local and larger economies, and cares for the planet.

Thomas explores it— and coastal life in Maine— by learning from a kelp harvester, walking on (yes, on) acres of wild blueberry farms, and by sitting with award-winning chefs and cocktail engineers who all understand that along the coast of Maine, it’s not just about the food; it’s about the feeling.

Freeport

 

If you’re visiting Maine, you’ve probably got your mind set on lobster and oysters, but Maine’s food story runs much deeper.

Freeport, a shoe-making and ship-building hub that later turned into a food haven, as drawn world-wide attention for harvesting something much less common: kelp.

Ken Sparta, owner of Spartan Sea Farms and the Freeport Oyster Bar, harvests different kinds of kelp (sugar, skinny, winged) alongside oysters. Most know about oysters, but kelp? It’s nutrient rich, and if harvested right, tasty enough to be a main dish, not just a versatile ingredient.

Kelp is planted in Maine in the fall when the water temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. When the temperature rises, the kelp is taken out of the water and driven into town. Fifty thousand pounds of kelp were harvested during the 2025 season in Freeport, Maine.

But what Ken geeks out about the most is the fact that harvesting kelp takes nitrogen and oxygen out of the water, therefore lowering ocean citification and making our planet more sustainable.

“I’m making food for my friends and family and making the ocean a better place,” he says.

Back at Freeport Oyster Bar, Thomas takes on kelp tacos and burgers. “If somebody didn’t tell me I wasn’t eating meat, I wouldn’t have known,” he says. Vodka is sustainably harvested from sugar kelp and distilled in small batches to sell at the bar, too.

Camden

 

 

Like Freeport, the small coastal town of Camden was once a 19th century ship-building hub, a protected harbor that eventually brought in artists and foodies alongside sailers. Camden quickly became known for its wild trails, blueberry farms and a food scene deeply rooted in tradition.

“Come late summer, the hills turn a deep, brilliant blue,” Thomas says, walking acres of wild blueberry farm alongside the owner of Brodis Blueberries, Jeremey Howard. “Wild blueberries aren’t the big plump ones you find at the grocery store,” Jeremy says. “They’re smaller, bright, with complex flavor.”

Brodis Blueberries has been running for nine generations, but the blueberries have been growing wild in this part of Maine for 10,000 plus years, though not a single patch was planted, Jeremy says.

“When the glaciers receded, they pushed away the fertile soil, and the only things that liked the acidic, ledgy soil, were blueberries.” Ron Howard, Jeremy’s father, explains how the different shades are different wild plants. Each is genetically different. These wild blueberries genetically modify on their own as they grow and thrive. There’s no need to mess with them.

Thomas tours Barren’s Distillery + Restaurant, where the shelves are stocked with blueberry gin, blueberry vodka, blueberry brandy, and more. The blueberries go through the fermentation process, and when they are complete mesh, (which is a wine at that point) they are put into a still that extracts the alcohol vapors.

“It tastes like booze with a kick of sweetness at the end, with the brandy warmth to it,” Thomas says.

Thomas also meets up with Jeremy’s business partner, Andrew Stewart on a trail run. “Apparently here, we hydrate with distilled fruit, then go run up a mountain,” Thomas jokes. The trails are closer to the ocean, and the views are unreal.

Stewarthelped launch Barren’s waterfront restaurant downtown. It’s become known for its seafood classics alongside its full line-up of blueberry spirits.

Biddeford

 

Along the Saco river, the town of Biddeford draws in the artistic and the young. It’s a hip, developing area that once stood out in the booming textile industry through the 1900s. Those same mills are now full of chefs and artisans like Kate and Jason Hamm, co-owners of Fish and Whistle, and semi finalists in James Beard awards’ emerging chef category.

Fish and Whistle’s main event is its fish and chips, but the happenin’ new place also serves up some seriously unique sandwiches, like the “squidwhich,” a sandwich full of squid, swallowed up by scored and fried milk bread, and smothered in marina and hot cherry peppers— a seafood lover’s dream.

All the seafood at Fish and Whistle is caught fresh from the gulf of Maine, the couple says.

Thomas also visits Magnus on Water, where he chats with Brian chats with Brian “Cat” Catapang, director of beverage working alongside owner of the place, Julia Russell, to create an incredibly experience for those bustling through Biddeford.

Russell sees Magnus on Water as a neighborhood bar and destination restaurant. It is one of only 37 bars (of 10 in the U.S.) recognized by the pinnacle guide to excellence in cocktail craft.

Thomas joins Catapang as he explains how the “couch surfer” was born, the restaurant’s bread and butter, and a love letter to Maine.

“I would go to the beach and check for surf, if I got skunked, I started collecting some of the high tide water to make some sea salt in house,” Catapang says. “The beach has magical properties that no one tells you about.”

Carrying five-gallon buckets during high tide, Catapang brings fresh salt water back into the restaurant to cook down and add to fresh pineapple juice and egg whites for stabilization. The liquor is made with poblano peppers, creating that zippy experience, just like waves that can pull you under.

 

Magnus on Water’s chef, Rafael Zimmerman, is constantly experimenting with Peruvian comfort food that makes for a fun menu. During his visit, Thomas tries the restaurant’s most popular dishes and is most impressed by the roasted cabbage, because its flavors catch him by surprise.

There is an energy forming in Biddeford, but not just there, in every quaint town with aquaculture at its core. There is a shared respect for tradition and nature, and for creative dishes and drink that truly embody coastal living.

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