M.C. Union restaurant planned for Portland’s forthcoming Press Hotel

Press Hotel

From the outside, there are signs of change at the building that will become The Press Hotel later this spring. Through the windows you can glimpse the tarps and tools that are transforming the former newspaper building at 390 Congress Street into a boutique hotel.

And if you are looking for a bite to eat, the recently announced restaurant might be a great place to drop in. The Press Hotel will be home to a 65-seat restaurant to be named the M.C. Union from James Beard Award winners for Best New England Chefs, Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier. The pair also own the M.C. Perkins Cove in Ogunquit and the M.C. Spiedo in Boston.

The M.C. Union restaurant will serve up “creative takes on their favorite dishes,” according to a press release with an emphasis on supporting local food purveyors through a seasonal menu.

The restaurant will also include lounge seating for 35 and bar seating for 18. Breakfast will be served beginning at 7 a.m., with lunch available from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. There will also be light fare available from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

No definitive opening day has been announced yet.

Sarah Walker Caron

About Sarah Walker Caron

Sarah Walker Caron is editor of Bangor Metro magazine and senior features editor for the Bangor Daily News. She is the author of "The Super Easy 5-Ingredient Cookbook," (Sept. 2018, Rockridge Press) and the co-author of "Grains as Mains: Modern Recipes Using Ancient Grains" (March 2015, DK). Her recipes have appeared in the BDN, Betty Crocker publications, Glamour.com and more. She also writes about food at www.sarahscucinabella.com.