At the Ship’s Cellar Pub at the York Harbor Inn, the name says it all. Whether you enter through the pub’s side door or descend from the inn’s formal dining room, it feels like you’re entering the cabin of a ship.
The dark mahogany wood planks on the walls recreate the sense that you’re below deck on a vessel. Windows provide stunning views of the water just across the street and provide enough light so you don’t feel like you’re in a dull den.
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On a recent sunny afternoon, Mom and I stopped at the pub for lunch before heading out to shop. It was the first time I’d been back to the pub since my cousin’s wedding almost three years ago, and it was nice to revisit.
We grabbed a small pub table near the windows looking out over the harbor, and were greeted quickly by a staff member. It took us some time to peruse the four-page drink menu to decide exactly what we’d like for a beverage.
The pub has a menu of 10 martinis for $11.95 each, as well as 10 specialty drinks for $8.50 each. They also have four beers on tap and a dozen bottles, ranging from $3.50 to $6, or an extensive wine menu with glasses starting at $6.95.
I had forgotten that the Ship’s Cellar Pub carries one of my favorite liquors — Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka. When I saw Boon Island Tea listed as one of their specialty drinks, my decision was a no-brainer. The cocktail is made with the sweet tea vodka, mixed with pink lemonade and unsweetened tea. The menu calls it the “perfect summer libation,” but I think it’s a good anytime drink.
Mom ordered the Cranberry Margarita made with Sauza Tequila, Triple Sec, Monin Cranberry, sour mix and cranberry juice.
Neither of us was disappointed with our selections.
Despite the gorgeous weather Maine was having, York Harbor was still pretty quiet given that it’s mid-April. I’ve seen the pub much busier during the summer months. I’ve also seen it packed after a wedding.
There’s plenty of seating too, whether it’s just two people at a table, a larger group, sitting along the bar or enjoying the small fireplace in the lounge area. I particularly like the lounge, which is furnished with cushioned built-in benches and long wooden coffee tables to set your drinks on.
We can’t do any serious shopping on an empty stomach, so Mom and I both ordered salads. Because we think alike and often dress alike, it was no surprise that we both settled on the Harbor Cobb salad, a hefty bed of fresh greens with diced bacon, hard-boiled egg, crumbled blue cheese, marinated tomatoes and avocado, for $10.95. For an additional $5.95, I opted to add grilled steak tips. Our meals were as satisfying as our cocktails, to say the least.
The thing I like most about the Ship’s Cellar Pub is that it’s a laid-back place in an upscale area at a high-end inn. You can attend a fancy wedding or have a gourmet dinner upstairs, and keep the evening going with drinks downstairs.
Emma Bouthillette is a freelance writer who lives in Biddeford.
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