Augusta, Maine, doesn’t usually top anyone’s foodie bucket list — but it absolutely should. Tucked along the waterfront at 217 Water Street, State Lunch is the kind of award-winning gastropub that makes you do a double-take the moment you step inside.
Globally inspired, locally beloved, and endlessly creative, this hidden gem is quietly rewriting the dining scene in Maine’s capital city — one unforgettable bowl of ramen and one perfectly mixed cocktail at a time. 🍹
How State Lunch Won Augusta’s Hearts
Described by Maine Magazine as a gastropub “reviving Maine’s capital city,” this award-winning, globally inspired restaurant took a bold gamble on a city often overlooked by the dining world, and won.
The menu reads like a passport stamped across three continents — Italian-American classics rub shoulders with pan-Asian specialties, housemade ramen, and inventive bar bites, all executed with the kind of precision and care that turns casual diners into devoted regulars.
The rotating seasonal menu keeps things exciting for returning guests, while the warm, industrial-chic space along the Kennebec River waterfront draws in newcomers who quickly understand why locals guard this place so fiercely. 🌊
Augusta residents have embraced it as their go-to spot for elevated comfort food — a place where you can settle in for a steaming bowl of shio ramen on a cold Maine evening or graze through a spread of Kung Pao Brussels sprouts and steamed bao buns with a craft cocktail in hand.
The cocktail program alone is worth the drive — hailed by the Portland Press Herald as potentially “Maine’s cocktail capital,” State Lunch crafts imaginative, beautifully balanced drinks that rival anything you’d find in a major city. 🍸
For travelers exploring central Maine, this is the essential dining stop — a restaurant that consistently punches well above its weight and proves, beyond any doubt, that the best hidden gem restaurants in Maine aren’t always where you’d expect to find them.
Food Highlights
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Shio Ramen: Housemade noodles swimming in a rich shio tare broth, topped with tender pork belly chashu, a half-cooked egg, bean sprouts, bamboo, nori, sesame, and scallions. 🍜
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Spicy Shrimp Shio Ramen: All the soul-warming richness of the classic shio ramen, elevated with plump shrimp, jalapeño, mushroom, cabbage, chili oil, and a fiery kick. 🌶️
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Steamed Bao Buns: Pillowy soft bao buns filled with your choice of pork belly, fried chicken, or tofu, topped with house-pickled veggies, spicy mayo, and fresh cilantro.
- State Lunch Cheeseburger: A classic grilled beef patty layered with shredded lettuce, fresh tomato, sweet grilled onions, and a tangy dijonnaise mayo. 🍔
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SL Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup: Melted provolone and cheddar cheeses with crispy bacon, fried kale, and roasted tomato on toasted bread, paired with a velvety cream and tomato soup. 🍅
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Japanese Curry: Sweet potato, onion, carrot, and red peppers slow-cooked in a savory, deeply aromatic broth served over white jasmine rice. 🍛
- Haddock Tacos: Three tacos loaded with pan-seared haddock, green cabbage slaw, pico de gallo, crispy fried shallots, micro cilantro, and a luscious avocado-lime crema. 🌮
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Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings: Crispy chicken wings glazed in a sticky, sweet-heat honey sriracha sauce and topped with sesame seeds and scallions. 🔥
Atmosphere
State Lunch occupies a hip, industrial-chic space in the heart of downtown Augusta, with warm lighting and a well-stocked, visually striking bar that immediately signals you’re somewhere special.
The waterfront location along the Kennebec River adds a scenic, laid-back energy that makes the restaurant feel like a true escape from the ordinary.
Lively without being loud, it strikes the ideal balance between a neighborhood hangout and a destination dining experience — the kind of place where you settle in, lose track of time, and inevitably order one more round. 🍻
Bottom Line
State Lunch is Augusta’s crown jewel — a globally inspired, award-winning gastropub with a creative rotating menu, legendary cocktails, and a welcoming waterfront atmosphere. From housemade ramen to smash burgers and bao buns, this hidden gem in Maine’s capital city is worth every detour.
Address:
217 Water Street, Augusta, ME 04330
📞 (207) 213-6025
🕔 Open Mon–Tue & Thu 11:00 AM–9:00 PM | Fri–Sat 11:00 AM–10:00 PM | Sun 11:00 AM–9:00 PM (Closed Wednesday)