On the menu: Delicious restaurants on Center Street

by Hannah Ranney, Lindsay Zimmerman, Jeannine Alsous, Gabrielle Lustrinelli and Tiffany Hyman

Lewiston is not only known for its gorgeous waterfront, unique boutiques, and well-known Artpark, but also for its locally owned, scrumptious restaurants.

Four restaurants that offer a variety of food and are located within a mile of each other are Apple Granny, The Brickyard Pub and BBQ, Carmelo's and Brio's Pizzeria.

Apple Granny is one of the oldest buildings in Lewiston and the oldest restaurant. Owner John Roberts said he has been in business for 36 years. This family-oriented business serves lunch and dinner to satisfy anyone's taste buds.

"We offer a little bit of everything," said Roberts. "We have specials running every day."

Their menu offers many different tasty options, including appetizers, salads, entrees, pasta, seafood, sandwiches and, of course, deserts.

One of the enormous salads is the taco salad. This dish offers the option of chicken or beef served in a tortilla bowl filled with greens and mixed with salsa, sour cream, olives, peppers and tomatoes. It costs $8.95 for this large, mouth-watering salad.

If a salad is not filling enough, indulge yourself on the slow-roasted prime rib. The meat is succulently lean and comes with a choice of soup or salad and choice of potato. It costs $12.95 for the regular cut.

Roberts explained the reason he stays in business is because of the restaurant's variety of options, good service and relaxing atmosphere.

"We are well-packed all the time," he said. "We have been very busy since Lent."

Roberts expects business to pick up even more when Artpark opens. The free summer concerts at the park bring in many tourists and locals who want a good bite to eat before and after the shows.

Like Apple Granny, Brickyard Pub and BBQ is always busy. Not only does the hip restaurant have a unique style of food and atmosphere, but it also hosts live music once a month for all ages.

Kitchen manager Matt Quarantillo said, "It's not your traditional American atmosphere."

The Brickyard has been open for six years. This family-owned business strives to create the perfect barbecue and hearty food for its customers. The restaurant uses wood-fired cooking with superior quality ingredients, which is its mission. The meats are smoked slowly throughout the day in an authentic pit smoker.

This restaurant offers an assortment of items, including many appetizers, soups, salads, ribs, barbecue specials and pit platters. One of the mouth-watering appetizers is the smokehouse sampler. It includes sliced brisket, pulled pork and St. Louis ribs. It costs $8.99. One of the tasty salads is the house rub chicken salad. This salad is made up of greens, pulled chicken and seasoned with the famous Brickyard House Rub. It is a special, flavorful seasoning that customers can purchase upon request. The enormous salad costs just $7.95.

Hungry from sitting at a desk all day at work? Then try "The First Timer" on the pit platters. This meal consists of 1/4 chicken, four chicken wings, 1/3 baby back ribs, 1/3 St. Louis Ribs, pulled pork, turkey and sliced brisket. It costs $24.99.

In addition to the regular menu, The Brickyard also offers catering service and banquets.

"We have all kinds of parties here," said Quarantillo.

Lewiston would not be the same if it did not have Italian restaurants, including pizzerias and fine dining.

Brio is one of the largest pizzerias around. It has been in business for more than six years now and offers a large selection for customers to dine in on or take out at very reasonable prices (ranging from $1.99 appetizers to $14.50 for a 12-piece pizza tray). The eatery has a large menu of items to choose from, ranging anywhere from specialty pizzas to colossal tacos to massive burgers.

Manager William Castiglione was enthused to share the specialties of the month, which are customer favorites.

"We're always bringing in new products," he said. "A few of our specials are the stinger sub, stinger pizza and spinach feta pizza."

The stinger sub is a luscious combination of steak, chicken fingers, Swiss and American cheese with lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise. It costs $7.95 for a 12-inch. Stinger pizza is dough smothered in a bleu cheese base and topped with mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, hot peppers, onions, steak and chicken fingers. Spinach feta pizza is a crust filled with garlic and olive oil, topped with feta and mozzarella cheeses and spinach. It costs $14.50 for a 12-piece tray.

Not hungry enough to eat pizza or a sub? Try one of the many appetizers. A few options include toasted ravioli, garlic bread, nachos with cheese, and Buffalo shrimp with bleu cheese.

Castiglione explained the large menu is great year-round, especially during a summer event like "Tuesdays in the Park" at Artpark.

"We get so busy during the summer on Tuesdays," he said. "It's great, though, because people come and eat before and after the concerts and relax on the patio."

Brio's patio is the one of the largest in Lewiston.

If a visitor to Lewiston wants to try fine dining, they should consider Carmelo's, a locally owned business that endeavors to use the best sustainable ingredients. The restaurant's philosophy is to use the freshest crops, which local farmers raise and grow.

"Carmelo uses all foods from local farmers, including meats, fruits and vegetables," said Diane Terrana, manager of the business. "He combines flavors with foods from the farm."

Terrana explained Carmelo's is different because all of the restaurant's dishes - from appetizers, to entrees and desserts - are regional from Italy. One of the delicious dishes and a customer favorite is papparadelle, from the region of Emilia-Romagna. This dish is large fettuccine with pasture-fed beef and pork with house-cured pancetta and topped with Bolognese sauce. It costs $16.

Want to top off an Italian dinner with a dessert to fill your sweet tooth? Try Tiramisu. Tiramisu originated in Treviso and is one of the most famous desserts in Italy. It is layers of Tia Maria, mixed with espresso-soaked ladyfingers, and topped with sweet mascarpone cream. It costs $7.

Find These Restaurants:

• Apple Granny is located at 433 Center St. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, visit www.applegranny.com or call 754-2028.
• The Brickyard Pub and BBQ is located at 432 Center St. It is open from Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., Friday 11:30 a.m. to 3 a.m., Saturday from noon to 3 a.m., and Sunday from noon to 2 a.m. For more information, visit www.brickyardpub.com or call 754-7227.
• Brio Pizzeria is located at 440 Center St. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to late night and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to late night. For more information, visit www.pizzadoneright.net/ or call 754-2707.
• Carmelo's is located at 425 Center St. Its hours are Monday through Thursday from 5 to 9:30 p.m. and Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. For more information, visit www.carmelos-restaurant.com or call 754-2311.