The Maine Dish
You should try: Olde Post Office Cafe in Mount Vernon
The Mister and I took a little country drive the other day looking for a new spot to eat breakfast. We headed out towards Jay looking for The Mill St. Cafe, which my friend Kristel said was rumored to be a winner, but I became so engrossed in this Indian hip hop Pandora station I’m obsessed with right now that we ended up in Mount Vernon, a cute little village precisely nowhere near Jay.
We rolled up on the Olde Post Office Cafe, right on the main drag and sitting on Lake Minnehonk. Inside we found a quaint space with seating for about 20, an impressive menu of breakfast and lunch items, and a case full of homemade desserts, snacks, and takeout items. The Mister ordered the house quiche, featuring spinach, sun-dried tomato, pesto, and provolone with a fruit cup. I snagged the quiche of the day, with caramelized onions, bacon, and Swiss. In lieu of toast, I ordered a slice of their flourless chocolate torte. It seemed like the thing to do, and I wasn’t disappointed.
The meal was tasty and the tab was about half of what I would expect to pay were it served on china by waitstaff. So if you’re looking for fancy, this isn’t your place. Expect to place your order and pay at the counter before seating yourself and eat off of paper plates (albeit nestled into wicker chargers) with plastic utensils. But if you’re looking for a solid breakfast joint, Olde Post Office Cafe is worth your time. I could’ve demolished everything in their bakery case. It’s clear that pastry is a priority from the wide assortment of cakes and sweets, and the pie crust on the quiche was one of the best I’ve tasted.
Mount Vernon is about 30 minutes northwest of Augusta.
366 Pond Road
P.O. Box 204
Mt. Vernon, Maine 04352
Tel: 207.293.4978
Email: rwallack@roadrunner.com
// About the Author
Erin Dow
Erin Dow is a caterer who used to cook for rock stars. Now she finds herself desperately trying to persuade her three kids to just try one bite of what she made for dinner. She's the Expert Chef for Maine-based Guiding Stars® and she consults with the state's public schools on how to serve healthy whole foods that kids will actually eat. And when Erin’s not researching, preparing, serving, photographing, teaching, or writing about food, you’ll probably find her in a restaurant eating a meal cooked by someone else. So she just might be the girl you need to know if you're looking for recommendations, advice, or insight into Maine's food scene. She's also very knowledgeable about firearms, in case you were wondering if she's a real Mainer.