Thistle Pig

The Thistle Pig is a jewel in South Berwick Maine. If you like hard to find beers you can enjoy some nice choices. Now, if you want the absolutely best pork shoulder you’ll ever have you have to visit this restaurant. The food is art!

Food was amazing and tasted so fresh and well made with passion. It was our first time here and we will definitely be coming back. We had brunch but I can’t wait to try dinner!
Very courteous staff as well.

Had a FANTASTIC dinner here tonight. Whoever thought of fried brussel sprouts is obviously a genius. But the real reason I came in here to write a review (which I very rarely do) is because we tried the new chocolate peanut butter balls dessert and they were AMAZING. It’s worth going here just for the dessert.

Y’all heard of the French Laundry? No, not the one that ruined your beret, the «best restaurant in the world» (according to some, I’ve never been there) out in Napa. Well, I guess the chef here did time in the Laundry, and not the solitary kind. Something must have rubbed off, because this is in my book one of the best new restaurants in all of Maine. I look forward to meals here like looking forward to that little three star way off the beaten track in Languedoc or Alsace, a village so small that the only reason to visit is that restaurant, and maybe the house where Sara Orne Jewett lived (if she were French). Which is across the street, or just look for the sign of the Pig, and set yourself down.
I came here for my birthday on the first time, and on a whim as we had just «climbed» Agamenticus and took the wrong road back, a long dirt road over hill and through woods confusing. So it was fate that brought us to the Thistle Pig. I shed tears as I tried my first bites of Foie Gras that day, and again as I tucked into a Confit de canard, sipping from a fine Riedel wine glass something in the color of Chardonnay. I was back again in France, and I have never found another place that conjures up that timeless feel of culinary eternity that one feels in a fancy French restaurant that actually has earned its stars.

Love this place. Simple, fresh, well-​thought out. The Brussels are AMAZING! Always super friendly, helpful staff, food is always perfect. It’s a must.

A great eatery. We loved our Apple wood grilled burgers — prepared perfectly. We definitely recommend this restaurant with very interesting décor and pleasant and efficient staff.

Our first time here, a great surprise. The glazed meatloaf with button mushrooms, braised cabbage and mashed combines this time-​honored comfort food with a new level of sophistication. It’s Equal: the crispy country-​fried organic chicken. Perfectly crunchy and simply-​seasoned coating surrounded juicy chicken with a side serving of Mac & Cheese. Kids menu is priced right with food choices to match any kid, and the food is made there (you’re not paying $ 6 for Kraft Mac&Cheese). Drink menu features new and interesting choices.

They change the menu all time. The carbonara with smoked mussles is gone! I don’t know if I can keep on living. Seriously… drove there twice, just for the carbonara. First time was 9:15 on a Sunday, when their web-​site said they were open until 10. But they were closed! Second time, the carbonara was off the menu. What’ll I do?

This place is awesome in every way. The wife and I try to go as often as we can! The smoked salmon app, is to die for. Big dinner favorites are the fried pork shoulder, thistle burger, and anytime fresh fish is on the menu! Just go here!

Everything locally sourced… the way things should be. Combined with a creative menu, a delicious and unusual beer collection. A good offering of some special wines and well crafted cocktails. Everything we had, Moroccan Spiced Carrot Salad, Beef Pot Roast, Creamy Brown Rice with Fall Squash and Parmesan as well as Chocolate Stout Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting was delicious. It tasted fresh, prepared on the point, yet simple and natural… may be leave out the frosting (we both really don’t like frosting but tried it anyway), and also the desert would have been ⁴⁄₅ stars. Rounded out with very friendly and attentive staff. A perfect dinner!

Best Sunday Brunch in Maine !
Order– 1 bottle Prosecco, Foie Gras Crostini, Smoked Salmon, Tomato Fig Salad, Mac & Cheese, Brussel Sprouts and Beignets.
Then, add an amazing bartender and enjoy !!

I have been to Thistle Pig for lunch twice and loved the food both times! The menu changes according to what is farm fresh. Parking is on street and has been available close by. The lobster roll was on a delicious brioche roll and one of the best I have had. The salad with pickled veggies was excellent as well. The décor is simple and clean. The owners/​chefs are very welcoming and have shared extras with us like fresh ham and pickled veggies. They were happy to accommodate us and add a truffle to our «truffle flight» for dessert. I am not a beer drinker however my husband appreciated the choices on tap. I plan to try both dinner and brunch in the future.

Just had lunch with our family. The burger, chicken salad sandwich and fish and chips were all very delicious and fresh. Great service and atmosphere! Definitely is a place to come back to!!!

There are great restaurants, and there are restaurants that are just plain great. I have eaten in some of the finer SF Bay Area spots (Chez Panisse, Bull Valley Roadhouse, Flour + Water) as well as Portland’s famed Fore and they were all great! But nothing compares to the joy and sheer pleasure of eating here.
Whether it’s the unexpected location in a cute little village, the always special attention the owner/​FOH manager offers, or the quirky décor or menu… we always love this place the best.
First off– brussel sprouts– just do it!
Beyond that– follow your heart… even dishes that I wasn’t sure I would like, house made tagliatelle with slow braised beef, braised greens in a thyme jus– ended up being home runs
Delicious cocktail program? Yes
Small but excellent wine list? Yup
Great draft beer selection (including super reasonably priced 4.75 oz selections)? You bet
To top it off– extremely kid friendly (owner Jen supplies small chalkboards and chalk, and then brought out some small pots and utensils so the kids could cook)
Oh yeah– casual and very friendly prices.
If you want a great dining experience… Don’t miss it.

Returning from a Maine vacation, we found ourselves in South Berwick and hungry. We discovered The Thistle Pig on Unilocal and decided to give it a try. Boy were we glad we did! I had the fried pork shoulder with cheddar grits and blue cheese and my wife had a wonderful watermelon and spinach salad. We shared both and were just so happy that we didn’t want to leave. If you’re anywhere within a hundred miles of South Berwick, Maine, I certainly suggest that you give The Thistle Pig a try. Friendly staff, chef owned, and a really great vibe, not to mention great, locally sourced food.

Wow this place was great! We were on the road and our eye was caught by the home-​made «open» banner– boy are we glad we stopped. I would drive 100 miles out of my way for this food.
The dishes were deliciously balanced and well-​proportioned.
We loved the music and the down-​home atmosphere.
Even our 5 year old gave the spaghetti and cheese rave reviews.
I would say Thistle Pig is 90% of the way to TJ Buckleys in terms of food wow factor and at ½ or ¹⁄₃ of the price!
We will be back.

I don’t even know where to start, this place is just the very best. Nestled in the downtown of beautiful South Berwick, it is the perfect blend of homey comfort and edgy inventive dishes. EVERYTHING on the ever changing menu is absolutely fantastic and you can’t go wrong with whatever you choose. Beyond the delicious food the bar menu is also fantastic, tasty cocktails and a delightful beer & wine menu make the whole experience even better. Perhaps the best part of the Thistle Pig though is the wonderful staff! The owners are friendly and personable and the wait /​bar staff is the tops. Since their opening in May 2014 we have a hard time going anywhere else to eat now. We love being regulars here and even our 3 year old daughter begs to go to her favorite place thistle pig. It’s for sure worth the drive if you aren’t local!

My husband and I stopped in here for dinner, and it was indeed premeditated; he came across The Thistle Pig via an article and just had to try it. We are both fans of local food, so this was a promising visit.
While we aren’t from Maine, we do enjoy visiting often and South Berwick isn’t too far over the line and it made for a lovely day trip! The restaurant is both charming and quaint, with a warmth that is present once you step inside. The bartender was friendly and welcoming which made taking a seat there very easy. We ordered drinks and got to perusing the menu. I ordered the Foie Gras with red wine gastrique, cranberries, and challah to start, and he ordered a sampling of house pork and sausage (boudin blanc!). If I were on my deathbed, Foie Gras would be on the top of my list for inclusion in a last meal, and after experiencing yours – no contest! It was ethereal and delicious and the little bit that was leftover, I spread on toast the next day. Yum! My husband was in love with your sausage and ham and still raves about it!
For dinner we each ordered a glass of red wine and for entrees, he got the Provencal fish stew, and I The Chicken with Brussels sprouts. Both were amazing and well portioned; filling, just enough and not too much.
I’m a big fan of dessert and had to pass it up on this round, but we plan on coming back again and I won’t miss it a second time around!
The Thistle Pig is well thought out and the dishes are in the same vein, and made with love. The day after our visit my husband was inspired to make a Provencal fish stew of his own. The service was great and the staff were friendly and professional. We are looking forward to visiting again soon, keep up the great work!

Went in for my second visit the other night because my last was a great experience. This time around was not so good for me and trust me, I want to love this place. We had the brussel sprouts again, very good. I also tried the soup which was not good for me but waitress removed from check. I wanted the pork festival but was not available that night and although I love pork, hate buffalo sauce so steered away from pork dish. I tried the burger sliders but unfortunately they were undercooked and I struggled to eat them. I will try back again because it was christmas night in town and I think the staff was a bit off due to some cookie decorating offering thing. I will say that my last visit the pork was awesome.

Well, I got hipped to this opening by a friend we once took to it’s predecessor, Pepperland Café. I *loved* that place, and expected to be disappointed, no matter what. Well, surprise! Thistle Pig is excellent.
We arrived to find that a hallway had been added at the door so people won’t freeze in cooler weather when the door is opened. If you remember the old place, gone are the garish red walls, and the bar left, dining room right setup. We entered and turned right to the long, inviting new bar, done in an original stain and made of re-​sourced white oak, as we would later learn. In fact, most of the décor is from resourced materials. The walls are a muted mustard, and a hall has been added heading towards the bathrooms (both unisex). Back to the bar — it occupies what was the outer wall on the Berwick side, and stretches front to back. A small seating area occupies the opposite wall. On the other side (where the old bar was) lies the dining room, and a view into the kitchen area. There seems to be much more seating than there was before. Also visible is the original real brick.
Now to the food. I ordered from a pleasingly unique and tasteful beer selection. No Bud here — sorry, Charlie. My wife ordered a greyhound with Titos (for you liquor snobs, again, nice selection). The menu is simple and modest (not 100 choices, but everything is fresh). As much as possible, the food is locally sourced. She ordered the Brussels sprouts and chicken. The sprouts are fried and the chicken had a light spice. She is a plain food person and thought both were delightful. I ordered the Bratwurst sandwich with fried potatoes. I’m a sausage snob — this was delightful. The dijon mustard was just spicy enough to make you interested. The Bratwurst was simply fabulous in every way, and was perched within a crusty, homemade roll. 10 stars. It was awesome.
The staff was attentive (and, in fairness, they were not at all busy) and everything is spotless (but, in fairness, they’ve been open for a day-​and-​a-​half). Also, the bartender was knowledgeable not only about his craft, but also about the mission of the restaurant and the menu. Thumbs up on staff.
For dessert we ordered the maple and walnuts éclair. To be honest, this didn’t wow like we thought it would. I don’t typically eat walnuts, but these were delicious. We couldn’t really taste the maple, and the chocolate sauce did not wow at all. The pastry was pleasant and the filling was excellent. Not sure if dessert is going to be a strong point, though.
Overall, we were very pleased and will be back. That should mean something, because this is a one-​hour drive for us, now. Good luck, guys! You’re off to a great start!