Lily’s Cafe

Lets begin with the positives — the wine was solid, and the service was wonderful. The ambiance was tastefully done and relaxing.
Unfortunately we did not enjoy our food, at all. We had potato chips and clam dip, the potato chips were utterly stale, not a pleasure at all, and the clam dip was average at best.
We also had the liver, which my lover described as «tasting like cat food with some sugary jam on top». And we are lovers of the liver (as well as each-​other.)
Anyhow, thanks for seeming to try and care and sorry we didn’t enjoy the food. Maybe work on mastering simple dishes before trying to get fancy — if the fundament isn’t there, the structure cannot help but be poor.
Thank you and God bless.

This summer, we found Lily’s open on Thursdays (only), 4 — 7pm, for wine and appetizers. But don’t miss it! We had one of each offering, and enjoyed every delicious bite.
Thanks to Kyra and the whole crew!

We’re up here on Deer Isle and were hoping to go to Lily’s for lunch only to realize that the café is closed for 2012… Not sure why but missing Lily’s big time!!!

I’ll admit I never ate a bite.
I went there with my kids and we were ignored as long as possible. When I asked if they had a dining area (I think we walked into the bakery/​take-​out area), I was told «all we have is scones left.» I got the feeling they want yuppie DINKs, not families as customers.
It appeared the owner was yaking on the phone all the while people were waiting to buy something. Maybe I caught them on a bad day?

I was on Deer Isle for a week this summer, staying with friends literally across the street from Lily’s, Morning 1. Went over and grabbed a variety of yummies for breakfast. Yum Yum Happy Tummies all around. Good pastries and an oatmeal cookie that was probably the healthiest breakfast I had all summer. Had an opportunity to have a late lunch there the next day. Lovely, eaten outside on their lawn under a shady tree.
Only negative:
Decided I had to have the cook book that included the oatmeal cookie. They were not open once during the remaining five days we were on the island. So I say, if it’s open, you’ve got to go if you like lovely clean food. But don’t count on it’s being open – regular hours and days and even a sign on the door telling you when they will return would be a nice idea. (However, I just called, they were open and I ordered the cookbook (s).

Love coming to Deer Isle-​Stonington every summer, and it’s always fun to save Friday night for dinner here. But let’s be real. Service is a real challenge under the existing system. Friday evening is the only dinner served here, and you must come early. We stop by around 5:30, before the real crowd begins to show up. Once that starts, it’s an absolute madhouse. Next time we go, we’ll probably skip dessert, which you have to go back to the counter to order, amidst a virtual mob of people also vying for their table. My wife disappeared for about 20 minutes engaged in this process.
Don’t get me wrong. The food is great, and it’s a wonderful little place to sit down and enjoy a nicely prepared meal. But be prepared to wait — even for your chance to pay the bill.

When you walk into a café in the middle of nowhere and the first thing you are told is that the soups of the day are curry zucchini and gazpacho, and a ham sandwich with mozzarella and artichoke hearts, you know you have struck gold! With about 15 microbrewery beers, 10 wines by the glass etc available, this place was just the perfect spot for lunch.
We sat outside and our lunch was brought to our table in a few minutes. We had both soups (delicioso) and ham sandwich and burger — all were great.
We also grabbed some of their fantastic salads to go.
Thanks Unilocalers for helping track this gem down!

We went here because so many Unilocalers gave it the thumbs up.
Here’s our take…
Food ranges from okay to good depending on what you get.
Gazpacho soup was great, tuna melt underwhelming. The service was not good. There was no coffee when we arrived, and they took their sweet time making a fresh pot.
It took 30 minutes for our sandwiches to arrive after we ordered them.
The woman who seemed to be running the place was disinterested bordering on rude. The family at the table next to us echoed our sentiments.
I’d maybe come back again to get a pastry to go, but otherwise… This place is overrated and most likely won’t get our business again.

Life is short — eat the chocolate cake first. But save room for the rest of the meal. For details, see the next review. In short, well worth a drive from NYC.

Lily’s is an exceptional restaurant because they serve great food. Its’ also exceptional because of the ingredients they use and what they make from them. The chef/​owner is Kyra Alex, cooks local, organic and sustainable ingredients; everything is made from scratch and with great skill, but it’s clear that Kyra is looking to create great food, not «cuisine» even though she has «mad skills in the kitchen.» Some dishes cost more than others and some use fancier ingredients, but true power of the place, is not only is she cooking local ingredients but that she is cooking local food for local people. Mac & Cheese, Fried Chicken, Crab Cakes and salad, were a few of the dishes on the menu. They also had all vegetable soups and items that are labled gluten free. Of course lots of cakes, cookies and pies. Everything was priced affordable, but more to the point, everything was made without pretension. Food that is good to eat, that also happens to be good for you, good for area and for the planet and of course your palate.
Beyond the love and skill that goes into every dish, it’s important to understand what Chef Kyra Alex is trying to accomplish at Lily’s. All the protein and all of the vegetables are local, organic and sustainable. While many folks have come to this ideal in the last few years, Kyra has been doing this for 12 years.
As I explain below, this is an area full of bounty; lobster, of course, they are famous for it, but also local shrimp, oysters, clams and scallops. The scallops are an important point, the season for them in Maine is the late fall and early winter. Most other restaurants and local grocery stores buy large quantities in the dead of winter, freeze them and then sell them in the summer. At Lily’s if you want scallops you have to go in the winter time. In all 4 seasons this area, full of fisherman and farmers produces some of the best raw ingredients in the country. (I go there on vacation just so I can cook with the local ingredients.)
Lily’s is open Monday to Friday, for breakfast and lunch and on Friday’s for dinner; yes a restaurant that is closed Sat & Sun. In the summer the menu is more expanded than in the fall or winter. Located in Deer Isle Maine, Lily’s is a good 30 or 45 minutes from No-​where… meaning its «way down east» in rural Maine. If you happen to find your self visiting Deer isle, Little Deer Isle, Stonington, Sunrise or Sunset Maine you should stop by Lily’s. Even if you are in the area (Mid Coast Maine from Rockland to Bar Harbor), you should think about driving over, it’s more or less, a 1.5 hour drive from either Rockland or Bar Harbor.
A few other things. You order at the counter and then the food is brought to your table. They have a great selection of wine and beer. They have one other thing, besides being a restaurant, Lily’s has a small groccery selection. Some cheese, but mostly packaged good, from all over the world (e.g., not local); as a chef I would tell you that every thing they have is more or less what you would need if you wanted to cook for yourself down-​east in Deer Isle. If your down near Lily’s and you are doing some of your own cooking, then you need to stop by 100%; everything from great pasta to shrimp paste and olive oil.