Riverside Lodge & Sauna - Restaurant

Stayed for two nights in one of their rooms upstairs using AirBnB for two days of skiing at Sunday River. We arrived within half an hour of last call for food. Service was cheerful and food was excellent nevertheless. Way above what you would expect for a pizza and Greek salad in small town Maine. The crusts are handmade. Ingredients are simple but high quality and impeccably fresh. Homemade dressing. Perfectly balanced salad. I don't know if they bake their desserts, but they, too are excellent. The crowd is a friendly mix of skiers from Boston and locals, including delightful, well-behaved children. There was a guitarist quietly picking out instrumentals by the fireplace. The sauna was wood fired and authentic. A pizza, a salad and a dessert left two of us with half a pizza left over, which we ate for breakfast, heated in the kitchenette that comes with the room, which also has fresh coffee for the coffee maker and cream for the coffee in the fridge. Everything was the best possible combination of family-run atmosphere and careful caring food preparation. We ate there Saturday night, too. It was so good. We'll be back!

10 stars! This truly is the definition of a hidden gem. Whether you're a local or just visiting, Riverside Lodge is a must stop. The food (made from scratch!) is incredible. The decor is adorable. The staff are attentive and kind. The owner is always available and is super knowledgeable about her menu items and the area. The saunas are the real deal. Even had the pleasure of peaking in on her cute Air BnB units. If you need a home cooked meal, delicious pizza, jaw dropping dessert, place to lay your head, an authentic detox session or all of the above: this IS the spot for you! Oh great, now I want pizza and cake. To the lodge!