The Purple House was built in 1950 as a family cottage in the country. Since then it has been home to a few families, a hot dog stand and much beloved video store. I first passed by the property in 2011 when my family moved to New Gloucester but it was not until 2015 that I thought about purchasing the property and renovating it for a wood fired bakery and restaurant. The small footprint (544 square feet) could present a challenge to many but I have spent the last 10 years working in such tight quarters that the space did not deter my desire to open a business within it's walls.
I hope you will join us for the evolution of this property from the raised beds for herbs and vegetables to the flower gardens and to the ever changing menu we will offer through the seasons.
Welcome to The Purple House....
Fancy Luncheon is coming soon 2025! More info to come…
The gardens at The Purple House will be an ever changing and developing story of a property that once held lush wildflowers and roses. The property was scraped clean in the fall of 2015 in order to install a new septic system and rework the natural barriers for the landscape. We have added raised beds with organic loam and plan to plant in the Spring. Herbs, edible flowers and vegetables are planned for the beds. The old flower beds will be replanted and the once overgrown and hidden pine grove will become an area for picnic tables to enjoy a light brunch or ice cream in the Spring, Summer and Fall months, along with a fire pit in the colder months to sit and relax.
The wood oven was designed and built by J. Patrick Manley over the course three and half months. He is a 'Yoda' among oven builders and the precision and care taken for the entire process was amazing to witness. I have wanted a wood oven for as long as I have been a cook so this opportunity to create an entire menu based on wood fired cookery and baking is really exciting for me!
Within the 544 square feet of the cottage, there is a fully functioning restaurant where we make everything from scratch using only the best local and mostly organic ingredients we can source. Ice cream and pastry will still be part of the main focus as we return from a long hibernation. The new version of The Purple House will be a tiny lunch only restaurant with eight seats and one seating per day offered. Reservations can be made through this site and are required for dining with us. We do not accept walk ins.
We look forward to seeing you all soon and are hopeful you will enjoy this new version of The Purple House as we evolve with the times.
The food at The Purple House is an amalgamation of all the things that I love to cook...and I hope you love to eat! Dishes from France, Italy, Japan, Canada and Maine wrapped up into a variety of tastes and textures and reimagined through the flames of a wood fired oven... there will be vegetarian, gluten free, lactose free and dairy free options weekly and fully plant based lunches will be available occasionally as special events.
378 Walnut Hill Road
North Yarmouth, Maine 04097
At the southern junction of Route 9 and Route 115
The only purple cottage with orange doors for miles!
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The property undergoes so much change each season...we hope you will visit throughout the year to experience the ever shifting landscape.
We are currently using only Gluten Free flours and products to produce all of our savory food, pastries, ice creams and baked goods. We strive to use organic and transparently sourced GF flours and grains to use in our gluten free products. We are not certified gluten free but we no longer have any gluten based or wheat products in the building so that cross contamination can be avoided.
We will have ice cream from Bresca & The Honeybee which we churn regularly from local milk, cream and eggs from down the road.. we use seasonal ingredients as well as spices, chocolate and fruits from around the world to add extra deliciousness to our offerings! We offer traditional French custard based ice cream and gelato as well as sorbet and vegan ice cream. We will have ice cream cakes, pops, bars and pints for sale. Scoops on cones or in cups will also be available. All of our ice creams, sorbets and vegan ice creams are Gluten Free.
We source local and organic products from throughout Maine and New England as well as speciality ingredients from around the globe. We expand our reach for these ingredients because the Earth is our home and the sharing of flavors, aromas and textures from the cuisines of other cultures is what we believe makes cooking so important to the joy of living.
Bresca & the Honeybee is located in New Gloucester at Outlet Beach on Sabbathday Lake. We are open to the public from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day seven days a week for swimming and boating. We make our own ice cream from local milk, cream, eggs and cane sugar. Please pack a picnic lunch as we no longer serve food at the beach! Ice cream available 11am-5pm seven days a week weather permitting. Beach and Property are open 9am-5pm seven days a week weather permitting.
Open Memorial Day to Labor Day
106 Outlet Road
New Gloucester, Maine 04260
207.926.3388 (Memorial Day - Labor Day)
Look for the little yellow shack with an ice cream cone sign....
