We are, without question, a state fifiercely loyal to our traditions. Case in point: Whether you actually like the taste of Moxie or not, you probably are still going to defend the stuff. You might even shake up a cheeky summer party cocktail in honor of it. And it’s exactly that past-is-prologue pluck—that dovetailing of history and innovation—that manifests itself in the very best of what Maine has to offffer every year—and is also exactly what makes discovering all of it such a joy.
In selecting this year’s picks, we’re spotlighting some entirely new categories (see: all-day eateries and arts venues), and lauding still-worthy giants alongside mighty newcomers and gutsy revivals giving even their former selves (or merely tradition) a run for their money. Which is, one could argue, the definition of real moxie.