Celebrating new spaces for food and drink on Biddeford’s Washington Street

The Dunn Bar and Sublime Taco are poised to open up soon at 12 Washington St. in Biddeford, and to rejoice, Biddeford Saco Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon reducing past 7 days Tammy Wells Image

BIDDEFORD — In the temper for colcannon with a good steak or some seafood? How about bangers and mash — or a pint of Guinness or Smithwick’s?

Or probably it is a evening for tacos or a burrito?

Soon, folks craving both — or both — can partake when the Dunn Bar and Sublime Taco every open in the Washington Avenue setting up in Biddeford that right until about a yr ago was termed the Wonderbar.

The two eateries share one kitchen — Chic Taco, a California-encouraged road taco and Mexican restaurant, is leasing area from Dunn Bar. Every cafe seats 55 clients.

There is a new glance, with some nods to the previous, at 12 Washington Road in Biddeford, wherever the Dunn Bar and Sublime Taco are every single poised to open up soon. Tammy Wells Photo

Doug Darby and Ciel Caldwell bought the 12 Washington St. property in 2021. On a current day, they, alongside with Steve Siders and Kaitlyn Gaudreau, homeowners of Chic Taco, snipped the ribbon in a celebration structured by the Biddeford Saco Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s been a prolonged haul by building,” mentioned Darby. “A good deal of wonderful people aided and now we’re hoping we’ve crossed just about every hurdle.” Darby and Caldwell are hoping for an early June opening.

The Dunn Bar is named for Darby, who realized his spouse and children name had been Dunn before it was improved when his ancestors emigrated to the United States.

The Dunn Bar motto is “let the meals be clean and the spirits aged.”

Darby and Caldwell system to present refreshing seafood from SoPo Seafood, found in a community mill setting up, home cheddar from Nibblesford, a specialty cheese retail outlet just across the street, ground beef from Pineland Farms, espresso from Time and Tide and the like.

“It’s about great, refreshing food,” claimed Caldwell.

Though traditional Irish beer and spirits are offered, an array of area brews will be on tap as effectively.

The Dunn Bar has a cozy, warm truly feel inside of. It has been refurbished but there are nods to the previous, like an array of framed Wonderbar menus and a indicator.

The locale had earlier been owned by the Droggitis household for decades — it was the moment a shoe mend store, became Charlie’s Cafe in 1935 and afterwards the Wonderbar, owned by brothers  Jimmy, Alex, Archie, and Charlie Droggitis. They bought the cafe in 1982 and it went through a couple of proprietors until finally Vince Keely procured it in 1992. Keely bought the home to Darby and Caldwell a year back.

Chic Taco is anticipated to open up soon at 12 Washington St. in Biddeford immediately after outgrowing their former Most important Street area. Tammy Wells Photograph

Elegant Taco has its individual Washington Road entrance. Owners Siders and Gaudreau claimed they also hope to open up soon. Sublime Taco experienced been found on Most important Avenue for about a few many years, but outgrew the space, stated Siders.

Caldwell and Darby also have options for the 2nd tale of the 12 Washington St. developing. They are generating two, 3-bedroom residences and a few, two-bedroom residences, and hope to total them subsequent year. The pair personal about 40 apartment  units across the town and are also house owners of LaundrYup, a cafe and laundromat on Hill Street.

Jim LaBelle, director of Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce, explained he is glad to see the evolution of the landmark.

“Biddeford’s recent transformation has been especially noteworthy when historic properties, this sort of as this legendary Wonderbar site, are renovated and repurposed with a thoughtful appreciation of its rich earlier along with new and resourceful attempts to make this area the up coming fascinating hub in our local community for generations to arrive,” he mentioned.

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