Castine welcomes new wine bar, eatery

The Plant Shoppe features local foods, a diverse wine list and ‘comfortable’ dining experience

Longtime friends and Castine locals, Charlotte Legg and Ashleigh McKenzie, partnered to open the town’s newest restaurant. Photo by Annie Means.

July 28, 2026

By Annie Means

CASTINE—The Plant Shoppe, a new wine bar, eatery, and retail space in Castine, opened its doors–and its bottles–to the public on July 14. The opening coincided with the town’s Bastille Day celebrations and featured a French wine tasting. Needless to say, it was a busy first night. Since then, The Plant Shoppe has welcomed locals and visitors from Thursday through Monday, noon to 7:00 p.m.

Located at Main and 12 Water Street, the store welcomes passersby with a sunken patio, tables and shareable plates and charcuterie. The Plant Shoppe’s watermelon gazpacho has become a fast hit in the summer heat.

Longtime friends and Castine locals, Charlotte Legg and Ashleigh McKenzie, opened the shop in the space adjoining Auxford Market, which McKenzie owns with her family. The pair set out to create an elevated experience where people can lounge, browse local goods and gifts, and sip fine wines.

“We wanted it to have a feeling of home, whatever that may mean to you, but also a place that anyone would feel comfortable walking into,” McKenzie said.

The eatery, which sits next to the Auxfor Market, features indoor and outdoor seating. Photo by Annie Means.

The space adjacent had previously been a BBQ restaurant, a bar, an apartment, and an Airbnb. Last Spring, the pair decided they wanted to make it into a space that would enhance the vibrancy of downtown castine.

“We thought about how we can make the most of the bottom of main street,” Legg said.

A winding driftwood stairway leads guests into the store.

Inside, Rattan black-and-white bistro chairs sit snugly beneath paintings of ships. The shop features local gifts, including items made by artisans on Nautilus Island, and antiques from Fig and Wasp, which are sourced from Alabama, Mckenzie’s home state.

For the interior, the pair drew inspiration from McKenzie’s other business, also called The Plant Shoppe but located in Fairhope, Alabama, where she sells plants, furniture, and hard goods. Legg, meanwhile, has expertise in wines and has curated a list for the shop that spans organic, French, and Italian wines.

The shop also offers a carefully curated selection of apparel, home goods, and more. Photo by Annie Means.

“They’re thoughtfully made, and they’ve been thoughtfully chosen,” Legg said of the selection.

For the menu, The Plant Shoppe has partnered with Chase’s Daily in Belfast, which provides the lettuce for salads. This week, it’s Tuscan Kale.

Taste of Maine, a new local chip company, approached Legg and McKenzie to partner with them for shareable tapas and small bites. The Plant Shoppe hopes to offer pizza in the near future, but for now they offer a small, rotating menu that focuses on fresh and local foods. They also offer traditional cheese and meat charcuterie pairings.

Legg and McKenzie are happy to be creating a new space in town for folks to gather, relax, and linger.

“Castine is a very special town and one of the driving forces to do this has been a commitment to adding to its vibrancy,” Legg said.

To find out more about The Plant Shoppe and Auxford Market, find updates on visit https://auxford.me/ or visit The Plant Shoppe on Instagram.