Craig Andrews opened the doors to his new restaurant, Andrews’ Harborside, on Memorial Day weekend in 1986. After 30 years of putting his heart and soul, and sweat and tears into the Boothbay Harbor restaurant, he has stepped down.

Fiona Dunlap and Greg Warlo have purchased the building and named their new business Harborside Tavern. The new restaurant is open and lots of changes have been made.

Dunlap and Warlo are introducing their own unique brand. Everything in the restaurant has been hand-selected to convey their vision. “The design, colors, fabrics, lighting and the sign,” Dunlap said. “When someone pulls into the public parking lot and looks up at our sign, then they come into the restaurant, they'll see how cohesive everything is. Nothing is thrown together. There's a lot of thought behind our brand.”

The vision began with the tables. “We didn't want a restaurant with tablecloths,” Warlo said. “We wanted a rustic look. We wanted people to notice them and ask us about them.”

The 23 rustic, yet highly glossed, tables were made from northern white ash from Dunlap's childhood yard. “We had 800 board feet milled a year and a half ago, and Greg and our friend Omar Peart built them.”

Though the restaurant will continue with a few of Andrews' Harborside favorites, the new owners have incorporated some of their own fresh, and new ideas.

But not too many changes. “We've really made improvements in food quality and presentation,” Dunlap said. “We're serving simple, elegant food in a casual setting — simple, yet refined. It doesn't take a lot of ingredients to make something delicious."

As much product as possible will be sourced locally, according to Dunlap. “We want to serve really good, simple, fresh food in a nice, approachable environment. Our menu doesn't need to be over-complicated and wordy.”

For anyone who's worried they've seen their last Andrews' Harborside cinnamon bun, relax. Andrews will be helping out in the kitchen at times, and he'll be making his famous buns on weekends. The breakfast menu, including Andrews' roast beef hash, is the same as it's been at Andrews’ Harborside, save for a couple of additions, including staff favorites: A breakfast burrito and a “breakfast bake.”

“Lunches and dinners are a little more refined,” Dunlap said. “But they're approachable, and simple.”

Dunlap's fish tacos were a hit at Newagen, and they're on the menu at her new restaurant. “There's a pickled jicama slaw, cilantro and lime marinated daily catch, char-grilled tortilla, along with a few other secret ingredients...,” she said.

Her halibut was a hit, too. “I had her halibut, served with risotto, at Newagen a couple times,” Andrews said. “The way she does it is primo.”

Warlo and Dunlap, both chefs, will usually be found in the kitchen. They'll both cook, and Dunlap will also act as supervisor.

The new owners have purchased a smoker, and Warlo will be making tavern-style smoked ribs, three different types of wings, and a smoked tomato sauce to go on crab cakes, among other things.

Warlo said he is introducing some Caribbean-style items to the menu, too, and he'll be making one of his specialties, a seared scallop dish that Dunlap said is “amazing.”

There will be rotating craft beers on tap and some new craft cocktails that Dunlap said are a bit more classic and unique. And the wines were all hand-selected. “They are all approachable,” Dunlap said. “It's all about simplicity.”

Local graphic designer Cody Barry designed the logo, and the new sign. “He has been very influential with the brand,” Dunlap said.

“We're bringing history of our own to Harborside,” Dunlap said. Originally from Bath, she spent summers growing up on Ocean Point, and she has deep roots in the region. When we were trying to come up with a brand and a logo, we wanted it to have a connection with the location, and the history of it.” The logo was drawn by Barry based on a photo he took of the footbridge.

Executive chef at Newagen Seaside Inn for five years, Dunlap said food is her passion. “I wanted to experience different foods in different environments. I was a chef at the Naples Yacht Club in Florida. I worked in New York City for two seasons, and I came back every summer.” She worked as a cook at other local restaurants, including the Thistle Inn, Ocean Point Inn and Lawnmere Inn. 

In 2012, she won the People's Choice Award at the first annual Claw Down competition.

Warlo has been cooking at Andrews’ Harborside for five years, but he has worked in different restaurants for 13. He cooked at Spruce Point for five years, and worked at Fisherman's Wharf and Blue Moon Café. Over the winters he has cooked at some of the top country clubs in Jupiter and Naples, Florida.

Dunlap said Mike Whitney, of Family Thyme, has been an inspiration to her. “He's been a mentor to me since I was 14. He was a chef at Ocean Point Inn, and I remember watching him flipping pancakes. That was when I first decided I wanted to cook. He has been a guiding force for me.”

Ian Ronan, Tony Bickford and Dunlap, who she said were all mentored by Whitney, each have their own restaurants now. Ronan is the owner and chef of Waves, formerly Ebb Tide, in Boothbay Harbor, and Bickford is owner and chef of Little Village Bistro in Wiscasset.

Andrews has been helping the couple with the transition. “Craig has been very wonderful,” Warlo said. “His advice has been very helpful and he's been a great help in passing the baton."

Andrews said that Dunlap and Warlo have made changes that he's wanted to make for years. “I'm really happy with what they've done,” he said.

Dunlap said she's feeling good about the changes. “We have put a lot of much needed love and care into the building.

“We like to use the line, 'it's the bridge to good food.'” 

Harborside Tavern is located at 12 Bridge Street, Boothbay Harbor. Call 207-633-4074 or visit the Facebook page.