Dimillo's Floating Restaurant: A Unique Boat Dining Experience

DiMillo's On the Water is a floating restaurant in Portland, Maine, located on a converted car ferry at the end of Long Wharf. The restaurant was opened by Tony DiMillo in 1982 and is currently managed by his son, Steven. DiMillo's is one of the largest floating restaurants in the country, seating over 600 guests across two decks and three outside decks. The restaurant specialises in fresh, locally-caught seafood, including Maine lobster, but also offers a variety of non-seafood options such as steaks and Italian dishes. With its unique setting, award-winning cuisine, and panoramic views of Portland harbour, DiMillo's provides a memorable dining experience for locals and tourists alike.

DiMillo's is a floating restaurant

DiMillos is a floating restaurant in Portland, Maine. It is located in the heart of Portland's Old Port, with panoramic views of the iconic Portland harbour. The restaurant is housed in a converted car ferry, with indoor seating across two decks, as well as three outside decks for al fresco dining.

DiMillo's was opened in 1982 by Tony DiMillo, who purchased the ferry and brought it to Long Wharf. The restaurant is one of the largest floating restaurants in the country, measuring 206 feet in length, weighing 701 tons, and seating more than 600 guests.

The menu features award-winning cuisine, specialising in fresh, locally-sourced seafood, including Maine lobster. The restaurant also offers Certified Angus Beef® sirloin, filet mignon, and prime rib, as well as Tuscan fried chicken, gourmet salads, homemade soups, and traditional Italian dishes.

DiMillo's is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, known for its unique setting, delicious food, and memorable dining experience. It has become a beloved Portland favourite, with many customers returning time and again to enjoy the food and ambiance.

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, Monday through Saturday, with varying hours throughout the week.

It was once a car ferry

The DiMillo's On the Water restaurant in Portland, Maine, is a floating restaurant that was once a car ferry. The boat restaurant is located on Long Wharf, in the heart of Portland's Old Port. It offers award-winning cuisine, specialising in Maine lobster, and panoramic views of the iconic Portland harbour.

The history of the boat is quite fascinating. Commissioned in 1941 as "The New York", it originally ran as a car ferry between New Castle, Delaware, and Pennsville, New Jersey. In 1951, it was sold to the state of Virginia and renamed "The Norfolk", serving between Norfolk and Hampton. In 1958, it changed hands again, this time to the state of Rhode Island, and was renamed "The Newport". For the next decade, it plied the waters between Newport and Jamestown.

In 1969, the boat was sold once more, this time to the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and was used for a rather different purpose—as housing for a youth centre art colony. A few years later, in 1977, it was acquired by the Setaucket Yacht Club of Port Jefferson, New York, and was utilised for boat storage and as their clubhouse.

The boat's transformation into a restaurant began in 1980 when it was purchased by the DiMillo family. They converted the car ferry into a floating restaurant, which opened for business in 1982. The DiMillo's Floating Restaurant became the only floating restaurant on the East Coast. With a length of 206 feet, a beam of 65 feet, and a weight of 701 tons, it can accommodate more than 600 guests across its first and second deck dining rooms and three outside decks.

The DiMillo's On the Water restaurant has become a beloved fixture in Portland, with a unique setting that takes diners away from their daily lives and immerses them in a memorable dining experience. It is a testament to the American Dream, with a family-owned and operated business providing exceptional cuisine and a one-of-a-kind dining atmosphere.

It's located on Portland's Long Wharf

DiMillo's on the Water is located on Long Wharf in Portland, Maine. This floating restaurant is housed in a converted car ferry, which was brought to the wharf by Tony DiMillo in 1982.

The restaurant is a popular dining spot, known for its fresh seafood, panoramic views of the Portland harbour, and unique ambiance. It offers indoor and outdoor dining options, with beautiful water views from both the first and second decks, as well as the three outside decks. The dining areas feature a mix of intimate and cozy settings, including a fireplace lounge, and a spacious main dining room. The bar area also offers splendid water views, along with a variety of local wines, beers, and cocktails.

DiMillo's on the Water is part of a family-owned business that has been operating in Portland since 1954. The current location at Long Wharf is the result of Tony DiMillo's vision to bring tourism and dining to the city's emerging waterfront. The floating restaurant is now an iconic fixture in Portland, providing a one-of-a-kind dining experience for locals and visitors alike.

The restaurant's menu showcases a well-balanced variety of options, highlighting local seafood like native haddock, Atlantic salmon, fried clams, and scallops. They are particularly known for their Maine lobster, which is served in various styles, including steamed, baked stuffed, club sandwich, "lazy lobster" sautéed in butter, mac and cheese, and the classic lobster roll. In addition to seafood, DiMillo's also offers Certified Angus Beef® sirloin, filet mignon, prime rib, Tuscan fried chicken, gourmet salads, homemade soups, and traditional Italian dishes.

DiMillo's on the Water is open for lunch and dinner, Monday through Saturday, from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

The restaurant seats over 600 guests

The DiMillo's floating restaurant seats over 600 guests. This may be because it was once a car ferry, which ran between New Castle, Delaware and Pennsville, New Jersey. The ferry was 206 feet long, with a 65-foot beam and a weight of 701 tons.

The restaurant has dining rooms on the first and second decks, as well as three outside decks. The first deck has a large dining room, and the second deck has several smaller dining rooms. The outside decks offer incredible views of the harbour, and heaters are provided for chilly weather.

The restaurant is family-owned and operated, and has been in business since 1954. It has been in its current location since 1982, when Tony DiMillo brought the ferry to Long Wharf. The restaurant is now managed by Tony's sons, Steven and Johnny, and other family members are also involved in the business.

DiMillo's is a popular spot for locals and tourists alike, known for its fresh seafood, particularly its Maine lobster. It has been described as having an "unforgettable" and "unique" atmosphere, with panoramic views of the Portland harbour.

It's family-owned and operated

DiMillo's on the Water is a family-owned and operated floating restaurant in Portland, Maine. The DiMillo family has been in the restaurant business since 1954, when Tony DiMillo, who immigrated to the United States from Canada, first opened Anthony's on Fore St. in Portland. Tony was an astute businessman who recognized the potential of the city's emerging waterfront. In 1982, he purchased a car ferry and converted it into DiMillo's Floating Restaurant at Long Wharf. Today, the restaurant is managed by Tony's sons, Steven and Johnny, and other family members are involved in various aspects of the business.

DiMillo's on the Water is the only floating restaurant on the East Coast. The car ferry on which it is located has a length of 206 feet, a beam of 65 feet, and a weight of 701 tons. The restaurant offers panoramic views of the iconic Portland harbor and can seat more than 600 guests across its first and second deck dining rooms and three outside decks.

The menu at DiMillo's on the Water features a variety of fresh, locally sourced seafood dishes, including steamed lobster, baked stuffed lobster, lobster mac and cheese, and lobster rolls. They also offer Certified Angus Beef® sirloin, filet mignon, and prime rib, as well as Tuscan fried chicken, gourmet salads, homemade soups, and traditional Italian dishes. The restaurant is known for its high-quality food and has received accolades for its lobster dishes and chef's creativity.

The DiMillo family's hard work and dedication to serving delicious local seafood with stunning water views have made DiMillo's on the Water a beloved Portland favorite. The restaurant's unique setting, memorable dining experience, and commitment to freshness have kept customers coming back for years.

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