Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – For 25 years, the Riverside Inn Restaurant in Presque Isle has been tempting customers’ taste buds – both on and off premises.
In addition to the 399 Main St. location, Dan Collins, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Sandy, also does catering.
“We’ve been catering for 15 years now,” he said. “We offer full service off premise catering, complete with a bar – and there’s no event too small or too large. We do weddings, class reunions, corporate functions and special events.
“We offer everything from appetizers to a four-course meal,” said Collins.
One of the reasons the Riverside Inn Restaurant has lasted 25 years in the Star City is because Collins “cooks with a conscience.”
“I use local products, and I don’t sell anything that I wouldn’t want myself,” he said. “I don’t sell Spam for ham, and we listen to our customers. If I didn’t listen to them, I’d have been out the door a long time ago.
“You do what they want because they’re coming to your door to spend their money,” said Collins. “If you don’t do what they want, they’ll go somewhere else.”
The Riverside Inn Restaurant offers a wide array of selections including fresh seafood.
“We bread our own seafood,” said Collins. “I have seafood come in twice a week, and have it on special every day. By offering daily specials, we’re able to move it faster and bring in more seafood.
“When I make homemade fish chowder on Fridays, it’s made with real haddock. It’s not pollock or imitation fish … it’s guaranteed real haddock. It costs a little more, but people would rather pay a little extra for quality fish.”
The restaurant is also well known for its breakfasts.
“I have people lined up when I get here before 5 a.m.,” he said, “and they’re here every single morning. If it’s a nice morning, they’re all out standing on the sidewalk talking. Our breakfasts are pretty popular.
“There’s a family from Houlton that comes up, eats a full breakfast, and takes three or four side orders of home fries home with them,” he said, noting that he’s never cooked a frozen fry in the restaurant. “I figure if you live right in the middle of Aroostook County – potato country – you ought to sell homemade fries.”
He said homemade bread is made fresh every day at the restaurant, as well.
“We make our own pastries and our cream rolls are the best in town,” said Collins.
With five full-time and four part-time employees, the restaurant provides good portions at fair prices.
As a reminder of how far the business has come, Collins has the first dollar the restaurant earned on display.
“Harry F. Rideout was my first customer April 30, 1985 and I had him sign the dollar bill,” said Collins, “which I proudly display at the restaurant.”
Located at 399 Main Street, the Riverside Inn Restaurant is open from 5 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 5 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday, 5 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, 5 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, and 6 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 764-1447.
