The Love of Good Food & Great Company
A local spot where neighbors and travellers alike are welcomed to sit back, take their time, and enjoy good cooking.
Meet Chef Ashley
Chef Ashley
Chef entered culinary school the year Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations hit TV. Alongside her worn out copy of Kitchen Confidential, she’s kept a small dream alive of having a corner of this world to make friends and guests good food while enjoying even finer company. Chef Ashley views food as a respite not an accolade. Her cooking often takes a wandering approach exploring her history in an Italian kitchen in Sacramento, a steakhouse in Portland, and of course some of the biggest and best sea food restaurants Maine has to offer. Most of the time her food is simply what she likes to cook at home for her family and friends using ingredients her wife grows for her in the garden. Her tables are always scattered with good drink, wildflower bouquets, and whimsical dishes bursting with the local flare the gardens and nearby farms have to offer. When not in the kitchen (ha) Ashley is usually running around to farms and markets sourcing ingredients, teaching her dog useless tricks, and trying to squeeze in everyone she loves around the dinner table.
Fishnet's Story
A chef who never wanted a restaurant befriended an amazing woman who had founded a cafe. When Fishnet Cafe closed its doors in 2024, Joan Oullette was looking for someone who could carry on her legacy of welcoming locals and travelers alike to an adorable little cafe on a pretty little island. Simultaneously Chef Ashley was reflecting on her 20 years of cooking and deciding on next steps after her career journey had brought her from Maine to California and back.
Although Chef is the first to tell you owning a restaurant was more a reoccuring nightmare than a dream, the space and Joan's legacy was too perfect to pass up. With a new coat of paint and a request to turn the cafe into something that resembled a fun, quirky Gramma's house her little spot started to feel more and more like home.
She was fortunate to welcome Sous Chef Sam just in time for opening, showcasing his talented baking and Argentine flare from his 12 years in the Southern Hemisphere. His wife, Sabrina, soon joined, adding another layer of unique and delicious offerings with her traditional Argentine empanadas.
The cafe features classic Maine fare, including Wild Blueberry Muffins and Pie, all made from scratch in our kitchen each day. Argentine empanadas and Milanese dishes oftern compete with lobster for the most popular dishes. Chef Ashley includes staples like Haddock Piccata and Lobstah Pasta on the dinner menu but bases the nightly offerings on her visits to local farms and markets in the morning. Our small team is dedicated to providing both locals and travelers with a welcoming space to relax and enjoy each moment, one bite at a time.
