The Norumbega Restaurant & Bar in Camden, Maine

The Restaurant & Bar at The Norumbega occupies a Victorian mansion overlooking Camden Harbor. They're doing Peruvian-influenced cooking alongside inventive cocktails, with a kitchen that leans hard on local ingredients. The setting itself is the draw: a proper castle with multiple dining rooms and outdoor terraces. Service is attentive without the stuffiness you might expect.

• Peruvian dishes with fresh, local ingredients throughout
• Cocktails crafted by bartenders who know their craft
• Terraces overlook the harbor and Camden village
• Professional, genuinely friendly servers who remember your name

The Peruvian dishes are what people come back for, though the menu shifts. Small plates are the play here, so order a few and taste around. The cocktails are worth the price; ask your bartender for something off-menu if you're feeling adventurous. One guest singled out the drinks as 'some of the best we had during our trip,' so lean on the bar program.

Elegant and unhurried in the dining rooms; a bit of gentle clatter from the open kitchen. The terraces catch the light and the harbor view, and they're nearly silent on a clear evening.

The kitchen plays with Peruvian flavors and techniques while sourcing from local suppliers. Cocktails are treated with real care, the bartender knows his way around a shaker and won't just make what's on the menu. Small plates dominate, so you'll eat better by ordering a few things and sharing.

Guests consistently mention the warmth of the staff (bartender Steel and server Shirley show up by name) and the care taken with both food and drinks. One recent visitor called the cocktails '11/10, some of the best we had during our trip.' People also praise the building itself, it's genuinely a castle, and that matters.