Bandaloop

Bandaloop is a converted barn in Kennebunk that does global comfort food with a strong vegetarian lean. You'll find vegans, vegetarians, families with kids, and omnivores all happy here. The menu swings from crispy tofu skewers with pistachio sauce to pork chops and grilled salmon. It's upscale but not stuffy.

• Hemp seed veggie burger stands out even to veggie-burger skeptics.
• Sourdough bread, wild mushroom fricassee, crispy tofu skewers all stellar.
• Accommodates vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous diners without shortcuts.
• Elegant enough for special occasions, relaxed enough for families.

Start with the sourdough bread and garlic almond spread or the soup of the day. The kale salad with caramelized onions and spicy hazelnuts is sharp and satisfying. Go for the crispy tofu skewers with peanut butter and pistachio sauce if you want something unexpected, or the fricassee of wild mushrooms in coconut milk if you want comfort. The pork chop and grilled salmon are solid mains. The deep dish fudge brownie or sorbet with blueberry and oat crumble finish the meal.

Converted barn with a chic, warm interior and an unhurried pace. Not loud, not silent. Feels like a place where people linger.

This is the place to come if you're tired of vegetarian food that feels like an afterthought. The hemp seed veggie burger alone is worth the trip. But if you eat meat, the pork chop and salmon hold their own. Kids get real versions of classics, not just shrunk-down plates. Service moves at a comfortable pace, and the staff reads the room well.

Guests rave about the attention to flavor and portion sizes, and the way the kitchen takes vegetarian cooking seriously without making it feel like a compromise. One recent visitor called the hemp seed veggie burger "different and amazing." Families come back because kids' meals taste like real food. People who aren't vegan mention leaving wanting a cookbook.