bacon and egg breakfast at a restaurant in rockland maine With a successfully symbiotic relationship between its up-and-coming Main Street tourist zone and its bustling working waterfront, the city of Rockland has become a destination in its own right.

Previously bypassed for touristy areas such as Camden and Bar Harbor, Rockland has made its presence known to Maine travelers with its growing collection of museums, galleries, shopping, lodging, and dining options that line the sidewalks in the center of town.

And since Rockland’s amenities are primarily walkable from wherever you stay in town, you’ll need some hearty morning sustenance to fuel your adventures…so read on to learn the best places for breakfast in Rockland.

Map Of Rockland Breakfast Restaurants

The map below shows the locations of every Rockland breakfast spot mentioned in this post:

Rockland Café

If you’re a fan of diner fare (like me), then The Rockland Café is your cup of tea.

Open seven days a week, this cozy, casual eatery features an enormous menu of affordable, homemade breakfast fare served in ample portions.

You’ll find all the classic breakfast options here—eggs, pancakes, omelets, French toast, and sandwiches—but you’ll also see several not-so-traditional items, like the café’s Famous Homemade Fishcake Benedict, made with fresh haddock, or the Prime Rib breakfast, served with mushrooms, onions, three eggs, home fries, and toast.

Location: 441 Main St, Rockland, ME 04841

Website: Rockland Café

Home Kitchen Café

Serving their breakfast and lunch menus all day from 8-3, the folks at Home Kitchen Café & Bakery make all of their fare from scratch.

Located in a repurposed 1940s gas station, the Café has been in business since 2009, serving up “comfort food with a touch of the Southwest” and baking all of their breads in-house.

No matter what you are craving for your morning meal, you’ll find it here: Omelets, scrambles, pancakes, French toast, steel-cut oatmeal, breakfast wraps and sandwiches, as well as specialty dishes like huevos rancheros, breakfast fried rice, and Migas—homemade corn tortilla strips scrambled with eggs, caramelized onion, roasted poblano peppers, and pepperjack cheese, served with sour cream and salsa.

Location: 650 Main St, Rockland, ME 04841

Website: Home Kitchen Café

Hole in the Wall Café

In partnership with The Good Tern Co-op Market, the Hole in the Wall Café serves up a tidy little menu of bagel sandwiches, baked goods, coffee, and other beverages—and you can order both breakfast and lunch all day. All of the bagels and breads are made fresh daily, and sandwiches are always made to order.

If you’re a fan of lox, then I highly recommend giving the Salmon Delite a try: Lox slices, onion, capers, tomato, and cream cheese (and whatever the muffin of the day is on the side…because sweet and savory).

Location: 754 N Main St, Rockland, ME 04841

Website: Hole in the Wall Bagels, Inc.

Rock City Café

This employee-owned cooperative stocks a selection of carefully curated origin coffees from around the world, as well as custom house blends.

The diminutive (but no less delicious for its size) breakfast menu is available all day (in addition to a separate lunch menu), and the offerings are sandwich-centric: Seven different mouth-watering variations, all of which can be served on a wrap (plain, spinach, sun-dried tomato, or gluten-free), brioche roll, or a house-made English muffin.

You can also opt for a granola (made from scratch) parfait, with French vanilla yogurt and blueberries. I’m down for the latter…along with a Reuben breakfast sandwich: Scrambled eggs, pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and dressing.

Location: 316 Main St, Rockland, ME 04841

Website: Rock City Café

Atlantic Baking Company

Rockland seems to have an abundance of highly talented bakers…and the folks at Atlantic Baking Company are no exception. House-made from scratch every morning, all of the artisanal baked goods here are made in state-of-the-art French ovens.

Featuring counter service and indoor seating, ABC’s display cases are stocked full of wonders of both the sweet and savory variety; think croissants, sweet buns, bear claws, muffins, quiche, scones, granola, and fruit crumb bars (not to mention all of the dessert-related magic).

Perhaps go splitsies with whoever you’re with; a maple sugar bun and a prosciutto and parmesan croissant, maybe?

Location: 351 Main St, Rockland, ME 04841

Website: Atlantic Baking Company

Main Street Markets

With its bustling walk-up counter and limited indoor and outdoor seating, Main Street Market is perfect for a quick bite before you head out to explore Rockland, or perhaps for a grab-and-go morning meal.

The breakfast menu is limited to three breakfast sandwiches, avocado toast, hot drinks, and smoothies, but you can certainly round out your repast with fresh fruit, baked goods, or other items from the market portion of the business.

Location: 435 Main St, Rockland, ME 04841

Website: Main Street Markets

The Grey Owl

Enjoy a full breakfast and brunch menu in The Grey Owl’s bright and cheerful dining room—recently renovated—while enjoying views of Rockland Harbor.

The variety of fare is enough to please even the pickiest person in your group; choose from egg scrambles, benedicts, omelets, pancakes, French toast, sandwiches, combo platters, and more.

There are also several less traditional options, like the Chicken and Waffle (buttermilk fried chicken on a Belgian waffle topped with sausage gravy and Maine maple syrup) or the Tacos Rancheros (two corn tortillas filled with fried eggs, black beans, smoked bacon, cheddar jack, and house ranchero sauce, served with sour cream and salsa).

Location: 2 Park Dr, Rockland, ME 04841

Website: The Grey Owl

Oceanside Deli

Disguised as a convenience store (well, it actually IS a convenience store), Oceanside has much to offer folks that happen to be on the hunt for a delicious, made-to-order breakfast sandwich or (wait for it) pizza.

Create your own egg sandwich by choosing the bread (English muffin, bagel, or biscuit) and meat (ham, bacon, or sausage), or opt for one of two specialty sandwiches; I recommend trying the Roast beef, egg, and horseradish cream cheese sando…it’s a true taste sensation.

There are also plenty of freshly baked goods on offer—and if the blueberry scones are available when you’re in town, stock up. They’re nothing short of life-changing.

Location: 131 N Main St, Rockland, ME 04841

Website: Oceanside Deli

Earth Candy

All of the items on the menu at Earth Candy are healthy and made fresh to order—and you can also opt to grab something from the pre-made foods if you slept through your alarm and are short on time.

Smoothies, bowls, juices, toasts, and even stuffed dates await your perusal; many of the fresh items on offer here claim to target specific needs, like energy boosts, clarity, and cleansing. I’m not sure how much I’m on board with that, but sign me up for one of Earth Candy’s Banana Bread Smoothies: Banana, rolled oats, coconut milk, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and coconut.

Location: 385 Main St, Rockland, ME 04841

Website: Earth Candy

Tuck & Roll

Tuck & Roll only offers walk-up service, with no indoor seating…because it’s a food truck. But you can find it at the same spot outside the Maine Lighthouse Museum, and I strongly suggest you seek them out during your trip to Rockland.

T&R offers coffee roasted locally by Moses Dyer of Harpswell along with a handful of delicious, creative morning fare options, most of which are waffle-related. You can even get a yogurt/granola/blueberry parfait—served in a waffle bowl. I’d opt for that…AND the Avo-waff: Waffle, mayo, avocado, and an egg.

Location: 3 Park Dr, Rockland, ME 04841

Website: Tuck & Roll