The Vermonter and The Southern Hipster at Cheese Louise in Portland’s Old Port. Photo by Peggy Grodinsky
Cheese Louise, the fast-casual grilled cheese restaurant that has locations in Conway and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, as well as Portland’s Old Port, plans to open a fourth location in Westbrook’s Rock Row mixed-use development in 2025.
The restaurant began as a food truck in New Hampshire opened in 2018 by college friends James Gaudreault, Ian Lubkin and Bryce Harrison. The Portland brick-and-mortar spot opened in May 2021.
The restaurant will join a mix of local and national chain eateries at Rock Row, including Big Fin Poke, Cowbell sports bar, Crumbl Cookies, Firehouse Subs and Chick-fil-A. Quarryside, a beer garden featuring Lone Pine Brewing, opened in August at the complex, which is also home to Market Basket and REI.
“Our mission is to create a rich and vibrant destination that supports local businesses and offers the community an array of unique culinary options,” said Josh Levy, CEO of Rock Row developer Waterstone Properties Group, in a news release.
The Cheese Louise menu goes well beyond the basic grilled cheese, featuring sandwiches with barbecue pulled pork and pineapple, oven-roasted turkey and cranberry sauce, and bacon and apples, along with tomato soup and mac and cheese. It also plans to serve craft beer and cocktails, like the Maple Margarita.
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