Mt. Desert Island Ice Cream is open at 51 Exchange St. in Portland, just in time for summer. The Bar Harbor-based business is famous for outside-the-box flavors, including salt caramel, Thai chili coconut and chocolate wasabi, along with blueberry basil sorbet.

The little building at the corner of Washington Avenue and Congress Street in Portland’s East End is also reportedly opening soon as another ice cream joint, Harbor Scoops.

On the other side of the Casco Bay Bridge in South Portland, Maples is open at its new retail/gelato-making factory on Gary Maietta Parkway. And Willard Scoops, which used to sell Mt. Desert Island products, now makes it’s own ice cream.

Also in South Portland, Cambridge Coffee Bar & Bakehouse is open at 740 Broadway, in the spot where Freaky Bean used to do business. Three Brothers Eatery, at 15 Evans St. (in the former JP Thornton spot), has closed.

Back in Portland, Siano’s is open at 505 Fore St., the old Una spot. Lots of televisions on the walls.

Flatbread Co., at 72 Commercial St., recently upgraded from beer and wine to a full bar. They’re also adding a restaurant at Davis Square in Somerville, Mass.

Local Sprouts Cafe and Bomb Diggity Bakery is set to open June 4, in the old Portland Hall on Congress Street. There will be breakfast, lunch and dinner served, and music and art shows to entertain. The grand opening is from 5-11 p.m., at 649 Congress St.

Looking ahead, several dining and food operations are in the works:

Pei Mei Miyake, a noodle house brought to you by Food Factory Miyake, recently received a license from the city. It’s going into the former Local 188 space, at 188 State St.

Trader Joe’s filed an application with the city to open in the former Wild Oats space on Marginal Way.

Bayside Bowl has its food, alcohol and entertainment licenses all squared away and is expected to open at 58 Alder St. sometime in June.

And finally, the annual Greek Food Fest is set for June 24-26, at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church on Pleasant Street.

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