Mère bakery-cafe to open in Cumberland this month
Maine’s New Bakery‑Cafe “Mère” Opens Saturday in Cumberland
By Maine News Now
September 26, 2026 – Cumberland, Maine
A fresh, French‑American bakery‑cafe will welcome its first customers this Saturday at 204 Gray Road, a former bird refuge that now houses 2,000 sq‑ft of freshly baked goods, artisanal coffee and a market for everyday staples.
The new venue, called Mère, is the brainchild of pastry chef Georgia Macon. A former executive pastry chef at Prentice Hospitality Group’s Twelve, Douro and Evo Kitchen + Bar and a former Tartine Bakery employee in San Francisco, Macon earned a Rising Star award from StarChefs in 2023. Her work at Twelve has been highlighted in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, and her reputation as a creative, reliable baker follows her to Maine.
“The bakery won’t have made‑to‑order breakfast dishes, but we’ll get an egg on something, be it flatbread or a biscuit,” Macon explained.
“We want to be a spot where a working parent can come in on their way home from work, get a loaf of bread, a bottle of wine, a pound of butter and some dinner.”
Inside the space, about thirty seats accommodate a cozy interior and a small outdoor patio. The menu blends French bakery traditions with Southern comfort foods that nod to Macon’s Missouri roots. Patrons can try:
- French‑inspired pastries and freshly baked breads
- Southern biscuits, hand pies and the beloved gooey butter cake
- Coffee from local roaster Coffee By Design, and espresso sourced from Townie Coffee Roasters in South Portland
The café will not serve made‑to‑order breakfast items, but eggs will appear in several offerings—from flatbread to biscuit. Lunch is a classic boulangerie experience, featuring sandwiches on fresh‑baked bread and salads, while grab‑and‑go plates include hearty dishes such as chicken pot pie, strata and shepherd’s pie.
Mère’s market section offers a variety of pantry staples: butter, eggs, flour, olive oil, local cheeses and charcuterie. The goal is to give families a convenient, one‑stop shop for both ready‑to‑eat and easy‑to‑prepare ingredients.
The bakery‑cafe will open every day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., making it a reliable option for morning commuters and evening shoppers alike.
The grand opening will be celebrated on Saturday, September 26, and the first customers will enjoy a taste of the new culinary fusion that promises to add a fresh flavor to the Cumberland community.
