Roasty’s Signature Roast Beef
- Ali Farrell
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
Bringing a taste of Boston’s North Shore to Maine
Attending college in Beverly, MA, I lived on roast beef sandwiches for many years. Bill & Bob's Famous Roast Beef, Jimbos Famous Roast Beef Reading, MA, Kelly's Roast Beef - Pretty much (Enter any name here )’s Famous Roast Beef, and I’m there. After returning to Maine, I so missed those BBQ-drenched beefs on a fresh onion roll.
Enter Roasty's. We were lucky enough to have Roasty’s run a pop-up shop right in downtown Rockland at Main Street Market. They hit the mark with the “North Shore” 3-way. The signature James River BBQ sauce was spot on and brought me right back to college days. One sandwich was huge, and I easily had half for lunch and the other for dinner. I did request extra bbq on the side because I like mine slathered in it. They chose to use Cooper Sharp cheese as opposed to the American I’m used to, but it was still wonderful. The Onion bun was perfect.
We also got the French Dip sub, which we rated about a 7.5. The meat was well-done as opposed to my perfectly pink beef sandwich. The au jus sauce we might have added a bit of depth to, but all in all, it was still delish. I’d love to see a Los Angeles native give it a try and hear their thoughts, as this is where Roasty’s French Dip was perfected!
The 3rd item was the Philly cheese steak, which our friend gave a 9 rating - a very high rating from a foodie who critiques meals every single day!
They don’t have a huge menu, but that’s exactly what you want from a beef place. A few simple sandwiches that hit it out of the park.
Unfortunately, TODAY is the last day the pop-up shop is in Rockland, but alas, their home base is right in Portland!
11am - 7pm in Rockland today... go get it!
Roasty’s is a relatively new but highly focused addition to Portland’s Arts District, opening its doors at 642 Congress Street in November 2024. Despite being a newer face on the block, its roots are tied to the local culinary scene through its owner and the history of its physical space.
The restaurant was founded by Jenn Rockwell, a seasoned restaurateur who also owns Ada's Kitchen in Rockland. The location at 642 Congress Street was originally the Portland outpost of Ada’s Kitchen, which opened in early 2020 but closed in late 2021. After the closure, Rockwell spent several years developing a new concept—one born from a "niche, regionally specific" vision of what a roast beef sandwich should be.
Its commitment to regional authenticity defines Roasty’s. Before opening, Rockwell traveled across the U.S. to taste-test the specific variations of roast beef that have gained cult followings in different cities.
This research resulted in a menu that features several distinct styles:
The Boston "Three-Way": North Shore style with mayo, BBQ sauce, and cheese on an onion roll.
The Chicago: Italian Beef with giardiniera.
The Buffalo: "Beef on Weck" with caraway seeds, salt, and horseradish.
The Los Angeles: A classic French Dip.
All in all, I love the happy vibes of the folks behind the counter as they build these masterpieces right in front of you, the memories rushing back from my beloved BBQ-drenched beef sandwich, and the quality of the food. If I can make it back today, I’ll be getting the North Shore with no cheese or mayo- just extra bbq, along with the Philly steak and cheese (Will post pics to comments if I make it back before they sell out!)
BRING ROASTY’S TO ROCKLAND, PLEASE!!!
Comments