Maine Restaurant Named World’s Toughest Reservation to Get

Scoring a reservation at one of the world’s most exclusive restaurants has never been more difficult, or more interesting, since Maine is now involved.

In an article from Food & Wine, they highlighted a report from hospitality tech firm Dojo, that lists the most impossible-to-book dining experiences in the world, which includes one iconic spot in the Pine Tree State.

The restaurants on this list includes establishments with year-long waits, reservation resale prices in the thousands, or, a handwritten postcard just to be considered.

So, you must be wondering, which spot in the 207 hit the top spot on this global list? It just happens to be The Lost Kitchen, located at 22 Mill Street in Freedom.

You might have the best meal of your life, but get ready to open that wallet! This place is a foodie's dream come true, so much so, that it has become something of a phenomenon.

Incredibly, the restaurant has a capacity of only 48 seats and is so inundated with requests for reservations, that you have to send a postcard to have a shot at getting a table.

Since they are only open from May to October, this is not an easy task.

Diners are chosen through a random drawing. It is also popular, because of the beautiful location in Freedom, its unique cuisine, and farm-to-table dinners that have drawn raves from people all over the world.

@catiecat84 Unforgettable dinner at The Lost Kitchen in Freedom, Maine! Send your postcards in, people! #TheLostKitchen #LostKitchen #FreedomMaine #Maine #ErinFrench ♬ I Wanna See You Smile - Guitalele Guys

The owner Erin French, revealed that The Lost Kitchen, usually recieves over 70,000 postcards each year to grab a reservaton!

It is important to keep in mind that the price of a dinner will set you back a whopping $265, but that does not include drinks.

Erin has made The Lost Kitchen so famous since its opening back in 2014, that is has its own TV show, which you can find on the Magnolia Network, which is now part of the HBO Max streaming service.

In addition, she has also authored books, and been featured on the Drew Barrymore Show, The Today Show, and CBS Sunday Morning.

Here is how the Top 10 breaks down:

1 The Lost Kitchen-Freedom
2 Rao’s-New York
3 Disfrutar-Barcelona
4 House Of Prime Rib-San Francisco
5 El Celler de Can Roca-Girona
6 The Bank Tavern-Bristol
7 Pujol-Mexico City
8 Damon Baehrel-New York
9 Noma-Copenhagen
10 La Mercerie-Marseille

They traditionally open the mailbox for incoming postcards on April 1st each year. This date marks the official start of their reservation lottery process

Once the postcard window opens on April 1, you simply send a handwritten card including your name, contact info, and mail it to The Lost Kitchen 22 Mill Street, Freedom, ME 04941

Postcards are then randomly selected starting in April, and, if yours is chosen, you'll receive a phone call to schedule your dinner, which runs on Saturdays from May through October.

Good Luck!