The Well at Jordan’s Farm

The Well at Jordan’s Farm is one of the many farm-to-table eateries in Maine, with a daily tasting menu that incorporates seasonal ingredients supplied by local farmers and fishermen. The Cape Elizabeth restaurant is situated on (you guessed it) Jordan’s Farm: a 122-acre, family-owned produce farm that specializes in sustainable agriculture. 

Before opening The Well in 2010, chef Jason Williams—formerly a chef at the iconic Portland, Maine restaurant The Back Bay Grill—regularly sourced ingredients from Jordan’s Farm and developed a close relationship with the family. So when Williams was eventually ready to open his own restaurant, the Jordans granted him their blessing to do so on the property. In The Well’s early stages, Williams wrote each day’s menu on a chalkboard outside the restaurant and asked patrons to settle their tabs by dropping cash in a suggested donation box. The Well has since moved to more conventional table service, but the restaurant still changes up its tasting menu on a daily basis using fresh and seasonal ingredients from Jordan’s Farm to make each dish special. 

The restaurant’s kitchen was built off of a flatbed trailer and is fully road-ready. Crammed into the trailer is a three-bay sink, pasta machines, circulators, and even a backroom with wine storage. It’s a scrappy but functional arrangement that has served Williams well, even as the restaurant’s clientele has expanded. To get the day’s fresh produce, he simply grabs tote bags, walks to the farm stand, hand-selects his items, and brings them back to the kitchen. Williams says his aim is not to dazzle guests with odd ingredients and combinations but, rather, focus purely on quality cooking that relies on the fundamentals of flavor. 

Seating at The Well ranges from the Chef’s Porch table (seating for one to four guests) to private small gazebos (three to six guests) and large gazebos (six to 12 guests). Large gazebo guests can choose between the tasting menu or the “family style” format menu, which includes a five-course meal on large, shareable platters.