LIBERTY—A casual bar and restaurant has come back to anchor the tiny town of Liberty once again. Isaiah Pottle and his older sister Amy Smith are Maine born and raised and are bringing their homey, quirky aesthetic to the house and tavern that once belonged to 51 Main, the restaurant.

Pottle, 35, grew up working in kitchens, starting with making pizzas and baked mac and cheese at age 15 at Center General Store in Lincolnville Center, now Lincolnville General Store.

With their grandmother Ruth’s pickle recipes and the family’s historic coleslaw, the siblings aim to offer a simple comfort-food menu along with a mini tavern that feels like a U.K. snug.

The menu is deliberately pared down to feature lunch and dinner of mac and cheese, chicken and biscuit, Shepherd’s Pie, or a pulled pork sandwich with a side of the famous slaw and two sides.

“The food we’re serving reminds me of family gatherings or going to Grammy’s house,” he said.  “It’s just going to be hot food and cold salads and we’re prepping everything ahead of time so it’ll be quick. People will get their food in five minutes.”

The house, built in 1850, will remind longtime Midcoast restaurant patrons of the old Ingraham’s in Rockport with its partitioned rooms, exposed old beams, a decommissioned fireplace, and a piano in the corner.

The pub side of the restaurant, now repainted a deep Inchyra Blue that is reminiscent of Scottish skies, will offer several local brews from nearby St. George Brewing Co., as well as Heineken (one of their father’s favorite beers) and a cheap PBR.

On the mixology side, Pottle will sling a couple of not-so-fancy drinks with fancy names such as “Wicked Pissah,” a Long Island iced tea made with Moxie, and Mosquito Mojito made with blueberry lemonade and rum.

The deck offers additional outside space with a newly stained deck and bright, red umbrellas.

The main entrance to the restaurant off the deck will become a grab-and-go space for breakfast items such as coffee, quiche of the day, and muffins, as well as soft-serve ice cream. A cooler will contain heat-and-eat portions of the regular menu.

With their father’s recent passing, Pottle decided it was time to come home again to Maine and when 51 Main came on the market, he took one look at the house with living space on the second floor and knew that was it.

“As soon as I saw this place, I immediately went home and began drawing the restaurant sign and logo,” he said.

With a light-hearted free-spirit approach to the bar and restaurant and along with vintage paintings and touches, Pottle has added his own quirky playful style to the decorations, such as a working rotary wall phone in the bar, vintage TVs, and toy VW buses that his father used to own.

Pottle’s is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and closed on Wednesdays.

Stay tuned to their Instagram page for more details @pottles.pub

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com