Summer in York Beach, Maine seems to truly arrive when The Goldenrod reopens for the season, making and selling all that wonderful salt water taffy.
Granted that reopening returns in May but our innate New England senses tell us otherwise that summer and The Goldenrod go together hand-in-hand.
This beloved landmark restaurant, candy and gift store, and ice cream shop dates back to 1896 but still possesses a timeless, beloved quality. The Goldenrod is most famous for its “Goldenrod Kisses” salt water taffy which is made on the premises. The wonderfully sweet aroma of boiling sugar and molasses saturates the storefront, inside and out, and a bit beyond the premises, also. What a classic summer scene with so many vacationers gathering outside to watch the taffy-making process through the window!
It’s an equally classic summer scene seeing so many people walking around York Beach with boxes of Goldenrod Kisses. We know very few people who leave York Beach without purchasing some taffy from The Goldenrod.
One step inside The Goldenrod feels like entering a nostalgic-themed storybook with that aforementioned sweet aroma of molasses and boiling sugar and the heartwarming sight of the authentic soda fountain counter and rustic dining room (breakfast, lunch and dinner served here). The overall scene never fails to welcome repeat and new visitors to this truly wonderful summer tradition at York Beach. From banana splits and homemade fudge to delicious New England clam chowder and lobster rolls, it looks like a smiley face convention amongst customers of all ages no matter where you look at the Goldenrod!
To make the whole experience that much better, The Goldenrod has a central downtown York Beach location across the street from Short Sands Beach, and near many stores, as well as York Wild Kingdom Zoo and Fun Park — a terrific zoo and amusement park.
The Goldenrod not only serves as a nice York Beach tradition, but also a great cheap travel destination. As an example, buying a box of taffy and enjoying a reasonably priced comfort food-style meal and ice cream will certainly not break the bank here. Hope you get to visit The Goldenrod, it’s a true rite of passage into a York Beach summer!
The Goldenrod is located at 2 Railroad Ave. in York Beach, Maine. Tel. (207) 363-2621
For the full story on York Beach, click here.
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Please share The Goldenrod graphic below on Pinterest. Thanks!
