While food and dining choices in Lewiston Auburn provide selections for every palate and budget, and are built on the region’s strong support for local foods and farms, the cities are not recognized as a food destination. Lewiston Auburn is situated within easy access to the “foodie city” of Portland 40 miles south, which garnered the Bon Appetit 2018 Restaurant City of the year designation and is home to several James Beard award-winning chefs, and many coastal communities known for their restaurants are accessible within a 30- to 45-minute drive for those with economic capacity. In Lewiston Auburn, a local network of small, family-owned diners and pizza shops are situated next to diverse offerings from Africa, India, Vietnam, Italy, and France but this is neither well-known nor marketed outside of the community. Indeed, The Maine Office of Tourism, despite concerted efforts from the Chamber of Commerce, local business leaders and cultural venues to change this perception still merges metropolitan Lewiston Auburn with the Maine Lakes and Mountains region well to the west, and describes the cities as “midway between the state’s spectacular coastline and lush mountains, alongside the Maine Turnpike.” It is acknowledged that changing this perception must begin within the community and build on the momentum of the area as a local food hub focused on growing food for sustenance as well as production for retail and food service. Telling the story of how farming, food production, and municipal policy is coalescing to identify the Lewiston Auburn community as simultaneously food secure, food forward and welcoming of all who seek a culinary experience rooted in local culture will distinguish the area’s restaurants and food businesses.