Ancho Honey Press and Reviews

Best of Maine Finalist, “Best Burger in Maine”
Down East Magazine, 2022

Finalist, “Best Fried Chicken in Maine”
Maine Magazine, 2022

Where to Eat in Maine Right Now
Down East Magazine, 2021
”But most worth road-tripping for is Chicken Sando Sunday, a different-each-week lineup of three messy, perfectly crispy, fast-food–style fried-chicken sandwiches — popular enough that you need to call ahead.”

Ancho Honey’s Delicious Timing
Down East Magazine, September, 2020
”What happens when you start serving ready-made meals right before a pandemic? With many restaurants temporarily closed, Bedell’s heat-at-home ‘global comfort food,’ from chicken tikka masala to barbecue pulled pork, helped fill a void. Recently, he hung a sign in one of Ancho Honey’s windows: ‘Carryout Before It Was Cool.’”

Bedell Brings Year-Round Dining Option to Heart of Tenants Harbor
Pen Bay Pilot, September 20, 2019
”Many locals, and those versed in the Maine food scene, know Malcolm Bedell either from his writing, which includes co-authoring a book and regularly contributing to a variety of print and online publications, or his popular and cleverly-named Rockland-based food truck ‘Wich Please. Now, Bedell is back with a new project: a modest eatery in his home town of Tenants Harbor called Ancho Honey, housed in a converted residence at the heart of the village.”

Why a Maine Cook and Food Writer Opened His Newest Endeavor 10 Miles Down a Peninsula
Bangor Daily News, September 9, 2019
”Bedell admits that he’s a cook that operates best when he gets to call the shots in the kitchen. With Ancho Honey, it appears he’s found the perfect opportunity to make that scenario possible.”

Click here to read additional reviews on TripAvidsor.

The Best Food

“Malcolm makes some of the best food I’ve ever tasted. From the simple Hillbilly Sushi rolls, to their heat-and-serve meals, everything is beyond amazing…and super reasonably priced as well.”

COREY M, via Facebook 

Praise for ‘Wich, Please:

These 10 Places in Maine Make the Best Sandwiches Ever [Only in Your State] 12/01/2015
"'Wich Please got its start in Rockland's Buoy Park and quickly made a name for itself among locals and visitors alike. This winter, the truck set up residence in Comida and continues to serve up favorites. Vegetarians should check out our favorite, the Reubenesque."

Everything but the squeal: Nose-to-tail dining on the rise in Maine [Bangor Daily News] 11/22/15
“It feels like we’re all more comfortable acknowledging that food comes from animals, instead of from magical, shrink-wrapped foam containers at Hannaford,” Bedell said. “Experimenting with unfamiliar cuts is just part of that exploration.”

Eater Names 'Wich, Please "Hottest Restaurant in Maine, 2015 [Eater] 11/16/15
"Food truck 'Wich, Please kept its legions of Kickstarter supporters satisfied all summer with a wide assortment of sandwiches, and even found a way to stay hot (and stay warm) with an intriguing winter partnership at Comida restaurant. Next step for food writer-turned-restaurateur Malcolm Bedell? Secure his own brick and mortar space, where he can continue to expand his repertoire as a chef, building on experiments like his ongoing "India Night" series."

16 Superb Sandwiches to Seek Out in Maine [Eater] 10/22/2015
"Food blogger-turned-food trucker Malcolm Bedell successfully launched his sandwich cart in Rockland's Buoy Park this summer. For the winter, Bedell has shacked up at nearby restaurant Comida to offer lunch service, so you can still try The Reubenesque: roasted sliced beets, Morse's sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and house Russian dressing on rye."

‘Wich Please and Comida restaurant are shacking up! [Pen Bay Pilot] 10/09/2015
"Kickstarter-funded food truck 'Wich Please is becoming roomies with Comida, a downtown Rockland restaurant with a Spanish flare. Using a symbiosis strategy, 'Wich Please will operate during the day hours, using the restaurant space as they churn out their signature sandwiches, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then clear out in the afternoon so that Comida can run dinner service, from 5 to 9 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday. In the Midcoast, this kind of collaboration between a restaurant and a food truck is the first of its kind, but all systems are go and the arrangement kicks off Oct. 10."

Rockland Food Truck ‘Wich, Please Heads Inside for Winter [Bangor Daily News] 10/06/2015
“These kinds of partnerships are rare in our industry,” said Comida owner Lisa Laurita-Spanglet. “But we believe that sharing the resources we have, especially during the slower offseason, is a fun and innovative way to contribute to the success of both businesses. Our intent is that this collaboration could exemplify a creative, new approach to small business.”

Updated: 'Wich, Please Shacking Up at Comida for Winter Lunch Service [Eater] 10/06/2015
"Worried about where to scratch your winter lunch itch when popular Rockland food truck 'Wich, Please closes after tomorrow's service? Fear not, for food writer-turned-chef Malcolm Bedell is headed inside not to hibernate, but to serve lunch in a different setting — at Comida."

The Hottest Restaurants in Maine Right Now, June 2015 [Eater]
"The success of its Kickstarter campaign meant that 'Wich, Please had a built-in audience the instant it launched. Food writer turned sandwich artisan Malcolm Bedell is serving up creative specials regularly from his perch in Buoy Park, attracting fans eager for another strong lunch option in the area."

Community-funded Food Truck Opens in Rockland [Bangor Daily News]
"The bright red food truck was fragrant Saturday with the aromas of sizzling bacon and fresh griddled bread, the view of Penobscot Bay behind it seeming to stretch out forever in the spring sunshine."

'Wich, Please is De-Wich-ious [At Home At Sea]
"Located on the edges of Rockland Harbor with the tang of the sea greeting the outdoor park seating, there’s no doubt that these two have a formula for success."

Rockland "What's New" Roundup for 2015 [Sadler House]
"We were so excited about seeing this food truck come to town that we backed 'Wich, Please on Kickstarter, and apparently, we weren't the only ones!"

The Most Anticipated Maine Restaurant Openings, Spring 2015 Edition [Eater]
"He hopes to park alongside Pho Sizzle and Duo's Seafood in Buoy Park in early May, assuming he can get a city ordinance changed to allow three rather than two food trucks to cluster in the prime location."

Funded: Rockland sandwich truck should be open for business in the spring [Bangor Daily News]
"The ’Wich, Please sandwich truck should be rolling in to Rockland early next spring after an online fundraising effort exceeded the hopes of food blogger and avid home cook Malcolm Bedell."

New Food Truck, ‘Wich Please, Coming to Rockland [Pen Bay Pilot]
"‘Wich Please, a sassy, comfort food sandwich truck will soon be rolling up to Rockland."

‘Wich, Please’ Sandwich Truck Dream Close to Being Funded [Bangor Daily News]
"Food blogger and avid cook Malcolm Bedell is so close to his goal of opening a sandwich truck in Rockland that he can almost taste it. Almost."

Food Trucks and Kickstarter with Malcolm Bedell from ‘Wich Please [FoodTruckr]
"In this episode, Malcolm shares his journey from cubicle to food blog (and, we hope, from food blog to food truck). He’ll reveal why he chose to fund his truck through Kickstarter, how he got his first donations rolling in, and how he came up with his killer Kickstarter rewards.. You’ll also hear Malcolm’s tips for monetizing your food blog and taking dynamic photos of your culinary creations."

FromAway.com’s Malcom Bedell Shares Insights from His $25,000 KickStarter Campaign [Food Truck Empire]
"In this interview Bedell shares his “secrets” to raising capital with KickStarter, what it’s like to run a popular food blog, and of course the sandwiches he hopes to bring the the residents and visitors of Rockland, Maine."

Malcolm Bedell Funding Rockland Sandwich Truck 'Wich, Please via Kickstarter [Eater]
"The From Away food blogger tells Eater he needs your help to stop writing about frozen burritos and start making fresh lunches."

Food Blogger Launches Kickstarter for Sandwich Truck in Rockland [Maine Today]
"The man clearly loves his sandwiches. And instead of writing about and photographing them, he now wants to make them."

'Wich, Please [Chubby Werewolf]
"I think its safe to say that almost everyone who writes about food as a hobby has an underlying desire to get involved with food in a “more meaningful way,” as Malcolm puts it. That is certainly the case with me. So I’ll definitely be rooting for Malcolm to pull this off."

Food Blogger Launches Campaign for Rockland Food Truck [Pen Bay Pilot]

The Kickstarter Campaign that Started it All
In November of 2014, over 400 backers contributed to the Kickstarter campaign that made 'Wich, Please possible. Check out the archived campaign and video here.