The new owners of Fishnet Cafe on Bailey Island plan to bring fresh ideas to the business while still meeting the expectations of its longtime customers.
Topsham couple Ashley and Ray DeSilva purchased the cafe in January from former longtime owner Joan Ouellette, whose niece Sara King ran the eatery in 2024. Ashley has been an executive chef for seven years and cooking professionally for 20, having worked in Portland and California’s Napa Valley.
Ashley said she came to Bailey Island to take a break, then proceeded to fall in love with the community. She took a job at Cook’s Lobster & Ale House, where she still works, before she and Ray decided to go all-in on their own cafe.
“Joan mentioned that she was trying to find a new owner of the Fishnet, but she wanted to keep the Fishnet legacy alive, welcoming both travelers and the local people,” Ray said. “That was something we immediately wanted to get behind.”
Still, Ashley was initially reluctant to buy the business. “I’ve worked long enough in the restaurant industry to know you do not want to own a restaurant,” she said. But Ouellette showed them the space, and they were hooked.
“It was too perfect to pass up,” Ray said.
The cafe is in the Roxanne York Real Estate building at 2118 Harpswell Islands Road. It can seat 20 customers inside and another 20 on its patio.
The couple have brought their own style to the interior, changing the walls from white to coral. But they plan to continue showcasing local artwork, as their predecessors did. And the photos honoring local fishermen past and present are also making a return.
Similarly, the cafe’s menu will offer a combination of new and familiar dishes. Its breakfast and lunch fare will include traditional items such as pancakes, Italian sandwiches and lobster rolls, along with a French dip, poutine, and house-made blueberry English muffins.
“It’s going to be New England scratch cooking,” Ray said.
The dinner menu will rotate regularly and emphasize fresh, local ingredients, the DeSilvas said. Ashley said she loves prime rib and plans to serve it at least one night a week. She also plans to make pies — Maine blueberry as well as savory ones such as fish pies and pork pies.
King, the cafe’s previous operator, plans to return each Tuesday to host the same weekly trivia night that became popular with customers last year.
The DeSilvas said they understand it might be challenging to find staff, but they plan to always be present and do a lot of the work themselves. “I can’t do much, but I can cook really well,” Ashley said.
The couple is planning a soft opening in early May with friends and family, followed by an official opening in mid-May if permitting and inspections go smoothly. The cafe will be open Friday through Tuesday each week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with a one-hour closure from 3 to 4 p.m. for dinner prep.
The new owners’ first season will run until December, with plans to reopen in April 2026.
“While we’re considering expanding to include more winter months based on demand,” Ray said, “we also want to ensure the well-being of our staff and are leaning towards a break during the winter.”
