Scrapping their outdoor space on India Street, Amato's wants to make a larger impact on the Portland scene with an even larger restaurant/bar. 

Italian sandwiches are almost as synonymous with Maine as lobster is. Amato's, which has dominated the italian sandwich market in Maine for as long as anyone can remember, is set to celebrate that fact with a sprawling expansion on India Street in Portland.

As it stands now, the India Street location looks like many other typical Amato's location. But according to Portland Food Map, if Amato's has its way, it will transform into the largest Amato's location in Maine, with a full bar and a lengthy historical section outlining the rise of Amato's and italian sandwiches in general.

The 1,400 square foot proposal is an ambitious one from Amato's, which has typically kept all of its stores uniform in menu, size, and overall feel. But a changing landscape in the Portland market has led Amato's to think larger, like a double meat version of their world famous Italian.

There aren't many more details on what the expanded restaurant and bar part of their proposal would entail. Amato's locations currently sell beer and wine. The idea of a full bar, with service no less, would be unique and groundbreaking for Amato's. The proposal hasn't been approved by the city yet, but if it is, work on the India Street location should begin this summer.

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