A Lewiston fixture for over 10 years, She Doesn’t Like Guthries is the gathering spot every community needs.  Husband and wife Randy and Heather Letourneau call it a “business that supports our family, our community and our environment.”

In order to fulfill their environmental mission, they recycle, compost and use biodegradable containers and utensils for takeout orders, proudly pointing to their status as a certified “Green Restaurant” by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

Although the Letourneaus shared a vision for their cafe, they differed over its name. When people asked them what they planned to name it, Randy would respond that he wanted to call it Guthries after Woody and Arlo Guthrie, but that Heather didn’t like “Guthries.” One day for a joke he devised a logo with “Guthries” in large print and “She Doesn’t Like” in smaller print above, and the joke became reality.

Regulars call it “Guthries” anyway, so in the end they both got what they wanted.

She Doesn’t Like Guthries in Lewiston offers a wide variety of menu items, and live entertainment. Angie Bryan photo

Guthries offers a wide selection of lunch-type foods such as soups, salads, paninis, burritos, quesadillas, tacos, nachos and fiesta bowls, with most menu items under $10. For some reason, nachos are served only after 3 p.m. — what kind of monsters are the Letourneaus, and why are they depriving us of their delicious nachos at lunchtime?

They even have a $7.95 children’s menu, a varying selection of fresh-baked desserts and a catering menu.

Guthries is known for its willingness to accommodate an extremely broad range of special dietary considerations. In addition to adapting menu items so that they become vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free, they also make the necessary changes when it comes to food allergies or even just preferences. The idea, says Heather, is to have a menu that customers can deconstruct and then put back together to their own liking.

Although they serve a limited selection of wine (the server told us they had “red blend” and “white blend”) and beer, Guthries is much more of a family and neighborhood restaurant and cafe than it is a bar, and they do not have a liquor license. Normally that revelation makes me burst into tears, but I’m glad I stuck around for the live entertainment.

One of the specialties at She Doesn’t Like Guthries in Lewiston is nachos — which are only served after 3 p.m. Angie Bryan photo

Speaking of entertainment, Guthries hosts live musical performances, comedy nights and a periodic storytelling group called The Corner. They also display pieces for sale by local artists on a rotating basis.

Their clientele is as diverse as the menu, proving that they have absolutely succeeded in their goal of serving the entire community not only in Lewiston, but beyond.

Angie Bryan is a freelance writer living in Portland.