“2011 Restaurateurs Of The Year”
Richard Pfeffer and Ed Stebbins, co-owners of Gritty McDuff’s Brewing Company, a standout on Maine’s restaurant and bar scene for more than 20 years, have been recognized as the 2011 Maine Restaurant Association’s (MeRA) “Restaurateurs of the Year,” Steve DiMillo, Chairman of the Board of the Association, announced today. The award will be presented to Pfeffer and Stebbins at the MeRA Annual Awards Banquet on Tuesday, March 15.
“Gritty’s has earned such a highly respected reputation throughout Maine since it first opened its doors,” said Dick Grotton, president and CEO of the Maine Restaurant Association. “Ed and Richard have consistently worked for the betterment of Maine’s restaurant community since Gritty’s launch in 1988. They’ve consistently and generously served countless community organizations and charities for decades now, and are widely considered a favorite destination for Mainers and visitors alike. Our MeRA team unanimously agreed that this was Gritty’s year.”
MeRA’s Restaurateur of the Year award, which has been presented for more than 30 years, is based on nominations from the community, the business’s tenure with and contributions to the Association, and its reputation among local patrons and community members.Gritty’s, which operates three brew pubs in Maine, enjoys a sterling reputation for its award-winning English-style ales and upscale pub fare. In addition to repeat wins as "Maine's Best Brew Pub" and "Best Maine Microbrew," Gritty’s also has been recognized in dozens of regional and national outlets. Forbes.com writer Zack O’Malley Greenburg singled out the small-batch ales and ambiance offered at Gritty McDuff’sBrewing Company as just one of the many good reasons Portland was selected as America’s Most Livable City in 2009, and Imbibe, which recently labeled Portland one of America’s “emerging beer meccas,” named Gritty’s a key pub and brewery that have put the city on the beverage map.
“We’ve always felt very much a part of Maine’s supportive and positive restaurant industry,” Pfeffer said. “Recognition from our industry’s leader is gratifying, to say the least. We couldn’t do what we do without a top-notch staff, and we’re awfully proud of our whole team.”