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OUR PHILOSOPHY ON FOOD

We’re always looking for ways to improve how we feed people. That starts with clean, local ingredients.

SCRATCH COOKING

We cure our own pastrami, ham, turkey, and roast beef, and pickle our hot peppers and veggies in-house. CERA's unique flavors are achieved through high-temperature roasting in our brick oven and over the flames of our wood-fired grill.

Food is more than a necessity. It's a craft. 

fire roasted meats cera
fresh ingredients cera

BETTER INGREDIENTS,
NO EXCEPTIONS

We've eliminated over 150 ingredients that don’t meet our standards for quality.

 

Every choice we make aims to nourish people and protect the planet.

RESPECTFULLY SOURCED

A good meal starts long before the kitchen. Every step matters, from the soil that grows our produce to the way animals are raised and cared for.

Our sourcing is an ongoing process. In a fast-casual setting, sourcing at scale while meeting the standards we're aiming for takes work, so we partner with a mix of regional and national producers and continue refining our choices over time. We choose partners based on quality, consistency, and responsible farming practices. It's not about any single definition of sustainability, but about making thoughtful choices and continuing to improve.

Whenever feasible, we prioritize regional sourcing, working with producers throughout Maine and New England like Pineland Farms, Morse's Sauerkraut, Little Spruce Baking, and Mousam Valley Mushrooms.

Respect for the process, the ingredients, and the people behind them makes food taste better.

Farm
house made sauces cera

NOTHING TO HIDE

Transparency is important to us. We’re open about what goes into our food and how it’s made, and we’re working toward Certified B Corporation status to back it up.

 

Trust is one of our most important ingredients!

GOOD FOR THE PLANET

We believe great food shouldn’t cost the planet its health. From packaging and waste to how our menus are designed, sustainability is cenrtal to every decision.

 

This isn’t just about saving bees. We want to be restaurant that gives back more than it takes.

square root salad cera

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Find us at:  One Monument Sq Ste 103, Portland, ME 04101

Phone: (207) 808-8386

Privacy Policy |  Do not sell my information

© 2025 CERA

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