Welcome Main Line Dine Fans

Did you come to Small Food looking for Main Line Dine? If so, an explanation may be in order. (If not, what are you waiting for? Explore the site!)

For the past 10 years, I ran the website Main Line Dine. It started on a whim – when I tried to find information on a restaurant that had recently opened and found not even one mention on the entire internet – but rapidly grew into a beast known for its unbiased opinions on the local dining scene.

At first, I loved every second of the MLD experience. Eating (duh), writing reviews, getting reader feedback, searching for mouthwatering imagery, etc. But as time went on, my focus began to shift away from restaurants. A few years ago, I realized that my heart wasn’t into Main Line Dine anymore, but I was in so deep I didn’t know how to change it. I felt obligated to the great readership I had developed, even though I knew I couldn’t really give them what they wanted anymore.

One day recently, it hit me. I still am passionate about food, and about sharing my experiences with fellow food lovers via the written word. It’s the restaurant part that has left me cold. Not that the scene isn’t important anymore, but it’s played out, at least in blog form. There is, however, this groundswell of small, artisanal food producers that’s been slowly growing over the past few years that does excite the heck out of me. Farmers Markets seem to be popping up in every town, and they’re not just for farmers anymore. You’ll find bakers, coffee roasters, meat curers, hummus makers, and other food of all sorts, all made with love, in small batches, and with local ingredients. In my humble opinion, this is where the exciting, innovative stuff is happening in the local food scene, and what I want to talk about, read about, write about.

For that reason, I’ve begun the transition of Main Line Dine to Small Food. You’ll still get the same unbiased, completely independent opinions about the local food scene that you’ve come to expect from MLD, just with a slightly different focus. I hope you’ll peruse the site, read some articles, and maybe even leave a rating for one of your favorite (or not-so-favorite) markets, artisans or farmers.

Lastly, I want to send eternal thanks to all the great readers, commenters, likers, etc. that supported Main Line Dine. I sincerely hope you find similar joy here at Small Food!