If you walk south of the town park, on the next block you will find Ace’s, the warm welcoming restaurant that serves some of the best food in the area.
Before Aces came about, the building was a feed mill back in the mid to late 1800s and then became a furniture store. Where Ace’s parking lot is, once stood Lux’s Meat Market and then John Lewis’s Grocery Store. Between the parking lot and town park, there was a gas station, then car dealership, then a bar, movie theater, and bowling alley.
In 1977, Jim and Carol Ace officially bought and turned Aces into the restaurant it is today.
Jim Ace was always interested in owning a small ice cream shop or a food stand. Falling in love with the town of Belfast after living in the city, he and his wife Carol bought the building and started a business.
Their restaurant soon became popular. As Carol described it, the building was split up into different rooms such as a game room, a small kitchen, a dining area, and an ice cream shop with a sliding window. The dining area had wicker furniture that has been replaced over the years with nice comfy booths.
Carol is known for her outstanding collection of tea pots. They are all shapes and sizes and are lined up on shelves throughout the dining area. They make the restaurant unique and homey. The exterior of the restaurant is a newly sided tan building with green shutters on all windows, a ramp at the entrance and exit, and lastly, a nice parking area.
Keeping in business to this day, they have expanded their work into a full restaurant. Aces is known for their Golden Gate Grill sandwich, homemade flavorful pies, and tasty fish fries. I highly recommend stopping to enjoy this experience!
-by Mary Hamer, Belfast Central School Class of 2024