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Best 75 places to eat and drink in Greater Portland
Press Herald restaurant critic Andrew Ross’ picks for the area’s top restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries and bars.
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In 2019, when we published the first edition of this list of our favorite local food and drink destinations in metropolitan Portland, we planned to revisit our choices every year. You may have noticed – a lot has happened in the intervening 40 months, including debuts of new dine-out stars, the shuttering of old favorites and a change in focus and perspective for nearly everyone.
A full one-third of our original list has changed: 25 of 75 of the names you’ll see here are new. Within the full list, look for an elite group of businesses that make up the best-of-the-best, a Top 10 shortlist that should be on your itinerary whether you’re a native Mainer or are just here for a day.
Like last time, winnowing this list down to only 75 spots was a challenge. It’s never easy to leave a worthy restaurant out, but it also reminds us how fortunate we are to have so many special places to eat and drink in our little metropolitan area. Dive in to see.
Given labor shortages and lingering impacts of the pandemic, please check before visiting any of the businesses in this guide as hours and menus may change.
Want to find Asian restaurants in our Top 10 that have happy hour? Choose all 3 buttons to get your results.
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Banh Appetit
Opened in 2019 by members of the extended family who once owned Huong’s (a former Best 75 winner), this unassuming Cumberland Avenue shop serves the area’s best banh mi sandwiches, hands down. Try the Nem Nuong, spicy grilled Vietnamese sausage on a crusty baguette. Bun (rice vermicelli bowls) and aromatic pho are menu standouts here.
171 Cumberland Ave.
Portland
(207) 613-9399
banhappetitme.com -
Bard Coffee
Nowhere in town does the staff know more about their pourovers and espresso drinks than at this inclusive, contemporary Old Port café. The staff includes a few competitive-league cuppers and brewers. When the weather allows, you can order from the takeout window and sip your drink on a bench in Tommy’s Park.
185 Middle St.
Portland
(207) 899-4788
bardcoffee.com
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Belleville
Known for its laminated, mostly French pastries — think croissants, pains aux raisin and sticky kouign-amanns — this Munjoy Hill bakery’s superb Roman-style pizzas are also sensational. The long-awaited offsite production bakery on Forest Avenue is now open. Morning buns for everyone!
1 North St.
Portland
(207) 536-7463
blvl.me
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Bite Into Maine
When the sun is shining, head to the scenic Portland Head Light, where BIM parks its truck from May until October. But if you’ve missed tourist season, or it’s gloomy outside, BIM’s Scarborough commissary serves the same menu of fresh-picked lobster on butter-griddled buns. Try the mayo-dressed Maine-style and the drawn-butter Connecticut-style. Read the review.
Commissary: 185 Route 1 #2
Scarborough Food truck: Fort Williams Park
Cape Elizabeth At Allagash Brewing Co.
50 Industrial Way
Portland (207) 289-6142
biteintomaine.com
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Blyth & Burrows
Ignore the not-really-a-secret doorway behind the bookcase upstairs, and instead focus your attention on the concise list of sophisticated cocktails. To-go drinks have taken up a permanent (and welcome) residence on the menu, and the cocktail list has been winnowed to focus on the bar’s very best drinks.
26 Exchange St.
Portland
(207) 613-9070
blythandburrows.com
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Broken Arrow
In its category (moderately expensive, seasonal, modern American cooking and cocktails), Lyle and Holly Aker’s Americana-inspired restaurant ranks at the top of the pandemic-era incoming class. Smart, genial service and thoughtful tweaks to classics like crudo, risotto and salads all impress, as does the well-priced tasting menu. Read the review.
545 Congress St.
Portland
(207) 808-8938
brokenarrowmaine.com
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Café Louis
Visit chef Evan Richardson’s buzzy, exuberant South Portland hotspot, and you’ll come away with a new appreciation for Costa Rican and Caribbean cuisine and cocktails. Service here is also superb, even when the skeleton crew who operate the 1,000-ish- square-foot space are slammed with customers. Don’t ask how they do it, just order a slushy Pura Vida rum punch and enjoy. Read the review.
173 Ocean St.
South Portland
(207) 536-0169
cafelouis.me
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Central Provisions
Plenty of chefs tell you that they base their menus on what’s in season, but chef Chris Gould really means it, often altering his restaurant’s menu as frequently as every day. The kitchen produces imaginative, flavor-forward small plates. It takes around four small dishes to make a meal, but you’ll leave wishing you could have eaten more. Read the review.
414 Fore St.
Portland
(207) 805-1085
central-provisions.com
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Chaval
Incorporating local products into their half-Iberian, half-Gallic menu, chef Damian Sansonetti and pastry chef Ilma Lopez reimagine Maine as the westernmost member state of the European Union. With sherry on tap and an inventive cocktail menu, Chaval is an ideal spot to spend a leisurely evening out. Desserts are unmissable. Read the review.
58 Pine St.
Portland
(207) 772-1110
chavalmaine.com
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Cong Tu Bot
Deservedly, chef Vien Dobui was a finalist for 2020’s James Beard Awards for this hip, neon-toned Washington Avenue restaurant. Food here is Vietnamese, with an emphasis on small, comforting plates with vivid flavors. The menu is short, but provides plenty of runway to demonstrate how contemporary Vietnamese cuisine could/should evolve. Read the review.
57 Washington Ave. Portland
(207) 221-8022
congtubot.com
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Crispy Gai
Looking for spice and heat? Head to Exchange Street in the Old Port, where you’ll find Thai-inspired takes on fried chicken, umami-suffused noodles and fragrant cocktails. Crispy Gai is also a weekend brunch destination, with dishes like pork congee and radish-cake “tots” that might remind you of a Southeast Asian riff on dim sum.
90 Exchange St.
Portland
(207) 536-1017
crispygai.com
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Crown Jewel
A tropical, flamingo-themed dining room in a former military blacksmith’s shop on a Casco Bay island might be the last thing you’d expect to find in Maine. But just go with it – a meal at Crown Jewel is an experience. Hop a ferry for a romantic journey out to Great Diamond Island and enjoy a boozy Crown Jewel Punch as you snack on new chef Jef Wright’s rendition of summer classics like deviled eggs, snap peas and smash burgers.
255 Diamond Ave.
Great Diamond Island
(207) 766-3000
crownjewelportland.com Note: Crown Jewel is seasonal. See website for hours and dates of operation.
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David’s 388
Chef/owner David Turin has been an important figure on the Portland food scene for nearly three decades. His informal South Portland restaurant is his most consistent, thanks in part to the menu of well-executed bistro classics like duck breast, bacon-topped burgers and appealing, well-proportioned salads. Read the review.
388 Cottage Road
South Portland
(207) 347-7388
davidsrestaurant.com
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East Ender
Recently rebranded as a bar-and-grill with karaoke on the second floor, East Ender remains a terrific spot for a casual evening out, regardless of how your cover of “Don’t Stop Believin’” is shaping up. Dishes like homemade pork sausage hot dogs topped with beef chili and onions, beer-battered local fish and grilled romaine salads are all served in informal “street food” style. Read the review.
47 Middle St.
Portland
(207) 879-7669
eastenderportland.com
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Elda/Jackrabbit
A well-deserved double-dip for chef Bowman Brown. For the past several years, he has been cementing his reputation as one of the most skillful, creative chefs working in Maine today. His fine-dining restaurant, Elda, has flourished in its enchanting and sophisticated new space upstairs at the Pepperell Mill. His prix-fixe tasting menu is equally elegant. At the street level, Bowman’s casual café, Jackrabbit, offers dishes that borrow from the same Scandinavian-Japanese palette, as well as sandwiches and pastries that deserve everyone’s full attention. Read the review.
14 Main St.
Biddeford
(207) 602-0359
eldamaine.com
jackrabbitmaine.com
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Eventide
During tourist season, snagging a table at tiny Eventide becomes an extreme sport. But those lines snake around the block for good reason. Big Tree Hospitality Group’s swashbuckling reinvention of the coastal seafood shack is appealing from start to finish, especially the fresh, local oysters from the raw bar, fried seafood sandwiches served on steamed bao-style buns and cocktails that range from bright to savory. It’s hard to admit, but Eventide really is worth the wait. Read the review.
86 Middle St.
Portland
(207) 774-8538
eventideoysterco.com
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Evo
Nearly every wall of chef Matt Ginn’s restaurant is made of glass. Gawking pedestrians strolling down Fore Street may be the reason. But Ginn’s plates (especially summer salads blooming with herbs and edible petals) are always artfully composed explorations of the restaurant’s Maine-meets-the-Mediterranean theme. And they taste as good as they look.
443 Fore St.
Portland
(207) 358-7830
evoportland.com
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Forage Market
Stuck between New York and Montreal, two bagel-centric cities, Portland has no shortage of excellent examples of its own. Forage Market is one of the best, especially if your goal is to order a half-dozen bagels, some Browne Trading lox, and a few milky coffees.
123 Washington Ave.
Portland
(207) 274-6800
foragemarket.com -
Fore Street
The O.G. of Portland’s food scene, Fore Street was among the first local restaurants to focus on seasonality and local ingredients. Since it opened more than a quarter-century ago, it has earned national plaudits, like a James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef: Northeast award for chef-emeritus Sam Hayward back in 2004. Since then, the top-flight kitchen, wine program and service have kept pace with the city’s evolution into a dining destination. It remains one of the very best farm-to-table restaurants in New England. Read the review.
288 Fore St.
Portland
(207) 775-2717
forestreet.biz
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Friends & Family
Think of this Arts District restaurant as a wine bar, a snack shop, a speakeasy or a pizzeria – it makes no difference. You’ll be happy regardless. Friends & Family’s vibe is casual and friendly, and that goes double for Monday evening pizza nights, where the restaurant’s naturally leavened, thick-crusted Grandma slices are joined by thin-crusted round pies. Choose any bottle from the panoramic wall-o’-wine to go with dinner, and maybe an extra to take home as well. Read the review.
593 Congress St.
Portland
(207) 536-4022
friendsandfamilymaine.com
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The Garrison
As it has matured over the past few years, chef Christian Hayes’s seasonal, upscale Modern American restaurant has shed some of its buttoned-up sophistication, revealing an appealing punk sensibility just beneath. Dishes here are as spectacular as ever, in both execution and conception. The vibe, while still chic, has become mirthful and even little rebellious. A joy. Read the review.
81 Bridge St.
Yarmouth
(207) 847-0566
thegarrisonmaine.com
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Gross Confection Bar
Chef/owner Brant Dadaleares’ subterranean chamber of sweet and lovably kooky delights is a great place to stop for a late-night treat or a post-prandial nibble on the walk back from another Old Port restaurant (someplace that doesn’t take sugar, butter and chocolate as seriously). Read the review.
57 Exchange St.
Portland
(207) 956-7208
grossconfectionbar.com
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Harmon’s Lunch
Leave your blazer and heels behind when you visit this Falmouth burger institution — essentially a retro quick-service shack that specializes in juicy, thin-patty cheeseburgers and extraordinary hand-cut fries. Be sure to order extra sautéed onions and some red relish. And bring cash; Harmon’s is too old-school for plastic.
144 Gray Rd
Portland
(207) 797-9857
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Helm
For its stylish dining space, well-selected beverages and terrific raw bar alone, Helm is worth a visit. But venture beyond the shucked. Chef Billy Hager’s bistro menu is anchored by Maine-sourced ingredients and a commitment to in-house preparation of nearly everything from buttery brioche to tureen-baked chicken liver mousse that tastes remarkably like foie gras. Read the review.
60 Thames St.
Portland
(207) 613-9918
helmportland.com
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Highroller Lobster Co.
At this double-wide storefront space kitted out in lurid ’80s red, white and black, you’ll find some of the region’s most creative seafood dishes. Lobster and crab rolls are the main focus, but they’re given a new, offbeat sensibility with accompanying sauces that range from lobster ghee to charred pineapple mayo. Read the review.
104 Exchange St.
Portland
(207) 536-1623
highrollerlobster.com
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The Honey Paw
Technically a “noodle bar,” with mostly walk-in seating, The Honey Paw’s best dishes often involve no pasta at all: charred cabbage with fermented soy, rare beef salad with smoked oyster mayonnaise, and super crunchy wings. And did I mention the seasonal homemade soft-serve?
78 Middle St.
Portland
(207) 774-8538
thehoneypaw.com
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Hot Suppa
Southern comfort food – everything from buttery grits to gumbo teeming with seafood and andouille sausage – is what continues to attract scores of brunch customers every day. Yes, you read that correctly. Hot Suppa now serves its comforting breakfast and lunch dishes from morning to mid-afternoon, seven days a week. Read the review.
703 Congress St.
Portland
(207) 871-5005
hotsuppa.com -
Il Leone
You can get there from here, but you’ll need to take a ferry to Peaks Island where for a few warm months each year, this fully outdoor Neapolitan-style pizza restaurant becomes one of the region’s finest pizzerias. Naturally leavened dough, high quality toppings and a team committed to learning and improving during the off-season make Il Leone a seasonal must-visit. Read the review.
2 Garden Place
Peaks Island (Portland)
(207) 370-1471
illeone.me Note: Il Leone is seasonal. See website for hours and dates of operation.
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Indy’s
While the Tam & Cam, a banh mi in panini’s clothing, gets all the attention at this cute, cozy South Portland sandwich shop, other sandwiches deserve your consideration – especially the traditional Cubano and the warming Kai Kata, a spicy, Asian-inspired breakfast sandwich. Japanese curry bowls are also a real draw here. Order ahead to avoid the lines.
744 Main St.
South Portland
747-4082
indyssandwich.com -
Isa
Charming might be the best way to describe Isa, from its classic French bistro interior to the sparkles of Central-and-South American flavor that effervesce across its menu. Don’t miss the grilled pork chop, roasted vegetable salad with spicy pepitas and (if you visit on a Monday) the transcendent rabbit burrito. Isa is a gem.
79 Portland St.
Portland
(207) 808-8533
isaportlandme.com -
Izakaya Minato
Although Minato seats just 37 diners at a time, the space seems like a much larger restaurant, thanks to a split-space design that feels a little like what you might get if you opened an izakaya in a rabbit warren. It can be tremendous fun to eat a meal here, especially the chef’s choice omakase meal that almost always finishes with a bowl of savory egg-fried rice. Read the review.
54 Washington Ave.
Portland
(207) 613-9939
izakayaminato.com
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Jewel Box
Equal parts Victorian parlor and Weimar boudoir, Nan’l Meiklejohn’s bar is a funky, elegant setting in which to sip frequently ingenious cocktails. Drinks on the constantly changing menu lean toward strong spirits and herbal, bittersweet concoctions, with half-sized drinks available if you don’t feel like getting (even more) tipsy.
644 Congress St.
Portland
(207) 747-5384
jewelboxportlandmaine.com -
Jing Yan
With an eclectic menu, this neighborhood restaurant on Munjoy Hill interrogates the idea of what it means to be “Asian.” Chef Bijan “Biz” Eslami’s brilliantly conceived plates emphasize cross-connections across cultures and ethnicities: funky, fiery Korean noodles based on Tokyo-style “dry” abura ramen; yakitori skewers with Afghani ingredients; and a fesenjoon that whispers, “Peking duck, but make it Persian.” Chef Eslami is leaving at the end of January, and we hope Jing Yan is as lucky with its next back-of-house hire. Read the review.
90 Congress St.
Portland
(207) 835-0010
jingyanrestaurant.com
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Judy Gibson
Quietly and with little fuss, chef Chris Wilcox has turned this tiny South Portland restaurant into one of New England’s most creative culinary destinations. You might never guess from the concise, neighborhood-y menu, but Wilcox leans into ingenious texture-and-flavor matchups — aged gouda and mushroom conserva with beef tartare, whipped tahini with pickled mackerel — alongside a terse beverage list that both supports and enhances his vision. Read the review.
171A Ocean St.
South Portland
(207) 808-8649
judygibsonrestaurant.com
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Lazzari
Start with meatballs and a serving of whatever wood-grilled vegetables (delicata, Brussels sprouts) are on the menu, then grab a blistered, oniony Amatriciana pizza, slipped from the glinting copper Le Panyol oven at the rear of the restaurant. Cocktails are also excellent here, which is why the space fills up late at night on weekends. Read the review.
618 Congress St.
Portland
(207) 536-0368
lazzariportland.com
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Leeward
Housemade pasta, a vast (mostly European) wine list featuring bottles you’ll find nowhere else, and open-hearted service are only part of Leeward’s charm. Add ’70s, boho eclecticism and a spacious dining room (i.e. scoring a table is easier than it should be), and it becomes clear why Leeward has turned into a national media darling. Read the review.
85 Free St.
Portland
(207) 808-8623
leewardmaine.com
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Liquid Riot Bottling Co.
Part distillery, part brewery, part restaurant/bar with an inviting wharf-front patio, Liquid Riot offers something for just about everyone. Not least of all a surreptitiously fine menu that features arguably the best french fries in the city (still). Read the review.
250 Commercial St.
Portland
(207) 221-8889
liquidriot.com
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Local 188
The shabby chic dining room and mix-and-match design aesthetic remain constant no matter when you visit, but Local 188 has oscillating identities. At dinnertime, it is a Spanish restaurant, but when the weekend rolls around, it transforms into a bustling egg-and-fried-potatoes joint that remains one of the hottest brunch spots in town.
685 Congress St.
Portland
(207) 761-7909
grocer188.com
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Magnus on Water
Perhaps the best restaurant you’re unlikely to accidentally walk past, Biddeford’s Magnus on Water is both a world-class cocktail bar and small-plates restaurant. Run by a cooperative of four owners plus chef Ben Jackson, a 2020 James Beard Award finalist, Magnus offers dozens of choose-your-own dining-and-drinking adventures: everything from a cocktail and dish of craveable marinated carrots to a full meal served on a patio that doubles as a hillside park. Read the review.
12 Water St.
Biddeford
(207) 494-9052
magnusonwater.com
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Mami
Chef Austin Miller never seems to stop updating his menu of Japanese street-food and izakaya classics like indulgent bacon okonomiyaki, takoyaki and smoky yakisoba. Sourcing matters here, and in dishes like a Maine pollock katsu sandwich or tare-glazed confit local chicken over rice, it makes the difference between OK and oishii (Japanese for delicious). Read the review.
339 Fore St.
Portland
(207) 536-4702
mamiportland.com
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Maples
The cat is out of the bag about Maples, and I couldn’t be happier. With enormous English muffins, fruit scones, sprinkle-topped ricotta cookies and some of the region’s best bagels – all baked on-site – Maples is good enough to justify dropping crumbs all over the interior of your car on the drive back to Portland. Skip Maples at your own risk.
1055 Lewiston Road
New Gloucester
maplesmaine.com
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Monte’s Fine Foods
Half-market, half-Roman pizzeria, owner and chef Steve Quatrucci’s latest local venture is the kind of place that would be mobbed from open to close if it were in a bigger city. Fortunately for you, Portland leaves some breathing room for visitors to sample the superlative “pinsa” pies that range from traditional Margherita to wickedly tasty sopressata with hot honey (and, if you’re lucky enough to read this in the late summer, an heirloom tomato pizza worthy of a picnic in nearby Payson Park).
788 Washington Ave.
Portland
(207) 613-9873
montesportland.com
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Mr. Tuna
In its first brick-and-mortar space, Mr. Tuna has evolved into a full restaurant where chef Jordan Rubin’s famous Maine-sourced temaki feature alongside generous maki, nigiri, sashimi and an array of side dishes like Japanese potato salad and refreshing sunomono seaweed-and-cucumber salad. Try anything with Maine crab and scallop. Read the review.
28 Monument Square (in the Public Market House)
Portland
(207) 805-1240
mrtunamaine.com
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Norimoto Bakery
Local gastronomes have been talking up James Beard Award finalist chef Atsuko Fujimoto’s phenomenal pastries for years, and it’s rewarding to see the rest of the country catch on. Fujimoto is a masterful baker whose repertoire of treats is grounded in European traditions and techniques, fine-tuned to allow for an occasional Japanese-inspired element. Peerless fruit galettes, sticky kouign-amanns and Gateau Basque with sweet azuki bean filling? Yes, please.
469 Stevens Ave.
Portland
norimoto-bakery.square.site -
Nura
Don’t let its origins as a food truck fool you, Nura is one of the area’s best spots for Levantine cooking, especially smooth, garlicky hummus that is the restaurant’s signature dish. If that’s not enough, there’s also crisp, Kermit-green falafel (served as a platter or sandwich), spiced fries that were born to be dunked in garlicky toum, and coriander-and-cumin-fragrant chicken shawarma. Anyone for lunch? Read the review.
1 Monument Way
Portland
(207) 536-0065
nuraportland.com
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Omi’s
Editor’s note: This restaurant is closed as of January 2023.
372 Cottage Road
In its former West End space, Omi’s was a decent spot to grab a cappuccino – not much more. However, when it relocated to a space large enough for a baker’s kitchen, it blossomed. Now in a renovated historic building in South Portland, Omi’s serves excellent layer cakes, homemade biscuits and a rotating selection of savory lunch and breakfast specials.
South Portland
(207) 835-0145
omiscoffeeshop.square.site -
Other Side Diner
Nominally a classic Greek diner, this cozy, welcoming East Deering restaurant ought to be known for its beautifully conceived toasted sandwiches (curried chicken salad, pork belly grilled cheese, Japanese convenience-store-inspired egg salad “sando”) as well as its simple, yet perfectly executed omelets. There’s no better place to finish a walk around Back Cove than here. Read the review.
500 Washington Ave.
Portland
(207) 772-0002
othersidediner.com
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Otto
Imaginative pies with flavors that actually work well together – jalapeno with ricotta and bacon, roasted pear with arugula and bleu cheese – are the secret to this local pizza empire’s great success. With nine locations now in Maine alone, Otto keeps chugging along, pandemic or no. And that’s no bad thing.
Several locations in Greater Portland and beyond.
ottoportland.com -
Pai Men Miyake
Some of the area’s best appetizers and snacks live here: minty, fish-sauce-dressed Brussels sprouts; steamed, gochujang-drizzled pork buns; or my personal favorite, the Kewpie-rich broiled crab hamayaki. But don’t forget the best-in-town ramen program, especially the brothless, egg-topped Tokyo Abura. Read the review.
188 State St.
Portland
(207) 541-9204
miyakerestaurants.com
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Palace Diner
If I told you that quite possibly the best diner in the country occupies a 15-seat space, just off the main drag in Biddeford, would you believe me? In 2014, co-owners Chad Conley and Greg Mitchell kitted out a tiny, 1927 railroad dining car and immediately started making food that brought together high-quality ingredients and a captivating faithfulness to short-order tradition. Visit for breakfast or lunch (no dinner service) on a weekday to avoid waits that can extend beyond the two-hour mark.
18 Franklin St.
Biddeford
(207) 284-0015
palacedinerme.com
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Portland Hunt + Alpine Club
The drinks menu continues to evolve at this dandy-Scandi cocktail bar facing Post Office Park, but classics like the Last Word-reminiscent Green Eyes and potent, smoky Bonecrusher remain highlights. Non-alcoholic sippers also feature on the menu, making this a fab spot for a nightcap, even if you’re driving home.
75 Market St.
Portland
(207) 747-4754
huntandalpineclub.com
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The Purple House
When Krista Desjarlais bakes, the state takes notice. During the summer months, she makes ice cream on Sabbathday Lake in New Gloucester, but when the weather gets cool, she fires up the woodstove in a quaint North Yarmouth cottage and bakes. In 2023, she plans to offer cafe pastries and occasional dinners, lunches and cooking classes.
378 Walnut Hill Road
North Yarmouth
(207) 808-3148
thepurplehousebakery.com Note: The Purple House closes for the summer season and will reopen in the new year on an irregular schedule. Check the website and social media. -
Quiero Café
You might be tempted to stop by this casual, counter-service South American café for a baked Chilean empanada and one of several dozen smoothies. And you wouldn’t be wrong to do so, but this pan-continental restaurant shines with its “Big Bites,” especially the patacon, a crisp-fried disc of green plantains topped with chicken, avocado, cheese and savory aioli. Read the review.
3 Deering Ave.
Portland
(207) 536-7033
quierocafemaine.com
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Radici
Imagine how tough it would be to open a restaurant four months into a global pandemic. That’s what Ally and Randy Forrester did, when they relocated their award-winning, hand-stretched and naturally leavened pizza restaurant to Portland in 2020. Three years later, diners can finally devour one of their char-stippled pies in Radici’s mid-century modern dining room. When in doubt, go for a Stracciatella-topped pie and, if you’re in the mood, add anchovy bagna cauda for extra umami. Hours are still in flux, so check the website before making plans.
52 Washington Ave.
Portland
(207) 835-6012
radiciportland.com -
Ramona’s
Call them whatever you like: hoagies, grinders, subs … it makes no difference as long as you’re ordering one from this closet-sized Washington Avenue sandwich shop. A Philadelphia-inspired collaboration between Josh Sobel and Palace Diner co-owner Chad Conley, Ramona’s gets the overstuffed, vinegar-dressed sandwich right. Not sure what to eat? Try the tuna-filled Melrose (with extra Calabrian chili spread) or the echt-Italian, cannellini-and-broccolini-packed Paulie.
98 Washington Ave.
Portland
(207) 956-7194
ramonas.me -
Rose Foods
Jewish deli standbys like crisp, golden-fried latkes; matzo ball soup and fat pastrami sandwiches (on rye, naturally) are as much of a draw as chef/owner Chad Conley’s open-crumb sourdough bagels and creative bagel sandwiches. Among the best: the Monday Morning – spread thick with chicken livers and schmaltz-fried gribenes – and the golden-beet-topped Greengrass. For now, the restaurant is takeout-only, but look for the dining room to reopen sometime this year. Read the review.
428 Forest Ave.
Portland
(207) 835-0991
rosefoods.me
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Rover Bagel
These are not your bubbe’s bagels, but that’s OK. We’re all just happy that Rover returned to Biddeford. Now operating from a jaunty takeout window in Biddeford’s Pepperell Mill, Rover sells generously proportioned sandwiches like the bacon-and-honey-filled Shift Meal, as well as more straightforward classic pairings for its heavily browned and blistered bagels.
10 W. Point Lane, Suite 10-204
Biddeford
(207) 710-6248
roverbagel.com -
Scales
With wharf views on two sides plus outdoor seating at the back, Scales is snazzy place to sit and watch the working waterfront in action. The shellfish-exuberant menu, which showcases locally sourced seafood (some of which arrives to the docks just outside) has only improved over the past four years. Don’t miss the fried belly clams and Jonah crab fritters. Read the review.
Maine Wharf at 68 Commercial St.
Portland
(207) 805-0444
scalesrestaurant.com
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Schulte & Herr
Unpretentious and cozy, this tiny Bayside bistro serves homey, comforting German food like tart-and-herbal cucumber salad, bratwurst with sauerkraut and some of the best schnitzel on the East Coast. Schulte & Herr’s business is also counter-cyclical, so if you’re trying to avoid summertime crowds, head here. Read the review.
349 Cumberland Ave.
Portland
(207) 773-1997
schulteundherr.wordpress.com
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Scratch Baking Co.
Locals know Scratch for its bagels (which sell out in nanoseconds every weekend morning), but the newly expanded bakery and sandwich counter is a versatile business that produces some of the region’s tastiest sweet treats: brownies and blondies, coconut layer cakes and scones – they’re all pretty fantastic.
416 Preble St.
South Portland
(207) 799-0668
scratchbakingco.com -
Sichuan Kitchen
Owner Qi Shen’s menu of sinus-clearing, tongue-numbing dishes is a delightful departure from the tired crab-rangoon-and-egg-roll menus at many New England Chinese restaurants. Subtler dishes here are also excellent, especially the frilly cloud-ear mushroom salad appetizer and buttery-tasting wok-sautéed cabbage. Read the review.
612 Congress St.
Portland
(207) 536-7226
sichuankitchenportland.com
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Slab Sicilian Street Food
One thing is guaranteed at Slab: You won’t go hungry. Offering Brobdingnagian wedges of puffy-crusted Sicilian-style pies, this downtown pizzeria has evolved into a Southern Italian crowd-pleaser with outdoor music and a terrific bar. Slices weigh in at a pound apiece, so order carefully.
25 Preble St.
Portland
(207) 245-3088
slabportland.com -
Solo Italiano
Chef/owner Paolo Laboa’s Northern Italian (mostly Genovese) menu is simple and traditional, but never boring – especially his Stracchino-cheese-filled, flatbread-like focaccia di Recco, and his signature dish: wide sheets of handkerchief pasta sauced with his award-winning basil pesto. Read the review.
100 Commercial St.
Portland
(207) 780-0227
soloitalianorestaurant.com -
SoPo Seafood
Americans have been slow to embrace the notion of eating a nice meal inside a market, but when the right combination of ultra-fresh raw seafood and prepared dishes like grilled cheese with picked Maine crab and caviar with blinis appears, we can’t get enough. That’s the case at SoPo Seafood’s raw bar — really just a wing of the fish market. It’s an ideal spot for a pre-meal Knightville negroni and a half-dozen clams or a full, shellfish-based meal. Oh, and as you leave, pick up a few fillets of New England barramundi for later.
171 Ocean St.
South Portland
(877) 282-7676
soposeafood.com -
Speckled Ax
Third Wave coffee roasters Speckled Ax are particular about their beans and their brewing. Inside their original tawny-walled café on Congress Street, you’ll encounter enough glassware to outfit a laboratory, including pourover vessels and Japanese-style siphon percolators. At its second shop on the fast-developing waterfront, Speckled Ax inhabits even more of its secret-scientist-identity, delivering excellent coffee and a view of the harbor.
567 Congress St.
Portland
(207) 660-3333 18 Thames St.
Portland
speckledax.com
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Standard Baking Co.
An enormous deck oven around the back of this shop is celebrated baker/owner Alison Pray’s secret weapon. On its stone platforms, she bakes some of the state’s best French- and Italian-style breads: airy miches, slick rosemary focaccias and yes, baguettes.
75 Commercial St.
Portland
(207) 773-2112
standardbakingco.com
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Tandem Coffee/Tandem Coffee & Bakery
Apart from serving an intensely smoky roast of coffee that has garnered national recognition for founders and Blue Bottle Coffee alums Kathleen and Will Pratt, Tandem sells some of the area’s best pastries. Baker Briana Holt’s short-crusted fruit pies, miso-glazed scones and gooey, softball-sized sticky buns are three Portland foods I never want to do without.
Café & Roastery (aka Little Tandem):
122 Anderson St.
Portland
(207) 889-0235 Coffee and Bakery:
742 Congress St.
Portland
(207) 805-1887
tandemcoffee.com
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Terlingua
Hot off a successful media blitz and top-to-bottom renovation of its entire space. Terlingua has morphed into a hybrid market-café that still serves some of the best smoked brisket you’ll find in the state. The outdoor patio is enchanting – a wonderful spot for a bowl of pork green chili and a pepper-rimmed spicy margarita.
52 Washington Ave.
Portland
(207) 808-8502
terlingua.me
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Thoroughfare
What’s not to love about small-scale, locally sourced updates on fast food classics that are every bit as decadent as the originals? The “Filayo” surpasses any other American-cheese-topped haddock fillet you’ve ever tasted, and the smash burgers (even the vegan Impossible Smash) are a triumph.
367 Main St.
Yarmouth
(207) 400-5192
thoroughfare.me -
Tipo
Airy and contemporary with a bar wallpapered in overlapping license plates from around the country, Tipo is the secret getaway for Portlanders who want to escape the throngs of tourists on the peninsula without settling for a second-tier meal. Brick-oven pizzas, roasted vegetables and house-made rye cavatelli are evergreen winners.
182 Ocean Ave.
Portland
(207) 358-7970
tiporestaurant.com
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Twelve
Unto every city, a special-occasion restaurant worth the price is born. Well, at least one, and this waterfront collaboration between Evo’s Matt Ginn and Eleven Madison Park (New York) alum Colin Wyatt fits the bill nicely. Even if you sit outdoors, where a la carte dining is allowed, order the tasting menu and tack on an extra few bucks for the pillowy house rolls. If the legendary split-screen macaron-and-ice-cream bar is on the menu, do not pass GO until you’ve tasted it.
115 Thames St.
Portland
(207) 910-7400
twelvemaine.com -
Wayside Tavern
Slow-burner restaurateurs like Dallas-transplants Siobhan and Michael Sindoni have made a big impression on Portland over the past three years. First serving crisp-roasted porchetta at Roll Call, and now at their hygge-steeped bistro on the border between Portland’s Parkside and West End neighborhoods. Hearty large-format dishes like Sicilian-inspired roasted chicken are great, but don’t miss nibbles like marinated Littlenecks and battered cod cheeks with gribiche.
747 Congress St.
Portland
(207) 613-9568
waysidetavernmaine.com -
The Well at Jordan’s Farm
It is hard not to be won over by the enchantingly recursive concept of a farm-to-table restaurant located on the farm itself. Dinner at The Well takes the form of either a plated, five-course tasting menu or (for parties of six or more diners seated in private gazebos) a more rustic family-style meal. Both options are fantastic and make use of the farm’s own produce as well as local meats and seafoods. Read the review.
21 Wells Road
Cape Elizabeth
(207) 831-9350
thewellatjordansfarm.com Note: The Well at Jordan’s Farm is seasonal. See website for hours and dates of operation.
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Wilson County Barbecue
Tangy and fiery Eastern North Carolina-style pulled pork is the highlight of the menu at this lively Bayside joint. Come for the BBQ, but stay for crisp-fried hushpuppies, shrimp po-boy sandwiches, nuclear-grade hot chicken and comforting sides, including the best chicken-and-pork Brunswick Stew you’ll find north of the Mason-Dixon. Read the review.
82 Hanover St.
Portland
(207) 956-7788
wilsoncountybarbecue.com
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Woodford Food & Beverage
Few restaurants do bistro-style comfort food and cocktails as well as Woodford Food & Beverage does. Chef Courtney Loreg prepares some of New England’s best brasserie-style dishes here, especially anything braised, like her smoky lamb shank entrée. Fennel-spiced fries and tart, mustard-forward deviled eggs are also perennial winners on a menu that features no losers. Read the review.
660 Forest Ave.
Portland
(207) 200-8503
woodfordfb.com
ABOUT THE WRITER:
Andrew Ross has written about food and dining in Maine since he became the restaurant critic for this paper in 2016. Since then, he has won five Critic’s Awards from the Maine Press Association. Previously, his work was featured on Martha Stewart Living Radio and in The New York Times.
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