Trying to choose among Portland Maine restaurants without wasting a meal? Start with seafood on the waterfront, add a farm-to-table dinner and a few international stops, then walk it all off.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bon Appetit title for Portland | “Best Restaurant City of the Year”, 2018 |
| Maine’s rank for breweries per capita | 5th in the nation |
| Solo Italiano pesto win, World Pesto Championship | 2008 |
| Mami’s brick-and-mortar opening | 2017 |
| Travel time from Portland to Brunswick | 30 minutes |
These figures come from Visit Portland’s food and drink post and a Maine Day Ventures blog post. Figures can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
What makes Portland’s dining scene stand out?
In 2018, Bon Appetit magazine named Portland the “Best Restaurant City of the Year”, according to Visit Portland’s 2020 food and drink post. The same post says James Beard award-winning chefs who call the city home have kept it on the larger culinary map.
A separate Visit Portland fine dining page, updated September 30, 2024, lists more recognition. It names Food & Wine’s best up-and-coming chefs of New England, James Beard Award winners, and rankings from Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines. Both pages come from the tourism bureau, so read them as a promotional view of the city.
The city’s range is the real draw. The visitportland.com post quotes writer Kirsten Alana saying that “at all price ranges, there are incredible culinary experiences to be had.” The portland maine food scene guide puts that range in a wider local context.
Seafood and lobster rolls on the waterfront
Visit Portland notes that the city’s seafood is not limited to lobster, but that it does the lobster roll “very well.” Its post points visitors toward the working waterfront, where fishing boats with colorful buoys tie up close together.
As a neutral example, the same post mentions Luke’s Lobster on Portland Pier. It says the chain was founded by Maine native and third-generation lobsterman Luke Holden, and suggests carrying your roll to the back balcony to watch the boats come and go. For a closer look at the sandwich itself, see the guide to the lobster roll portland maine.
Raw bars are another waterfront staple. Visit Portland describes Old Port Sea Grill & Raw Bar as sitting in the heart of the Old Port, offering “an authentic taste of the Maine coast.” If shellfish is your priority, the guide to portland maine oysters is a useful next read.
Farm-to-table and fine dining
Portland’s reputation for farm-to-table dining rests on a few well-known kitchens. As of Visit Portland’s fine dining page, updated September 30, 2024, the restaurants it names for this style are Fore Street Restaurant, Gather, and Street and Company.
Maine Day Ventures credits Sam Hayward, chef and owner of Fore Street, as a pioneer of the farm-to-table movement. The same post mentions Cara Stadler, who has two restaurants: Bao Bao Dumpling House in Portland and Tao Yuan in Brunswick. It describes Brunswick as only 30 minutes from Portland.
Visit Portland says diners at this end of the market can expect:
- Inventive dishes built on local ingredients
- Extensive wine lists and knowledgeable sommeliers
- Multiple-course chef tasting menus with wine pairings
- Surroundings that encourage you to stay, relax and indulge
Plan these dinners ahead rather than leaving them to chance. If you are timing a trip around a dining event, the guide to portland maine restaurant week is worth a look.
International flavors and newer openings
Visit Portland’s post also steers readers toward global cooking. Its examples give a sense of the range:
- Pom’s Thai Taste: Southeast Asian cuisine opened by Rattanaphorn (Pom) Boobphachati, which has become a small chain in Maine.
- Solo Italiano: Chef Paola Laboa’s pesto won the World Pesto Championship in 2008.
- Mami: Izakaya-style Japanese street food from Austin Miller and Hana Tamaki, who started with a food truck before opening a brick-and-mortar spot in 2017.
Maine Day Ventures flags two newer restaurants in its blog post. The 5 Spot, at 935 Congress Street, calls itself a “cheesesteak joint,” and 66s Fusion, at 363 Fore Street, serves sushi, ramen and Asian meat buns. The post is undated, so confirm that both are still open before you go.
Plant-based eaters have options too. Maineflavor’s listing on the Visit Portland post describes vegan ice creams designed “from scratch, not as an afterthought,” and the guide to vegetarian restaurants portland maine goes further into meatless dining.
Beer, cocktails and sweet stops
Visit Portland says Maine ranks 5th in the nation for most breweries per capita, and that Portland, as its largest metropolitan area, hosts many of them. It suggests stopping at a craft brewery or trying a few on a tasting tour. Maine Day Ventures reports that Matador Network ranked Portland “The Top Craft Beer City in the World!” in an undated post, so treat that as one publisher’s ranking rather than a fixed title.
The same blog describes Allagash Brewing Company as a James Beard nominee that offers a free tasting room experience with beer flights. Policies like that can change, so check before you plan around it. If cocktails are more your thing, the portland maine cocktail scene guide covers the bar side of the city.
For something sweet, Visit Portland points to The Holy Donut, known for potato donuts. Each location closes when it sells out, so the post advises arriving before noon. It also names Maineflavor, a gluten-free ice cream shop that uses local ingredients such as Maine wild blueberries, and recommends the frites at Duckfat.
Morning meals deserve their own plan. The guide to brunch in portland maine picks up where the donut shops leave off.
How to plan your Portland meals
A loose plan beats a rigid one in a city this compact. Follow these steps:
- Choose a base. The old port portland maine restaurants guide covers the neighborhood where many visitors start.
- Book the meals that matter. The portland maine restaurant reservations tips page explains how to approach tables at busy places.
- Mix price ranges. Pair a splurge dinner with casual stops such as a lobster roll or a dumpling house.
- Consider a guided tasting. The guide to portland maine food tours compares ways to sample several places in one outing.
- Walk between stops. Visit Portland calls Portland “such a walkable city” and advises skimping on cabs and wearing good shoes.
If you are weighing more than a visit, the living in portland maine guide looks at the city beyond its menus.
Frequently asked questions
Is Portland, Maine only about lobster?
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No. Visit Portland’s food and drink post says the city’s seafood offerings are not limited to lobster, and it also points to Thai, Italian and Japanese-style cooking, plus donuts, ice cream and craft beer.
Does Portland have fine dining?
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Yes. Visit Portland’s fine dining page, updated September 30, 2024, names Fore Street Restaurant, Gather, and Street and Company as farm-to-table examples and describes tasting menus and sommelier-led wine lists.
Is Portland easy to explore on foot for food?
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Visit Portland describes the city as walkable and says you can eat and drink your way through it almost guilt-free. It suggests skipping cabs and wearing good shoes.
Are the newer restaurants mentioned here still open?
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Check first. The Maine Day Ventures post that names The 5 Spot and 66s Fusion is undated, so confirm hours and status directly with each restaurant before you go.
