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Named for the finest grade of flour milled in Italy and owned by the same husband-and-wife duo behind Old Port's wildly popular Central Provisions, Tipo is a Back Cove gem and a neighborhood favorite. The Italian flour is put to excellent use in homemade pastas (like the buccatini with local mussels, fennel, and preserved lemon) and brick-oven pizzas (don't bypass the Casablanca, loaded with merguez sausage and roasted tomato). Service is swift and friendly—including on the sunny, bustling patio—and there's an emphasis on simple, intense flavors throughout the menu.
182 Ocean Ave., Maine, 04103, USA
Known For
- Handmade pastas
- Creative cocktail program
- Refined but rustic wood-fired pizzas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
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One of the splashiest restaurants in town (Executive Chef Colin Wyatt returned to Portland to open Twelve after sharpening his knives for years at Daniel and Eleven Madison Park in New York City), this is a place to indulge in some of the best food Maine has to offer. Don't let the pedigree, the beautiful dining room, or the gastronomically ambitious menu fool you, either; Wyatt's dedication to real Maine ingredients and the purest of flavors shines in dishes like monkfish with trout rose and whey broth, and the spectacular cherry galette with almond and crème frâiche.
115 Thames St., Maine, 04101, USA
Known For
- Fine dining
- Local ingredients sourced
- A beautiful dining room and celebratory atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
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A regular stop for pie lovers around the city, Two Fat Cats bakes up delectable bourbon pecan, sour cherry, and coconut cream masterpieces. Meanwhile, the bakery’s whoopie pies rely on light and fluffy, hand-scooped chocolate cake batter and a filling that’s based on whipped vanilla buttercream, not the more typical marshmallow. The signature pie is made with wild Maine blueberries sourced from Maine-based and family-owned Wyman's. A second shop is located at 740 Broadway in South Portland.
195 Lancaster St., Maine, 04101, USA
Known For
- Delicious homemade pies
- Celebration cakes
- Whoopie pies
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$$$ | |
In the Press Hotel, Union Restaurant has a sophisticated but unpretentious air that is reflected in its menu, which focuses on local ingredients, many of which are foraged and fished, or gathered from its on-site greenhouse. Most dishes are modern comfort food; breakfast and brunch are a treat: you'll find maple pain perdu served alongside smoked-salmon tartines and classic dishes like eggs Benedict.
390 Congress St., Maine, 04101, USA
Known For
- Sustainable ingredients
- Decadent "chef's table," a multicourse meal with wine pairings of the chef's choice
- Signature truffle beef pot roast
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Sparkling and gigantic crystal chandeliers aren't exactly the first thing you'd expect to greet you in a brick-and-ivy building tucked into a cobblestoned street, yet here they are—along with myriad other unapologetically glamorous touches. Settle into a green velvet booth and order up a meticulously made craft cocktail, or tuck into small Italian-inspired plates such as juicy lamb belly skewers or bucatini with spicy ‘nduja cream. If the weather cooperates, the alfresco patio is a primo spot for people-watching.
10 Dana St., Maine, 04101, USA
Known For
- People-watching
- Italian small plates
- An excellent craft cocktail program
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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The casual, retro vibe at this charming restaurant about 2 miles north of the Old Port makes it worth the journey, as do chef Courtney Loreg's superb offerings—all of them spotlighting locally sourced ingredients from land and sea. There's something for everyone on the menu, including steak tartare, sumptuous deviled eggs, croque madames and monsieurs, homemade pâtés and charcuterie, and killer brisket burgers that are to die for. Meanwhile, the craft cocktail program out of the gleaming zinc bar is worth a visit in its own right.
660 Forest Ave., Maine, 04103, USA
Known For
- Family-friendly environment
- Laid back but efficient service
- Pâté du jour
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed.
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In a historic town house with traditional Asian decor (a 30-foot copper dragon watches over diners) in Portland's quaint West End, this dumpling house serves deeply satisfying Asian-inspired comfort food in an intimate setting. Start with the house-made Asian slaw, then move to dumplings filled with tried-and-trues such as pork and cabbage or something less traditional, like beef bulgogi or shrimp and bacon. For a change from dumplings, consider the zha jiang mian (Beijing noodles) or lo mai gai (pork, sausage, chestnuts, and sticky rice wrapped in a lotus leaf).
133 Spring St., Maine, 04101, USA
Known For
- Dishes integrating local, seasonal ingredients
- Tap takeovers by local brewmasters
- Dishes other than the namesake dumplings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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The beans sourcing this shop’s delicious brew are bought from a handful of small growers—you can read their bios on the website—and roasted in-house. Enjoy your brew hot, cold, or iced with a locally made baked good.
185 Middle St., Maine, 04101, USA
Known For
- Close relationships with sources
- Passionate, knowledgeable baristas
- Bulk coffee and tea
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You won't find a more local or unfussy place—or one more abuzz with conversation at 4 am—than this waterfront institution way down on the end of Commercial Street. The food is cheap, generous in proportion, and has that satisfying, old-time-diner quality. Sitting next to you at the counter or in a neighboring booth could be rubber-booted fishermen back from sea, college students soothing a hangover, or suited business folks. From the upstairs deck you can watch the working waterfront in action.
390 Commercial St., Maine, 04101, USA
Known For
- Classic Maine diner food featuring many seafood dishes
- Very lively atmosphere commingling locals and visitors
- Parking is easy—a rarity in Portland
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$$ | South Portland |
Impressively clean and efficient in whipping up bowls of fresh Hawaiian-style poké, Big Fin is a family-owned operation (with another location in the nearby town of Westbrook). The fast, friendly staff churns out dishes of yellowtail, torched salmon, or spicy ahi tuna with customized toppings like shoyu, green onion, avocado, seaweed salad, and fried shallots.
29 Western Ave., Portland, Maine, 04106, USA
Known For
- An unusual number of poke options
- Fresh ingredients
- Fast, efficient service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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Perched on Thompson’s Point (a quick walk away from the busy entertainment venue of the same name), Bissell Brothers is in a perfect place—a 100-year-old former railway building, to be exact—to wow the crowds before and after the shows. It also draws crowds of its own for its hoppy ales (The Substance Ale, for instance), for regular releases available on tap and in cans, and a kitchen serving big salads full of local veg, wings covered in any of three sauces, and charcuterie from a nearby farm.
38 Resurgam Pl., Maine, 04102, USA
Known For
- Hoppy ales
- Locally sourced ingredients
- Convenient to Thompson's Point events
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For some of the best Mexican food in town, head to this fun, hip spot where the flavors are as vibrant as the turquoise, yellow, and fuchsia decor and the guacamole and salsas are made fresh daily. Wash down achiote-seasoned fish tacos or a citrus-and-cumin-marinated chicken burrito with a lemon-hibiscus refresca (cold drink) or a house margarita.
26 Free St., Maine, 04101, USA
Known For
- Quick bites such as grab-and-go burritos daily until 11 am
- Mexican corn on the cob with chipotle mayo and cotija
- A killer key lime pie
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Families, students, and bohemian types gather at this popular New England chain flatbread-pizza place where two massive wood-fire ovens are the heart of the soaring, warehouselike space. Waits can be long on weekends and in summer, but you can call a half-hour ahead to put your name on the list, or grab a drink from the bar and wait outside with a view of the harbor. The menu has eight signature pizzas made with fresh, local ingredients, plus weekly veggie and meat specials; everything is homemade, organic, and nitrate-free, and there are delicious local microbrews on tap.
72 Commercial St., Maine, 04101, USA
Known For
- Unfussy, kid-friendly atmosphere
- Outdoor dining on a deck that overlooks the working waterfront
- Dogs allowed on outside deck
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With a full and lively roster of brews on drafts and in cans, this small brewpub housed in an old auto garage is a friendly place to spend an afternoon. From their citrus-y IPAs and sours to wheat saisons with green tea and local Maine wildflower honey, the creations range from classic to niche. Flights and growers are also offered. Throw in the kitchen's menu of very good comfort food, and there's even more reason to settle in and hang around.
15 Ocean St., Maine, 04106, USA
Known For
- Above average comfort food
- Very friendly staff
- Laid-back atmosphere in an old auto garage
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The biggest of three breweries sharing space in an industrial warehouse, Foundation welcomes visitors (and their fur babies—inside and out) to its tasting room with a roster of craft brews that pair well with their Detroit-style pizzas and snacks like giant pretzels, available Thursday through Monday. Foundation's best-known brew is the Double IPA Epiphany, but the ever-changing list of beers on tap includes pilsners like Riverton Flyer and wheaty brews such as Radiant Waves.
1 Industrial Way #5, Maine, 04103, USA
Known For
- Food available Thursday--Monday
- The Double IPA Epiphany
- A large list of craft brews on tap
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
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This is the real deal, as quintessential as old-school Maine dining can be. Clam rakes and nautical charts hang from the walls of this unpretentious waterfront diner, and the flavors come from the depths of the North Atlantic, prepared and presented simply: fried scallops, haddock, clams and extraordinary clam cakes, and fish, clam, and seafood chowders (corn, too).
92 Commercial St., Maine, 04101, USA
Known For
- Family-friendly environment
- Classic lobster rolls, served on toasted hot-dog buns bursting with claw and tail meat
- An ice-cream parlor to round out your meal
- Chalkboard daily specials
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Opened in early 2018, this high-energy spot serves lobster numerous ways—in a roll, on a stick, on a burger, over a salad, or even with your Bloody Mary. If you're feeling adventurous, try one of the sauces (lime mayo, lobster ghee) on your roll, and wash it all down with a beer from the ever-changing menu, which depends on availability from local breweries.
104 Exchange St., Maine, 04101, USA
Known For
- Origins as a food cart
- The lobby pop (a lobster tail on a stick)
- Highroller whoopie pies baked by the owner's mom
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Part gastropub and part brewery, Old Port's cool-but-comfortable hangout is popular for its high-energy vibe, and brews made on-site by brothers Eric and Ian Michaud. The creative comfort food is also a draw (tempura eggplant with whipped ricotta and crab hushpuppies, anyone?), as are libations like tiki cocktails and newfangled classics like the Old Port Painkiller.
250 Commercial St., Maine, 04101, USA
Known For
- Craft beers
- Good bar food
- A buzzy nightlife scene
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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There's an infectious vibe at this eclectic, Spanish-inspired Arts District hot spot that's accentuated by its 2,000-square-foot space, lofty tin ceilings, worn maple floors, and mismatched chandeliers. Regulars chat with servers about which just-caught seafood will decorate the paella or which organic veggies will star in the tortillas, one of several tapas choices.
685 Congress St., Maine, 04102, USA
Known For
- Large bar area
- Some 150 different wines, mostly from Europe
- A lively crowd and warm environment
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Trays heaped with St. Louis--style ribs and brisket fly around Salvage’s expansive room, as diners wait for orders to arrive at communal or dinette tables. The deep-flavored meats benefit from time in the outfit’s smoker, custom-built from an old propane tank and fueled by Maine red oak, and sides like collard greens, delicious cornbread, and hush puppies round out the Southern-style feast. The adjoining bar and live music keep things hopping.
919 Congress St., Maine, 04102, USA
Known For
- Weekly events like bingo, quiz nights, and live music
- Southern-style sides like cornbread and collard greens
- St. Louis--style barbecue
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
