18 Best Restaurants in Portland, Maine

Arguably the best-known among all of Maine's many outstanding breweries, Allagash was one of the state's pioneers, first opening in the '90s with its signature Belgian-style wheat beer, Allagash White. There are plenty of other styles to discover at the brewery, including wilds, sours, barrel-aged brews, and special seasonal concoctions on tap, and when hunger strikes, there's a Bite Into Maine’s food truck on-site, where you'll find burgers and excellent Maine staples like lobster rolls and whoopie pies. It's a bit out of the way from central Portland, but the above, plus a fun and friendly tasting room, make the brewery well worth the small trek.

There are craft cocktails, and then there is Blyth & Burrows, where the alchemy of spirits is taken to the next level with creative concoctions that include the unholy integration of gorgeous (albeit unusual) ingredients such as absinthe foam, house-made black-lime cordial, blackstrap maple-chipotle syrup, and uncommon liqueurs and spirits. Delicious and inspired small plates, like deviled eggs with duck confit, charred oysters with absinthe butter, and local meat and cheese boards keep you from falling under the table.

This local coffeehouse company pours specialty coffee employing unusually high standards for environmental and economic sustainability. Flavor-wise, the sturdy coffee is brewed from beans they roast themselves, which have become a staple in many locals’ home kitchens. There's also quirky and creative baked goods—everything from vegan Pop-Tarts to rich daily quiches.

Even in midafternoon, this small, casual, and cool panini-and-more shop is packed, and the wait for tables can be hours. The focus here is everyday farm-to-table fare: the signature Belgian fries are made with Maine potatoes cooked, yes, in duck fat and served in paper cones, and standards include meat loaf and the BGT (bacon, goat cheese, tomato). Drink choices include gelato milk shakes, French-press coffee, lime-mint fountain sodas, beer, and wine.

Proper Italian gelato and sorbetto here come in traditional flavors as well as more offbeat varieties like torched marshmallow s'more, mascarpone pistachio caramel, and mint brownie cookie. It's all made of milk from family farms, and there are new flavors every day, along with espresso and other hot drinks. If you are overwhelmed by all the choices, get the "mystery pint" and have the selection made for you.

In opening this pitch-perfect bagel shop, chef-owner Chad Conley filled a long-neglected gap in Portland's food scene. Here you'll find spot-on New York–style bagels (made in-house every morning) with both expected and unusual add-ons, including pastrami nova, chopped liver, and whitefish salad.

One of the more pitch-perfect bakeries in the Pine Tree State, you'll have to visit early (or put in an advance order) to get your mitts on these delectable baked goods. The perfectly airy croissants, crusty baguettes, beguiling tarts, dainty madeleines, and creative breads incorporate locally sourced grains and are nothing short of revelations.

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 in South Portland.

The beans producing 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. Savor your brew hot, cold, or iced with a locally made baked good.

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. They also have a location in Scarborough.

Not only does Eventide have fresh, tasty oysters from all over Maine and New England, artfully prepared with novel accoutrements like kimchi, ginger ices, and cucumber-champagne mignonette, it also serves delicious crudos and ceviches with unique ingredients like blood orange and chili miso. The menu constantly changes, depending on what's in season. So it's best to order a handful of small plates, a glass of bubbly or one of the signature tiki-style cocktails, and, of course, a dozen oysters.

This high-energy spot serves lobster in both classic and creative 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.

Don't pass up a chance to try these sweet and savory, all-natural, Maine potato-based doughnuts glazed in flavors such as dark chocolate--sea salt, maple, pomegranate, triple berry, and chai, or stuffed with delicious fillings like bacon and cheddar or ricotta. There are always new inventions, too, such as salted chocolate caramel and key lime pie.

Japanese street food takes center stage at this cozy locale, which was once a hugely popular food truck. The menu rotates regularly, but you're likely to find uncommon takes on burgers and soba noodles as well as some form of okonomiyaki—a savory pancake filled with crazy-delicious flavor and texture combinations.

When owner (and self-titled “boochmaster”) Reid Emmerich looked around Portland and realized that lots of locals were drinking kombucha but none of it was being made locally, he set his sights on fixing that in 2018. These days the funky tasting room-cum-brewery (it’s technically licensed as the latter, since all kombucha contains at least a small amount of alcohol) gets filled with fans in to try Emmerich’s latest flavors—which change with whatever ingredients are in season, since he forages many of them himself—and hang out with fellow boochlovers in the process.

What began as a beloved brewery in nearby Biddeford has recently expanded to this large and style-conscious, multiroom tasting room. The Sacred Profane following has grown even larger now that the crowds headed to Thompson's Point are stopping in to hang out over excellent craft beers (especially the lagers, which are a specialty) and partake in the beer-braised sausages, smoked fish dips, pierogis, and lobster bakes.

This no-fuss yet continuously fun counter-service spot, opened by longtime wholesale purveyors of Island Creek Oysters (from Duxbury, Massachusetts), serves seriously fresh shellfish and excellent Maine microbrews (and wine) on tap. A clutch of imported, tinned fish and house-made pickled items that pair very well with oysters are also available. If it's sunny, grab a seat on the patio and watch all of Munjoy Hill stroll by.

The Speckled Ax serves up a seriously delicious coffee, whether cold brewed or piping hot with frothy milk. The secret to the richness of the beans is the painstaking roasting process, using a vintage Italian Petroncini roaster fired with local hardwood—ask to take a peek at that contraption while you wait for your drink.