Must-see restaurants in Portland

  • Fore Street

    Portland

    Fore Street is the lauded, long-running restaurant many consider to be the originator of today's food obsession in Portland. Chef-owner Sam Hayward has…

  • Holy Donut

    Portland

    Doughnuts made from potato? Yep, and they're awesome. Local Maine potatoes and sweet potatoes go into the recipe for these doughnuts, creating a moist,…

  • Bayside American Cafe

    Portland

    This charming brunch and lunch spot is great for a rib-sticking meal to start your day. It uses steak in its corned beef and one of its eggs Benedict…

  • Central Provisions

    Portland

    Snug, redbrick Central Provisions is a consistent winner in the Portland haute cuisine stakes. Angle for a seat at the bar, overlooking the line chefs in…

  • Rose Foods

    Portland

    Life doesn't get much better than a good bagel, and the best bagels in Portland are served at Rose. There are about nine bagel sandwich options – we love…

  • OhNo Cafe

    Portland

    Actually, oh yes. This bare-bones operation looks like a corner store with a kitchen, because that's more or less what it is. The sandwiches here are…

  • Terlingua

    Portland

    This fascinating gem serves up small-batch barbecue dinners starting at 5pm, and a menu inspired by the Southwest and the Caribbean at all other times…

  • DuckFat

    Portland

    DuckFat is famous for its fries cooked in (yes) duck fat. On the right night, they're shatteringly crisp, with fluffy centers. Dipping sauces (truffle…

  • Scallop roll with black tobiko caviar, mayonnaise and sprouts.

    Miyake

    Portland

    This sushi bar offers some of the freshest fish in Portland – and that's saying a lot. Order à la carte or choose one of chef Masa Miyake's omakase (chef…

  • Eventide Oyster Co

    Portland

    Rocking seafood-lovers' worlds since opening in 2012, Eventide still has plenty of hype, and one look at the raw bar here explains all: fresh Maine…

  • Scales

    Portland

    A cavernous dockside warehouse is the setting for this superb seafood restaurant, with impeccable pedigree (it's from the team behind the acclaimed Fore…

  • Front Room

    Portland

    Crowded, noisy and perfumed with smoke from the open kitchen, this Munjoy Hill hot spot is a sweet neighborhood refuge from chilly Portland evenings…

  • Petite Jacqueline

    Portland

    Jacqueline is an excellent throwback to the sort of old-school French cuisine food writers used to dream about. Roasted chicken with rainbow chard and…

  • Chaval

    Portland

    A hip, inviting dining room caters to customers looking for French- and Spanish-inspired small and big plates, ranging from duck rillettes on duck-fat…

  • Honey Paw

    Portland

    A creation from the owners of a few highly regarded restaurants around town, Honey Paw has a cool warehouse fit out and a menu of hipsterized pan-Asian…

  • Nosh Kitchen Bar

    Portland

    Deli-style sandwiches like the avocado naan and Korean fried chicken grace the menu at this hip downtown spot, which is popular with young Portland…

  • Slab

    Portland

    The 1lb 'hand slab' is huge – a doughy slab of focaccia topped with tomato and cheese – and perfect for ensuring the beer (there are 20 on tap) doesn't go…

  • Hugo's

    Portland

    Hugo's has taken a few different turns over its lifetime and settled on this handsome, upscale incarnation, where the menu divides into 'Foraged & Farmed,…

  • Green Elephant

    Portland

    Even carnivores shouldn't miss the vegetarian fare at this Zen-chic, Thai-inspired cafe (with lots of vegan and gluten-free options too). Start with the…

  • Pai Men Miyake

    Portland

    A satellite of Portland's renowned Miyake, Pai Men Miyake is a cheaper spot that specializes in donburi (rice bowls) and ramen. On a cold Portland night,…

  • Veranda Noodle Bar

    Portland

    Cheap and cheerful Vietnamese is the name of the game at this lovely spot, where friendly staff crank out very solid bowls of pho, duck noodle soup, and…

  • Asmara

    Portland

    Portland has a large Eritrean population, and as such it's one of the few places in the USA to sample Eritrean cuisine. Do so at Asmara, which serves…

  • Lazzari

    Portland

    Half bar, half pizza spot, Lazzari is great for a beer, a cocktail, or a white clam pizza, all things that basically make life worth living. Other pie…

  • Street & Co

    Portland

    A longtime Old Port favorite for fresh seafood – grilled, blackened, broiled, tossed with pasta. Lobster diavolo (in spicy tomato sauce, with pasta) for…

  • Lobster Shack at Two Lights

    Portland

    Crack into a lobster dinner, lobster roll or chowder bowl at this well-loved Cape Elizabeth seafood shack, with killer views of the crashing Atlantic from…

  • Susan's Fish & Chips

    Portland

    Pop in for fish-and-chips and plenty of deep-fried seafood at this no-fuss, family-friendly eatery on US 302. It's low on pretension, high on good cheer…

  • Public Market House

    Portland

    A handful of fast-food stalls occupy this great market. It's the perfect place for a quick, cheap and tasty meal (soups, burritos, salads, bagels etc),…

  • Grace

    Portland

    Grace is an 1850s Gothic Revival–style Methodist church that was closed and sold due to a declining congregation. After a $2-million renovation that…

  • Schulte & Herr

    Portland

    Bring along your favorite wine or microbrew (it's BYOB) to match with the southern German food – think spaetzle with caramelized onions and Emmentaler…

  • J's Oyster

    Portland

    This well-loved dive has the cheapest raw oysters in town (staring at $23 for a dozen) and gives visitors a glimpse of pre-gentrification Portland. It's…

  • Hot Suppa

    Portland

    A little hip, a little home-style, Hot Suppa wows at breakfast with egg scrambles and corned beef hash. The menu speaks Southern at dinner, offering…

  • Cong Tu Bot

    Portland

    Slightly surly tattooed staff and a bohemian crowd share the space at this almost painfully hip modern Vietnamese joint. You'll find real-deal cuisine…

  • Five Fifty-Five

    Portland

    This elegant, two-level restaurant serves up of-the-moment dishes like truffled lobster mac 'n' cheese and New England scallops with sunchokes, but prices…

  • Becky's Diner

    Portland

    Fisherfolk and all-night revelers enjoy the 4am opening here. At other times, the booths at this wharf-side diner are packed with a mixed crowd: Portland…

  • Portland Farmers Market

    Portland

    Vendors here hawk all of the produce Maine has up its plaid sleeves, from blueberries to homemade pickles. On Saturday mornings the market is held in…

  • Micucci Grocery

    Portland

    In-the-know local foodies line up for the thick, chewy 'Sicilian slab' at this old-school Italian market, which sells pizza from a tiny bakery in the back…

  • Two Fat Cats

    Portland

    This tiny, aesthetically hip bakery serves baked-from-scratch pastries, awesome pies, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate-chip cookies and fabulous whoopie pies.