Last month (wow, was it just last month), we trekked to Maine for a long weekend. And, bonus, we got to meet up with my sister and brother-in-law and explore the town together.
Portland was such a unique city. Not really at all what I thought Maine would be like. It’s not all stuffy vacationers. Everyone was super down to earth, and there was a plethora of good food and drink to be had.
So, let’s dive in!
P.S. We also stayed in the coolest Airbnb with lots of history and nice remodeled amenities.
East Ender
This was our first meal in the city, and boy did it start us off with a bang. This place was just the cutest inside and we really loved the curry mussels, fries, roasted beets and drinks!
Fore Street
We did not regret making this our big dinner out. Most everything was cooked on an open fire that you could see throughout the restaurant, which lent an amazingly smoky flavor to our squid, Arctic char, mussels and more. Also, their bread was great (though I was under impressed with our cocktails).
Standard Baking Co.
Speaking of bread, Fore Street got theirs from this delightful little bakery below it. We stopped in for some tasty cookies and a financier and were not disappointed.
Tandem Coffee & Bakery
Talk about a cute bakery. This one is in an old gas station and has about every delicious pastry you can imagine. Scones, orange cinnamon rolls, quiche, cookies, pies.
Drifters Wife/Maine & Loire
I had read about this wine shop/restaurant when I first discovered Portland in a Bon Apetit Magazine spread. I’m glad we got to stop in and try some natural French wine.
Munjoy Hill
Near the Drifters Wife is a cute little park with a beautiful overlook of the city. I’ve heard there are some other fun soda shops and bars down the hill, too.
Portland Lobster Co.
You can’t go to Maine without getting lobster, so we got lobster rolls from this spot in the middle of the action on the water. They were full of lobster and tasty on the buttery bun. They also had live music here.
The Holy Donut
These are pretty special donuts, all made from potatoes in really unique flavors. From Maine blueberry to chocolate sea salt, they were a breakfast home run!
Allagash Brewing
It was nice to visit this legendary Brewery while in the city. Although you can’t buy beers there, you get a free 4-beer taster for visiting.
Austin Street Brewery
If you’re visiting Allagash, you might as well go down the road and grab a beer at Austin Street. They had some really nice varieties!
BaoBao Dumpling House
We didn’t plan to go here, but with a recommendation from our host, we set out to try it. It ended up being one of our favorite meals with well-priced dumplings and flavorful sides in a chill atmosphere.
Longfellow Gardens
I couldn’t believe that we stumbled on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s home and garden. There was also a library and museum there that I didn’t get around to going to. You can just walk through the garden, though, and it’s a treat.
Liquid Riot Bottling Co.
They had plenty of drinks to choose from at this other spot on the water. From local kombucha to beer to spirits, it was neat to try a lot of things at once (along with some delicious snacks).
Bissell Brothers Brewing Company
This was another brewery we visited. We sampled quite a few beers (see above) and liked a few of them. This brewery was also hopping!
Taco Escobarr
I love whenever you have a list full of restaurants to visit in a new city and then you get another recommendation while you’re there…and it ends up rocking! This Mexican spot was just like that with unique drinks and delicious Mexican mains and chips and guac.
Happy Travels!