Great Restaurants in Portland Maine
For a small city, Portland sure has a lot of restaurants. When you wander through the cobblestone streets of the Old Port, tantalizing scents mix and mingle in the air — you’ll find seafood, steak, Mediterranean, Asian, and all sorts of other cuisines, all within mere feet of one another. According to some, Portland has more restaurants per capita than any other city in the United States besides San Francisco. If you’re looking for a memorable upscale meal during your time in Portland, Maine, here are a few places to try.
Cinque Terre Restaurant
Photo by Shards
The eleven-year-old restaurant Fore Street, just a block from the waterfront, is, without a doubt, Portland’s most renowned restaurant. It’s scored accolades from Gourmet magazine as number 16 in the Top 50 US Restaurants, and its chef, Sam Hayward, was named Best Chef by the James Beard Foundation. Fore Street specializes in ultra-fresh and local seafood, meat, and produce, which are featured in unique and tantalizing dishes. The menu changes daily based on what’s available and fresh, but specialties like wood-oven roasted mussels and grilled marinated hanger steak are always available. Make sure to save some room for dessert as well — Fore Street uses Maine’s delicious native wild blueberries in many dishes, and the signature Chocolate Souffle Cake is always a favorite.
Fore Street
288 Fore Street
Portland, Maine 04101
www.forestreet.biz
Nearby, Cinque Terre features the best Italian food that you’ll find in this small New England city. The restaurant has received rave reviews from The New York Times, Gourmet Magazine, The Boston Globe, and other publications for its authentic and delicious meals. Cinque Terra makes their own pasta, and their dishes specialize in fresh, local ingredients, with unique northern Italian twists on Maine classics, such as Zuppa di Pesce - Maine lobster and mussels in a spicy fennel-tomato broth with fregola pasta. The restaurant also features an extensive wine list, which includes many rare vintages from northern Italy, and the dessert menu includes hand-made pastry dishes and fresh gelati.
Cinque Terre
36 Wharf Street
Portland, Maine 04101
www.cinqueterremaine.com
Located in the beautiful Portland Regency Hotel in downtown Portland, 20 Milk Street serves up the best steaks in town in a classically old-fashioned environment. The restaurant has a full selection of wine and top-shelf liquor beverages — start your night with a martini or two, and the meal will taste even better. Though the restaurant also serves a variety of seafood, poultry, and vegetarian menu items, they’re known for their steak, which is all 100% USDA prime-grade beef. The dessert selection includes the beautiful and delectable Valhrona Petal Chocolate Torte, which includes chocolate mousse and raspberry purée, so make sure to save room after you’ve finished off your meal.
20 Milk Street
Inside the Portland Regency Hotel
20 Milk Street
Portland, ME 04101
www.theregency.com
If you’re still hungry after a meal out, stop in at Fuller’s Gourmet Chocolates & Ice Cream for a delicious cone or sundae filled with creamy hand-made ice cream. If you want a treat to take home, they’ve got plenty of fudge, toffee, truffles, and other delectable sweets that you can savor for as long as you want.
Fuller’s Gourmet Chocolates & Ice Cream
432 Fore Street
Portland, ME 04101
Written by Kathy Hawkins on August 18, 2007
Filed Under Maine, Portland, Restaurants
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