Looking for the best restaurants in Portland, Maine?

You’ve come to the right place. My family and I have been eating our way through Portland, Maine fore over a decade and can’t wait to share our favorites with you!

We have all your favorite foods from lobster rolls to ice cream and everything in between. The food scene is booming here in Portland, Maine. And you don’t want to miss out on any of it.

Eventide Oyster

Even if you have never been to Portland, Maine you may have heard of Eventide Oyster. This little restaurant is serving the freshest oysters in its raw bar along with some excellent seafood. Some local favorites include the seafood chowder, clam chowder, and fish & chips. They are open for lunch and dinner.

Prices are around $15 per plate making it affordable but a nice night out.

If you are in Portland in the summer you will want to go early or late to have a chance of getting in.

The Honey Paw

Portland, Maine is known for its great food. The Honey Paw is one of the best bites you will eat in this foodie town. The Honey Paw serves stir fry  noodles, and rice dishes but is most famous for their lobster toast ( a lobster and scallop puree with bread).

The noodle dishes are packed with flavor and incredibly addictive!

The price is around $20 per dish and it is a great place to eat family style so grab the family, order 3-4 dishes and get ready to enjoy some fabulous Asian Fusion.

 

The Highroller Lobster Co

Everyone comes to Portland, Maine wants some great lobster. If you are a lobster lover  this is probably your best best. Delicious lobster rolls, lobster on a stick, deep fried lobster you name it. They are open late which makes them perfect for a nice night out on the town with friends.

The prices here range from $15-25 per plate making this a a good place to grab some lobster in a casual and fun atmosphere. I can’t recommend the Lobster corn dog enough!

Cape Whoopies

Cape Whoopies is a family-owned shop serving handmade whoopie pies. (A whoopie pie is the state treat of Maine and is 2 small cakes sandwiched together with frosting.) The names of the flavors are creative and very delicious such as chocolate peanut butter, strawberry shortcake and tons of seasonal flavors. A local favorite that’s a must try if you’re in Portland, Maine. Get a dozen to take home! They also have some other baked goods, ice cream and beverages available.

They also have gluten free Whoopie Pies which my celiac son loves!

Tandem Coffee and Bakery

Tandem Bakery  is another family business that serves homemade pastries. The owners take pride in their products, which come out looking like perfect specimens. Tandem Bakery’s has a nice touch of décor as the bakery was made out of  1960’s gas station.

Gluten free options are available including breads, pies, cookies and more!  The prices run around $4 for a decent sized cookie, this place is worth it if you have a sweet tooth!

 

Gorgeous Gelato

You can find the best gelato in Italy, but if you happen to be stuck in Portland Maine you can get the best gelato outside of Italy! The owners were inspired growing up in Italy to bring that experience here to Portland, Maine. Honestly, this is the very best gelato I have ever had in the United States. (We deliberately make a detour every time we drive to Prince Edward Island just to get gelato. Also when we go from Boston to Acadia on a road trip, or visit Portsmouth, or go to Quebec City. Basically we stop here too much!)

At Gorgeous Gelato they offer a large variety of flavors not found anywhere else such as fruity sorbets or chocolate hazelnut gelato (which is the most popular flavor.) The price is very reasonable and it’s almost impossible to choose just one flavor!

Mount Desert Island Creamery

We fell in love with Mount Desert Island Creamery when we were in Acadia National Park. They have all kinds of unusual flavor combinations and have super creamy ice cream.

The prices run around $4 per scoop but it’s well worth it.  Guests can choose from flavors such as: Maple Bacon and Key Lime Pie along with other unique flavors found no where else.

Mount Desert Island Creamery also has a variety of milkshakes like caramel apple or strawberry banana that will knock your socks off. Overall this is a must visit if your coming to Portland, Maine during any time of year especially if you want some delicious ice cream!

Duck Fat

Duck Fat serves up excellent Belgian French Fries that you won’t find anywhere else in Portland, Maine. Duck Fat hand cut Frites are fried twice to make them extra crispy and served with some awesome dipping sauces like: truffle ketchup, garlic mayo and Thai chili mayo.

If you are a poutine lover, Duck Fat makes a really traditional poutine with the yummy Belgian Fries.

This is a great place to grab lunch or a mid day snack as the food is very portable. You can get some fries and continue exploring the Old Port.

Prices range from $8-$15.

Scales Restaurant

Sometimes one of  you wants to go out for a nice steak dinner while the other wants seafood. Scales Restaurant is the place to go!

This fine dining restaurant serves up some excellent cuts of beef as well as an impressive array of seafood.  The service is impeccable and I’ve never had anything less than incredible meals here. The prices run around $40 per plate but its worth every penny!

Save this restaurant for a special night on the town with your sweetheart. The beautiful restaurant makes for a great date.

Holy Donuts

You would think that a donut shop with lines out the door and four locations in Maine would not be able to live up to the hype. But Holy Donuts has perfected the art of donuts like no other place in Portland, Maine or any where else for that matter.

These potato dough donuts have been drawing crowds since they opened in 2013. The donut texture is different than most donuts you will have tried, and they aren’t overly sweet like most. Plus they seem to stay good for longer than other donuts.

When you first bite into one of their original creations they will take your breath away with their tender texture and vibrant glazes.  The best thing? You can eat their delicious donuts while sitting outside along the waterfront. You can choose from a wide variety of flavors such as Pomegranate (my favorite), maple bacon, or blueberry to name a few.

The donuts also come in vegan varieties and gluten free varieties. The donuts are about $3 per donut.

 

 

Becky’s Diner

Becky’s Diner always has a line out the door. The diner on Commercial Street pumps out delicious food day and night. They serve some amazing breakfast food (Lobster Benedict)and also have other dishes like burgers and sandwiches plus amazing corned beef hash.The prices run around $15 per dish which can make this place pretty affordable for my any budget.

The Diner was featured on “Diner’s, Drive-Ins and Dives” and it hasn’t helped the wait to get in. Plan on waiting at least 20 minutes in the summer season.

I would highly recommend Sally’s to anyone who enjoys diner food because you can’t beat the price and quality of their cuisine.

Rose Foods

Rose Foods has delicious Montreal style bagels. These bagels are made fresh daily and served with many different spreads.  My favorite thing about this place is how cheap it is! A large bagel will run you around $3 and a sandwich will only run you around $6 -$9 which makes the prices perfect for a family.

The Montreal style bagels are slightly crunchier than their NYC cousins and have a little bit of sweetness. If you are a bagel lover you will love these even if they are a little bit different.

Overall if your looking for great food at an affordable price during your visit to Maine you should stop by Rose Foods.

 

Bite into Maine Food Truck

Bite Into Maine makes some of the best Lobster Rolls in New England. This little food truck is parked at Fort Williams Park and is a great place to grab a bite and enjoy an amazing view of the Portland Head light.  Bite Into Maine is open in the summer months so make sure you grab a bite before heading out for a day on the water!

The lobster rolls are stuffed with delicious lobster and dressed in one of 5 ways: Connecticut, Maine, Picnic, Chipotle, Wasabi and Curry. All of them are uniquely delicious and served on a liberally buttered toasted bread.

Prices for Lobster rolls are around $25 but are nicely stuffed and filling. Bit into Maine also serves a grilled cheese sandwich for $5 if you little ones don’t care about lobster.

 

 

Portland, Maine is a haven for all the foodies out there in the world! Don’t just get lobster and think that you have tried what Portland has to offer. You will be amazed at all the delicious treats you can find and how quickly your day fills up with trying all the tasty bites.