The Portland Food Map archive provides a chronicle of the past 16+ years of the Portland restaurant scene. While a lot of the reporting here is about what’s happening now and coming next, we thought it would be fun to take a look back each month at what the hot topics were from 5, 10 and 15 years ago.
Here’s are highlights from July 2009, 2014 and 2019:
- Grace and The Corner Room both launched on July 2nd 2009.
- O’Naturals closed. They were located on Exchange Street in the space now occupied by Black Cow.
- Owners Cheryl and Jeff Buerhaus began the process of moving Walter’s to Union Street.
- Sara Lemieux and Kellen Tucker opened an ice cream shop from the then Bonobo takeout window.
- Portland & Rochester closed in 2014. They were located in the space now occupied by Coals.
- Work got underway to open the Oxbow Brewing location on Washington Ave.
- El Rayo opened their new restaurant in Scarborough.
- Maps Cafe opened for business on July 17, 2014.
- Andrew Zimmern shared his 10 of his favorite dishes in Portland with the readers of Food & Wine.
- For the 60th anniversary issue in 2014, Down East magazine intensively searched the state for the best lobster rolls. Their conclusion was the the roll from Greet’s Eats on Vinalhaven had the state’s best.
- The first issue of Zest magazine was published.
- Construction of Sur Lie got under way on Free Street.
- Gross Confection Bar launched their breakfast bakery in 2019.
- Three of Strong opened their distillery tasting room and bar.
- Dean’s Sweets opened their location in East Bayside.
- Press Herald published restaurant critic Andrew Ross’ list of the 75 places to eat and drink in Greater Portland in 2019.
- The food truck Maine Maple Creemee launched.
- The Garrison opened for business.
- Word broke that a new restaurant called Leeward was under development on Free Street.