Category: Reviews

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Enio’s,

Enio’s may be run by veterans of the Maine restaurant scene, and be rooted in traditional strengths of Italian cuisine, but thanks to its imaginative menu and bright interesting space, it feels new and fresh.

and posted a double review of Local Press and Crooked Mile on Brighton Ave.

Two new lunch spots in the Rosemont neighborhood — a second location for local fave The Crooked Mile and the first for panini specialist the Local Press — offer a brighter fate to folks who lunch and labor off-peninsula.

Both the New York Times and Food Republic have published articles today highlighting some of their favorites from recent visits to Portland.

The New York Times article entitled “Portland, Me.: Locavore in Menu and Décor” features Hugo’s, In’finiti, Grace and Fore Street,

It’s hardly a secret that Portland, Me., is a food-lover’s paradise. Stroll down the sloping streets and cobbled lanes in the heart of this small maritime city, and you can’t miss the evidence: bakeries fragrant with just-baked sour cherry pies; indie coffee shops selling wood-roasted beans; bars where cocktails might be infused with local rhubarb or kale or blueberries; and, of course, restaurants of seemingly every ethnic and gastronomic stripe.

while the Food Republic article “7 Places To Eat And Drink Incredibly Well In Portland, Maine” draws attention to Little Bigs, Miyake, Opus 10, Blue Rooster, Eventide, Outliers and Vaughan Street Variety.

Portland, Maine is quickly climbing the ranks as a culinary destination, offering much more than sublime lobster rolls. With easy access to both fresh seafood from the ocean and seasonal produce from local farms, a recent influx of big-city chefs seeking calmer waters, and a local less-is-more attitude (which translates into top-notch, ingredient-driven food sans hype or attitude), Portland’s dining scene is vibrant, diverse and hotter than ever. Here, a few places worth checking out during your next trip to the beautiful coastal town.

Standard Baking Company made it on to the Travel + Leisure list of America’s Best Bakeries.

Follow your nose through the Old Port and down an alley to a 1920s-era brick warehouse, where Alison Pray and Matt James turn out the finest baked goods in town.

The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of The Porthole.

The Porthole has cleaned up its act, and it remains a fun downtown fixture for both locals and tourists. Drinking a cold beer on the patio and listening to live music is a great way to spend a sunny afternoon, but the dining experience can be uneven. Food is generally well-executed and tasty, but the more foodie-inclined menu, pricing and presentation feels incongruous with many aspects of the space. Manage expectations, and you’ll likely enjoy yourself.

How to Spend It, a website run by the Financial Times of London, has posted a review of Eventide.

Eventide – the transition between day and night – is an apt name for the bustling oyster bar in the Old Port of Portland, Maine, where I happily whiled away an evening sampling some of America’s finest oysters. At its central granite bar, shuckers’ labours make for great theatre and briny Winterpoint Selects are the house speciality. As oyster season is nigh, I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Portland Magazine has published a review of the Museum Cafe.

Blockbuster art exhibits can make you hungry! The PMA Café, managed by Aurora Provisions, takes museum dining seriously. At first glance, you think…OK, sandwiches, salads. Think again.

The 207 Foodie has published a review of Otto Pizza.

I have to commend Otto for great, if not awe inspiring, artisan pizza. There is a reason, ladies and gentleman, that Otto is known in all of Portland for being the BEST. Who else puts mashed potatoes on a pizza and makes it taste good?

The Press Herald has published a bar review of the Portland & Rochester Public House,

A couple of flower vases adorn the bar and dim lights help to feature the well-stocked spirits that are neatly presented on a stadium shelf with polished glasses on either side. At the far end, the bartender sorts and writes tickets under a vintage banker’s lamp. It would seem that, in this otherwise muted part of town, P&R has struck a balance between pub, bistro and somewhat of a Prohibition-era speakeasy.…This new Bayside treat is indeed the place to be. Everyone. Everywhere. Drop what you’re doing and head to Portland & Rochester.

and a review of a new coffee shop in South Portland called Cia.

The food is mostly grab-and-go fare in a pastry case; think bagels, muffins, cookies, scones and croissants. They had blueberry hand pies on the day I visited that looked flaky and delicious. The cafe touts its homemade brownies, and the clerk will ask you if you want a middle or a side piece…The cafe recently started offering a small assortment of classic sandwiches such as chicken salad; tuna salad with celery, dill, pepper and mayo; egg salad with dill, mayo, mustard and pepper; and a veggie wrap.

Map & Menu have assembled a list of their 10 favorite dishes in Portland. Fore Street, Otto Blue Spoon, Eventide, Blue Rooster, Petite Jacqueline, Duckfat, Pai Men, El Rayo and Boda all have items that made it on to the list.