The Press Herald has published a bar review of Sonny’s.
But aside from its local history, 83 Exchange St. is now known for good cocktails. Ask a 20- or 30-something professional where to find the best house-made infusions and mixed drinks, and Sonny’s likely will be at the top of the list.
Today’s paper also includes the latest installment of the What Ales You column.
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.
The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes an article about shrubs and shrub-based cocktails (see article for recipes),
Shrubs an old-fashioned drinks that date to Colonial times, but they are on their way back, thanks to the folks behind the bar who are discovering that a shrub’s bright, slightly tart, complex flavors make for a stand-out cocktail. Bartenders are doing lots of experimenting by replacing the fruit in the shrub with vegetables and herbs, trying out different kinds of vinegar, and otherwise tweaking the classic shrub formula.
and an article about Casco Bay Organics.
Time-crunched healthy eaters have a new way to get their hands on fresh fruits and vegetables. In April, Casco Bay Organics, a southern Maine grocery home delivery service, launched with a full array of organic and locally-sourced produce.
A reporter from Vail Daily recently traveled to Portland. Their visit included stops at J’s Oyster Bar, Ri-Ra, Novare Res. The article also mentions Duckfat and whoopie pies.