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 at what the hot topics were from 5, 10 and 15 years ago.
Here’s are highlights from May 2009, 2014 and 2019:
- Rob Evans won the 2009 James Beard Award in the Best Chef: Northeast category
- El Rayo opened for business on May 22, 2009 and Type A Diversions was first out with a review of the York Street restaurant.
- The Great Lost Bear was growing a vegetable garden on the roof of their building.
- El Rayo Cantina closed in May 2014, as did Gingko Blue.
- Antonio Alviar and Krista Cole leased space on Free Street where they began work to launch Sur Lie.
- Coastal Root Bitters first went on sale at Vena’s on May 7, 2014.
- Blue Rooster launched a hot dog guest chef series—in all, 13 Portland chefs took part.
- Work began to convert the former DiPietro’s on Cumberland Ave to what would become Ten Ten Pie.
- Down Home Cookin’ on Preble Street closed in 2014.
- Portland Food Map collaborated with the Maine Brew Bus to lead a coffee house tour. The tour group made stops at CBD in East Bayside, Bard, Speckled Ax and Tandem Coffee.
- The Blue Spoon Cafe opened in the former Aurora Provisions space on May 2, 2019.
- Scott Tyree passed his final examination in 2019 to become the 257th Master Sommelier.
- The former Little Bigs co-owner, Pamela Fitzpatrick Plunkett, joined the staff at Monte’s Fine Foods to manage their bakery operations.
- Rob Tod won a 2019 James Beard award in the Outstanding Wine, Beer or Spirits Producer category.
- Grippy Tannins opened on May 8, 2019, and Quiero Cafe opened on the following Monday.
- Walter’s Cafe closed on May 31, 2019., and on the same day Greg Mitchell opened his new restaurant Flood’s.
- Construction got underway for Candy’s at 34 Portland Street in the building now slated to become the new location of Elda.