Where to Eat and Drink in Portland, Maine
Sweet. Savory. Salty. Sudsy. Portland has it all. And it’s all delicious. That’s not just the locals’ opinion, multiple, major media outlets have named Portland among the country’s top culinary cities. There’s no better city to fuel up before the race or restore those spent calories afterwards.
With over 200 bars, restaurants and breweries, you could spend hours and hours figuring out which ones to stop at. But there are some great resources to help you find a place that fits your taste.
5
James Beard Award-winning chefs
2018
Bon Appetit Restaurant City of the Year
1
of the best places to eat in the Northeast
(New York Times)
13
Greatest Destination Food Towns in America
(Huffington Post)
Our friends at Visit Portland have an amazing site full of food and drink recommendations organized by several categories (including, of course, lobster).
Portland Food Map is a popular local resource that keeps an exhaustive and updated list of the areas bars, restaurants and breweries – conveniently organized by cuisine and ranked by reviews and ratings.
A Local Runner’s Guide of Where to Eat in Portland
Whenever you’re visiting a city, it’s always great to have local recommendations. So we asked Maine Marathon Volunteer Race Director Bob Dunfey to share his favorite places in town to grab a bite.
Leeward | 85 Free St.
Leeward is a restaurant in Portland with an Itlalian bent and fondness for fresh pasta.
Pai Men Miyake | 188 State St.
A Japanese restaurant that focuses on ramen with broths rich in pork, chicken & vegetables. Menu favorites include hand-made pork buns, gyoza and a variety of sushi rolls. I love the Hamayaki and Steamed Buns. The ramen bowls are as tasty as they are colorful.
The Corner Room | 110 Exchange St.
This Italian kitchen & bar features house-made pastas, pizzas, antipasti and artisanal breads. Try the Roasted Beet Salad and Seafood Cioppino.
Green Elephant | 608 Congress St.
An Asian inspired vegetarian bistro. Try my most recent order, Hot and Sour Noodle Soup.
LB Kitchen | 255 Congress St.
Several vegan and vegetarian options. My favorite is The Curry
Empire Chinese Kitchen | 575 Congress St.
My favorite Chinese restaurant in Portland. The menu features Dim Sum, traditional and modern Chinese soul food, sourced locally. A couple of my favorites are Lobster Shu Mai and Char Sui Bao.
Luke’s | 60 Portland Pier
Luke’s Lobster is a family-owned Maine seafood business.
