A Weekend In: Portland

 

 

FRIDAY

4 p.m.  Just a two-hour drive from Boston, Portland is a manageable walking city. Drop your bags off at MORRILL MANSION, a restored Italianate townhouse, before meandering to the revitalized Old Port neighborhood. 249 Vaughan St., Portland, 207-774-6900, morrillmansion.com. 

5 p.m. Cooks and wine geeks convene at RABELAIS, a bookshop devoted to all things eating and drinking. 86 Middle St., 207-774-1044, rabelaisbooks.com. 

8 p.m.  Portland claims to have more restaurants per capita than any other U.S. city besides San Francisco, so choosing a dinner spot is tough. Getting into FORE STREET is tougher still. Reserve well ahead for chef Sam Hayward’s ever-changing menu of delights, like wood-fired pork and roasted mussels. 288 Fore St., 207-775-2717, forestreet.biz. 

SATURDAY

10 a.m. Local textile designer ANGELA ADAMS‘s flagship store is on Munjoy Hill, where she sells her Maine-inspired handbags, rugs, and home accessories. A few steps away, the 200-year-old OBSERVATORY towers over the town; the view
from the top spans all of Casco Bay. 273 Congress St., 207-774-3523, angelaadams.com; 138 Congress St., 207-774-5561. 

12 p.m. Unsurprisingly, a meal at DUCKFAT isn’t the healthiest. But, wow, are the homemade fries (crisped in the eatery’s namesake grease) worth the calories. 43 Middle St., 207-774-8080, duckfat.com. 

4 p.m. Toes get a treat at one of the city’s best-kept secrets: SOAKOLOGY, a teahouse and “foot sanctuary” where you can sink your feet into one of 30 aromatic baths.30 City Ctr., 207-879-7625, soakology.com.  

8 p.m. FIVE FIFTY-FIVE‘S chef Steve Corry was one of Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs in 2007, and his bar menu alone lives up to the honor. 555 Congress St., 207-761-0555, fivefifty-five.com.

SUNDAY

9 a.m.   Fishermen flock to BECKY’S for the finest breakfast in town. Early birds are rewarded with short lines. 390 Commercial St., 207-773-7070, beckys.com.   

12 p.m. Before driving off, stop at hipster designer Alex Carleton’s menswear shop ROGUE’S GALLERY. 41 Wharf St., 207-553-1999, roguesgallery.com.