17 Must-Visit Restaurants in Portland, Maine

If you love food and live in New England, you’ve got to make your way to Portland, Maine, which has been a nationally noted culinary destination for years, thanks to the countless food-scene innovators that have called the city home. And it’s not all simple lobster rolls and raw oysters on the half-shell—though there are, of course, plenty of places doing those flawlessly. Up in the Pine Tree State’s largest city, the offerings really run the gamut: pan-Asian noodles, Belgian-style fries, Southern barbecue, Japanese-style izakayas, and more are all awaiting if you seek them out. To help, we’ve pulled together our top picks in Portland, with something to please both newbie tourists and return visitors hankering for something unexpected.This guide was last updated in July 2025.

See also: a deep dive into the dining and drinking options in Portland’s East Bayside neighborhood.

Bar Futo

Binchōtan-grilled bites beckon, alongside small chilled and hot plates. Must-try skewers (with three or four bites a pop; plan on getting several) range from the more traditional—like the grilled mushroom with garlic relish to the fusion-y “Big Mac” skewer with house special sauce. Order the crispy tofu hot plate as well, which includes three generous chunks of tofu topped with schmaltz (rendered fat that offers a punch of salt) and a soy egg with a jammy yolk, all in a bowl of dashi so perfect you’ll want to sip it by the gallon even on the hottest nights. Explore the novel-length sake menu, too, which ranges from staid canned offerings to the savory-leaning (if downright bonkers-but-delicious) options like the smoky and vegetal Yamada Shoten Everlasting Roots Tokubetsu Junmai.

Bar Futo, 425 Fore St., Portland, Maine, 207-956-7373, eatfuto.com.

Central Provisions

Chef Chris Gould’s wildly popular Central Provisions has a very simple organizing principle for its menu of small plates: raw, cold, and hot. From there, though, the frequently changing selection unfurls to accommodate wide-ranging tastes—chopped salad with candied bacon; bluefin tuna crudo; seared sheep’s cheese—making it an ideal place to bring a group of adventurous eaters up for a little bit of everything. (There’s also a surprisingly extensive caviar selection, plus a feast of foie gras.) Waits are common, but you can always head downstairs to the buzzy bar to pass the time. Also check out its sibling spot, Tipo, for pastas and pizzas.

414 Fore St., Portland, Maine, 207-805-1085, central-provisions.com.

Chaval. / Photo by Zack Bowen

Chaval

The married team of Damian Sansonetti and two-time James Beard Award semifinalist Ilma Lopez operates this beloved brasserie off the beaten path in the West End, highlighting Spanish and French seasonal fare. Menu-wise, the selection varies daily, but everything from classic patatas bravas to coq au vin or local monkfish is on the table (and served on the expansive patio with its heat lamps and fire pit). For the fullest experience, be sure to kick off the meal with an aperitif from the more-than-solid vermouth selection. Younger sibling the Ugly Duckling opened half a mile away in 2023, and you can float on over to the petite luncheonette for coffee, pastries, and sandwiches.

58 Pine St., Portland, Maine, 207-772-1110, chavalmaine.com.

Crispy Gài

Born out of a Thai fried chicken pop-up, Crispy Gài opened its permanent space a few years back, showcasing Hat Yai-style fried chicken alongside a few other Thai classics, from chicken khao soi to panang curry with braised beef. (Spicy-funky som tum, papaya salad, is a must-order to accompany fried chicken.) Tropical cocktails kick things up a notch, from the cachaça, rum, and fruit Birds of Paradise (for two) to pineapple DTO shots (“a snack-sized daiquiri.”)

90 Exchange St., Portland, Maine, 207-536-1017, crispygai.com.

Duckfat

This small, 20-year-old sandwich spot in the Old Port sets itself apart by centering the most beloved deep-fried potato product: the French fry. Hand-cut, fried in duck fat, and served up in a cone of delightfully grease-soaked parchment, they’re delicious enough to build a reputation on alone—although it certainly doesn’t hurt to serve them with sauces like truffle ketchup and horseradish mayo (better yet, a “flight” of all five sauces), or to proffer them in the form of poutine, replete with duck gravy and locally sourced cheese curds. The rest of the menu is great, too—the panini section covers everything from a duck fat grilled cheese to a Cubano sandwich with house-smoked pulled pork, plus you’ll find milkshakes in flavors like chocolate and sea salted duck fat caramel. They have wonderful salads too, but come on, live a little.

43 Middle St., Portland, Maine, 207-774-8080, duckfat.com.

Eventide. / Photo by Zack Bowen

Eventide Oyster Co.

Co-owners Andrew Taylor, Arlin Smith, and Mike Wiley made a splash on the restaurant scene of Portland (and, arguably, the entire region) when they opened Eventide Oyster Co. in 2012. Five years later, they opened a smaller Boston branch in Fenway, but to this day, no food fan’s trip to southern Maine would be complete without a visit to the original. First and foremost, Eventide pays homage to traditional American oyster bars with 14 varieties available on the half-shell—but the rest of the menu is really destination-worthy, too, offering elevated New England seafood dotted with pan-Asian influences. (Think: a ginger-scallion tuna crudo with tare and sides of house-made kimchi that balance the richness of Eventide’s famed brown butter lobster roll.) Don’t worry if you don’t see reservations available online for the busy spot, as most of the seats are saved for walk-ins who wash ashore.

86 Middle St., Portland, Maine, 207-774-8538, eventideoysterco.com.

Fore Street. / Photo by Jen Dean

Fore Street

Fore Street has been a bona fide culinary institution in the city since 1996—and with its dramatic high ceilings, brick walls, and a kitchen decked out with a wood-burning oven, grill, and turnspit that’s visible from nearly every seat, it feels like one, too. The menu changes daily and uses as much local produce, meat, and seafood as possible, so in the summer you might find Maine wild blueberries dotting a salad, while roasted rope-grown mussels might be on the agenda in winter. Reservations are available up to two months in advance, and you’ll probably need them. Once you arrive, though, just sit back, relax, and feast on the cuisine that’s kept Fore Street in the forefront of Portland’s dining scene for decades.

288 Fore St., Portland, Maine, 207-775-2717, forestreet.biz.

The Honey Paw. / Photo by Ryan David Brown

The Honey Paw

Honey Paw could be couched as just a crunchier, vinyl-spinning younger sibling to Eventide—it’s owned by the same team and is basically right next door—but the restaurant has made a name for itself distinct from its pedigree. How? With flavor-packed noodle and grain dishes inspired by cuisines from across Asia, from the Sichuan mapo tofu to rice noodles with braised rare beef to Thai-style lamb khao soi in a rich coconut curry. On the dessert side, meanwhile, check out the honey soft serve, served with real honeycomb. Take note, the space might be best for small parties: It’s built around a large communal table and bar seating (plus a petite outdoor patio), which can make it a little challenging for big groups to sit together.

78 Middle St., Portland, Maine, 207-774-8538, thehoneypaw.com.

Izakaya Minato. / Photo by Caroline Alden

Izakaya Minato

Husband-and-wife duo Thomas Takashi Cooke and Elaine Alden opened this popular Japanese spot on Washington Avenue in 2017, and today they keep its menu lean and mean with Japanese specialties like sashimi, udon noodles with duck breast, and okonomiyaki (a large omelet-like dish), plus super-interesting plates like mochi “bacon” and broiled oysters with miso custard. Consider sampling it all with the $42 per-person omakase, a multi-course, family-style meal at the whim of the chef—just don’t forget to order a carafe of sake for the table.

54 Washington Ave., Portland, Maine, 207-613-9939, izakayaminato.com.

Lenora. / Courtesy photo

Lenora

Look to Lenora, which opened in early 2023, for all-day eats in a cool interior swathed in Southwest accents with pinks and earth tones. With a focus on Mexican street food, the new spot has ties to Boston’s Lone Star Taco Bar crew. Start the day with a breakfast taco and spring for the house-made chorizo, which packs the right punch of spice. It’s best washed down by a snap-you-to-your-senses golden juice of carrot, turmeric, cantaloupe, and orange. Coffees include the tasty cafe con cajeta, espresso with steamed milk and a caramel made of spiced goat milk. Beyond the breakfast menu, the Yucatán fish and the vegetarian taco that features avocado wrapped in a crust of Oaxaca cheese are standouts. The goodies are served on handmade tortillas, with a treasure trove of salsas and sauces on offer.

2 Portland Sq., Portland, Maine, 207-536-0423, lenoramaine.com.

A spread of food at Magissa. / Photo by Richard Yu-Tang Lee

Magissa

“Magissa” means “witch” in Greek, and this East Bayside beauty, which opened in 2024, sure spellbinds. Within a dining room radiating a blue-and-white Aegean aura, you can savor souvlaki, salads, Greek mezze with modern spins, and more. Highlights among the small plates include roasted beets paired with pita, with a Caesar gone Greek, featuring tahini, pita croutons, anchovies, and salty kefalotyri goat cheese as a standout entree. Meanwhile, the halloumi cheese with marinara and a hot honey that owes its kick to smoked chili flakes from Greece is nothing short of bewitching.

91 Anderson St., Portland, Maine, magissaportland.com.

Mr. Tuna

From sushi cart to food market stall to restaurant and truck, this Bar Futo sibling (and Crispy Gài cousin) has become a Portland favorite since its 2017 debut. Chef-owner Jordan Rubin obsesses over responsible seafood sourcing, and the ingredients shine in hand rolls, sushi burritos, sashimi, and more. Try some of the tuna preparations, of course—perhaps a hand roll with mango and yuzu kosho, or the Mr. Tuna burrito with tuna, avocado, spicy broiled scallop and crab, tobiko, and eel sauce. Perfect alongside the food? A sake spritz or glass of pét-nat.

83 Middle St., Portland, Maine, 207-536-0509, mrtunamaine.com.

Lobster ramen at Pei Men Miyake. / Courtesy photo

Pai Men Miyake

Pai Men Miyake, the second Portland restaurant from Japan-born chef Masa Miyake, is sibling to the more upscale Miyake, though it’s no second-fiddle spot. Dishing out nearly a dozen top-notch varieties of ramen—the paitan, made with chicken and pork broth, is its signature—plus bao buns, donburi, and sushi, Pai Men offers unfussy yet expertly executed fare that’s sure to comfort after a long day of seeing the sights.

188 State St., Portland, Maine, 207-541-9204, miyakerestaurants.com/paimen.

Papi. / Photo by Nicole Wolfe

Papi

It’s hard to believe that this Puerto Rican restaurant only opened in 2023 as it’s already such a beloved part of Portland’s culinary family. Fitting, too, considering that the offerings draw from the childhoods of founder and executive chef Ronnie Medlock and beverage director LyAnna Sanabria, who grew up in Puerto Rican families in New England, with Medlock often traveling to the island. Start with small bites of beef empanadas and tostones tossed in garlic sauce before traipsing to larger offerings of braised and fried pork with rice and pigeon peas. The flan is a dance of innovation and tradition, served with toasted meringue. Sanabria’s cocktails oft employ unexpected elixirs, and—like the bruja sabía with coconut gin, kiwi, Gentian liqueur, and extra dry vermouth—are downright magical.

18 Exchange St., Portland, Maine, 207-808-8031, papiportland.com.

Regards. / Courtesy photo

Regards

Regards rollicks to the West Coast for its menu inspired by Los Angeles’ Mexican and Asian street food. Chef Neil Zabriskie, who co-owns the spot with his wife Kimberly Lund and business partner Cameron Lewin, also draws from his own Afro-Cubano and Polish heritage. Much of the menu highlights masa, the dough used to make tamales, tostadas, and tortillas. The painstaking process—local flint corn from is soaked overnight and then ground daily—produces a deep flavor that boosts shrimp tacos and other beauties. Pristine bites on the seasonally shifting menu might include white shrimp tacos with tamarind tare and lamb barbacoa with grain polenta and black mole.

547 Congress St., Portland, Maine, 207-747-5940, regardsmaine.com.

Terlingua. / Courtesy photo

Terlingua

After visiting all the waterfront restaurants in Portland, you’ll probably need a solid break from seafood. For that, turn to Terlingua in East Bayside, which combines Texas barbecue and Mexican cuisine to great effect: Think tacos with smoked brisket and pork carnitas on homemade tortillas, or a barbecue board of house-smoked meats and sides of Mexican-inflected mac and cheese with poblano pepper. If the heated outdoor deck doesn’t warm you up, the margaritas and mezcal will do the trick—and you can even take home some treats from Terlingua’s on-site market, stocked with large cuts of smoked meat, locally sourced foodstuffs, and growlers of to-go margaritas.

40 Washington Avenue, Portland, Maine, 207-956-7573, terlingua.me.

Twelve. / Courtesy photo

Twelve

With a little luck you’ll snag reservations at this modern New England spot, which opened in summer 2022 in a painstakingly reconstructed brick building. What’s all the fuss about? Four-course prix-fixe feasts of dry-aged duck with leg confit and beet jus, Atlantic cod brightened by roasted onion and whey broth, and meaty lion’s mane mushrooms with pickled ramps to counterbalance the buttery potatoes. (And we’d be remiss not to mention this masterpiece of a lobster roll on a croissant.) The menu changes frequently, but what’s unchanging is the dedication for showcasing the beauty of in-season, local ingredients.

115 Thames St., Portland, Maine, 207-910-7400, twelvemaine.com.

With research by Harriet Gaye