Devin’s Portland Recommendations

For Visitors

Welcome to Maine – the way life should be! I have created this list for anyone visiting the area who asks what to do and where to eat. Enjoy!

If you live here and you’re looking for partner/provider recommendations, scroll to the bottom of the page.

Where and What to Eat and Drink

The food in Portland is amazing and I feel strongly that folks should eat well while they’re here (if they are interested in food). A lot of people ask me where they absolutely need to eat while they’re here. I would say Eventide is a must do. And the my other favs these days are Regards, Leeward, Terlingua (epic outdoor area), Tipo, and I absolutely recommend enjoying one of the asian places I list before - there is incredible asian food here (in my very amateur opinion). But, you can’t go wrong with any of the suggestions below, and many others in town!

Outlined below are some of my favorites.

  • Most of my favorite places don't take reservations and are a bit less formal, so I recommend putting your name in and get a drink. Also, if you’re here on a Monday or Tuesday, make sure the places you’re going are open. I have put a * next to my most favorite

    DOWNTOWN (on the Peninsula)

    • Eventide*: Maine Seafood/Asian fusion oyster bar. Recommend oysters with the red onion ice (I eat oysters to eat the ice), lobster roll, fried oyster bun, lobster stew, broccoli or brussel sprouts if they have them, and their ice cream sandwiches. Everything is amazing. If you want a refreshing drink, get their homemade Twisted Tea – it is delicious, but be careful – they’re strong.

    • Central Provisions*: This is an amazing farm to table spot with small plates and great cocktails. It is a great environment and I really LOVE the spicy beef salad and the avocado beef salad. Even the bread and butter is amazing. :)

    • Regards*: This is one of the newest amazing places in town. Small plates that are absolutely delicious - California, Mexican and Japanese influence. They have amazing cocktails, and great food. Also if you can't get a reservation there, try Broken Arrow, which is right next door and I've heard is also amazing, with a similar vibe and small plate style as well.

    • Leeward*: This is an incredible newer spot in town. It is Italian deliciousness and they were nominated for a James Beard for how amazing they are. Great food, great wine list, great cocktails. Hard to get in, so book a reservation a month in advance (they open their reservations daily for a month out). Or, you can try to get in at the bar, but people often wait outside at 4:30 to get in for the 5:00 seating.

    • Terlingua*: Amazing Mexican/Southwest BBQ place right nearby. This is my favorite place the days because they have incredible outdoor space including a beer garden for hanging out.

    • Food Trucks on the Prom!: One of my favorite things to do is go down to the Eastern Prom and get food at the food trucks. I highly recommend the Bahn Mi truck, Falafel Mafia, and the Taco truck. And if you're lucky enough to be there when one of the ice cream trucks (Twist, Maple Cremee, or Gelato Fiasco), they are worth it!!

    • Scales*: probably the most beautiful restaurant in town style-wise. Incredible fish (their halibut is one of the best fish dishes I’ve ever had) and very good food and cocktails in general. A bit more high-end that the above.

    • The Honey Paw: non-denominational noodle bar owned by the same guys that own Eventide (and they share a back kitchen – really cool concept). Their sesame balls are amazing.

    AMAZING ASIAN

    Portland has an amazing collection of asian restaurants and I recommend MANY.

    • Empire*: Incredible dim sum and fresh delicious chinese food – make sure to get the garlic green beans! Their dumplings are incredible. And, the shrimp and lobster Rangoon are also amazing!

    • Pai Men Miyake*: incredible ramen, pork/tofu buns!, brussel sprouts, etc.

    • Boda Thai*: amazing interesting thai food and great cocktails (I especially love the John Daly). Get the Brussel sprouts!

    • Dok Mali: One of the newer spots in town. Very good and great environment.

    • Crispy Gai: super good fried chicken and other epic dishes. Great cocktails and environment also.

    JUST OFF THE PENINSULA (close by)

    • Isa*: Great bistro that is out of downtown, but amazing. Italian/Mexican/French fusion. So good!

    • Tipo*: Excellent fresh Italian food in a funky space. Great homemade pizza and pasta. It is not downtown but worth the drive.

    • Taco Trio*: I LOVE this taco place. It is absolutely delicious. Right over the bridge in South Portland.

    OTHERS OF NOTE

    • Nicer Restaurants: Fore Street and Street & Co. are probably the nicest and considered some of the best restaurants in Portland. They take reservations and they're great food but I personally prefer the funkier places. I would recommend Scales above these if you’re looking to have a nicer experience and want a reservation.

    • For Pizza: Otto Pizza is all over town (started here) and is delicious and there is one half a block away from the house. They will deliver also. Brickyard Hollow is newer and also sort of gourmet-ish. They also have other food in addition to pizza that’s good. If you want more sit-down or want to be near the water, Flatbread Pizza is great – right on Commercial with outdoor seating and delicious pizza, salads, etc.

    • For Takeout/Delivery: I would recommend Empire and Taco Trio for sure, or Veranda Thai or Pom’s Thai.

  • There are a ton of bars and you can go to any number of the restaurants above to just get a drink, but a few specific places to get a good cocktail in town:

    • Maine Craft Distilling: Located on Washington Ave, this is a great spot for a cocktail or a meal these days - they created an amazing outdoor space during the pandemic that I love hanging out at.

    • Blythe & Burrows: A bit newer and has some excellent cocktails and snacks. There is also a hidden bar in the back (walk through the bookshelf at the top bar).

    • Hunt & Alpine Club: Scandinavian décor with very cocktail centric menu and to die for popcorn and pickle snacks.

    • Liquid Riot: This is one of the only (decent) places in Portland with a waterfront deck. They distill their own liquor and brew their own beer. The Haute Fashioned cocktail is amazing. They also have shuffleboard. Cool place to check out.

    • Apres: This is one of my favorite spots year-round now. It is all custom hard seltzers, ciders and slushies. They also have food trucks almost all days and some good snacks as well. Amazing environment, indoor and out!

    • Bayside Bowl Rooftop Bar: this is a great spot for cocktails when the weather is great.

    • Batson River: gorgeous large space with good cocktails and snacks. Also in Bayside.

    • Novare Res: If you like beer more than cocktails, and you like sitting outside or playing cornhole, this is your best bet – they have an insane selection of beers from near and far and it is a great place to hang out.

    • Amazing Breweries in East Bayside: Oxbow, Rising Tide, Austin Street, Urban Farm Fermentory (Cider/Kombucha), Lone Pine, Goodfire, Belleflower

    • Breweries near Thompson’s Point: Bunker, Bissell Brothers

    • If you’re into Dive Bars, there are a few you can check out. Many in the old port (Rosie’s, Andy’s, Commercial Street Pub) and then there is one right on the corner of Ponce and Congress called Munjoy Hill Tavern.

    • Breweries in the Riverside Area: Allagash, Foundation

  • Most of the spots above also have lunch and brunch, but the below places are great options for breakfast/brunch/lunch:

    • Hot Suppa: if you want a really good Cajun meal, go here – it’s on the West End. You may have to wait but it’s worth it. Their eggs benedict with either fried green tomatoes or pulled pork is spectacular.

    • LB Kitchen: healthy and delicious – great smoothies, acai bowl, avocado toast, bowls with veggies and bacon, etc.

    • Portland Pottery Café: one of my favorite spots!

    • Dutch’s: a diner environment with delicious food and amazing tater tots!

    • If you’re more in the mood for something quicker or lighter - here are my favorite spots for a sandwich (breakfast or lunch), bagel, pastry or donut:

      • Katie Made Bakery: the best breakfast sandwiches and also pastries

      • BLVL: this hip spot is full of delicious pastries for breakfast and flatbreads at lunch.

      • Standard Baking Company: world-renowned bakery – their cinnamon buns are pretty incredible.

      • Holy Donut: local marvel – go if you can at some point during your stay. Delicious! And they have gluten free donuts as well!

  • There is great coffee in this town and some cute coffee shops nearby. These are all generally walking distance from the house:

    • Coffee by Design: there is one on India, one on Washington and one on Diamond (that’s the big one where they roast the coffee – cool spot)

    • Tandem Coffee Roasters there is one nearby in East Bayside and one that is on the West End that has incredible biscuits and baked goods.

    • Bard Coffee: This is one of my favorite coffee shops in town. It has great coffee and a great ambience. Right in the old port.

  • There are some great little neighborhood markets and then some larger stores you might want to have access to:

    • Rosemont Market: These are all over town. They are great little markets with a bit of produce, meats, cheeses, local products, sandwiches, etc.

    • Portland Food Co-op: this is a local grocery store a few blocks away – open to anyone. Great for quick, healthy needs.

    • Whole Foods: for your grocery shopping needs if you prefer Whole Foods, right in East Bayside.

    • Hannaford: the local chain of grocery stores, located by Back Cove.

What to do in the area

    • Check out the Eastern Prom - there is a bike path down on the water that is awesome for a nice ocean-front stroll, and the prom itself (huge sloping lawn down to the water) is great for a lunch picnic that you can pick up at Rosemont Bakery (a cute local grocer - there is one on Congress Street a few blocks from the Prom). If you want to get to the prom, easiest way is to just google East End Beach or Fort Allen Park - will get you in the vicinity. If you would like to walk from the house, walk out the deck and take a left on mountfort. When you get to the end of the street, go to the right, take your first left, first left again and you’ll be near the water. You will see the bike path eventually.

    • If you have a car, you can drive over the bridge to Falmouth and walk around Macworth Island (about a mile loop and gorgeous views of Casco Bay).

    • If you want more exercise, you can run or walk around Back Cove (3.5 mile loop around the cove), which you can drive to (the parking lot is across the street from Hannaford) or you can walk/run along the eastern prom trail and connect to it.

    • There are also great walking and hiking trails you can look up online – Presumpscott Falls, and Pineland Farms are great.

    • If you're interested in kayaking, you can look into booking a tour or renting a boat with Portland Paddle, which is right down the hill by the East End Beach.

    • If you’re looking for a shorter hike that’s close, Bradbury Mountain is a good one.

    • If you want a more substantial hike and are willing to drive an hour or two, go to Tumbledown.

  • There are great beaches in the area. Here are the ones I recommend to most folks:

    • Pine Point Beach in Scarborough – this is where I go if I am going to the beach for the day. Really pretty, great walking, swimming and views.

    • Higgins Beach in Scarborough – this is a great beach for all things and a really cute area. A bit harder to park during the high season, but worth visiting!

    • If you want to just visit a beach or hang out for a bit, there is a beach right near the Eastern Prom called East End Beach and also one in South Portland called Willard Beach.

    • Go to Fort Williams Park and check out Portland Head Light – quintessential Maine/New England lighthouse - good photo locale.

    • Two Lights is also a great spot – a point on the ocean with gorgeous views and a little lobster shack, which is definitely over-priced but a super fun experience.

    • There are ferries that go out to Peaks Island and then a bunch of the other islands (there is one called the Mail boat that I think takes 3-4 hours and stops at a bunch of islands... good if you want to just spend a day on a boat).

    • Portland Museum of Art is a great museum if you need to do something during the day and it's rainy.

    • Walk around the Old Port - good for shopping/just tooling around. Good to go for a walk down Commercial street also. Old Port is the area between Commercial and Congress around Exchange/Middle/Fore, etc.

    • If you're exhausted and want to go to a movie, there's a great old movie theater downtown called the Nickelodeon – they have $5 movies all day/night on Tuesday if you happen to be here on a Tuesday.

    • For Rainy Days, here are a few suggestions:

      • Drive up to Freeport to go shopping at the L.L.Bean flagship (it’s a great experience) or the other great outlets – it’s a cute little town.

      • Drive up the coast towards Wiscasset and beyond.

      • Go bowling at Bayside Bowl.

      • Go to a movie (see note above about Nickelodeon).

For Maine Residents

I have lived in Portland since early 2013 and in that time, I have had lots of experience with service providers and partners. I have quite a few that I recommend but here are a couple:

    • Realtor: Randy Dee Ferrell. Randy could

    • Mortgage Brokers: Chad Hayes and Dave Cekutis

    • Bank: Bangor Savings Bank

    • Coworking Space: coworkHERS

    • SCORE Mentoring: free business support and mentoring

    • Women’s Business Center at CEI: has amazing programs and free support for entrepreneurs.

    • Bodyworkers: Kate Somerville, Athlete’s Touch

    • Craniosacral Massage Therapy & Energy Medicine: Cathy Wasiliewski

    • Acupuncture: Sarah Snyder at Six Branches

    • Portland Yoga Project has amazing yoga and barre. I specifically recommend Cathy Wasilewski’s Yin class and both Jess & Stephen’s Barre classes.

    • Ashley Flowers Yoga

    • Swimming: South Portland Community Center has an amazing pool. I take their Deep water aerobics classes and love them.

    • Dori Hart

    • Elizabeth Hans & all at Ritual Art of Wellness

    • Nicky Yardi and all practitioners

    • Rosalie Genova

    • Primary Care Physicians: Open Circle Family Practice (Erica Burkhart or anyone)

    • Physical Therapist: Kim Nappi, Move Forward PT

    • Chiropractor: Paul Perrault

    • DO: Jennifer Lakis

    • Dentist: Alta Dental in Freeport

If you are looking for recommendations of something you don’t find, please feel free to contact me.