Last year's Dining Guide was one of my more popular posts, so I've reviewed and updated my suggestions.
Here are my picks for this year...
For Dinner:
- Best New American Cuisine: Five-Fifty-Five
- Best Italian: Bresca
- Best French: Evangeline
- Best Fusion/Eclectic: Hugo’s
- Best Greek: Emilitsa
- Best Local Sourced: Fore Street
- Best Classic Sushi: Benkay
- Best Creative Sushi: Miyake
- Best Place for Seafood: Street & Company
- Best Wine List: Back Bay Grill
For Lunch (or an inexpensive dinner):
- Best Pasta: Paciarino
- Best Pizza: Flatbread
- Best Burrito: El Rayo
- Best Sandwiches: Clayton's (Yarmouth)
- Best Crepes: Merry Table Creperie
- Best Thai: Thai Taste
Other Options:
- Best Bagels: Scratch Bakery (South Portland)
- Best Cappuccino: Arabica
- Best French Bakery: Standard Baking
- Best Cheese Shop: The Cheese Iron (Scarborough)
If you don’t see the cuisine category you're looking for, you can check out my other Portland, Maine reviews, or head over to Portland Food Map
to find a comprehensive list of local dining options.Map of Best Restaurants in Portland, Maine:
View in a larger map
8 comments:
I would have to agree with the majority of this list. With two young children my wife and I don't get to the more upscale places often (read ever). Arabica has by far the best coffee drinks in town, in Maine perhaps. The place is caffeinated nirvana.
I'm really excited to check out El Rayo. It's high time we had some good mexican in Portland.
My disagreement comes with Clayton's. They have good sandwiches, but far from the best. When you factor in price they slip even further down the list. Keep going a little further up Rt1 to the Old World Gourmet Deli & Wine. They have everything Clayton's does, with a larger variety of sandwiches and specials. One of my favorite eats around!
On a side, will you be reviewing the new Sea Dog in SoPo? I wont give you my opinion, but I'm curious to hear yours.
Not much of a change from 2008...I suppose that's a good thing because the restaurants are consistently the best!
I'm surprised you put Benkay as the Best Sushi because, while they are not horrible, I don't find them at all to be the best. Their fish isn't as fresh as Yosaku's, and not as creative/eclectic as Miyake. I find that of the sushi places, Yosaku is the Best Sushi, hands down, Benkay is the Best Sushi for your Wallet, and Miyake is the most eclectic/fusion sushi.
i would love it if you would give full belly deli a try, as far as best sandwich goes. might be a new york style of taste but i could almost weep from the yummy-ness. outer brighton in the stripmall w/ marden's. try thr george bress or pretty much anything, they've been there forever and never shift in quality (and did i mention yummy-ness?)
I agree with previous anonymous posts--Old World Gourmet in Freeport has some of tastiest sandwiches/wraps around. And killer chocolate-walnut chip cookies!! Full Belly Deli is a hidden gem on outer Brighton--best corned beef around. My New York friend gets her brisket fix here when she visits, and their potato salad makes me into a potato salad convert!!
miyake should have been number 1. benkay is good, but miyake is serving the best food in new england
I absolutely love the fact that you embedded a google map with all the restaurant locations right in your post. Thank you for the reviews!
I was sad to see Hot Suppa! didn't make your list of great lunch spots. They are also my favorite brunch spot. Two categories I would add for next year: Best Brunch and Postmortem (a nod to the restaurants that left us)
I second the Full Belly Deli - love love love their sandwiches...
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