The Best Portland, Maine Restaurants

The Green Elephant

The name of this restaurant reflects its cuisine: healthy, exotic, and hugely satisfying. The flavor-packed, Asian-influenced cuisine is all vegetarian, but is prepared well enough to fool even the hardest carnivores. Served up in an elegant but welcoming atmosphere, this is one of the most well-reputed restaurants in Portland. Be sure to ask your friendly server about the daily dessert, a house-made delight you surely won't want to miss.

Bresca

A consistently well-ranked and much-loved Portland restaurant, Bresca has been a city favorite since it opened in 2007. Bresca, or "honeycomb" in Catalan, draws its inspiration from French and Italian cuisine, and the menu changes seasonally to utilize the freshest ingredients available. Their wine list is sure to catch the eye of any aficionado, but the servers are also more than happy to suggest a glass for those without a nose for wine. A perfect restaurant for that romantic evening in Portland.

Duckfat

Looking for a gourmet Portland restaurant with a familiar menu? Duckfat serves homemade comfort food, like vanilla bean milkshakes, with a tasteful twist, such as the restaurant's namesake and inspiration, the potatoes fried in duck fat, with your choice of inventive dipping sauces. The award-winning owner and chef will cook up your favorites in a laidback atmosphere, easily making Duckfat one of the most relaxed restaurants to eat five-star food in Portland.

The Farmer's Table

This Portland restaurant cooks food the old-fashioned way, with hearty ingredients provided by local farmers in a friendly, homey atmosphere. The Mediterranean-inspired menu uses many organic ingredients and changes to reflect the local growing seasons. Each dish is deliciously simple, using a few quality elements to create one unique dish. Stop by The Farmer's Table for a meal like your mother never made.

Asmara

Dishing up authentic Eritrean food in a casual environment is what this Portland restaurant does best. This family-run eatery serves heaping portions of traditional cuisine, such as spicy meat and vegetable stews, all served with the ubiquitous injera bread. For food with a kick and service with a smile, be sure to visit one of Portland's hidden gems.

BODA

One of the few Portland restaurants open late, this Thai restaurant boasts a drink menu that is just as impressive as the food. Thai tapas and skewers dominate the street-vendor-style cuisine, while the cocktails are made with imaginative Thai spins. Come to BODA for dinner, and you're sure to stay until you've had dessert, coffee, and an after-dinner drink or two.

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