Toast and taste the holidays with spirited food and drink pairings from Portland-area restaurants The sunny days of frosty G+Ts and lobster rolls are behind us for a while; now we crave cocktails to warm and cheer us on Maine winter nights—with flavorful dishes to match. These inspired pairings are from some of our favorite places to say, “Cheers” in this season of celebration. The post Festive Flavors appeared first on Old Port Magazine ..read more

First-rate food, a lively bar scene, and upbeat staff keep Dockside Grill sailing through the seasons. On a balmy Thursday evening in mid- July, there’s not an empty seat at Dockside Grill in Falmouth. Tanned, windblown sailors just off the water drink beer at the outdoor bar, recapping the latest results in the nearby Portland Yacht Club’s Thursday night racing series. At a table on the deck— shaded by sails hung as awnings—a nattily dressed couple sips martinis from icy glasses, glancing up from the menu to chat with friends who’ve just arrived wearing shorts and flip-flops, having spent t ..read more

Casting off your lines for a day on the water is one of the pleasures of living in a state with thousands of miles of coastline. Especially when the day’s plans include heading for a waterside restaurant. Here is our guide to some of Casco Bay’s most popular destinations with great food for you and accommodations for your boat. SALTWATER GRILLE | 231 FRONT ST. | SOUTH PORTLAND Saltwater Grille welcomes boaters with a private dock and a large deck offering panoramic views of Portland’s city skyline. The menu includes plenty of locally caught fish and seafood, steaks, and own ..read more

With respect for the past and thoughtful updates, DiMillo’s on the Water stays the course. If you’re a longtime local, DiMillo’s may be where you had dinner before your high school prom, or where your grandmother always wanted to go for her birthday. If you’re a visitor, you’ve certainly read about Portland’s only floating restaurant in the guidebooks. And if you’re a newer city resident, you may have bypassed the waterfront landmark, thinking it was too big, too old, too un-hip. But like a classic novel you skipped in college but rediscovered and enjoyed years later, DiMillo ..read more

While it’s hard to imagine that anyone in Maine could get tired of eating lobster, there are more ways to enjoy it beyond classic lobster rolls and steamed dinners. These dishes show how local restaurants get creative with the state’s favorite crustacean. Lobster Longevity Noodles | Empire Chinese Kitchen For those who don’t mind a little mess, this dish is worth the work it takes to eat. A whole lobster in the shell is split into pieces and stir fried with ginger and scallions before being served over wide rice noodles with tamari and shaoxing wine. Truffled Lobster Mac and Cheese | Five Fi ..read more

Focusing on Maine’s favorite sandwich, Highroller Lobster Co. hits it out of the park. It’s mid-afternoon on a weekday in early April, a time when most Portland restaurants are quiet. At the Highroller Lobster Co., however, there’s a steady stream of visitors, excited expressions on their faces. Greeted with enthusiasm by Colin Mulcunry, they step up to the counter and gaze at the menu board hanging behind him. Will it be the traditional lobster roll on a locally made brioche bun? The cheese crisp lobster taco they saw on Thrillist? The lobster grilled cheese? As I am soo ..read more

Energy and authenticity define Portland’s always-bustling Thai Restaurant.  Every restaurant has a mood, usually evident the moment you walk in the door. At Boda, the mood is charged with energy—not the frenetic kind, but the sort that sweeps you up and confidently pulls you in. On any given night, with the rattle of ice-filled cocktail shakers punctuating the hum of happy conversation, everyone at Boda—both diners and staff—seems to be having an especially good time. Depending on when you arrive, you may have a chance to take in this energetic scene. Boda does not accept r ..read more

Seafood has the starring role at the Portland Harbor Hotel‘s intimate, relaxed restaurant. The Portland Harbor Hotel’s annual Ice Bar is one of the most popular winter events in the city, drawing sell-out crowds and raising money for local charities. Year-round, the hotel offers an equally noteworthy venue for dining, drinking, and making merry—minus the DJ and ice luges—at its restaurant, BlueFin North Atlantic Seafood. Last fall, the intimate dining room and bar were rebranded to coincide with a significant redecoration of the hotel’s rooms and public spaces. Those who remember the rest ..read more

What’s better than a meal with a view, especially when the view is of a bustling, blue water harbor? Watch fisherman bringing in their catch and ferries crossing Casco Bay from these waterfront restaurants. Scales | Portland This seafood-with-a-view establishment, from the unbeatable team of Dana Street and Sam Hayward, is as close to Portland’s working waterfront as you can get. Dishes featuring Maine’s best fish and shellfish are inventive and well-prepared, and the bar is a busy place, with an extensive wine list and signature cocktails named for local landmarks. Boone’s Fish House and Oys ..read more

Old Port cocktail bar honors Portland’s seafaring heritage. For Josh Miranda, Blyth and Burrows is the place he long dreamed of. Growing up on Munjoy Hill, he played in the Eastern Cemetery by the graves of two sea captains. In high school, he studied the Longfellow poem “My Lost Youth,” which mentions their great naval battle. Englishman Samuel Blyth and American William Burrows fought the only sea battle that could be seen from shore during the War of 1812. Both perished that fateful day in September of 1813, and were honored with a grand procession that carried thei ..read more