PORTLAND, MAINE

(includes Biddeford, Chebeague Island, Prouts Neck, Sanford & Scarborough)

BAKERIES, COFFEE, ICE CREAM, JUICE & TEA
●Coffee by Design – 43 Washington Avenue (at Cumberland Avenue); 207-879-2233; coffeebydesign.com.
●Dutch’s – 28 Preble Street; 207-761-2900; dutchsportland.com; biscuits, breads & pastries; best breakfast sandwich in town (fried chicken with hashbrowns); closed Mondays.
●Scratch Baking Co. – 416 Preble Street (at Pillsbury Street, South Portland); 207-799-0668; scratchbakingco.com; get there before 9 a.m., grab fresh-baked items & then over to Willard Beach for outdoors breakfast.
●Tandem Coffee Roasters – 122 Anderson Street; 207-899-0235; tandemcoffee.com.



BARS & NIGHTCLUBS
●Bayside Bowl – 58 Alder Street; 207-791-2695; baysidebowl.com; 12-lane bowling alley with sleek bar.
●Bunker Brewing Co. – 122 Anderson Street; 207-450-5014; bunkerbrewingco.com; nano-brewery.
●In’finiti Fermentation & Distillation – 250 Commercial Street (Old Port); 207-221-8889; infinitimaine.com; distillery & restaurant; great pub menu.
●Novare Res – 4 Canal Plaza; 207-761-2437; novareresbiercafe.com; festive beer garden.
●Oxbow Brewery – 49 Washington Avenue (Munjoy Hill); 207-350-0025; oxbowbeer.com; bar & tasting room; local barrel-aged beers.
●Portland Hunt & Alpine Club – 75 Market Street; 207-747-4754; huntandalpineclub.com; craft cocktails.
●Rising Tide Brewing – 103 Fox Street; 207-370-2337; risingtidebrewing.com; tasting room offers ales every day.
●Sur Lie – 11 Free Street; 207-956-7350; sur-lie.com; capitalizes on small plates trend; name refers to unfiltered wine “on lees,” or sediment; not just for wine, serving buzzed-about cocktails & local craft beers on draft.



BEACHES
●Higgins Beach – Ocean Avenue (Scarborough); visitmaine.com/things-to-do/recreation-areas/higgins-beach; small beach located north of Prouts Neck & Old Orchard Beach & south of Crescent Beach State Park; lies between bedrocks at southwest (sometimes known as Thunder Cove) & Spurwink River on northeastern end; small seaside community has about 300 cottages & 2 inns (Breakers & Higgins Beach Inn) open during summer season; most known for family-oriented oceanside neighborhood, striped bass fishing, quaintness, shipwreck embedded in sand & surfing; very little public parking.
●Scarborough Beach – Scarborough (Prouts Neck); this park, open for fee, has partial views of Neck.
●Willard Beach – 1 Fisherman Lane (South Portland); 207-799-5602; southportland.org/departments/parks-recreation-aquaticspool/parks-department/major-parks/willard-beach/; mall sand & pebble beach tucked away between Fisherman’s Point & Southern Maine Community College campus; 4 acres; views over Cushing Island & Ram Island Lighthouse in Casco Bay.



HOTELS
●Black Point Inn – 510 Black Point Road (Prouts Neck); 207-883-2500; blackpointinn.com; expensive but can include breakfast & dinner; guests have access to “cliff walk,” which runs along sea, beneath Winslow Homer studio.
●Chebeague Island Inn – 61 South Road (Chebeague Island); 207-846-5155; chebeagueislandinn.com; 25-minute water taxi from downtown; New England modern.
●Danforth – 163 Danforth Street; 207-879-8755 or 800-991-6557; danforthmaine.com; inn that dates back to early 1800s; 9 rooms, recently refurbished.
●Mercury Inn – 273 State Street; 207-956-6670; mercuryinn.com; 6-room boutique notable for modern design; great breakfasts.
●Portland Harbor Hotel – 468 Fore Street; 207-775-9090 or 888-798-9090; portlandharborhotel.com; 101 rooms, recently renovated.
●Portland Regency – 20 Milk Street; 207-774-4200 or 800-727-3436; theregency.com; ask for rooms 300-338.



RESTAURANTS
●Boda | “Very Thai” Kitchen + Bar – 671 Congress Avenue; 207-347-7557; bodamaine.com; skewer & tapas bar; interesting cocktails.
●Caiola’s – 58 Pine Street; 207-772-1110; caiolas.com; Mediterranean fare.
●Central Provisions – 414 Fore Street; 207-805-1085; central-provisions.com; seasonally inspired small plates with international flavors; good for lunch.
●DiMillo’s on Water – 25 Long Wharf; 207-772-2216; dimillos.com/restaurant; lobster rolls; full restaurant floats on water; fresh seafood, beef & Italian fare.
●Drifter’s Wife – 63 Washington Avenue (Munjoy Hill); 207-805-1336; drifterswife.com; great restaurant & great wine list; sunny dining room out front & retail “cave” in back.
●Duck Fat – 43 Middle Street; 207-774-8080; duckfat.com; must-eat place; delicious Belgian fries.
●Dutch’s – 28 Preble Street; 207-761-2900; dutchsportland.com; breakfast & lunch options; everything made from scratch, including biscuits & Dutch Crunch bread; affordable, with generous portions; great desserts.
●Eventide Oyster Co. – 86 Middle Street; 207-774-8538; eventideoysterco.com; boisterous, bright, small oyster bar with chalkboard menu.
●Fore Street – 288 Fore Street; 207-775-2717; forestreet.biz; “Old Port” standby; supreme quality food at hardwood-fueled hearth; meticulously-sourced ingredients; try spit-roasted rabbit.
●Front Room – 73 Congress Street (at Howard Street); 207-773-3366; thefrontroomrestaurant.com; neighboring gathering spot serving brunch & dinner.
●Grace – 15 Chestnut Street; 207-828-4422; restaurantgrace.com; New American cuisine; in 1850s Gothic Revival-style church.
●Huong’s Vietnamese Restaurant – 267 Saint John Street; 207-775-2344; facebook.com/huongspho207; authentic & outstanding pho, especially perfect in colder months.
●Hugo’s – 88 Middle Street; 207-774-8538; hugos.net; lounge-like, sleek space; food preparation here is performance art; 3 Asian-inflected tasting menus.
●In’finiti Fermentation & Distillation – 250 Commercial Street (Old Port); 207-221-8889; infinitimaine.com; distillery & restaurant.
●J’s Oyster – 5 Portland Pier (accessed by side streets); 207-772-4828; joint that has welcomed oyster seekers to waterfront since 1977; locals go here (as does Anthony Bourdain); dark, dusty, windows need washing; have drink at copper-topped table & watch boats toss just outside gray window mist; martinis are super-cold with generous pours & cheap olives (remnants from shaker equal at least another half drink); oysters are not farmed but not local either; lobster rolls served straight up; at $13.50 for massive portion sweet lobster meat and, depending on season, corn cob or coleslaw; lobster stew’s sherry taste sweet but not overpowering & portions substantial; steamed clams in regular bucket plenty for 4 to share; also worth trying is Scallop Cocktail.
●Laurelhurst Market – 3155 East Burnside Street; 503-206-3097; laurelhurstmarket.com; part steakhouse, part butcher.
●Local Sprouts – 649 Congress Street; 207-899-3529; localsproutscooperative.com; hippie hangout.
●Lolita – 90 Congress Street; 207-775-5652; lolita-portland.com; closed Tuesdays; wood-fired cooking & local sourcing.
●Micucci Grocery Co. – 45 India Street (at Middle Street); 207-775-1854; micuccigrocery.com; great pizza.
●Mill 67 – 61 Washington Street (Sanford); 207-324-6767; facebook.com/pages/Mill-67/231528520365373; in renovated Sanford Mill overlooking Mousam River; locally-focused, gourmet pub food in industrial-chic setting.
●Miyake – 468 Fore Street; 207-871-9170; miyakerestaurants.com; BYOB; sushi & innovative Japanese, izakaya food; try lobster chawan mushi.
●158 Pickett Street Café – 158 Benjamin W. Pickett Street (at Broadway, South Portland); 207-799-8998; facebook.com/158-Picket-Street-Cafe-285665464849634/; great breakfasts.
●Paciarino – 470 Fore Street (at Cross Street); 207-774-3500; paciarino.com; Milanese Italian.
●Paley’s Place – 1204 Northwest 21^st Avenue; 503-243-2403; paleysplace.net; try scallops with blood orange.
●El Rayo Taqueria – 101 York Street; 207-780-8226; elrayotaqueria.com; low-budget Mexican food.
●Rosemont Market & Bakery – 88 Congress Street; 207-773-7888; rosemontmarket.com; fresh breads & sandwiches; other locations.
●Scales – 68 Commercial Street (Old Port); 207-805-0444; scalesrestaurant.com; Maine-style lobster rolls with views over Casco Bay from giant floor-to-ceiling windows.
●Sonny’s – 83 Exchange Street; 207-772-7774; sonnysportland.com; upscale, seasonal Latin-leaning cuisine & craft cocktails in 1800s bank overlooking park.
●SoPo Bar & Grill – 740 Broadway (South Portland); 207-956-7333; facebook.com/sopobarandgrill; bar, deli & restaurant; in lively, enormous space.
●Street & Co. – 33 Wharf Street; 207-775-0887; streetandcompany.net; fish & lobster; good but noisy.
●Terlingua – 52 Washington Avenue (Munjoy Hill); 207-808-8502; terlingua.me; BBQ joint.
●Vignola – 10 Dana Street (Old Port, at Commercial Street); 207-772-1330; vignolamaine.com; Italian.



SERVICES
●Casco Bay Island Ferry Service – 56 Commercial Street (Old Port); 207-774-7871; cascobaylines.com; ferry departs twice daily for 3-hour mail run (to 5 islands); best way to tour bay; take lunch.



SHOPPING
●Angela Adams – 13 Middle Street; 207-774-3523; angelaadams.com; design store; home furnishings.
●Constellation Gallery – 511 Congress Street; 207-409-6617; constellationart.com; local modern art.
●Ferdinand’s – 243 Congress Street; 207-761-2151; ferdinandhomestore.com; handmade goods, vintage fashions & novelties.
●Green Design Furniture – 250 Commercial Street (Old Port); 207-775-4234 or 800-853-4234 greendesigns.com; expensive handmade furniture.
●Mad Girl World – 275 Commercial Street (Old Port); 207-322-3900; madgirlworld.com; quirky, indie accessories & clothing.
●Maine & Loire – 63 Washington Avenue (Munjoy Hill); 207-805-1336; maineandloire.com; retail wine “cave” behind restaurant.
●Public Market House – 28 Monument Square (Old Port); 207-274-5279; publicmarkethouse.com; bread, cheese, Maine Produce & micro-beer; stalls include Peanut Butter Jelly Time (207-712-2408, pbjtime.net) & Kamasouptra (207-415-6692, kamasouptra.com).
●Rabelais Books – 2 Main Street (Biddeford, North Dam Mill, Building 18); 207-602-6246; rabelaisbooks.com.
●Repurposed – 55 Washington Avenue (Munjoy Hill); 207-874-8000; facebook.com/RepurposedAntiqueSalvage; antiques tore; 5' square of railroad signs, retro gumball machines, old pictures, etc.



SIGHTS & SITES
●Board Casco Bay Ferry – 15-minute ride to Peaks Island where you can hike, kayak.
●Eastern Promenade – between US 290 & Commercial Street; 207-756-8275; easternpromenade.org/about-the-eastern-prom/location; park that stretches around far east edge of Portland peninsula; great Atlantic Ocean views.
●Winslow Homer Studio – 5 Winslow Homer Road (Scarborouh); 207-775-6148; portlandmuseum.org/homer; by appointment only through Portland Museum of Art; make sure to stroll Prouts Neck Cliff Walk while in area.
●Peaks Island – 3 miles from downtown (accessible by ferry); cascobaylines.com/islands/peaks-island-maine and peaksislandmaine.net/Peaks.shtml; rent bicycle & cruise around; see lighthouses, osprey, etc.
●Port City Music Hall – 504 Congress Street; 207-956-6000; portcitymusichall.com; glitzy club.
●Portland Museum of Art – 7 Congress Square; 207-775-6148; portlandmuseum.org; owns Winslow Homer oils, prints, & watercolors.
●Portland Public Library – 5 Monument Way; 207-871-1700; portlandlibrary.com; recently revamped atrium & gallery.
●Prouts Neck Bird Sanctuary – Higgins Beach (Prouts Neck, off Winslow Homer Road); 207-730-4000 (Townhall); recreationparks.net/ME/cumberland/prouts-neck-bird-sanctuary-higgins-beach; plovers, sandpipers & whimbrels.
●Space Gallery – 538 Congress Street; 207-828-5600; space538.org; scruffy art & music space.
●State Theater – 609 Congress Street; 207-956-6000; statetheatreportland.com; depression-era movie theater with Moorish interior.