Guidebook for Hip Little Portland!

Hilary
Guidebook for Hip Little Portland!

Food Scene

Great noodles and Vietnamese food and the closest restaurant to the studio!
10 locals recommend
Veranda Noodle Bar
14 Veranda St
10 locals recommend
Great noodles and Vietnamese food and the closest restaurant to the studio!
Same owners as the noodle bar opposite, just Thai this time. It's a "dive" like a little shack, but good food.
7 locals recommend
Veranda Thai Cuisine
9 Veranda St
7 locals recommend
Same owners as the noodle bar opposite, just Thai this time. It's a "dive" like a little shack, but good food.
Very popular and the best fries (cooked in duck fat!) in town with a variety of accompaniments. Mostly paninis and fries with a salad or two and great milk shakes and homemade sodas. Lunch and dinner. It is small so often queues at busy times.
173 locals recommend
Duckfat
43 Middle St
173 locals recommend
Very popular and the best fries (cooked in duck fat!) in town with a variety of accompaniments. Mostly paninis and fries with a salad or two and great milk shakes and homemade sodas. Lunch and dinner. It is small so often queues at busy times.
Portland's own homegrown roaster. Fair trade. Greatly involved in the community. Several locations in town, but we think Diamond St has by far the best ambience.
100 locals recommend
Coffee By Design
43 Washington Ave
100 locals recommend
Portland's own homegrown roaster. Fair trade. Greatly involved in the community. Several locations in town, but we think Diamond St has by far the best ambience.
Great handmade pizza with interesting topping options. Try the mash potato and scallion option!
192 locals recommend
OTTO
576 Congress St
192 locals recommend
Great handmade pizza with interesting topping options. Try the mash potato and scallion option!
Sebastian says a great place to eat with friends. Can be outside in the summer. Waterfront. Brick oven pizza with cooking in front of your eyes!
98 locals recommend
Flatbread Company
72 Commercial St
98 locals recommend
Sebastian says a great place to eat with friends. Can be outside in the summer. Waterfront. Brick oven pizza with cooking in front of your eyes!
Great bakery - with the best Whoopie Pies in town.Recently relocated to a new place with some eat in seats!
16 locals recommend
Two Fat Cats
740 Broadway
16 locals recommend
Great bakery - with the best Whoopie Pies in town.Recently relocated to a new place with some eat in seats!
Great homemade soups. It is upstairs in the Public Market House, which also houses other eclectic eateries in a bohemian atmosphere. Big open space with tables to eat at.
Kamasouptra
28 Monument Sq
Great homemade soups. It is upstairs in the Public Market House, which also houses other eclectic eateries in a bohemian atmosphere. Big open space with tables to eat at.
A nice drive, maybe 15 mins from downtown, 20 from our house, to a seafood shack in a beautiful setting on the rocks on the coast. Quintessential Maine. Some would say the best lobster roll locally. Open April - October
136 locals recommend
The Lobster Shack at Two Lights
225 Two Lights Rd
136 locals recommend
A nice drive, maybe 15 mins from downtown, 20 from our house, to a seafood shack in a beautiful setting on the rocks on the coast. Quintessential Maine. Some would say the best lobster roll locally. Open April - October
Fantastic Chinese food. Good ambience - not your usual Chinese. Almost always very busy. Only place in town that does Dim Sum. Delicious!
102 locals recommend
Empire
575 Congress St
102 locals recommend
Fantastic Chinese food. Good ambience - not your usual Chinese. Almost always very busy. Only place in town that does Dim Sum. Delicious!
Popular dumpling house, a little away from the fray.
63 locals recommend
Bao Bao Dumpling House
133 Spring St
63 locals recommend
Popular dumpling house, a little away from the fray.
Great, small, classic diner in the center of town. Cash only.
19 locals recommend
Marcy's Diner
47 Oak St
19 locals recommend
Great, small, classic diner in the center of town. Cash only.
Yummy brunch/lunch on the edge of town - in a funky house. Often long lines at weekends.
21 locals recommend
The Sinful Kitchen
952 Brighton Ave
21 locals recommend
Yummy brunch/lunch on the edge of town - in a funky house. Often long lines at weekends.
Serves a great breakfast/brunch every day. Has a sweet outdoor patio in the summer. Large, great menu. Very busy at weekends.
52 locals recommend
Bayside American Cafe
98 Portland St
52 locals recommend
Serves a great breakfast/brunch every day. Has a sweet outdoor patio in the summer. Large, great menu. Very busy at weekends.
Our own very close ice cream shop in our neighborhood. Makes a great evening stroll. Seasonal April - October usually
18 locals recommend
Beals Old Fashioned Ice Cream
18 Veranda St
18 locals recommend
Our own very close ice cream shop in our neighborhood. Makes a great evening stroll. Seasonal April - October usually
Small, fabulous coffee shop, owned by 2 wonderful young Albanians - Mateo and Alba - who provide a wonderful service. Great breakfast sandwiches and good lunch menu, with homemade pastries also. Recently started doing acai bowls. Outdoor seating. If you see Mateo or Alba, do tell them Hilary sent you:)
10 locals recommend
Coffee ME Up
221 Cumberland Ave
10 locals recommend
Small, fabulous coffee shop, owned by 2 wonderful young Albanians - Mateo and Alba - who provide a wonderful service. Great breakfast sandwiches and good lunch menu, with homemade pastries also. Recently started doing acai bowls. Outdoor seating. If you see Mateo or Alba, do tell them Hilary sent you:)
Large, funky, open space environment with great breakfast menu.
24 locals recommend
Dutch's
28 Preble St
24 locals recommend
Large, funky, open space environment with great breakfast menu.
Classic diner. Been in Portland for years. Great staff and have done a wonderful job during the pandemic to keep serving us. Good, reliable, breakfast and lunch menu.
16 locals recommend
Miss Portland Diner
140 Marginal Way
16 locals recommend
Classic diner. Been in Portland for years. Great staff and have done a wonderful job during the pandemic to keep serving us. Good, reliable, breakfast and lunch menu.
Walk-able from our house. Good brunch menu with interesting twists and nice atmosphere.
7 locals recommend
Otherside Diner
500 Washington Ave
7 locals recommend
Walk-able from our house. Good brunch menu with interesting twists and nice atmosphere.
Great bagels!
44 locals recommend
Forage Market
123 Washington Ave
44 locals recommend
Great bagels!
Local bagel bakery. Tiny hole in the wall but the bagels warrant the line out of the door! And nice to support a small local business.
24 locals recommend
Union Bagel Company
147 Cumberland Ave
24 locals recommend
Local bagel bakery. Tiny hole in the wall but the bagels warrant the line out of the door! And nice to support a small local business.
Lovely bistro for dinner, with a small interesting menu. Reasonably priced for this town.
28 locals recommend
Isa
79 Portland St
28 locals recommend
Lovely bistro for dinner, with a small interesting menu. Reasonably priced for this town.

Essentials

Self-explanatory:) Also has a really sunny nice space within which to eat your food or have a smoothie or coffee.
151 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
2 Somerset St
151 locals recommend
Self-explanatory:) Also has a really sunny nice space within which to eat your food or have a smoothie or coffee.
For those familiar, fair priced groceries....8a - 10p every day.
148 locals recommend
Trader Joe's
87 Marginal Way
148 locals recommend
For those familiar, fair priced groceries....8a - 10p every day.
Closest drugstore/pharmacy. Right near Trader Joe's!
13 locals recommend
Walgreens
127 Marginal Way
13 locals recommend
Closest drugstore/pharmacy. Right near Trader Joe's!
Closest "regular" grocery store/supermarket
280 locals recommend
Hannaford Supermarket
295 Forest Ave
280 locals recommend
Closest "regular" grocery store/supermarket

Sightseeing

4.2 mile path for walking, running and biking round the bay - an inlet of the ocean.....
14 locals recommend
Baxter Boulevard
Baxter Boulevard
14 locals recommend
4.2 mile path for walking, running and biking round the bay - an inlet of the ocean.....
Take a ferry to the Casco Bay Islands. Peaks Island is the most popular. 20 minute ride and a great little community to visit. Can take bikes on the ferry. Also great to do the Cliff Island run.
140 locals recommend
Casco Bay Lines station
140 locals recommend
Take a ferry to the Casco Bay Islands. Peaks Island is the most popular. 20 minute ride and a great little community to visit. Can take bikes on the ferry. Also great to do the Cliff Island run.

Shopping

Great funky second hand clothing store....
14 locals recommend
Material Objects
500 Congress St
14 locals recommend
Great funky second hand clothing store....
One of the streets "at the heart of the Old Port". Boutiques and eateries. Definitely worth a stroll.
36 locals recommend
Exchange Street
Exchange Street
36 locals recommend
One of the streets "at the heart of the Old Port". Boutiques and eateries. Definitely worth a stroll.
Another "heart of the Old Port" street to stroll along.
54 locals recommend
Fore Street
Fore Street
54 locals recommend
Another "heart of the Old Port" street to stroll along.
Shopping and restaurants of the Old Port, but this time on the waterfront...
18 locals recommend
Commercial Street
Commercial Street
18 locals recommend
Shopping and restaurants of the Old Port, but this time on the waterfront...
The best local bookstore. Good used inventory also.
25 locals recommend
Longfellow Books
1 Monument Sq
25 locals recommend
The best local bookstore. Good used inventory also.
Another excellent local bookstore
12 locals recommend
Print: A Bookstore
273 Congress St
12 locals recommend
Another excellent local bookstore
Hip, good quality, second-hand clothing store.
8 locals recommend
Find
16 Free St
8 locals recommend
Hip, good quality, second-hand clothing store.
Brilliant CD, DVD, books store with plenty of used inventory also. This is one of several branches, although the iconic store downtown closed.
7 locals recommend
Bull Moose
456 Payne Rd
7 locals recommend
Brilliant CD, DVD, books store with plenty of used inventory also. This is one of several branches, although the iconic store downtown closed.
Lovely family owned garden nursery and gift shop. Has a wonderful small greenhouse open year round which is a treat to visit, especially in winter months. Has lovely gifts also.
Allen Sterling & Lothrop
Lovely family owned garden nursery and gift shop. Has a wonderful small greenhouse open year round which is a treat to visit, especially in winter months. Has lovely gifts also.
Second hand bookstore, crammed to the ceiling with great finds.
Yes Books
589 Congress St
Second hand bookstore, crammed to the ceiling with great finds.
Small sweet bookstore with friendly staff. A little away from downtown but worth a visit.
Letterpress Books
91 Auburn St
Small sweet bookstore with friendly staff. A little away from downtown but worth a visit.

Everything Else

A Saturday and Wednesday morning farmers market in the park. Delightful. Has been moving to an indoor location for the Winter
64 locals recommend
Portland Farmers' Market
92 Deering Ave
64 locals recommend
A Saturday and Wednesday morning farmers market in the park. Delightful. Has been moving to an indoor location for the Winter

Arts & Culture

A really nice art museum. Has a cool cafe. Friday evenings 5-9pm admission is free. Also shows alternative movies at the weekend.
412 locals recommend
Portland Museum of Art
7 Congress Sq
412 locals recommend
A really nice art museum. Has a cool cafe. Friday evenings 5-9pm admission is free. Also shows alternative movies at the weekend.
Our favourite cinema...right in the middle of town. Older classic movie theatre. Shows all current movies.
53 locals recommend
Nickelodeon Cinema (Patriot Cinemas)
1 Temple St
53 locals recommend
Our favourite cinema...right in the middle of town. Older classic movie theatre. Shows all current movies.
Good quality theatre
22 locals recommend
Portland Stage
25 Forest Ave
22 locals recommend
Good quality theatre
Popular concert venue
116 locals recommend
State Theater
609 Congress St
116 locals recommend
Popular concert venue
Nice Concert Hall with good varied programme.
30 locals recommend
Merrill Auditorium
20 Myrtle St
30 locals recommend
Nice Concert Hall with good varied programme.

Parks & Nature

Nice to walk around. Can drive over the causeway and park there.
130 locals recommend
Mackworth Island State Park
U.S. 1
130 locals recommend
Nice to walk around. Can drive over the causeway and park there.
Huge, beautiful white sand beach. About 1 hour drive from our house.
208 locals recommend
Popham Beach State Park
711 Popham Rd
208 locals recommend
Huge, beautiful white sand beach. About 1 hour drive from our house.