Portland

 

Each month Joe Ricchio gives local insight into his favorite places to eat and drink. He recommends that you pace yourself as you Eat Maine.

There’s a reason why Standard Baking always has a line out the door each morning—it may just be the best bakery in southern Maine. Whether it’s the sticky buns or the pain au chocolate, there’s nowhere else that can match their legendary offerings. Even the most hardened locals will wade through the throngs of cruise ship passengers just to get their hands on a loaf of bread—it’s that good.

75 Commercial St. | 207.773.2112

 

2 | Gorgeous Gelato
I would recommend combining several scoops of their silky hazelnut gelato with two shots of perfectly brewed espresso to create the culinary Voltron known as affogato. When consumed for breakfast, it sets the stage for a dizzying hour of yammering at anyone who’ll listen, followed by disorientation and excessive sweating during the subsequent sugar crash.

434 Fore St. | 207.699.4309
gorgeousgelato.com

 

3 | Deux Cochon
Meltingly tender pulled pork on a bun with tangy pickles is usually enough to satisfy my barbecue fetish, but sometimes I like to make things interesting by inviting pickled pig trotters onto my plate and into the mix. The middle of the afternoon is always the best time to engage in such affairs, provided that you’ve got time to sleep it off after finishing up.

28 Monument Sq., 2nd Floor | 207.712.2408
deuxcochon.com

 

4 | Rosemont Market + Bakery
As you probably know, Rosemont Market has moved into a bigger, brighter space directly across the street from their previous location. What you may not know is that they’ve integrated fresh seafood and a large selection of quality meats overseen by house butcher Jarrod Spangler. Rosemont has become my go-to source for hard-to-find items such as veal hearts and sweetbreads.

580 Brighton Ave. | 207.774.8129
rosemontmarket.com

 

5 | The Old Port Sea Grill + Raw Bar
A new chef, a ramped-up menu, and a much-improved wine list make the Old Port Sea Grill and Raw Bar worth a visit—or a revisit if you haven’t been in a while. If you’ve been a regular, don’t worry: your children will still be mesmerized by the large saltwater fish tank, you can still watch the Red Sox while hammering down plates of raw oysters, and you’ll still find the usual Friday night packs of cougars on the prowl!

93 Commercial St. | 207.879.6100
theoldportseagrill.com

 

6 | Vignola
Amidst the late-night shenanigans on Wharf Street, it’s comforting to know that right around the corner one can relax in an elegant setting with a cheese plate and a few glasses of grappa. It’s also comforting to know that one can get an amazing pizza, drink several tequilas, and watch the bartender, Guy, set drinks on fire and transfer the flames from shaker to shaker. Honestly, I’m not sure that he’ll always put on this kind of show—it may have just been a one-shot deal—but at that particular moment it was the greatest thing I’d ever seen!

10 Dana St. | 207.772.1330
vignolamaine.com

 

7 | Vivian’s Drive-In
If you’re among the unfortunate few who have “always wondered about this place” while in the throes of Forest Avenue’s mind-numbing, soul-crushing traffic, you would do well to pull over and sample some of the best burgers Portland has to offer. Though many would consider it blasphemy to serve burgers but not fries, I personally think a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos is a perfectly reasonable substitute—even though they smell mildly of vomit, they still taste delicious!

948 Forest Ave. | 207.797.7077

 

8 | Petite Jacqueline
In an era when even national restaurant chains the likes of Pizza Hut and P.F. Chang’s are recklessly referring to themselves as “bistros,” it’s refreshing to see the folks from Five Fifty-Five executing the concept as it was meant to be done. Focusing on simple French classics such as escargot, beef Bourgogne, and steak frites, paired with several excellent wines from the same country, Petite Jacqueline is a welcome addition to Longfellow Square’s busy dining hub.

190 State St. | 207.553.7044
bistropj.com

 

9 | Korea House
When confronted by an enormous, volcanically hot bowl of dolsot bibimbap, I would say the most significant obstacle is gauging the amount of time one must wait to avoid suffering third-degree mouth burns. While in this holding pattern, it’s best to focus on your beer and the delightful assortment of banchan—tiny plates of appetizers such as kimchi and bean-curd cakes.

630 Congress St. | 207.771.2000

 

10 | Maine Brewing Supply
In addition to selling all the equipment and ingredients you will need to brew outstanding beer in the comfort of your own garage, they’ve also got one of the best retail selections of microbrews and specialty beers in Portland. Good homebrew takes patience, so it’s important to have a sizeable stash of commercial beer on hand to make the wait significantly less frustrating.

542 Forest Ave. | 207.791.2739
brewbrewbrew.com

 

11 | The Great Lost Bear
After shopping at Maine Brewing Supply next door, chances are that you will be far too tired to go home and begin the brewing process. So why not walk three steps away and enjoy one of Maine’s largest collections of beers on tap? The Bear also recently expanded their wine list, because nothing pairs up better with a heaping pile of chili nachos.

540 Forest Ave. | 207.772.0300
greatlostbear.com

 

12 | The Grill Room + Bar
There are surprisingly few spots in the city where one can acquire a perfectly cooked slab of meat, drench it in béarnaise sauce, and wash it down with copious amounts of big-ass California cabernet. Thankfully, the Grill Room can satisfy basic human needs such as these, but you’ll need to tackle others, such as “friendship” and “intimacy,” on your own.

84 Exchange St. | 207.774.2333
thefrontroomrestaurant.com

 

13 | Paciarino Restaurant + Store
“Eat well and live long” is what Fabiana de Savino and Enrico Barbiero would like you to keep in mind as you tear through a bowl of freshly made ravioli al formaggio with bolognese sauce. Personally, I think this dish tastes far too good to be extending my life expectancy, so—just in case—you might as well tear through a bottle of barbera d’asti because, after all, it’s good for your heart!

470 Fore St. | 207.774.3500
paciarino.com

 

14 | Fit To Eat/Catbird Creamery
Don’t let the name fool you, as I let it for too long: Fit to Eat is not exclusively a restaurant for people who enjoy “physical fitness.” I decided to celebrate this epiphany with a hot-pastrami sandwich slathered with wasabi mayonnaise and a bowl of creamy tomato Parmesan soup. Not yet satisfied with my workout, I decide to cool down with some house-made “Furious George” ice cream made with hot chilies, caramelized banana, and dark chocolate.

164 Middle St., Suite 5
207.761.4441

 

15 | Leroux Kitchen
It’s comforting to know that if I were to decide to throw an impromptu dinner party at an abandoned camp on Sebago Lake, I could find every single piece of equipment I would need under one roof. This includes a large outdoor wok, a multitude of knives, and an ample selection of festive chocolates. After giving awful directions to the camp and being subsequently stood up by my dinner guests, I will huddle in the corner, wrap my arms around myself, and slowly consume all of the chocolates, one by precious little one.

161 Commercial St.
207.553.7665 | lerouxkitchen.com