Maine is a joy in the summer. But the soul of Maine is more apparent in the winter.
Paul Theroux
In the fresh spring of May, some pals and I drove up the east coast into New England and spent a weekend in Portland, Maine.
For three lovely days, we enjoyed blue skies and blue waters. From Old Port to Peaks Island, we munched on local delicacies and explored the coast. This entry will cover the neighborhoods and food spots we adored on this mini trip.
Old Port
We spent a lot of time eating here since there was just SO MUCH GOOD FOOD, but we did some shopping along the beautiful cobble streets. There were some moments we really felt like we were in Europe between the brick buildings and old streets.
One store to note before we dig into the food is Pinecone and Chickadee. There are so many local artists featured in this store (a lot of stores around here support local artists) and stock so many fun gadgets and knick knacks.
Kings Head
If you’re looking for some good pickle chips or fish n’ chips with your beer, this is the place to go. We stumbled into this wonderful recommendation after our long drive and came back to life after inhaling some bar food.
Flatbread Company
We squeezed in a late dinner at the popular local spot for a good slice of flatbread pizza. This spot is perfect for a good crunchy crust and red sauce pizzas. Our favorite was the Casco Bay Community flatbread.
Lincoln’s
Tucked in the streets of Old Port, you’ll find a secret entrance to a sauna, but you’ll quickly learn everything is not as it seems when you hear music thrumming the walls. Tucked behind the towel rack is the entrance to a speakeasy where everything is $5!
Honey Paw
This lovely spot has a delicious collection of Asian cuisines from all over – from Thai to Chinese. The fried wings were some of the best wings I’ve ever had – they had a perfect crunch and sweetness to them. For my main, I tried the Mee Goreng and fell even more in love with Indonesian food.
Duckfat
We grabbed some pick-me-up fries and poutine from Duckfat and INHALED them. These have got to be some of the best french fries on this side of the country and I highly recommend you grab a bag to inhale.
Eventide
For an early lunch, we shared a delicious bowl of clam chowder (because how could we not in New England!) and then tried signature meal of Maine – lobster rolls! I hundred percent recommend trying your first lobster roll here. The bread was sweet, soft, saturated in butter, and topped with a generous helping of lobster meat.
Peaks Island
We kicked off a morning by hopping on the Casco Bay Ferry to go island hopping. We visited Peaks Island and upon our arrival, we learned that many locals and tourists use golf carting as their main mode of transportation. So, of course we had to participate in the culture.
We drove around the island, stopping for scenic views and peaceful walks along the pebble beaches. Maine beaches have the absolute best rocks for skipping across the water. Besides some cute shops, most of the island is residential with some food trucks and delicious ice cream.
Munjoy Hill
In this mostly residential area, we ambled around streets, enjoying the colorful houses and swelling skylines.
We stumbled upon the Portland observatory before discovering the East Promenade where sailboats laze in the calm waters and picnickers wade in the dandelion fields. Come here for some good views and golden hours shots.
Overall, this visit was so refreshing despite the brevity of it and I was lucky to have such good company and weather to enjoy it with! Here’s one last picture to savor ❤
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