15 Best Restaurants in Portland, Maine

"A multi-award winning Portland institution since 1996, this high-ceilinged, brick-walled warehouse space overlooking the historic Old Port is known for its large, open kitchen and live-fire cooking. A bustling bar opens into the main dining room where, from tables on two levels, you can watch a team of chefs as they man a wood-burning oven, grill, and turnspit fire, open dozens of fresh local oysters, and reach into a glass-windowed vegetable humidor to pick locally farmed and foraged fruit, herbs, and vegetables. Not to be missed are the signature rope-cultured mussels cooked in garlic-almond butter and dry vermouth. You'd also be wise to order the juicy turnspit-roasted pork loin (or anything else that's cooked on the turnspit, wood oven, or wood grill). In July and August keep your eye out for sweet, tender soft-shelled lobster and a tomato and goat cheese tart. The house-made ice creams and a chocolate soufflé cake also have well-deserved followings." - Alexandra Hall