Magissa

Best Restaurants in Portland, Maine | Eater Boston

"Greek restaurants are rare in Portland, and locals duly mourned the loss of former standard-bearer Emilitsa. Thankfully, Nancy Klosteridis and Emily Otero have taken up the mantle with Magissa, a cheery, contemporary Greek-style taverna in the brewery-rich East Bayside neighborhood. At dinner, flavorful meze like htipiti and skordalia come with warm pita and olives; lamb is grilled with pomegranate sauce or stuffed in a gyro as souvlaki; and ouzo cake provides a savory-sweet finish. The clever drinks keep pace, from sumac salted lemonade and Mediterranean wines to cocktails featuring tequila and mastiha or bourbon and Handshake Digestif Bitters, a citywide obsession. When the weather’s beautiful, take the ferry from Portland to Peaks Island and dine outdoors at the Greeks of Peaks food truck, the precursor to Magissa." - Stasia Brewczynski