Saveur has published A Local’s Guide to the Best Restaurants in Portland, Maine. The guide features The Honey Paw, Twelve, Wayside Tavern, Taj, Ribollita, Sichuan Kitchen, The Thirsty Pig, Scales, Sissle & Daughters, Boda, Zu Bakery and is illustrated with a great set of images by local photographer Zack Bowen.
Salvatore’s Opening Thursday
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Salvatore’s Hoagie Shop (website, facebook, instagram) is set to launch their new Forest Ave sandwich shop on Thursday. It is located at 448 Forest Ave in the space formerly occupied by Pizza Joint.
At Salvatore’s Hoagie Shop, we believe that the secret to an unforgettable food experience lies in the details. What sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to quality. Our Philadelphia-inspired hoagies are crafted with passion, using seeded rolls that are baked fresh in-house daily. Each ingredient is carefully selected and prepared with chef-driven techniques and plenty of love.
Owners Kara Picone and chef Owen Price will be serving a menu of hoagies, cheesesteaks, pizzas and salads. The shop will also have grab and go items to enjoy at home like chicken marsala and chicken Caesar, and ingredients to make your own home meal preparation a little easier like bolgnese sauce and meatballs.
Salvatore’s will be open Thursday through Saturday, noon – 8 pm, and Sunday, noon – 6 pm.
Salvatore’s originally launched as a sandwich delivery service in January 2023, and has developed a strong fan base of sandwich lovers ever since.
Fred’s Fries Food Truck
Fred McNair, the owner of Fred’s Fried Dough, is in the process of launching a second mobile food business called Fred’s Fries (instagram). The menu is still under development but expected to include options like poutine, garlic marinara fries, fries topped with pulled pork or chicken and the We Love Maine fries which will be topped with Maine lobster and either butter or mayo. Watch for Fred’s Fries to launch in early spring and be located in the Old Port.
Iron Pollo Moving to Portland
Chef/owner Alberto Mateo is moving his food truck New England Iron Pollo (facebook, instagram) and catering business to Portland early this spring. Mateo serves a menu of cast iron broiled chicken and dishes such as empanadas and chicken and churro waffles along with sides like yuca fries and maduros.
Mateo launched the business in Bangor in the summer of 2023. As part of the move to Portland he is planning to hold a series of pop-up events starting in early March so keep a watch on the Iron Pollo social media accounts (links above) for information about upcoming events.
Blue Lobster Tasting Room Closed
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Blue Lobster Urban Winery (website, facebook, instagram) closed down their East Bayside tasting room on Saturday. They plan to continue their wine making operations for sale to retail shops and to be served at restaurants and bars.
BLUW was founded in 2017 and for 7 years had been located in the Rockingham Electric building before opening the tasting room in the summer of 2024.
Upcoming Food & Dining Events
Wednesday – The next edition in Big Tree weekly Family Meal series at Local 188 will feature “Fried chicken & all the fixins” prepared by chef Colin Myers.
Thursday – The Barkery (web, facebook, instagram) indoor dog park and bar in South Portland is scheduled to open for business. Salvatore’s Hoagie Shop is scheduled to open at noon and they’ve begun taking pre-orders for the big day.
Friday – The Sinful Kitchen is holding a Filipino boodle fight dinner.
Saturday – Popular Rockland donut shop Ruckus Donuts will be taking part in the Lost & Found Market at Thompson’s Point this weekend. Chef Damian Sansonetti will be teaching a pasta & negroni class at Chaval.
Sunday – Ilma Lopez and Damian Sansonetti will be the guest chefs at a Flanagan Farm Supper Club dinner where they’ll celebrate the menu of their former restaurant Piccolo.
February 10 – The team from Meat on the Street will be holding a 4-course Thai pop-up dinner at the Wharf Street Yacht Club.
February 13 – The Marquis is holding the grand opening for their cocktail lounge. Devin Finigan from Aragosta on Deer Isle will be the guest chef at a Flanagan Farm Supper Club dinner. Supper Club is hosting a pre-Valentine’s Day party in collaboration with Kiss Kiss. The Marquis Lounge (read more about them) is holding their grand opening.
February 21 – Luncheonette will be holding a Korean Night pop-up dinner at Palace Diner in Biddeford.
February 27 – Bakers Briana Holt from Tandem, Kristen Lamontagne from Plum Pizza, and Kerry Hanney from Night Moves Bread will be taking part a panel discussion about baking at Table Bar in Gardiner.
March 1 – Chef Damian Sansonetti will be teaching a Whole Hog Butchery class at Chaval.
March 6 – The Maine Craft Brew Summit is taking place. Natalie Cilurzo, co-owner and President of Russian River Brewing Company, will be the keynote speaker.
May 16 – The Maine Wine Wine Fest (tickets) is taking place in Freeport.
 Planning a wedding, holding a business event, or hosting visitors from away? Our printed guides are a great resource to help your guests explore the Maine restaurant scene.
The Portland and Midcoast pocket guides are now for sale in packs of 25 on our online store. |
4 Star Review of Dry Dock
The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a 4 star review of Dry Dock,
The menu skews toward the usuals, but Carney and his team deploy skillful technique to make these seafood standards sing. Their Fish & Chips, Fried Cod Cheeks and Mussels are must-orders. Raw bar enthusiasts will be delighted by the variety of offerings and inventive ceviches and crudos. Perfectly pan-roasted fish makes the simple halibut entree shine, while the chefs flex their creative muscles with Catch of the Day specials like Orange-Glazed Cod in Sweet Potato-Guajillo Broth.