The May issue of Food & Wine includes an article about Portland area bakeries.
Portland, a town of just 69,000, is now home to a dozen or so destination-worthy bakeries, many leaning on only-in-New-England local flavors and Maine-grown, house-milled grains. Despite recent national acclaim, Portland’s bakery landscape has held tight to its soul.
The article highlights Zu Bakery, Night Moves, Mari, Belleville, Bread & Friends, Norimoto Bakery and Siblings.
The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of Noble Pizzeria and Barbeque.
At the end of the evening, I found myself just a little envious of the regulars from Deering Center who were next to us at the bar. I don’t live in Deering Center, or even Portland, yet it felt odd when I left to make the 20-minute drive home. Maybe, because like all good neighborhood restaurants, Noble Pizzeria & Barbecue makes you feel like you’re home already.
Congratulations to the team at Papi on being named one of the top 10 honorees in the Best Restaurant Bars category for the East Coast in this year’s Spirited Awards. Papi is listed along with establishments in larger communities like New York, DC, Savannah, and Miami.
The awards program is run by the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation which organizes the annual Tales of the Cocktail conference. A short list of honorees will come out on May 21st, and a winner will be announced at the conference on July 24th.
Papi opened for business in March 2023. They were an honoree in the Best New Cocktail Bar category in 2024.
The 2025 list of nominees for the James Beard Awards was just released. Of the 9 semifinalists from Maine named in January, none proceeded to the next step as an awards nominee this year. The last time that happened was in 2014.
Elsewhere in New England there were 4 nominees from Rhode Island, 1 from Connecticut, 1 from New Hampshire, 3 from Massachusetts, and 3 from Vermont.
Related information:
Food & Wine came out with their Global Tastemakers lists this morning. Two Maine establishments made the cut:
See the Food & Wine website for the full set of Tastemakers lists rating restaurants, bars, bakeries, hotels and travel ooprtunities from around the globe.
Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes a review of Magnus on Water. The Biddeford restaurant earned a 4 star rating.
Magnus on Water switched from ingredient-driven, farm-to-table fare to Peruvian-inspired food when they brought on Chef Rafael Zimmerman in late 2023. It was a bold move. But Zimmerman and the highly appealing Magnus staff crafted a tight menu of thoughtfully constructed small plates and entrees that introduces customers to new dishes and ingredients while reminding them of familiar foods…Co-owner Brian Catapang’s bar program delivers exceptionally well-balanced cocktails with layers of flavor that work in harmony, as in the refreshing, crisp Black Mamba aperitivo.
The Portland Logbook has published their take on The Best Coffee Shops in Portland, Maine.
Portland, Maine, might be small, but its coffee scene is anything but. Whether you’re looking for the perfect cortado, an expertly pulled espresso, or a hidden café serving some of the best coffee in town, Portland has no shortage of top-tier coffee shops.
The list features: Another Round, Bard, Burundi Star, Double Great, Moonday, Night Moves, Rwanda Bean, Smalls, Speckled Ax, and Tandem.
The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of Taj in South Portland.
It’s hard not to be a fan of the new Taj. The restaurant has really come into its own, particularly since moving into its snazzy new digs. It’s also a restaurant that’s right for the moment, when so many people are seeking the best value for their dwindling disposable income. And whether it wins a Beard award or not won’t change the fact that you’d be hard-pressed to find hospitality this good at this price point anywhere else in Maine.
It also has a feature article that looks at How the pandemic reshaped Portland’s restaurant scene.
Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes a 3½ star review of Low Stakes Lodge.
The kitchen delivers strong takes on classic steakhouse comforters like French Onion Soup, and simple sides like green beans and mashed potatoes — mere afterthoughts at lesser operations — are executed here with thought and care. The chefs can also be counted on to serve your steak to textbook medium rare. If you’re splurging, the prime-grade ribeye is a must, while the more budget-friendly bavette steak fully satisfies at about half the price. Leave room for baker Jacky Gerry’s rotating selection of layer cakes.
This is the first review written by Tim Cebula who is now the paper’s restaurant critic.
Wine Enthusiast has published their list of the 10 Essential Bars in Portland, Maine.
Portland has entered a modern drinking era, where luxe cocktail bars sit alongside classic, beloved breweries and a new generation of drink makers expand the local palate. We tapped the industry professionals creating this infectious energy around Portland’s drinking scene for their picks of the best bars in town.
The list features: Room for Improvement, Lambs in South Portland, Maine & Loire, Regards, Papi, The Jewel Box, Bubba’s Sulky Lounge, Blyth & Burrows, Five of Clubs, and Maine Beer Company in Freeport.