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La Benedicion

La Benedicion opened in October 2023.

28 Monument Square, Portland, ME, USA
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About Portland Food Map

Portland Food Map launched in 2007 as a simple directory of the local food community. Other features have been added over the years including food event listings, the Under Construction page, guides to Maine apples and cider producers, the restaurant real estate listings, Year in Review reports, the My Kitchen Their Table chef interview series, the Maine Food Map guide, and Maine news reporting.


The 2024 editions of the Portland and Midcoast Pocket Guides are now out. Pick-up a copy Portland and Midcoast guides at local businesses, and if you need a bunch for an event you’re organizing or for your business you can buy them in packs of 25 on our online store.

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Welcome to the quarterly restaurant property featu Welcome to the quarterly restaurant property feature sponsored by The Boulos Company (@theboulosco). This quarter we’re highlighting a 132-seat turnkey restaurant in Wells. The property is located at 60 Mile Road with views (13th photo) of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve and on the road to the popular summer destination of Wells Beach. The 2-story 6,684 sq ft restaurant (photos 1, 2, 4, 5) features a main floor dining room and bar and covered outdoor deck, and a separate ground floor dining room with stone fireplace (3rd photo) and its own bar which can be used as an event space. The restaurant also has a 1,200-bottle wine cellar (6th photo) and parking for 60+ cars and is situated on a 1.0± acre parcel. The listing includes all furniture, fixtures and equipment (see listing online for a full list). Included in the $2,095,000 purchase price is a two bedroom, two bathroom, 2,000± SF residential condominium with views of Wells Harbor on the top floor of the building. 60 Mile Road was the home of the well-loved Varano’s Italian Restaurant (3rd and 7th photo) for over two decades which Richard Varano launched in March 2000. Varano’s served a menu (8th photo) of classic dishes like lasagna and chicken parmesan and a list of 200 Italian wines. Mile Road (11th photo) was built in 1872 as was the bridge over to Wells Beach (10th photo). Tourism to the Wells (9th photo) area got its start in the mid-19th Century, and inns like the Island Ledge House were built on Wells Beach. In the mid-20th Century a Howard Johnson’s restaurant was a popular stop along Route 1 right near the turn onto Mile Road. Prior to the opening a Varano’s the property was the home of a series of restaurants including Harbor House Restaurant, the Fiddlestix Pub and the Lighthouse. For more info and to arrange a tour of the building contact Joe Italiaander, Chris Gallagher or Nate Roop; see link in our bio for further details on the property. This is a sponsored post in collaboration with The Boulos Company (@theboulosco).
RAFFLE COMPLETED Welcome to the September edition RAFFLE COMPLETED Welcome to the September edition of the Portland Food Map raffle sponsored by Evergreen Credit Union (@evergreen_credit_union). The winner will receive a $150 Visa gift card for use at Cantina Calafia and either two tickets to the Portland Sea Dogs OR two tickets to the Portland Museum of Art. Simply comment on this Instagram image and tag a friend (or, two, or three...), and you’re entered to win. To whet your appetite for a visit here’s a look at some dishes from Cantina Calafia: beef tongue tacos, scallops crudo with fish roe, a mocktail made with hibiscus, pineapple juice, lime and tonic water, a cucumber salad made with pickled green garlic and salsa macha, goat cheese flan, and elote. #mainefood #evergreeneverywhere #beeftonguetacos, #scallopcrudo ,#cucumbersalad, #goatcheeseflan, #elote NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. 1 winner will be chosen at random and will receive either 2 tickets to a Portland Sea Dogs home game OR 2 guest Admission Tickets to the Portland Museum of Art. Date of Portland Sea Dogs game to be determined with the winner. Meal for two at Cantina Calafia is good for up to $150 in the form of a VISA gift card; any additional costs will be the responsibility of the winner. The winner will be chosen on September 10th, and will be notified via Instagram direct message by Portland Food Map. Winner will connect with Evergreen Credit Union to receive their prize package. Per Instagram rules, this promotion is in no way sponsored, administered, or associated with Instagram, Inc. By entering, entrants confirm that they are 18+ years of age, release Instagram of responsibility, and agree to Instagram’s terms of use. This contest is in no way sponsored or administered by the Portland Sea Dogs, Portland Museum of Art, or Cantina Calafia. By entering, entrants confirm that they release the Portland Sea Dogs and Portland Museum of Art, and Cantina Calafia of responsibility.
Finestkind (@finestkindmaine) is scheduled to open Finestkind (@finestkindmaine) is scheduled to open on Thursday. The 26-seat breakfast and lunch cafe is located at 17 Pepperell Square in Saco 7th photo). It’s being launched by Victoria and Tom Barthelmes along with their business partners Chris and Paige Gould. Finestkind will serve (8th and 9th images) a wide range of house-made baked goods like Pumpkin Cake, Mudslide Cookies and the Tiny Debra’s (6th photo). Breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, salads and other cafe dishes are available all day. Shown here (2nd photo) is the Maine Grains bowl: warm farro over cabbage, charred corn, shishitos, cherry tomatoes, pepita, salsa verde vinaigrette topped with crispy chicken. Finestkind is serving @tandemcoffeeroasters, as well as beer, wine, brunch cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks. Pastry chef Kim Rodgers has joined the team at Finestkind. Rodgers is a cofounder of Little Spruce Baking Company was previously the executive pastry chef at Big Tree Hospitality. The Goulds are the owners of @_centralprovisions_ and @tipomaine. Victoria Barthelmes was the GM of Tipo and remains the wine director of both restaurants. Tom Barthelmes has transitioned to fully focus on Finestkind from his position as the kitchen manager at Central and Tipo. The Barthelmes met when attending The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park and worked together at the Apple Pie Bakery Café. In New York City, Victoria worked in the pastry department at Lincoln Ristorante where she produced pastry for the Metropolitan Opera and wedding cakes for the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Tom worked at Lincoln before moving to Per Se where he worked for Thomas Keller. Finestkind will be open Thursday through Monday, 7:30 am – 2 pm. #finestkindsaco #mainefood #mainegrainsbowl #tinydebras #sacomaine
Here’s a look at six establishments from all acr Here’s a look at six establishments from all across Maine in Hancock, Lincoln, York, Androscoggin, Waldo, and Somerset counties. Maine has an amazing range of great spots to visit and share with more opening all the time. **Do you have a favorite eatery outside the Portland area more people should know about? Tag or mention them in the comments so we can keep them in mind for future road trips.** Here are all the details (in order of the appearance): -Aragosta (@aragosta.maine) is located on Deer Isle. @foodandwine named them one of the top 20 restaurants in the nation. Chef Devin Finegan serves a farm/sea-to-table tasting menu which includes this elegant dish of butter poached lobster, green apple compressed fennel, smoked egg emulsion covered with a nori tuile. -The new Aekeir Brewing (@aekeirbrewing) tasting room provides another reason to stop in Wiscasset on your travels through the Midcoast. Owner/brewer Jeremy Meyers is serving a variety of beer styles. Shown here is a glass of their Golden Strong Ale. -Simones’ Hot Dogs in Lewiston has been serving customers in downtown Lewiston since founder James Simones launched the business in 1908. Shown here is a pair of red snapper hotdogs with onions, mustard, and relish with a side of onion rings. -NEAT (@neatbarbbh) is a cocktail bar located in the back room of Marcel’s Sub Shop in Boothbay Harbor. Show here is a Penicillin cocktail made with Monkey Shoulder scotch with an Ardberg float and a flight of Japanese whiskeys that are just a few of the 350 whiskeys on their menu. -Alex d’Emarese launched Baker Bru (@baker_bru_pies) earlier this year in North Berwick. He sells baked goods as well as prepared meals to-go that channel his South African and Italian heritage. -Pottle’s (@pottles.pub) is located in the town of Liberty. Chef/co-owner Isiah Pottle serves a menu of comfort food classics like this pulled pork sandwich with slaw, broccoli salad and corn chowder. **Take a look at the Maine Food Map (link in bio) for additional ideas on where to drink and dine across the entire state of Maine.** #16countieseats #mainefood #norituile #redsnapperhotdogs #penicillincocktail #mainebeer
Sunday is the first day of September and it’s al Sunday is the first day of September and it’s also the start of the Maine apple season. Here are guides (links in bio) to some outstanding apple orchards and a full list of Maine cider producers to help you plan some fun road-trips this Fall. The Maine Heirloom Apple Guide is a co-production with the intrepid apple expert Sean Turley at The Righteous Russet (@therighteousrusset). We hope this provides you with all the information you need for a self-directed exploration of Maine orchards and the many heirloom apples they offer. Use it throughout the fall to go exploring so you can take advantage of the entire season. The Guide to Maine Cider is a directory to 28 Maine cider producers. They’re located all over the state from Kingfield to Cornish and Portland to Franklin. Stop by cidery tasting rooms like Absolem’s in Winthrop to or visit one of the highlighted retail shops that stock good selections of regional ciders to enjoy at home. Upcoming apple events include Maine Apple Camp ( this weekend), Maine Apple Sunday (September 15th), the annual apple tasting at @apresdrinks (October 10th), and the Great Maine Apple Day at @mofga in Unity (October 24th). For a deeper dive into the Maine apple scene sign up for the Out on a Limb Apple CSA and to enjoy a wide variety of ciders visit to Portland’s own cider bar @anoche.portland on Washington Ave. #maineapples #mainecider #maineorchards #2024appleseason
Sisters Sophia Normantas and Marie Grasser have le Sisters Sophia Normantas and Marie Grasser have leased space at 20 Alfred Street in Biddeford where they plan to open a new bar called Apéro (@aperomaine). The 40-seat establishment will serve light bites, charcuterie, cocktails, mocktails, and wine. The cocktail list is still under development but is expected to offer a diverse seasonal selection of with all their drinks to be topped off “with a dazzling garnish.” Renovations are underway with the hope to open Apéro in October. As they shared in an online video they “want it to be moody, sexy, fun” and create a place where customers can “sit with a beautiful cocktail in a gorgeous environment” and enjoy time with friends. Normantas and Marie Grasser shared that they have always wanted to create a business together. Grasser is also the owner of Charcutemarie (@charcutemarie) a business that prepares charcuterie and cheese boards for weddings and events. #biddefordfoodmap #biddefordmaine #aperobar #mainefood
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