Maine

Portland Restaurant Scene Named Best of 2018

Bon Appetit magazine is serving up some serious accolades to Portland, Maine, naming it the 2018 Restaurant City of the Year.

A spread in an upcoming edition highlights a long list of delicious restaurants to try, including fine dining, neighborhood taverns, Jewish delis — even a mobile sushi cart called "Mr. Tuna."

"Portland has one of the more vibrant, compelling food scenes, thanks in no small part to all that pristine seafood and craft beer," the article states.

The first mention in the magazine is Tandem Bakery on Congress Street. Head baker Briana Holt got a personal shoutout from the author, who wrote, "everything [she] whips up is brilliant."

"It's really awesome," said Holt.

There was barely any room to stand inside their coffee shop Wednesday morning, and the biscuits with jam mentioned in the article sold out by 9:30 a.m.

"We are definitely on the map right now," said Holt.

Other business owners expect to see a boost from Bon Appetit's award.

The Maine Foodie Tours organizes walking tours that help visitors sample the best of the food scene, giving them the opportunity to meet chefs while learning local history.

"They taste their way through town," said foodie tours owner Pamela Laskey.

Portland may be the smallest city to win Bon Appetit's award, but there are hundreds of restaurants and dozens of craft breweries to choose from — and the selection goes well beyond lobster.

David Turn, owner and head chef at David's restaurant, said Maine's largest city has all the right ingredients for a robust food scene: fresh, locally caught sea food; produce from local farmers; and an affordable cost of living to attract staff and entrepreneurs.

"Since 1992, we've seen the food scene just explode," Turin said. He thinks this latest article might might restaurants like his even busier.

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