Highest-rated Restaurants in Portland, Maine by Diners

Photo Illustration by Stacker // Canva

Highest-rated restaurants in Portland, Maine by diners

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.

Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Portland, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.

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#30. Butcher Burger

- Rating: 4.5/5 (109 reviews)
- Address: 7 Union St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#29. The Independent Ice

- Rating: 4.5/5 (197 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 52 Wharf St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Whiskey Bars, Cocktail Bars, Gastropubs
- Read more on Yelp

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#28. Nom Cafe

- Rating: 4.5/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 23 Forest Ave. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Modern European, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#27. Tandem Coffee Roasters

- Rating: 4.5/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 122 Anderson St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee Roasteries, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

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#26. The Knotted Apron

- Rating: 4.5/5 (70 reviews)
- Address: 496 Woodford St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: French, Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#25. Nura

- Rating: 4.5/5 (75 reviews)
- Address: 1 Monument Way Portland, Maine
- Categories: Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. Belleville

- Rating: 4.5/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1 North St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Bakeries, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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#23. Bite Into Maine

- Rating: 4.5/5 (60 reviews)
- Address: 50 Industrial Way Portland, Maine
- Categories: Food Trucks, Seafood, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#22. Micucci Grocery

- Rating: 4.5/5 (195 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 45 India St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Pizza, Grocery, Beer, Wine & Spirits
- Read more on Yelp

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#21. Salt Yard Cafe & Bar

- Rating: 4.5/5 (55 reviews)
- Address: 285 Commercial St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: New American, Breakfast & Brunch, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Market Street Eats

- Rating: 4.5/5 (241 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 36 Market St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Maiz Colombian Street Food - Forest Ave

- Rating: 4.5/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 621 Forest Ave. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Colombian
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. Quiero Cafe

- Rating: 4.5/5 (105 reviews)
- Address: 3 Deering Ave. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Latin American, Empanadas
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Jefe Juan's

- Rating: 4.5/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 29 Wharf St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. Sal De La Tierra

- Rating: 4.5/5 (42 reviews)
- Address: 581 Congress St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Latin American, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Twelve

- Rating: 4.5/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 115 Thames St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. The Local Press

- Rating: 4.5/5 (166 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 276 Woodford St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Soup, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. CERA

- Rating: 4.5/5 (51 reviews)
- Address: 1 Monument Square Portland, Maine
- Categories: Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Isa Bistro

- Rating: 4.5/5 (282 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 79 Portland St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: New American, New Mexican Cuisine
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. Banh Appetit

- Rating: 4.5/5 (96 reviews)
- Address: 171 Cumberland Ave. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Vietnamese, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Eighty 8 Donuts Cafe

- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 225 Federal St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Donuts, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Bread & Friends

- Rating: 4.5/5 (51 reviews)
- Address: 505 Fore St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, New American
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Coffee ME Up

- Rating: 5.0/5 (265 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 221 Cumberland Ave. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Maine Oyster Company

- Rating: 5.0/5 (127 reviews)
- Address: 38 Portland St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. The Cheese Shop Of Portland

- Rating: 5.0/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 107 Washington Ave. Unit 1 Portland, Maine
- Categories: Cheese Shops, Sandwiches, Beer, Wine & Spirits
- Read more on Yelp