Travel Dates: October 2020
Hotel: Hampton Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront & The Westin Portland Harborview
In terms of location, Hampton Inn was better and closer to the piers and Old Port (the main dining/bar area of downtown Portland). Because we have Diamond Status, we got free continental breakfast which is what you’d expect – cereal, yogurt, muffins, and fruit. They also have coffee and tea 24/7 so that’s a plus. The hotel has valet parking ($20/day) and although it seems a bit pricy, it’s relatively cheaper than the other overnight parking garages nearby. There is limited street parking, and much of it is metered.
Of course The Westin is nicer – rainforest shower, vanity with a lighted makeup mirror, and overall just a nicer and more modern room. But breakfast isn’t free unless you have Platinum Status. There is valet parking or self-parking at a garage attached to the hotel. Self-parking allows you to come in and out of the garage as you like, and was $26/day – cheaper than valet parking. The Westin has a nice, closed rooftop lounge with views of the city and harbor. You can even see the Portland Head Light (lighthouse) from there. It’s also the highest rooftop bar in Portland.
I’d recommend getting a hotel closer to where all the restaurants and bars are. The Westin was a bit far (15 minute walk to downtown) and if the Hampton Inn sounds mediocre, there are other hotels even closer to Old Port.
Food:
Lines were long for almost every restaurant we went to! Make reservations ahead of time where possible or order online to avoid the wait times.
Scales – relatively upSCALE 😉 seafood restaurant. If you’re looking for oysters, fish, or any other seafood that is not just lobster, this is the place to go. We didn’t make reservations, but were able to get a seat when we showed up ~10 mins after they opened.
Street & Co – they are known for their Lobster Diavolo, which is a seafood pasta with lobster, shrimp, mussels, and clams. It was delicious and had a slight spicy kick to it. Reservations here are highly recommended as we saw many people get turned away for walk-in or had to wait more than 2 hours.
Portland Lobster Co – all outdoor seating on a deck at the pier with a live band. You would come here more for the chill, laid back vibe vs. the food itself. Although I heard they have a really good lobster roll, but unfortunately did not have the chance to try it. We brought our own lobsters here from Lucky Catch Lobster Tour (see “Sights & Attractions” section below) and they charged $12/lobster to cook and serve with corn and your choice of fries or mashed potatoes.
Duckfat – if you love duck, this is the place to go. They have an amazing duck poutine and duck confit panini. Th panini is a bit oily from the duck fat they use to cook with, but it’s still super delicious. Even on a rainy day on a weekday afternoon, there’s still a bit of a wait here and they do not take reservations.
Honey Paw – Asian fusion restaurant; the Khao Soi was good and not too spicy, but the Mee Goreng was too salty. You can probably skip this restaurant, otherwise be prepared to wait for a while as reservations are limited.
Highroller Lobster – I personally thought they had the best lobster dishes here. It’s all “fast food-style” like lobster hamburger, lobster taco (crust made of hard cheese shell), lobster grilled cheese (my favorite), etc. They provide a variety of dipping sauces with the food, which were good too. It can get pretty crowded here so I would recommend ordering online beforehand and getting it to go.
Bite Into Maine – this is a food truck for lobster rolls and they have a few locations. We went to the one near Portland Head Light because they have more flavors here. We tried the Chipotle and Wasabi lobster rolls and they were disappointing – the lobster rolls were good but you barely taste the flavoring, which is what we were looking for.
Eventide Oyster Co – their lobster roll was very good because it’s on a steamed bun. But the size of it is very small and not worth $15.
Two Cats Bakery – I couldn’t leave Maine without trying their famous whoopie pies. If you’re not familiar with what a whoopie pie is, it’s basically a “cookie sandwich” with the cookie part being cake-like and the center filling is cake frosting. Two Cats Bakery sells two flavors: the original (chocolate) and seasonal (pumpkin when I went). The cakes were soft but the seasonal one just tasted better in my opinion. The frosting they used for the seasonal whoopie pie went better with the pumpkin cake.
Holy Donut – the lines for both locations are long! I ordered online (using the Toast app) so was able to bypass the lines. I got Chocolate Sea Salt, Sweet Potato Ginger Glazed, and the seasonal Maine Apple. Because the donuts are made from potato, it has a different texture – it’s doughy yet crumbly. The Maine Apple was my favorite because of the hint of cinnamon and it wasn’t overly sweet.
Tandem Bakery – order online to avoid the lines. Walk up to the pick-up counter to let them know you are here and they will begin making your coffee/drink order to ensure it’s hot. They have loaded scones, both sweet and savory. We got the savory one and it was good if you like goat cheese. The loaded scone is sandwiched with goat cheese, honey, and black pepper. There’s a little spicy kick to it.
Blyth & Burrows – cocktail bar with…you got it…lines! They do not take reservations and you have to wait outside the bar so they can call your name when a seat is available. We got there around 6:30p and luckily only had one person in front of us. But right after, the line started getting long. They have a nice setup with a few fire pit seating outside, in front of the bar. They have a smoked bourbon cocktail which was amazing. The aromas were great and the drink was smooth. They also bottle their own carbonated cocktails, one of which is called “Fountain of Youth” and is made with chartreuse, rum, and pineapple tonic lemon acid. Without ice, it’s super sour but with a glass filled with ice, it makes it much easier to drink.
Sights & Attractions
Lucky Catch Lobster Tour – we booked a last minute lobster tour, and it was definitely worth it. The tour took us out to catch lobsters and taught us how to tell a female and male lobster apart, how to rubber band the lobster claws, how to put together bait and refasten traps, and more. We even saw an eagle and seals! It’s a hands on tour so make sure what you wear is OK to get a little dirty. The tour also lets you purchase the lobsters that you catch. It’s $7 per lobster and you can take it to Portland Lobster Co and pay $12 for them to cook it for you (also includes a side of coleslaw and french fries/potato).
Portland Head Light – the famous lighthouse in Portland is worth a quick trip if you have the time. There’s plenty of parking in the park (metered parking @ 2 hours minimum) and it’s a short walk to the see the lighthouse. There are a few more sites to see in the park, but we didn’t have the chance to go.
Globe Trotter 