Portland is one of the best food cities in the United States for its size — a fact that has been thoroughly noticed by national magazines, James Beard juries, and weekend visitors from Boston and New York. The strengths are local seafood (the lobster, oysters, and clams come in straight off the wharves a hundred metres away), serious farm-to-table cooking, and a craft beer culture as good as anywhere on the East Coast.
The Old Port has the highest concentration of well-known restaurants. The newer waterfront on Commercial Street and the gentrifying Munjoy Hill end of Congress Street are where the next wave is opening. Reservations are essential at the top tier in summer.