Twelve is everything you’d want from an upscale, special occasion New England restaurant. Set on the Portland waterfront, this spot does a prix-fixe and a la carte menu with dishes on both that re-envision the classics—you’ll see stuff like locally-foraged Maine mushroom porridge, Ritz cracker halibut, and a lobster roll on a hand-laminated croissant. All the food is well-executed, especially any desserts or pastries, while the service feels attentive without being intrusive.

Bar Futo doesn’t take itself too seriously. There’s a secret chicken menu and they serve up a Big Mac skewer to nod to the fact that their space used to be a former Five Guys. Generally, though, they do a lot of cooking over Japanese binchotan, whether it’s all kinds of skewers or small plates like charred shishitos with horseradish ranch and Maine uni with potato mochi. Go for one of their highballs from their short cocktail menu.

Regards is a warmly-lit spot in the Arts District that has range. Grab a seat at their marble bar for a margarita with eucalyptus during their Happy Hour, or make a reservation at one of their banquettes and let their knowledgeable waitstaff walk you through their menu that’s inspired by the chefs and owners’ time spent in Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York City, and Maine. Come for cocktails, delicious desserts, and great seafood that goes beyond the usual suspects you’ll find in Portland.

The word "tavern" might make you think of a dark and rowdy pub with tired people in need of a heavy drink. And even though Wayside Tavern is snug and dim, this restaurant in a boutique hotel in a historic Portland building is a far cry from what we described in our first sentence. There’s a simple neon sign outside, and a green glowing interior with a fireplace for amped-up coziness inside. The staff is always friendly, and everything on their menu is expertly made and comforting.

We live for mornings with a coffee and pastry at Ugly Duckling, a bakeshop and luncheonette in Portland’s West End neighborhood. Stay awhile at their horseshoe counter to chat with the barista while you wait for a breakfast sandwich that comes on a homemade buttermilk English muffin. Or, stop on your way out of town to take one of their eclairs, Venezuelan cachitos, or constantly rotating flavors of trocaderos with you.

When you’re in Portland, there are two things you have to do: theorize about Stephen King’s childhood and attempt to eat your body weight in lobster and oysters. For the latter, head to Eventide Oyster Company, which serves some of the best seafood in the city. This small oyster bar near the East End carries 20 different types of bivalves, along with one of the most popular lobster rolls in town, which is served with brown butter in a steamed bun rather than the typical hot dog bun.

Island Creek Oysters harvests some of the world’s best oysters, supplying restaurants all over the country. Instead of scouring menus to find them, though, just stop by The Shop, where they sell a selection to the lucky people of Portland. It’s the perfect spot for an afternoon snack of a couple of dozen oysters and a bottle of wine.

Yosaku has withstood the test of time to become a Portland classic with their homestyle Japanese food that ranges from sushi to soba and teppanyaki. Fishmongers bring their freshest product to the sushi chefs here where the local catch becomes lobster sashimi or scallops on the half-shell served on little wooden boats. But what makes this place special is their large, outdoor patio with lots of space for big parties to enjoy their manicured Japanese garden.

If you’re celebrating a special birthday, or just enjoy a quick glass of champagne and oysters as much as we do, then Scales should definitely be on your shortlist of dinner reservations when visiting. In a town where seafood is on the menu nearly everywhere, this place sets itself apart by keeping things elegant and simple with quintessential New England classics like homemade breads, fish and chips, and a stunning dessert list that features Indian pudding and a butterscotch sundae.

Twenty years ago, Portland wasn’t the eating destination that it is today, but then Fore Street opened and that all changed. This was one of the first places in town to really focus on using local everything and today it’s still one of the city’s most popular restaurants. Eating here feels like you’re at a dinner party in a house you could never afford, with a large open kitchen in the middle of the restaurant and plenty of exposed wood to constantly remind you that you’re in Maine.

Housed in what was once a historic men’s department store in downtown Portland, Leeward is a pasta-centric restaurant where, like a good suit, everything is tailor-made. Almost the entire menu is made and baked in-house, whether that's the focaccia and crackers, fresh pappardelle that’s filled with slowly braised beef cheeks, or the well-balanced desserts. The dining room is spacious and warm, making it the perfect place for a special occasion.

There are almost as many breweries in Portland as there are Subarus, and once you’ve spent the afternoon drinking beer at a few of them, head to Izakaya Minato to recharge with some Japanese food. This menu at this spot on Washington Ave. covers a lot of ground, with things like sashimi, fried chicken, and udon, along with a wide variety of sake. It’s a great place to split a lot of food with a group, but everyone should get their own uni spoon, which comes with sea urchin and a raw quail egg.

The tagline at this all-day cafe is “Smalls is good,” and while short and mildly cocky, it’s a fitting description. The space is, well, small but filled to the brim with items like local food products, fancy gifts, and beauty products to peruse at any hour. Shop for candles or handmade caramels while you wait on a turmeric latte or a steamed egg sandwich. It’s a great place for breakfast or a snack during the daytime but equally as lovely for a cocktail or glass of wine later in the day.

Step inside the rosy-lit dining room or park yourself at their outdoor counter and enjoy a spread of punchy Thai dishes like papaya salad, noodle dishes, and fried chicken in many forms. They’ve got wings with lots of choices of seasoning, extra crispy thighs and drums, and a crispy waterfall chicken that’s served tossed in mint and toasted rice powder. The shareable plates and laid-back service make this a great place for a fun dinner with friends or a late evening snack to wrap the night up.

Công Tử Bột is right across from Izakaya Minato, on a street with a lot of other excellent dining options. But this place stands out because it has one of the most exciting Vietnamese menus we’ve seen in a while, plus you could come here for every meal and not get bored. Stop by for bánh tiêu stuffed with Chinese sausage and eggs in the morning, brothy phở gà after 3pm, or a guava cocktail if you need a break from the breweries.

Duckfat could do really well in places like Brooklyn, Austin, or the other Portland—it’s small, casual, and constantly full of people named Winona or Elias. But Portland, Maine is the one that’s lucky enough to actually have it. They serve very good and very not-light food like poutine with duck gravy, brisket sandwiches, and milkshakes for brunch, lunch, and dinner. Come right when they open for brunch and prepare to sit on their covered patio.

Onggi is a specialty fermentation shop and food counter in an airy space in East Bayside. Come for a great, but quick lunch or midafternoon pick-me-up via one of their brown sugar iced coffees and fermentation-forward snacks like gimbap or kimchi hand pies. With a friendly and knowledgeable staff who are keen to talk about all things fermentation, it’s also just an interesting store to just pop in for a shopping trip to browse ceramic fermentation crocks, specialty kombuchas, and starters.

OK, so this isn’t necessarily a recommendation for a specific restaurant, but more for a location and feeling that proves the point that Maine is the place to “summer.” Between May and September, you’ll find a wide range of food trucks lining the Eastern Promenade where you can choose anything from Maine maple creemees to bánh mì on homemade (or should we say, truck-made) bread every Friday from 11am-8pm.

It would be extremely wise of you to choose a hotel or Airbnb near one of Tandem’s two locations. That way, you don’t have to waste time before you stand in line for what will be a magical, caffeine and pastry-filled morning. Tandem is home to some of the best pastries we’ve ever eaten. This is the place to fill your table with biscuits, icing-covered morning buns the size of your head, and several slices of pie, and decide that there is no better way to do breakfast.

A Southern kitchen and bar, Hot Suppa is always there when you need it—whether you had a late night of brewery hopping in Bayside or have a big day of walking around the Old Port ahead of you. Just make sure to follow their number one rule found in the entryway: Be nice or leave! Fill up on French-style rolled omelets, corned beef hash, and buttermilk waffles for breakfast, or the fried green tomato BLT at lunch.

Walking up to the Rose Foods window is like stepping up to an elaborate Wes Anderson film set. But don’t let all the window dressing distract you—the housemade bagels and deli classics like pastrami on rye, whitefish salad, and the chopped liver are truly excellent. Stop here to refuel before a woodsy hike (it’s conveniently located just off the highway) or before a photo-op with the perfectly preserved sixteen-foot-tall boot at the L.L. Bean flagship store.

A bakery housed in a historic storefront at the top of Munjoy Hill, Belleville focuses on laminated pastry and thick slabs of margherita, pepperoni, and vegetarian pizzas. We like to grab a coffee and one of their flaky cardamom buns or croissants and head a few blocks up to the Eastern promenade overlooking the ocean. Or, you can soak up the sunlight in their bright cafe that’s across the street from a lighthouse.

Norimoto Bakery, in the quiet Deering Center neighborhood just off the main peninsula, sells “European pastries with Japanese sensibility,” which in practice means you’ll see miso caramel millionaire’s bars, red bean-filled baked goods, and more twists on all kinds of sweet things. Their fresh and warm onigiri rice balls make for a perfect breakfast or light lunch, especially if you need something to snack on.