5 Star Restaurants in Portland, Maine

Portland, Maine sits peacefully between Maine's forest-covered mountains and its coastline. Set on Casco Bay on the Casco Bay Peninsula, there is no shortage of recreation and activities in Portland, especially if you love golfing, deep-water fishing, whitewater rafting or skiing. A well-planned trip should include a sunset cruise on Casco Bay, kayaking, and nights spent engaged in waterfront dining and enjoying Portland's finest restaurants.

DiMillo's Floating Restaurant

DiMillo's Floating Restaurant is actually a converted car ferry that ran from New Castle, Delaware to Pennsville, New Jersey. Surrounded by water, the restaurant grants every patron great views of the marina. Patrons can also dine outdoors on the restaurant's decks where the Portland Harbor entertains with its sights and sounds. The restaurant is open at 11 a.m. seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with Italian cuisine and seafood entrees dominating the menu. Due to its popularity, reservations are recommended.
DiMillo's Floating Restaurant
25 Long Wharf
Portland, Maine 04101
(207) 772-2216
dimillos.com

Five Fifty-Five

A little taste of California is the theme of this American cuisine restaurant, where tasting menus are offered every night with 24-hour advanced notice. Five Fifty-Five has a five-point lounge with a 3,000-bottle wine cellar, and offers guests the opportunity to receive the restaurant's own customized newsletter. Choose any one of its "plates" from the menu, whether it's the small plate (steak and cheese, octopus and mussels) green plate (orchard apple salad, grilled caesar salad) or savory plate (grilled swordfish, truffled lobster). An events calendar is also available on the restaurant's website.
Five Fifty-Five
555 Congress St.
Portland, Maine 04101
(207) 761-0555
fivefifty-five.com

The Salt Exchange

The Salt Exchange offers a cuisine that emulates the European technique through its use of local ingredients. Food is often bought from local farmers who grow naturally. Lunch and dinner menus feature main attractions such as the Business Express Lunch, which includes a half sandwich, choice of soup or farm-greens salad, and a choice of coffee, tea or Maine root soda. The dinner menu includes dishes like Pineland Farm Steak with Pumpkin-Mascarpone Croquette, and Pumpkin Bourbon Butter. The Salt Exchange offers a "Wednesday Wine Series" of complete wine tasting at $5 per person.
The Salt Exchange
245 Commercial St.
Portland, Maine 04102
(207) 347-5687
thesaltexchange.net

Article Written By Leonard Dozier

Leonard Dozier is a freelance writer based in southern New Jersey and New York. His film and sports columns have been published by "Casino Connection Magazine" and Trev Rogers sports respectively. A prolific and extremely versatile writer, he is an ASCAP songwriter and has written screenplays and stage plays registered with the Writer's Guild of America.

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