Portland, Maine Cracks America’s Top 10 Foodie Cities — And It’s About Time

It’s quite fascinating to see how Portland has changed over the course of my lifetime.

In the four-plus decades I’ve been around, it’s remarkable to think about what Portland was like compared to what it is now. And honestly, a lot of that change has occurred in just the last two decades.

There’s been a monumental shift in Portland, Maine, since the turn of the century.

Portland, Maine, Has Become a Can't-Miss Destination in the Northeast

The city has transformed into an East Coast tourism hotspot, with its swanky hotels, popular shopping district, fun activities, and vibrant culture.

However, what really makes Portland stand out is the incredible food scene that seems to keep improving every day.

The city has embraced this foodie culture and done a wonderful job of promoting it to Mainers and tourists alike. As they should — it’s legit.

It certainly doesn’t hurt that Portland sits between two major sources of food: the ocean and the swath of incredible farms we have here in Maine. I mean, how could the food scene not be amazing?

So, with all this being said, Portland clearly deserves to be high on America’s foodie city rankings, right? Right? Does Top 10 work?

Is Portland, Maine, One of America's Best Foodie Cities?

The folks over at the popular pop culture site CaptureTheAtlas.com have come out with what they call the definitive list of foodie cities in America. It’s a murderer’s row of locations that one associates with the best restaurants and hotspots, like New York, Chicago, and New Orleans.

However, sitting right there at number nine is the little city that could: Portland, Maine. This is quite an impressive feat for Maine’s largest city, considering how much smaller it is than every other metropolis on the list.

So, what helped Portland make the list? Here’s what CaptureTheAtlas.com had to say:

Like Boston, Portland is a fantastic place to have seafood, oysters, and lobster rolls. The city also boasts an exciting food scene that has drawn in lots of talented, creative chefs. The farm-to-table movement is huge here, so be prepared to enjoy lots of fresh, local ingredients.

Boy, is this true. It feels like every year there are more articles about chefs from larger cities moving to Portland to start new ventures in a town that embraces creativity and delicious flavors. It’s certainly a much more attractive quality of life than the hustle and bustle of larger, more cutthroat cities.

The article also points out some of Portland’s most iconic spots, like Duckfat, Fore Street, Izakaya Minato, and Allagash Brewing, just to name a few. However, that is just the tip of the iceberg of delicious food in the Forest City.

READ MORE: 30 of Maine's Best Restaurants for Takeout, According to Locals

Congrats to Portland on making this very exclusive list. But honestly, it deserves to be on every best-of foodie list in America. It has rightfully earned the distinction and continues to only get better.

Portland was just one of two New England cities to make the list, the other, of course, being Boston, which finished at number eight. You can see the entire list here.