Portland, Maine is one of my favorite summer destinations in New England, but last weekend, Matt and I took a trip there and enjoyed the city in its winter wonderland glory.
Food & Wine calls Portland the foodiest, friendliest small town in America, and it’s true. There’s a myriad of restaurants available – from shacks to gastropubs – and everything is within walking distance. Folks are warm and hospitable, there’s a robust arts and culture scene, lots of picturesque little shops, and of course, lobster.

One of my favorite dishes during our stay was the “Clean Shirt Lobstah Dinnah” from BlueFin, the restaurant at the Portland Harbor Hotel which was our home for the long weekend. The lobster meat (claws and tail) was already picked and ready-for-eating, served with melted butter, creamed corn, and lobster mashed potatoes.
We also had some flash fried calamari, Maine crab cakes, and lobster bisque. We (I) had blueberrry ice cream with fresh whipped cream for dessert, and it seemed like the perfect Maine meal. (I always think about lobster, crab, and blueberries as the top things to eat in the state). Everything at BlueFin (formerly Eve’s at the Garden) was mouth-watering, made even better by the fact that it was in the comfort of our hotel.
Speaking of our hotel, the Portland Harbor Hotel is BEAUTIFUL. It was all decked out for the holidays, and we loved our suite with a plush king-sized bed and views of the courtyard....