Postcards from Portland

Exploring Old Port

MJD in Beer Heaven at Shipyard

Lunch at Duckfat- Still dreaming about the fries and truffle ketchup

Touring Rising Tide

One of many beer flights of the weekend…

How amazing is the Tiffany blue color of this boat?

The eclectic, but cozy atmosphere at Oxbow

Portland Head Light

Last weekend we drove two hours north for a weekend in Portland, Maine. I had planned the getaway as a belated celebration for MJD’s birthday. The entire weekend revolved around eating and drinking which is my idea of a perfect weekend! Portland is home to many breweries and tasting rooms for some of Maine’s best beers. We visited and tasted beers made by Shipyard, Seadog,Rising Tide, Sebago, and Oxbow. MJD has a couple of new favorite beers after the weekend and let’s just say our fridge is stocked right now with Maine beers! The atmosphere of each of the spots was completely different. While my favorite beer I tasted was Seadog’s Sunfish, my two favorites that we visited were Rising Tide and Oxbow. The staff at Rising Tide was super friendly and it had a very “locals” feel to it. I loved the atmosphere at Oxbow’s tasting room- it was eclectic, unique and the bar was lit up with a great driftwood light fixture that I want for my imaginary future beach house (a girl can dream right?).

Besides being home to so many great breweries, Portland was named one of “The Foodiest Small Towns in America” by Bon Appetit Magazine, so we were excited to check out the restaurant scene. We went to Duckfat for lunch and I had a lunch of french fries and a milk shake. Talk about a well balanced meal ;)! These weren’t any ordinary fries- they are cooked in duck fat, and the caramel used in my Salted Caramel Milkshake was also made using duck fat instead of butter. My favorite thing though may have been the condiments. I just about cried over the truffle ketchup- so good! I’ll be doing a separate post on our dinner at Eventide Oyster Co. which I can’t wait to share!

We stayed in the Old Port section of town which was quaint and cute with it’s brick buildings and cobblestone streets. Portland is super easy to walk around and we were able to get by all the places we visited by foot. On our way back, we made a pit stop in Cape Elizabeth to see the Portland Head Light. It was absolutely gorgeous and despite the cold weather, the rocky Maine coast was as beautiful as ever! I’d definitely recommend Portland as a weekend getaway for all the beer lovers and foodies out there! I hope we can go back soon in warmer weather!

Have you ever been to Portland? What was your favorite place to eat or drink there?

xoxo, Jenna