Is there anyone who hasn’t yet heard that Portland’s food culture has exploded? Just a cozy six-hour bus ride from NYC, Portland’s extraordinary culinary scene is best tackled with an oversized appetite. With its exciting variety and depth, you could spend a month exploring its dynamic dining options.
But if you only have a day, here are three tasty places to try—including a James Beard Award-winning oyster bar—all on a lean budget.
Breakfast: The Holy Donut
Discloser: I cut my baby teeth on doughnuts so they are my personal version of Proust’s Madeleine. I’ve sampled most rings of fried dough in New York City, with varying degrees of nostalgic delight.
For a fangirl like me, the Holy Donut is the Holy Grail of fried pastry.
Each mini-masterpiece is made from top quality ingredients. The textural-meets-locavore twist is that the dough is enhanced with Maine mashed potatoes straight from Aroostook County. They add a burst of moisture and a certain je ne sais quoi that makes them literally melt in your mouth. The initial bite borders on blissful, but you quickly acclimate to the sugar-spun magic, though you may continue to marvel at the fact that you can’t detect even a hint of grease.
Don’t miss the dark chocolate with sea salt, the most popular flavor, and the inventive sweet potato dusted with ginger-flecked sugar. These tender beauties are not only yummy, they’re Instagram-ready.
The Holy Donut sells out quickly, so arrive early and wait on line with friendly locals who are delighted to discuss their Holy Donut addiction with you.
Cost: $2.50
Lunch: The Lobster Shack at Two Lights
You’ll want to work off some of those calories, so loosen your belt and consider a seaside pedal. Rent a bike from Portland enCYCLEpodia, where all rentals include helmets, locks, and detailed maps.
Once you’ve got wheels, head out to the craggy shores and unspoiled beaches of Cape Elizabeth, under eight miles from Portland. Perched above the rocks is where you’ll find the Lobster Shack at Two Lights. They’ve been serving just-caught seafood since the 1920’s in the simplest of settings. In the classic Maine lobster shack tradition, you may eat at a no-nonsense outdoor picnic table with a full view of the crashing surf and Portland Head Lighthouse as you watch the sturdy fishermen haul in their daily catch.
The only thing better than the view is the food. Try the substantial fried haddock plate, served with crinkle-cut fries, crispy coleslaw and feathery biscuits. The velvety clam chowder hits the sweet spot, presenting a beautiful balance of shucked clams and root veggies. Though it’s always busy, the competent staff makes you feel at home.
Cost: $19.99 for the haddock plate, $4.49 for the chowder.
Dinner: Eventide Oyster Co.
Portland’s proximity to the Gulf of Maine makes it ideal for seafood lovers and Eventide is a revival of the great American oyster bar. From the moment you see the showstopper centerpiece of Maine granite that serves as the oyster display, you’ll quickly understand that Eventide Oyster Co. takes seafood seriously. One bite and you won’t be surprised to hear they just won a coveted James Beard Award.
I started with six oysters on the half shell. The oyster menu is divided between those from Maine and those “from away,” mostly Massachusetts and P.E.I., Canada. I put myself in the capable hands of John, my amiable waiter, and had him select his favorite Maine oysters for me. I swooned over the sensual Abigail Pearl variety from nearby Scarborough. Not quite satiated with just the taste of the raw, I forged ahead and ordered a fried Winter Point Oyster bun, served with just a dab of tartar sauce and crunchy pickles, nestled on a roll with a soft, shiny crust.
They offer a nice selection of in-state beers or sip cider from Urban Farm Fermentory, bottled right in Portland.
Cost: $16 for a half dozen oysters, $7 for the oyster bun.
Take the bus from NYC:
Concord Coach Lines from East 42nd Street to Portland in just under six hours.
For more information, go to Visit Portland or Visit Maine.
Photo credits: Sherry Ott, Lauren Lear Photography, Visit Maine and the author
Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributes travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She is fluent in Italian and Spanish and laughably adequate in French. Her background as an Early Childhood Educator gives her an added understanding of what it takes to travel with kids in tow. She firmly believes that the most important part of education takes place outside of the classroom, on the road, around the world. She never misses a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. Follow Allison at @gourmetrav.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram