Five in Brunswick, Ten in Bangor, One in Portland: Restaurant Round-ups

A site called Vacation Home Rentals, acquired by TripAdvisor earlier this year, released a list of The Best Restaurant in Every State in the USA (in case it wasn't clear to readers or Google search metrics which country these states were in). Maine's representative is Petite Jacqueline in Portland. Per the introduction, "These winners were chosen based on a mouth-watering menu, impeccable service, delightful atmosphere and positive traveler feedback." Beyond the introduction and a link to each restaurant's website, there's no real information provided about the selections.

The Culture Trip, which bills itself as "a one-stop, global website, showcasing the best of art, food, culture and travel for every country in the world," takes a look at Bangor's 10 Best Local Restaurants. The list is diverse, including everything from The Fiddlehead Restaurant ("The menu takes a grown-up approach to comfort food classics") and Brewster's Fine Food and Drink ("The menu boasts classic snacks for excellent value") to Cielos Mexican Grill food truck ("prepares Mexican food so authentically fresh that it has voracious Tex-Mex devotees queuing for miles") and even Nocturnem Draft Haus, (which seems out of place in a restaurant round-up, touted as it is mainly for its drink selection).

MaineToday's Susan Axelrod rounds up Five Great Places to Eat in Brunswick, another diverse list suggesting "You can (almost) go around the world via food in Brunswick." Tao Yuan is a reliable selection, with "uncommon food prepared expertly." El Camino Cantina's Mexican food "gets consistently high marks" in a fun, kitschy setting. Enoteca Athena's "stylish, casual atmosphere" and "flavorful" Greek and Italian cuisine are a "winning formula." Frontier and Gurnet Trading Co. are praised as well.