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Eight Portland Area Fried Clam Destinations

by Eater Staff
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by Eater Staff
2 comments / new
Photo via Facebook

Fried clams are a simple dish: fresh clams (whole bellies, not those clam strips that you'd find in a Pennsylvania truck stop), a dip in some crumbs or batter, and a deep, hot oil bath until perfectly golden brown. Here are eight Portland-area fried clam destinations that get them just right, in no particular order. These are spots either in Portland, or within a 30-minute drive.

Did we miss your favorite spot or cast our net too shallow? Let us know in the comments.

—Tom Minervino


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Susan's Fish And Chips

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Susan’s is easy to miss on Forest Avenue, connected to an auto garage. But the fried clams, served up in a quirky, casual environment, are bountiful and affordable.
1135 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04103
(207) 878-3240
(207) 878-3240

DiMillo's on the Water

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This floating restaurant (it used to be a car ferry) is a longtime Portland institution. You’ll have to battle the cruise ship crowds for a spot on the deck in the summer months, but the fried clams are worth it.
25 Long Wharf, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 772-2216
(207) 772-2216

Salty Bay Seafood

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Order at the window (batter or crumbs, can’t go wrong with either), then wait for your number to get called. You can eat in your car, but the picnic tables out back at this seasonal spot have a great marsh view.
68 Jones Creek Dr, Pine Point, ME
(207) 883-9717
(207) 883-9717

Ken's Place

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Open seasonally, this large, roadside spot is equipped to handle the masses, but still churns out great fried clams. Don’t let the lines scare you off.
207 Pine Point Rd., Scarborough, ME 04074
(207) 883-6611
(207) 883-6611

The Lobster Shack

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You might pay a little extra for the view, but there’s a reason for that. Overlooking the ocean with a pair of lighthouses nearby, this seasonal location is quintessential Maine outdoor dining.
225 Two Lights Rd, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107
(207) 799-1677
(207) 799-1677

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Gilbert's Chowder House

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Chowder may be their specialty, but many Portland natives insist that these are the best fried clams around. The place stays packed even when the tourists go home.
92 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 871-5897
(207) 871-5897

3 Buoys Seafood and Shanty Grill

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A newcomer to the scene (it opened early in 2013), 3 Buoys serves up plentiful portions in a bright, friendly little spot in a less-than-picturesque part of town. You don’t go here for the scenery. You go for the fried clams.
111 Cumberland Ave, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 619-7565
(207) 619-7565

Day's Lobster

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Half take-out, half lobster pound, the clams served here are ultra fresh. The views of the Cousins River in the back can almost make you forget that you’ve just pulled off the highway.
1269 Route 1, Yarmouth, ME 04096
(207) 846-5871
(207) 846-5871

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Susan's Fish And Chips

1135 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04103
Susan’s is easy to miss on Forest Avenue, connected to an auto garage. But the fried clams, served up in a quirky, casual environment, are bountiful and affordable.
1135 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04103
(207) 878-3240
(207) 878-3240

DiMillo's on the Water

25 Long Wharf, Portland, ME 04101
This floating restaurant (it used to be a car ferry) is a longtime Portland institution. You’ll have to battle the cruise ship crowds for a spot on the deck in the summer months, but the fried clams are worth it.
25 Long Wharf, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 772-2216
(207) 772-2216

Salty Bay Seafood

68 Jones Creek Dr, Pine Point, ME
Order at the window (batter or crumbs, can’t go wrong with either), then wait for your number to get called. You can eat in your car, but the picnic tables out back at this seasonal spot have a great marsh view.
68 Jones Creek Dr, Pine Point, ME
(207) 883-9717
(207) 883-9717

Ken's Place

207 Pine Point Rd., Scarborough, ME 04074
Open seasonally, this large, roadside spot is equipped to handle the masses, but still churns out great fried clams. Don’t let the lines scare you off.
207 Pine Point Rd., Scarborough, ME 04074
(207) 883-6611
(207) 883-6611

The Lobster Shack

225 Two Lights Rd, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107
You might pay a little extra for the view, but there’s a reason for that. Overlooking the ocean with a pair of lighthouses nearby, this seasonal location is quintessential Maine outdoor dining.
225 Two Lights Rd, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107
(207) 799-1677
(207) 799-1677

Gilbert's Chowder House

92 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101
Chowder may be their specialty, but many Portland natives insist that these are the best fried clams around. The place stays packed even when the tourists go home.
92 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 871-5897
(207) 871-5897

3 Buoys Seafood and Shanty Grill

111 Cumberland Ave, Portland, ME 04101
A newcomer to the scene (it opened early in 2013), 3 Buoys serves up plentiful portions in a bright, friendly little spot in a less-than-picturesque part of town. You don’t go here for the scenery. You go for the fried clams.
111 Cumberland Ave, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 619-7565
(207) 619-7565

Day's Lobster

1269 Route 1, Yarmouth, ME 04096
Half take-out, half lobster pound, the clams served here are ultra fresh. The views of the Cousins River in the back can almost make you forget that you’ve just pulled off the highway.
1269 Route 1, Yarmouth, ME 04096
(207) 846-5871
(207) 846-5871