Brunch is a city thing, and in this regard, Portland can certainly keep pace with our bigger, flashier East Coast sisters. Maine brunchers like their eggs fresh off the farm, their bacon cured in-house and their bloodies good and spicy. With that in mind, we present Eater Maine's first-ever Brunch Heatmap, spotlighting the 16 hottest places for brunch on the peninsula and just beyond. If we've missed your favorite spot, do let us know in the comments.
A funky fixture off the peninsula, whose brunch menu spotlights crawfish and andouille sausage, the cornbread is studded with blueberries and the servers often break into song.
Caiola's has almost a cult following of brunch regulars, who go for the scene as much as the fanciful food: House-made cinnamon-sugar pop tarts; oyster po' boys and egg creams.
Late-night revelers who end their evening at the Cantina may be hesitant to stumble back for Sunday brunch, but any walk of shame would be worth it for tres leches French toast, chilaquiles and other hangover helpers.
Offered Sunday and Monday (a nod to industry people) Eventide's brunch menu features a deep fried softboiled egg with albacore tuna confit, pork and beans and of course, oysters.
The Farmer's Table's enviable location and big menu make Jeff Landry's a hot spot in tourist season, but locals go 'year round for his varied benedicts and signature brisket-sweet potato hash.
THE spot for brunch in the East End, offering all the usual menu suspects and a few curve balls: baked beans and brown bread with a basted egg; potato gnocchi with spinach, bacon, eggs and hollandaise.
Perhaps the only place in town were you can get grits and fried green tomatoes, Hot Suppa's New England meets the South menu also includes corned beef hash and biscuits with sausage gravy.
With its wall of windows and colorful decor, Sonny's sister restaurant is a bright spot on a weekend morning. Specialties include baked eggs in sofrito and Caribbean-spiced corned beef hash.
There may be no better hangover cure in town than a Bloody Samurai (made with sake and topped with a nugget of wasabi to mix in), the pork bun-egg sandwich mash up and a steaming bowl of ramen.
Watch the action in Longfellow Square while brunching on French bistro classics such as croque madame, pain perdu and quiche Lorraine. Or, read the paper, sip cafe au lait, nibble a croissant and pretend you're in Paris.
The interior is plain Jane, but who cares when the kitchen is turning out such cozy German food: potato pancakes with house-cured salmon; bratwurst and sauerkraut; and the Sunday roast with gravy and potato dumplings.
If your crowd includes people with food issues, head for Silly's, where you can get gluten-free "Bonzo Cakes" and a vegan "Hashpipe Burrito" in addition to fun and funky "regular" brunch stuff.
Sonny's menu leans Latin American, so you'll get rice and beans with your huevos, plus a hunk of cornbread. The lone sweet option is pancakes, so this is better choice for those who like a savory brunch.
A quiet, cozy spot for brunch and a great people-watching perch if you get a window seat, VCT offers and Italian-ish menu with a nice mix of sweet and savory.
Portland's more refined Mexican restaurant offers a relaxed brunch with a variety of distinctive huevos dishes and Maine's largest selection of tequilas. Just in case you need one.
A funky fixture off the peninsula, whose brunch menu spotlights crawfish and andouille sausage, the cornbread is studded with blueberries and the servers often break into song.
Caiola's has almost a cult following of brunch regulars, who go for the scene as much as the fanciful food: House-made cinnamon-sugar pop tarts; oyster po' boys and egg creams.
Late-night revelers who end their evening at the Cantina may be hesitant to stumble back for Sunday brunch, but any walk of shame would be worth it for tres leches French toast, chilaquiles and other hangover helpers.
Offered Sunday and Monday (a nod to industry people) Eventide's brunch menu features a deep fried softboiled egg with albacore tuna confit, pork and beans and of course, oysters.
The Farmer's Table's enviable location and big menu make Jeff Landry's a hot spot in tourist season, but locals go 'year round for his varied benedicts and signature brisket-sweet potato hash.
THE spot for brunch in the East End, offering all the usual menu suspects and a few curve balls: baked beans and brown bread with a basted egg; potato gnocchi with spinach, bacon, eggs and hollandaise.
Perhaps the only place in town were you can get grits and fried green tomatoes, Hot Suppa's New England meets the South menu also includes corned beef hash and biscuits with sausage gravy.
With its wall of windows and colorful decor, Sonny's sister restaurant is a bright spot on a weekend morning. Specialties include baked eggs in sofrito and Caribbean-spiced corned beef hash.
There may be no better hangover cure in town than a Bloody Samurai (made with sake and topped with a nugget of wasabi to mix in), the pork bun-egg sandwich mash up and a steaming bowl of ramen.
Watch the action in Longfellow Square while brunching on French bistro classics such as croque madame, pain perdu and quiche Lorraine. Or, read the paper, sip cafe au lait, nibble a croissant and pretend you're in Paris.
The interior is plain Jane, but who cares when the kitchen is turning out such cozy German food: potato pancakes with house-cured salmon; bratwurst and sauerkraut; and the Sunday roast with gravy and potato dumplings.
If your crowd includes people with food issues, head for Silly's, where you can get gluten-free "Bonzo Cakes" and a vegan "Hashpipe Burrito" in addition to fun and funky "regular" brunch stuff.
Sonny's menu leans Latin American, so you'll get rice and beans with your huevos, plus a hunk of cornbread. The lone sweet option is pancakes, so this is better choice for those who like a savory brunch.
A quiet, cozy spot for brunch and a great people-watching perch if you get a window seat, VCT offers and Italian-ish menu with a nice mix of sweet and savory.
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