Falling for Portland's Food Scene
It’s time again for Portland’s favorite fall mailbox drop—our annual Food and Drink issue. Our city is still bustling with tourists eager to experience our culinary scene, but locals are finally getting a seat at their favorite table without the twohour wait—and we’re here for it.
This season, we’re shaking things up. With our resident foodie and editor Becca on maternity leave, we're welcoming interim editor Angela Smith to help us highlight new food adventures and to share her fresh take on Portland's ever-evolving culinary scene.
Inside, you’ll discover how four Maine artists transform recipes, ingredients, vessels, and plating into art, reminding us that every meal tells a story—even before the first bite. You’ll step into Wanderwood, where farm, food, and community come together for harvest dinners, and you'll join a Community Plate Story Sharing Supper, where neighbors turn into friends over potluck dishes and shared stories.
As we settle into the season, we hope this issue inspires you to savor not just the food, but the artistry and connections that make Portland’s culinary culture extraordinary. Whether you’re revisiting a favorite spot, gathering at a farm table, or sharing a meal at home, may you find nourishment for both body and soul in these pages—and in the days ahead.
October 2025
PUBLISHER
Emily Harradon | emily.harradon@citylifestyle.com
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Angela Smith | angela.smith@citylifestyle.com
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Meghan Morrison | meghan.morrison@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
MJR Media, Mat Trogner, Dawson Renaud Film & Photo, Michael Berube, Milo Schair-Rigoletti, Cody
James Barry Photography, Ciara Price, Fidelio Photography, Katie Arnold Photography, Kelsey Kobik, Finn Naylor, Zack Bowen, Jenny Bravo, Josh Samson
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
COO Matthew Perry
CRO Jamie Pentz
VP OF OPERATIONS Janeane Thompson
VP OF SALES Andrew Leaders
AD DESIGNER Josh Govero
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kathy Nguyen
QUALITY CONTROL
Marina Campbell
Is chronic pain preventing you from doing the things you love?
We’re proud to be Maine’s first and only clinical provider of SoftWave Tissue Regeneration Technology
city scene
WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
1: Scott Nash of Illustration Institute and a student during an Illustration Week character design workshop. 2: Greater Portland Health staff from all 17 sites gathered to celebrate National Health Center Week. 3: Mrs. Maine Jennifer Wahlig and a tournament golfer at Drive Fore Kids, which raised $205,000. 4: Fans cheer on the Portland Hearts of Pine, Maine’s only professional soccer club. 5: Chelsea Torrey and Glenna Irvine at Greater Portland Board of Realtors Affiliate Ice Cream Social 6: Folk-bluegrass band The Dead South performs at Thompson’s Point to an engaged fanbase. 7: Speakers from DisruptHR Portland 2025 following an amazing event shaking up the status quo.
SUNDAY, OCT 5 at 2:30 PM TUESDAY, OCT 7 at 7:00 PM
visit PORTLANDSYMPHONY.ORG
EUROPE
Reframe Fitness Expands to Portland
Reframe Fitness, a locally owned studio known for its high-intensity Pilates classes using the XFormer, is opening a second location in Portland’s West Bayside. The 2,644-square-foot studio at 180 Kennebec Street, set on the ground floor of the Furman Block, will feature XFormer machines and a mat room for expanded offerings. The company opened its first location in Falmouth in January 2025.
RICK STEEVES NARRATOR | MERRILL AUDITORIUM
SATURDAY, NOV 8 SUNDAY, NOV 9 7:00 PM 2:30 PM
YOUR FAVORITE TRAVEL AUTHOR, RICK STEVES, APPEARS IN PERSON WITH THE PORTLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FOR A MUSICAL JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE.
Join Rick Steves for a different kind of adventure—a Symphonic Journey through Europe.
In this one-of-a-kind concert experience, Rick draws on his deep knowledge of European history and culture to guide you through powerful Romantic-era anthems. Paired with breathtaking high-definition cinematography each piece becomes a vivid, immersive tribute to the spirit of a nation.
Photography by MJR Media
The Maine Golf Center in Freeport has broken ground on the $3 million Alexa Re Rancourt Golf Learning Center, set to open in 2027. Named for the late Maine champion golfer, the facility will feature indoor simulators, a Top Tracer driving range, and a nine-hole short course. It will also serve as home to youth programs, including First Tee of Maine, PGA Junior League, and LPGA*USGA Girls Golf.
Rendering by Matero Architecture
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Cheers to 30 Years: Allagash Expands to Scarborough
Allagash Brewing Company, celebrating 30 years in 2025, has opened Allagash Scarborough at The Downs— its second location in addition to the Portland flagship. The new hospitality space at 10 Market Street is a reimagined concept, offering a distinct vibe, unique programming, and expanded drink options including house-made wine and cocktails. Guests can also enjoy a new menu from the team behind Bite Into Maine.
Photography by Mat Trogner c/o Allagash Brewing Company
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Vivid Design Studios
Branding & Identity Systems
Logo Design
Websites
Campaign Design & Collateral
Packaging Design & Sourcing
Advertising Design (Brochures, Flyer's, etc.)
Social Media Management & Content Creation
Illustration & Graphics
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Vehicle & Food Truck (Wrap Design)
New Talent, Fresh Flavors at Sur Lie & Gather
Sister restaurants Sur Lie in Portland and Gather in Yarmouth have each welcomed new executive chefs. Former Paper Tiger executive chef Sam Helmke now helms the kitchen at Sur Lie, while former Solo Italiano chef Joel Frahm takes the lead at Gather. Both bring distinctive culinary perspectives and will debut fresh menus this fall.
is the only constant, a force shaping our lives every day and challenging us to keep up and keep going. How do you adapt and innovate? How do you go with the flux? Amplifying voices that challenge people to think differently and explore new possibilities, TEDxDirigo is slated for Nov. 8, 2025, at Innovation Hall at UNE in Portland. Get tickets at tedxdirigo.com
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Cosmed.ink Expands with New Location in South Portland
Celebrate the opening of Cosmed. ink and their collaboration with Motox Skin Science at their grand opening celebration and reception on October 2, 4-7 p.m. Explore the newest technology in medical tattooing and aesthetic treatments while also learning about their preand post-cancer treatment services, including scar camouflage, pico laser therapy, hair regrowth solutions, and more.
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Want to be featured?
the CITY LIST
We have such amazing, innovative business leaders in our community who are proud to serve you, our residents, with class and quality. We’ve compiled some of our top company picks for the services that might be on your mind this month in an effort to make your lives a little easier.
Seafood Restaurants
Street & Co. streetandcompany.net | 207.775.0887
Scales scalesrestaurant.com | 207.805.0444
Fore Street forestreet.biz | 207.775.2717
Eventide eventideoysterco.com | 207.774.8538
Luke's Lobster lukeslobster.com | 207.550.2490
Newly Opened
Benny's bennysmaine.com | 207.536.0413
Luncheonette luncheonettemaine.com
The Terlingua Outpost instagram.com/terlingua_outpost
Want to suggest a monthly pick?
GET IN TOUCH AT
The Garden Bar thegardenbarmaine.com | 207.536.1367
Loco Taco locotaco.co | 207.383.5477
of a ARTISTRY MEAL
Photography by Ciara Price
Four Maine artists infuse creativity into every course
ARTICLE BY ANGELA SMITH
Every meal holds quiet magic. Nourishment that feeds body and soul. Especially when art shapes each step. From painted recipes to illustrated ingredients, handthrown vessels to thoughtfully plated dishes, four Maine artists infuse creativity into every course, reminding us that artistry lives not just around the table, but within it.
Photography by Ayumi Horie
BRENDA ERICKSON PAINTS THE FIRST COURSE: A WATERCOLORED RECIPE
Before the food is plated or the table is set, Brenda Erickson begins with something quieter—something sacred. She paints the recipe.
In delicate brushstrokes and handwritten script, Erickson captures not just ingredients but memories, too. A grandmother’s octagonal dish. A worn wooden spoon, angled just so. A red velvet cake served with a threepronged fork. “Every recipe has a story,” she told me. “I paint memories for people.”
Erickson started painting recipes in 2003, quietly and without fanfare. “I didn’t tell anyone at first,” she said, laughing. “It felt a little farfetched.” But when she began sharing her work, including for the Maine Lobster Bake, friends quickly fell in love. Over the past two decades, she’s painted nearly 400 recipes, most of them
commissioned by families hoping to preserve something more than a meal.
Her process is intimate and meticulous. She makes every recipe herself to understand its color, texture, and shape— the holes of a cake and how the crust cracks just so. Then she sketches, asks questions, and revises. Customers are very particular, telling her what matters most. The exact electric mixer. The right plate. The number of oatmeal cookies. She listens carefully, and she gets it right.
The result? Art that brings personal history to life. A dish passed down for generations. A meal grandma made just right. A recipe that stirs laughter, stories, and sometimes tears.
When Erickson paints a recipe, she’s not just starting a meal—she’s setting a tone. Honoring the artistry that comes before the cooking even begins.
The recipe is where the story starts. And in Erickson’s hands, that story becomes art.
Courtesy of Brenda Erickson
Pies
1 cp sugar
2 cp flour
1 1/4 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp coca
Dice and brown 1/8 Ib salt pork. Set aside. Brown 2 onions, chopped or sliced, in pork fat. Chop 4 potatoes small, add one bottle fish or clam stock plus water to cover. Season with salt and pepper. Boil until done. Layer 2-3 lbs fresh haddock on top. Cover and simmer on low until opaque. Let it cool. Add half and half to cover. Season with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 stick butter. Let sit
6 tbsp shortening
Frosting:
6 tbsp marshmallow fluff
3/4 cp shortening
3/4 cp confectionary sugar
1 tsp vanilla
A little milk
Sift dry ingredients. Mix in wet ingredients until creamy. Spoon a tablespoon of batter on ungreased pan Bake 350°, 10 min. Frost generously. Add secret ingredient. (Love)
Courtesy of Brenda Erickson
Linda’s Fish Chower
WITH PLAYFUL ILLUSTRATIONS, JILLIAN BRAZEL ELEVATES THE BEAUTY OF EVERYDAY INGREDIENTS
A meal is nothing without its ingredients. They are the overlooked essentials that make everything else possible. Before a recipe takes shape, before a dish is plated, there’s the humble tomato, the bunch of carrots, the sprig of thyme. Jillian Brazel notices them. She sees them. And through her illustrations, she asks others to see them, too. Brazel came to art in 2017, mostly self-taught, always drawn to color, texture, and pattern. It was a natural match for someone whose life was already steeped in food. She trained in culinary school, worked in restaurants and bakeries, even managed a produce department. Food, she says, has been woven through her life so when she began making art, it naturally became her subject—ingredients playing a lead role.
She delights in their seasonality, in the way a beet and carrot show off their color and fun greens. She finds beauty in the details often ignored—the gooey seeds inside a tomato, reimagined as delicate line work, bright and full of movement. “The humble tomato,” she says, “is actually a really amazing thing. And look how cute it is.”
Her work is playful and whimsical, yes, but it is also reverent. By elevating an ingredient on paper, Brazel gives it weight and wonder. She traces it back to the field, the hands that picked it, the table where it will be shared.
Like a meal, her process has its messy stages, but she keeps going. “A big part of creating artwork for me has been learning to not stop at that moment and to keep going and playing and experimenting.” Whether sparked by the memory of summer produce in midwinter or fresh finds at the farmers market, Brazel’s illustrations invite people to see ingredients differently and to digest just a little extra joy.
Courtesy of Jillian Brazel
Courtesy
Brazel
by Milo Schair-Rigoletti
AYUMI HORIE CRAFTS EVERYDAY VESSELS THAT TURN EATING INTO ART.
Ayumi Horie believes the simplest things can hold the most meaning. Pots and food, both so ingrained in daily life that we often overlook them, become essential once we pause to consider their role. “I think people take pots for granted,” she says. But she loves that with art—with her vessels— she can show up in a quieter way, yet still make a meaningful impact.
For Horie, a vessel is never just a backdrop. With the rise of celebrity chefs and attention on plating, she insists her pottery should be an equal partner in dialogue with the food. “The object is as critical to the experience of eating as the food is.” A ramen bowl, for example, is designed with care for every detail: the slope of the wall for chopsticks, the horizon line of broth where imagery comes into view, the height of the foot so a hand does not burn while holding it.
She sees pots not only as functional but also as deeply sensory. “You have all the visual elements of a ceramic object. But when you start adding in the way it feels in your hand, the sound of a stack of plates, the smell of the food — it becomes a holistic experience.” In this way, vessels carry both memory and novelty. “I think pots can be as nostalgic as food can be, and I think similarly, it can evoke a new experience.”
What Horie hopes most is simple: that her pots help people feel grounded. “I want them to feel solid and steady, like an old friend,” she says. “We spend nearly a third of our day thinking about food, cooking it, and eating it,” and her vessels are there alongside us, faithful companions preparing us for “a small act of bravery that may be needed that day.”
Photo
Photo courtesy of Ayumi Horie
Photo courtesy of Ayumi Horie
CHEF HANNAH RYDER TURNS PLATING INTO ART AS THE FINAL STEP OF THE MEAL.
At Twelve, plating is the last chapter in the story of a meal. Hannah Ryder gets to write it.
When a dish arrives tableside, it rarely looks like what people expected. That’s by design. For Ryder, the magic of the meal begins before the first bite. “I love when someone has an idea in their head of what something will look like,” she says, “and then it’s completely different. That surprise is part of the experience.”
Ryder plates with a sense of movement. She doesn’t want anything to look too perfect. Sometimes she’ll tell her cooks to close their eyes as they plate something. Let it fall where it falls. “If it’s randomized, it’s more fun,” she says.” The goal isn’t perfection. It’s presence.
Her style draws from Nordic influence. It’s minimal, thoughtful, cohesive. Color and shape mirror the season. A summer dish might lean bright and bold. Winter, more muted and earthy. She often plays within a single palette. “If it’s a tomato dish,” she says, “the whole thing might be different shades of red.” A single flower, placed just so, can carry the whole thing home.
Instead of highlighting technique, Ryder is more focused on the thing itself. Guests might see a wavy blanket of crisp onions dotted with tiny purple flowers. A soft arc of beef tartare with just enough movement to draw attention.
One dessert where visual presentation rivals taste is a floating island. What begins as a still image becomes something else entirely when a bright rhubarb crème anglaise is poured tableside. That transformation becomes part of the memory.
The meal ends, but the moment stays. Guests often take out their phones, wanting to remember what they saw. Ryder watches from the chef’s counter, never taking their experience for granted.
Photography by Cody James Barry Photography
Photography by Cody James Barry Photography
Photography by Ciara Price
Photography by Katie Arnold Photography
Photography by Fidelio Photography
Photography by Fidelio Photography
FROM FARM to Table, Feasting the MAINE WAY
A HARVEST ESCAPE AT WANDERWOOD
Tucked into Maine’s midcoast, Wanderwood feels like the kind of place you don’t just visit—you step into. Guests arrive by way of a path that winds through blueberry fields and open pasture, the land alive with the season’s rhythm. At its center, an 1870s barn and 1920s farmhouse set the stage for evenings that bring food, farm, and community together in one unforgettable gathering. Owners Matt Silverman and his wife Kelsey Gibbs bought the property in 2017 and spent years restoring it, opening their organic farm in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. What began with porch pickups of fresh vegetables has grown into a destination for weddings, retreats, and most memorably, farm dinners that celebrate Maine’s bounty.
A MEAL MADE OF THE MOMENT
The October 11 Fall Harvest Dinner is a perfect example of how Wanderwood weaves together season, place, and taste. Partnering with chef Brent Foster—who honed his craft with Outstanding in the Field—the farm creates a menu that doesn’t exist until the days leading up to the event. The fields dictate the feast. Squash, carrots, or late tomatoes might shine one week, while crisp greens or garlic harvested months earlier hold the spotlight the next.
At Wanderwood, a harvest meal blends food, farming, and community.
ARTICLE BY ANGELA SMITH
Photography by Katie Arnold Photography
Photography by Katie Arnold Photography
Guests arrive to cocktails and light bites before gathering at a long table where the meal is served family style. Each dish carries a story—sometimes nostalgia, sometimes surprise—yet always grounded in Maine’s harvest. Dessert often offers a playful twist, turning familiar flavors into something both whimsical and elevated.
MORE THAN A DINNER
A Wanderwood farm dinner lasts three to four hours, but it is more than the food. The setting itself feels steeped in magic: sweeping views of pasture, a candlelit barn glowing against autumn skies, or long tables set under strings of light in the garden. Strangers become companions as conversation flows easily over shared plates.
For those who wish to linger, Wanderwood offers more than an evening. Guests can book the historic farmhouse or sleep in open-air lean-tos cozy with mattresses, netting, and wide views of the fields. Art classes, weddings, and weekend retreats extend the experience, making Wanderwood both a gathering place and a getaway.
EATING THE SEASON
At the heart of it all is a philosophy: food tastes better when eaten in season, grown close to home. Wanderwood encourages guests to embrace the joy of Maine’s agricultural rhythm—juicy tomatoes in late summer, hearty squash in winter, garlic harvested in the fall and savored months later. In choosing to gather this way, guests discover that sustainability and delight can share the same table.
Whether for an evening dinner or a weekend stay, Wanderwood offers a reminder that meals aren’t just sustenance—they’re celebrations. They nourish body, connect community, and carry forward the flavors of the season in the most Maine way possible.
Wanderwood’s harvest dinners showcase the beauty of seasonal eating. By savoring Maine’s bounty when it’s at its best, guests not only enjoy unforgettable meals but also support a more sustainable, intentional way of living rooted in local food.
Photography by Fidelio Photography
HOST YOUR OWN Farm-to-Table HARVEST MEAL
A harvest dinner doesn’t have to be complicated. At its best, it’s about gathering the season’s flavors, slowing down with family and friends, and celebrating Maine’s farms in your own kitchen. We spoke with Rosemont Market & Bakery’s Mark Law for ideas on creating a simple yet festive feast.
Start with the main dish. A roasted chicken surrounded by local potatoes, carrots, and squash makes an easy centerpiece. Squash varieites like Starry Night and Hubbard may fly under the radar, but their flavors bring richness to the table. And don’t overlook the humble carrot. “The carrots in Maine are the most extraordinary I’ve ever had,” Law says. “When they’re in season, you eat them all the time.”
CONTINUED >
Rosemont Market & Bakery shares simple, seasonal tips for a festive Maine feast
Photography by Kelsey Kobik
Photography by Finn Naylor
Celebrate Maine’s finest. October means apples in abundance—heritage varieties grown here for centuries, each with distinct character and flavor. They shine in pies and strudels, or simply sliced alongside cheese. For Law, these seasonal staples highlight what makes Maine food special. “One of the big things that shows up from our customers is just how truly different the flavor of local products is compared to mass-produced.”
Add bread, cheese, and charcuterie. Fresh bread is always welcome at the harvest table. Rosemont’s sourdough loaves and baguettes are beloved staples, and its 100% Maine-grain bread takes things one step further, baked with local oats and honey. A cheese board with a creamy, bloomy-rind option or a rich, aged variety pairs beautifully with small-batch salami or chorizo crafted close to home. Together, they create a spread that feels both rustic and refined.
Set the scene. A harvest meal is as much about atmosphere as food. Think wooden bowls filled with salads, cloth napkins laid on a farmhouse table, candles flickering among pinecones or driftwood gathered on a walk, and bouquets of late-season flowers to brighten the setting. Small touches, layered with intention, make even a simple dinner feel like a celebration.
Finish with something sweet. Rosemont’s bakery rolls out fall favorites early, from pumpkin and pecan pies to apple strudel. Pair pie with sharp cheddar, serve strudel as an appetizer alongside cheese, or let a slice of pecan pie linger with after-dinner coffee.
Food is the heart of the harvest table, opening the way to even more treasure. “I believe community is built over the table,” Law says. “A meal is a great way to connect with people—family, friends, even people you don’t know—and catch up and have meaningful conversations.”
“There’s nothing better than having a sit-down meal with anybody in your life on a regular basis. And in fall, it’s a wonderful celebration to get ready for winter, slow down, and enjoy one another’s company and good food.”
From the beginning, Rosemont has built deep partnerships with Maine farmers and producers. Today, those relationships mean you can create a meal made entirely of Maine products year-round—a shift founder John Naylor once only dreamed possible.
Photography by Zack Bowen
Photo: Karis Anderson by Matt Crockett
GATHER & SHARE
SERVING AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES ONE STORY AT A TIME
ARTICLE BY ANGELA SMITH
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
KARL SCHATZ
At the heart of every Community Plate Story Sharing Supper is a simple idea: come hungry, bring a dish, share a story. Held in libraries, churches, farms, and fairgrounds across Maine, these potluck gatherings have quietly become one of the state’s most heartfelt community movements. Rooted in ritual and shared humanity, they invite us to slow down, pull up a chair, and nourish body and soul.
The concept was born not at a supper table, but in the pages of the Maine Community Cookbooks. As Community Plate founders, writers, farmers, and wife-and-husband team Margaret Hathaway and Karl Schatz collected recipes and food memories for the bicentennial project, they witnessed the deep power of food stories to transcend division. “People sent us everything,” Schatz recalls. “Wedding programs with cookie recipes, handwritten notes from barns, memoirs from rural Maine. These were heirlooms, and people felt connected through them.”
In 2023, Hathaway and Schatz brought that same sense of connection to the table. They hosted a test run at their farm in Gray. The result was magic. “It was amazing,” Hathaway says. “An evening of food and connection.” Story Sharing Suppers were born.
They’ve since hosted 35 suppers in 13 Maine counties and plan to reach all 16. Each event is free, potluck-style, and planned in partnership with a local community group.
From the moment guests arrive, there’s a feeling of welcome. People linger over homemade dishes, swap stories, and connect with strangers who don’t stay strangers for long. “When people sit down and eat together, they soften,” Hathaway says. “They open up.”
Tables are set with care: mismatched china, cloth napkins, flowers, and printed prompts to spark conversation. “The stories don’t just happen on stage; they happen at the table, too,” Schatz says.
After dinner, community members share stories shaped by the theme — topics like Sappily Ever After or Don’t Judge a Dish by Its Cover. “There’s this moment when people begin to see themselves in someone else’s story,” Schatz says. “That’s when connection happens.”
“When people sit down and eat together, they soften. They open up.”
—MARGARET HATHAWAY
“We’ve learned that everyone has something of value to bring — a story, a dish, a moment of connection,” Schatz says. “And we believe there should be no economic barrier to community.”
Schatz and Hathaway’s dream? Simply that this keeps going. “A shared meal and a shared story are small gestures that make a big difference.”
Elegant Maine Living explores Maine's Luxury real estate market, distinctive properties, and the lifestyle that makes this state such a special place to call home.
Hosted by Elise Kiely, a top-producing real estate advisor and lifestyle connector with Legacy Properties Sotheby's International Realty, the podcast features thoughtful conversations with local leaders, creatives, and visionaries who embody the spirit of elegant living in Maine.
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A PORTLAND ICON RETURNS
ARTICLE BY ANGELA SMITH | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNY BRAVO
A REIMAGINED TAKE ON THE CLASSIC TAVERN, DRY DOCK RETURNS WITH STUNNING VIEWS, BOLD FLAVOR, AND HEART.
They say timing is everything. And in the case of Dry Dock’s return, this adage holds.
For the past five or six years, Luke Holden, co-founder of Luke’s Lobster, has been reaching out to his longtime friend, former classmate, and culinary peer Matt Ginn with the same question: “When is it time to link up and do something together?”
Last summer, the two decided the moment had come. Holden had a big idea—bringing Dry Dock back to life—and Ginn was ready for something new. After two decades holding the knife at acclaimed restaurants including Evo, Chebeague Island Inn, The Good Table, and Twelve, he was ready for one team, one mission, under one roof.
The two started talking, and after a conversation on the deck of Luke’s Lobster, Ginn walked away thinking, “What’s not to love about this space and what they’re doing here?” From there, the collaboration took off.
In July 2025, Dry Dock reopened after a seven-year hiatus, restored and reimagined as a seaside tavern that feels both rooted and refreshed. Ginn now serves as general manager and brought on longtime colleague Mike Carney as lead chef. Together, they shaped the menu by asking one simple question: If we were sitting on these decks, what would we want to eat?
“That’s where we got the wide range, from a fried chicken sandwich to a seafood tower with oysters, bluefin tuna, and halibut ceviche,” Ginn said. When pressed for his personal favorites, he gave a quiet nod to the smoked bluefish pâté, the blackened fish, and the chicken wings featuring a sauce that lands somewhere between Carolina BBQ and Buffalo. “I really do love it all,” he added. “I stand by every dish on the menu.”
Classic Maine staples like chowder and a boiled lobster remain, paying homage to the restaurant’s 35-year legacy as a working waterfront favorite. For those who frequented the old Dry Dock, the vibe isn’t lost. Some of the original wood beams and brickwork remain, as do the views that made the place a legend. Originally opened in 1983 in a 120-year-old building, the restaurant was a staple for locals and visitors alike until its closure in 2018.
Today, it’s back with double the deck space and distinct dining experiences: a casual beverage and cocktail bar on the lower level and a full-service restaurant deck above. As Ginn puts it, “You can tailor your experience to what you want and need. Grab a Caesar salad and crab roll for lunch, or make a night of it with the raw bar, appetizers, and a halibut entrée.”
The drink list is just as thoughtful, offering everything from a cold beer to a bottle of Crémant, and a subtle tribute to Maine’s rum-running past with a few standout cocktails.
But beyond the views and menu, what matters most to Ginn is the way people feel when they’re there. “Our number one job, from me to the dishwasher to the bartender, is to make sure people are enjoying themselves and having a good time. And that begins with them feeling welcome.” That could mean his young kids popping in to say “hi,” or a couple celebrating something special over oysters and Champagne.
That sense of hospitality extends to the staff as well. “We have a great team that dove right into the training and the work,” Ginn said. “I was very impressed by the dedication,” adding, “There have been a few comments where I’ve gone to a table and the guest has just raved about their server. Not just the service knowledge, but just how warm, kind, and welcoming.”
That kind of feedback tells Ginn they’re doing something right.
He also wants guests to know they’re part of Dry Dock’s story. “This restaurant will evolve, but it won’t be because of us. It’ll be because of the guests who come in and tell us what they love.”
Early on, Ginn was already feeling the impact of this approach. “We’ve had people come in three or four times in a single week,” he said. “The response has been overwhelmingly positive and humbling.”
What’s unfolding isn’t just a reopening. It’s the rebuilding of a special gathering place, a Portland icon. “It took a seven-year break, but it's so nice to be back and to see people excited about Dry Dock’s return. What was once a past staple will now become a future one as well.”
Dry Dock is located at 84 Commercial Street in Portland. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with indoor seating and two expansive outdoor decks. View the full menu and make reservations at drydockportland.com
IT’S SO NICE TO BE BACK AND TO SEE PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT DRY DOCK’S RETURN.
Chocolate Silk Pie
A MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH PIE FOR ANY OCCASION
ARTICLE BY ANGELA SMITH
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOSH SAMSON & A.V. CROFTS
In one pie-baking competition Anita Verna Crofts entered, chocolate pies were banned because judges feared they’d overshadow humble fruits and custards. While Anita agrees a key lime or peach can rival any dessert, she believes her Chocolate Silk Pie would’ve been unbeatable. Silky and rich, it’s adapted from her grandmother’s legendary recipe, stored in the tin she received from her at college graduation. A chocolate smudge on the recipe card hints at its popularity. As a chilled pie, it shines year-round and especially at Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 9-inch pie crust (As a chilled pie, a store-bought chocolate crumb crust or graham cracker crust will also work perfectly well.)
• 16 ounces heavy whipping cream
• Sugar and a dash of vanilla to taste
• Shaved chocolate (optional)
Directions
1. If blind baking a pie crust, preheat your oven to 450°F.
2. Blind bake the crust for 12 minutes, then set on a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Once butter is fully creamed, slowly add sugar until mixture is light and fluffy.
4. Melt baking chocolate in a double boiler or microwave, stirring occasionally. Let chocolate cool at room temperature, whisking now and then. Chocolate should be cool to the touch, but still fully melted.
5. Combine cooled chocolate with butter and sugar. Add vanilla extract and use a mixer to combine.
6. With a mixer on medium speed, add eggs one at a time. Beat for five minutes between additions, for a total of 15 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl and keep batter fully integrated.
7. Pour filling into pie shell and smooth surface to desired look. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
8. Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form, adding sugar and dash of vanilla to taste. Refrigerate cream until ready to serve.
9. Serve pie with whipped cream and (optional) shaved chocolate.
This recipe involves raw eggs; in-shell pasteurized eggs can be used as a precaution.
Recipe adapted by Anita Verna Crofts from Anne Maxfield.
Anita Verna Crofts is an educator and author who lives in Portland, ME. Her book, Meet Me at the Bamboo Table: Everyday Meals Everywhere, is a collection of essays looking at food, memory, and identity.
OCTOBER 7TH
Stories That Move Me
First Parish Church Portland | 7:00 PM
Five well-known Mainers will share their most vital stories, reflect on why they’ve held onto them, and consider what these stories might offer for our collective future. It will be an authentic, dynamic, and inclusive evening of storytelling—a reminder of what makes us human. mainewriters.org/stories-that-move-me-2025.
OCTOBER 8TH
60 Ideas in 60 Minutes
DoubleTree by Hilton South Portland | 7:30 AM
Mainebiz brings together six Maine CEOs and leaders who each share 10 ideas business executives can learn from. Covering everything from how to successfully run and operate a business to effective ways to motivate and manage people, our panelists will discuss and expound on their secrets to success. mainebiz.biz/mainebiz-events.
OCTOBER 12TH
17th Annual Open Creamery Day
Creameries throughout Maine | 11:00 AM
Maine creameries around the state will open their doors and their barns, inviting the public to meet the animals that make the milk and responsibly tour the creameries, to learn about the tradition of Maine cheese making. mainecheeseguild.org
OCTOBER 19TH
Book Talk: “My Holocaust Legacy: A Blessing Not a Burden"
Maine Jewish Museum | 2:00 PM
A moderated book talk on A Blessing, Not a Burden by Alex Kor and Graham Honaker explores intergenerational trauma, resilience, the power of reconciliation, and the ongoing importance of Holocaust education. Registration is free but required. Signed books will be available for purchase. bit.ly/mjmbooktalk.
OCTOBER 24TH
Murder in the Dining Room
Blind Tiger Portland | 6:30 PM
Step into a night of intrigue and whimsy at our Clue-Inspired Dinner Party! Dress as your favorite character and enjoy a three-course menu by private chef Jennifer Knale of Butter and Kale. Expect delicious food, playful costumes, and a dash of mischief—will you uncover the evening’s most delectable mystery?
OCTOBER 30TH
Harvest on the Harbor
Maine Studio Works | 5:00 PM
Join an unforgettable culinary experience during Maine’s premier food and drink festival since 2007. From October 30 to November 1, 2025, every bite and sip will celebrate the people, traditions, and innovations that define Maine’s dynamic food scene. harvestontheharbor.com
WE ARE PORTLAND TRUST COMPANY
Portland Trust Company is a Maine non-depository trust company focused exclusively on wealth management and fiduciary services. We work with individuals and families, nonprofits, and local governments. We do everything the giant financial services organizations do while providing local and accessible attention to your specific needs.
It’s more than just a name. Portland Trust Company is the only financial institution in the state with “Portland” as its namesake. We love our hometown as much as you do! This is more than a place of business for us; this is our home and our way of life. It’s our promise to treat you as more than a client, but as a friend and neighbor.
Our customer experience is “real,” like walking next door to borrow some sugar or eggs. We’ve created a home for our clients and their assets—managing their money, their lives, and their futures—with peace of mind knowing that we are a fully regulated financial institution. Together, we embrace our Maine way of life.
Amelia Dow, CTFA, CEO and James MacLeod, Esq., President
