Hi - I’d love lunch recs for this Wednesday in Portland. I do an annual sojourn to pick up my daughter at camp in northern Maine. I’m staying in Camden and having dinner at Franny’s. Last year I had an amazing lunch at the East ender but I don’t think they are open for lunch anymore. Honeypaw is closed on Wednesdays. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
(Also, super bummed and surprised that all these places aren’t open for lunch/midweek during the high season!)
Anyone???
Central provisions. Excellent small plates
Eventide is doing lunch 7 days a week. We’ve had several excellent meals there, but have not been in the last year or so.
Hi there, @sallyt! I too would have wanted to go to East Ender if that were an option.
So though I haven’t yet been to these next two spots, these are places I really want to check out (outdoor seating is important to me). Terlingua on Washington Avenue. Looks like they take reservations as well as walk ins.
Another spot on my want-to-go list is Mai Pen Miyake, Masa Miyake’s more casual spot up on State Street. A few outdoor tables and all seating is walk-in. We’ve loved going to his sister restaurant Miyake for fabulous sushi and Japanese cuisine over the years, but that restaurant has been on hiatus with plans to reopen this fall.
I would’ve also put Cong Tu Bot on Washington Ave. among my want-to-gos but they’re closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Not going to work for your schedule.
For even more, I remembered this thread on thread from earlier this year about additional Portland lunch spots.
@tomatotomato - we loved Ter Lingua! Their lunch options are kind of limited so I might skip it since I was just there in late June. I’ll check out Mai Pen Miyake, thank you!
Thanks for the other suggestions - I just went to Central Provisions in May and we eat Eventide pretty frequently, compared to other Maine restaurants…
In other Portland news, Leeward is SO booked that I can’t get a reservation for August! I was one day late (they open reservations 30 days ahead of time).
Thanks for the thumbs up on Terlingua! Every time we get up to Maine we run out of time to try places new to us. Choices are a good “problem” to have, yes?
Just mentioning this again:
heh, Tomato beat me to it 
@sallyt Wish I could help. The last time we ate in Portland, we did Bissell Brothers but I don’t think that’s quite what you are looking for. We find ourselves not eating in Portland on our recent Maine sojourns because the bounty of choices tends to paralyze us.
On a somewhat (un)related note, B and I may play hooky on Wednesday while Spring Onion is in all-day art camp and go to Anju, a favorite of ours. But only if pesky work lets us.
Jealous!
@sallyt My hijacking was a thinly-veiled attempt at suggesting a non-Portland option. And maybe I would run into you at Anju if we have our Hungry Onion t-shirts on. 
@digga - that looks SO GOOD!!! Kittery is too far south for me - dropping kids off at Tufts camp by 9 am so timing works for an early lunch in Portland. Have the best time!
Did you see these older threads @sallyt (in addition to the one @tomatotomato posted from this year) –
Hey there, @sallyt! Just noticed that East Ender now appears to be open for lunch according to their website.
I had been just about to comment that my 2021 threads that @Saregama so kindly references above are out of date. I originally offered the 2021 info so I feel responsible. This season I’m observing that restaurants appear to be adjusting hours and offerings more frequently, in response to staffing (plus supply chain and food costs in some cases I expect).
Thanks Denise! When I was in Portland in May, it was such a disappointment that the city shut down most of the outdoor space on Middle St. Apparently the ratio of diners/bathrooms wasn’t sufficient 
Oops, I don’t know about the outdoor space there currently?
Was in Portland in May too and noticed the overall reduction in outdoor seating. 
At that time East Ender didn’t open until late afternoon so we didn’t even consider it/drive by for our lunch back then.
Changes, changes.
We had lunch at Honey paw so there was just their old outdoor seating. It’s such a disappointment for the businesses and it was also such a festive and wonderful atmosphere last summer
It may not be exactly what you’re going for, but we often do a take-out lunch from Blue Rooster Food Company. I love their sandwiches (any of which can be made in a salad version) and tater tots! Picnic up on the promenade, then hit a gelato truck for dessert.
I would kill for their Charlie Noble sandwich right now…
