Rose Foods is a jewish deli brunch spot in Woodfords Deering, Portland.
Rose Foods on Forest Avenue, since 2017 from Chad Conley, runs hand-rolled bagels, house-cured lox, smoked whitefish and matzo ball soup through the morning.
Must order: Lox bagel with whipped cream cheese; matzo ball soup on the side.
Tip: Daily 07:30 to 14:00. Online ordering for collection saves the queue at peak brunch.
Address: 428 Forest Avenue, Portland, ME 04101
Scratch Baking Co in South Portland's Willard Square pulls Portland's deepest weekend bagel queue, with house cream cheese, lox and Sunday morning lines.
Order: Scratch sea salt bagel with house cream cheese and lox.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Sunday queues form before 08:00; pre-order online is the fast lane.
Forage Market on Washington Avenue runs Montreal-style wood-fired bagels and sourdough breads with bagel sandwiches, salads and soups in East Bayside.
Order: Wood-fired bagel sandwich with house cream cheese and lox.
Tip: Closes 13:00; bagels often sell out by noon weekends. Counter ordering, no seating in the small storefront.
The Holy Donut on Commercial Street pulls a weekend morning queue for Leigh Kellis's Maine potato donuts in rotating seasonal flavours, like wild blueberry.
Order: Wild Maine blueberry potato donut and a flat white.
Tip: Sells out by mid-afternoon. The Park Avenue site has same product, often shorter lines.
Bayside Bowl on Alder Street runs weekend brunch from the kitchen of the downstairs bowling alley, with a rooftop bar that opens at noon through summer.
Order: Breakfast sandwich on Standard Baking biscuit; the bloody mary bar.
Tip: Rooftop bar opens at noon in summer; weekend brunch tables are walk-in only without reservations.
Fork + Spoon on Pleasant Street runs a small West End brunch kitchen with house focaccia, breakfast sandwiches, scratch-baked pastries and pour-over coffee.
Order: Egg sandwich on house focaccia; cinnamon roll.
Tip: Closed Mondays. The cinnamon roll case sells through by mid-morning.
Becky's Diner on Commercial Street has run on the working waterfront since 1991, opening at 05:00 for the fishing crews and the breakfast queue behind them.
Order: Short stack with bacon and a cup of clam chowder.
Tip: Cash and card both fine. Queues longest 09:00 to 11:00 weekends; early arrivals get the counter seats.
