Vegetarian Asian$$arts-district
Green Elephant on Congress Street, since 2007 from Dan Sriprasert and Bob Wongsaichua, is Portland's all-vegetarian Thai kitchen by the State Theatre.
Signature: Vegan coconut soup, Mango curry, Veggie pad thai
Order: The vegan coconut soup, then the mango curry over jasmine rice.
Tip: Tuesday to Saturday lunch 11:30 to 14:30 and dinner 17:00 to 21:30; Sunday and Monday dinner only.
Italian wood-fired$$$woodfords-deering
Tipo on Ocean Avenue, since 2017 from Chris and Paige Gould (Central Provisions), is the wood-fired Italian room in Back Cove with Neapolitan pizza and pasta.
Signature: Wood-fired margherita pizza, House-made tonnarelli, Wood-roasted vegetables
Order: Wood-fired margherita and a bowl of cacio e pepe.
Tip: Tuesday to Saturday from 17:00; dinner only. Resy reservations recommended.
New England seafood$$$old-port
Scales on Maine Wharf, since March 2016 from Sam Hayward, Dana Street and Victor Leon (the Fore Street team), with whole local fish and a raw bar.
Signature: Maine lobster roll, Whole local fish, Raw bar oysters
Order: The Maine lobster roll, then a half dozen Glidden Point oysters.
Tip: Lunch from 11:30, dinner from 17:00. Resy reservations recommended; the bar takes walk-ins.
New England seafood$$$old-port
Boone's Fish House on Custom House Wharf reopened 2014 on the 1898 Boone's site from the Harding Lee Smith group, with lobster rolls, halibut and chowder.
Signature: Lobster roll, Pan-roasted halibut, Fish chowder
Order: The Maine lobster roll on a New England top-split bun, plus fish chowder.
Tip: Daily lunch and dinner; the deck fills early summer evenings.
Mediterranean, mezze$$$old-port
Evo Kitchen + Bar at the Hyatt Place Old Port, since 2016, runs a Mediterranean and Middle Eastern menu of wood-fired flatbreads, mezze and grilled kebabs.
Signature: Wood-fired pita, Lamb kefta, Mezze plate
Order: The full mezze plate with wood-fired pita, then lamb kefta off the grill.
Tip: Daily from 17:00. Reservations via OpenTable; bar seats hold for walk-ins.
Vietnamese$$east-bayside
Cong Tu Bot on Washington Avenue, since 2017 from Vien Dobui and Jessica Sheahan, a 30-seat Vietnamese room serving pho ga, banh xeo and cha gio spring rolls.
Signature: Pho ga, Banh xeo, Cha gio spring rolls
Order: Pho ga chicken broth, then banh xeo with shrimp and pork.
Tip: Wednesday to Saturday 17:00 to 21:00. Walk-in only; queue forms before the door opens.