Guidebook for Apartment Living in the West End
Food Scene
Hot Suppa
703 Congress StBest breakfast in town, midpriced, 100 ft. from our door!
Our super secret breakfast place. The food is not as good as Hot Suppa, but the owners and cook are super friendly and the prices are the best in town.
19 locals recommend
Marcy's Diner
47 Oak StOur super secret breakfast place. The food is not as good as Hot Suppa, but the owners and cook are super friendly and the prices are the best in town.
One of our favorite locally owned hangouts, with lots of vegan food, good music..nice place to sit and work on your laptop for several hours with free wireless.
31 locals recommend
Local Sprouts Co-op
649 Congress StOne of our favorite locally owned hangouts, with lots of vegan food, good music..nice place to sit and work on your laptop for several hours with free wireless.
Two great guys who happen to be partners run this hip coffee shop with free wireless and good snacks. Just around the corner from our place.
21 locals recommend
Yordprom Coffee Shop
722 Congress StTwo great guys who happen to be partners run this hip coffee shop with free wireless and good snacks. Just around the corner from our place.
Gourmet pizza, beer and wine. Spoiler alert! Monday and Tuesday nights pizzas and wine are HALF OFF, including bottles of wine. Fortunately you only have to walk 150 ft. to get home....
46 locals recommend
Bonobo
46 Pine StGourmet pizza, beer and wine. Spoiler alert! Monday and Tuesday nights pizzas and wine are HALF OFF, including bottles of wine. Fortunately you only have to walk 150 ft. to get home....
This place will give you MOUTHGASMS. Try the roasted brussel sprouts, shinjun noodle soup or scallopy thing. Outstanding and reasonable prices.
148 locals recommend
Pai Men Miyake
188 State StThis place will give you MOUTHGASMS. Try the roasted brussel sprouts, shinjun noodle soup or scallopy thing. Outstanding and reasonable prices.
This family owned asian restaurant has great food at reasonable prices and is rarely as packed as hipster joints next door such as Boda.
9 locals recommend
King of the Roll
675 Congress StThis family owned asian restaurant has great food at reasonable prices and is rarely as packed as hipster joints next door such as Boda.
Great donuts made with potato flour...the owner and founder Lee is a great lady and entrepeneur.
220 locals recommend
The Holy Donut
194 Park AveGreat donuts made with potato flour...the owner and founder Lee is a great lady and entrepeneur.
Arts & Culture
Great little pub has world class small music acts from all over the world. Wednesday is Irish night!
71 locals recommend
Blue
650 Congress StGreat little pub has world class small music acts from all over the world. Wednesday is Irish night!
It's just down the street and the best museum in town. First Fridays are free. Some world class exhibits.
412 locals recommend
Portland Museum of Art
7 Congress SqIt's just down the street and the best museum in town. First Fridays are free. Some world class exhibits.
Easy walk to one of Maine's best and brightest professional theaters. Rarely have we seen a lackluster show there...worth the ticket price.
22 locals recommend
Portland Stage
25 Forest AveEasy walk to one of Maine's best and brightest professional theaters. Rarely have we seen a lackluster show there...worth the ticket price.
Portland Public Library
Free dvd rentals...just sayin....
This place gets some very big musical acts. It's a large venue with both standing and sitting options, with numerous bars.
116 locals recommend
State Theater
609 Congress StThis place gets some very big musical acts. It's a large venue with both standing and sitting options, with numerous bars.
This eclectic little theater is always worth the cost of admission. Director Christine Marshall is a good friend and talented lady. Off beat plays and dark comedies...stuff you won't see on tv ....
Mad Horse Theatre
24 Mosher StThis eclectic little theater is always worth the cost of admission. Director Christine Marshall is a good friend and talented lady. Off beat plays and dark comedies...stuff you won't see on tv ....
Historic site just down the road for those with an interest in 19th Century life and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
76 locals recommend
Maine Historical Society
489 Congress StHistoric site just down the road for those with an interest in 19th Century life and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Drinks & Nightlife
Looking for a great martini in a classy but casual bar? This place is much better before 8 p.m. when it's quiet and the atmosphere is Hemingway all the way (used to be a bookstore).
88 locals recommend
LFK
188 State StLooking for a great martini in a classy but casual bar? This place is much better before 8 p.m. when it's quiet and the atmosphere is Hemingway all the way (used to be a bookstore).
Popular irish bar has Sunday afternoon sessions, good Guinness of tap, though a lot of the local barflies tend to hang out there the rest of the day.
20 locals recommend
Brian Boru
57 Center StPopular irish bar has Sunday afternoon sessions, good Guinness of tap, though a lot of the local barflies tend to hang out there the rest of the day.
Everything Else
Need a place to work out...this studio is great for serious calorie burning, Stephanie, the owner specializes in "Buti Yoga," a high energy form of yogic workout.
14 locals recommend
Hustle and Flow
155 Brackett StNeed a place to work out...this studio is great for serious calorie burning, Stephanie, the owner specializes in "Buti Yoga," a high energy form of yogic workout.
Sightseeing
Gorham Bike & Ski
693 Congress StRent a bike for your stay here!
For a vigorous and beautiful walk along the waterfront, go down the hill to the eastern promenade trail. You can continue under the highway and walk, bike or jog a 4-mile loop around back bay.
251 locals recommend
Eastern Promenade Trail
Eastern PromenadeFor a vigorous and beautiful walk along the waterfront, go down the hill to the eastern promenade trail. You can continue under the highway and walk, bike or jog a 4-mile loop around back bay.
Go down to the ferry terminal on commercial street and jump on the next ferry to Peaks island. Take your bike and you can ride around the shore drive for a beautiful ocean view.
11 locals recommend
Casco Bay Ferry
Go down to the ferry terminal on commercial street and jump on the next ferry to Peaks island. Take your bike and you can ride around the shore drive for a beautiful ocean view.
Looking for a beautiful afternoon drive, some fresh lobster and a beer? Follow the road out the peninsula of Harpswell...you'll run into a great "maine-uh" lobster restaurant near the tip.
13 locals recommend
Harpswell
Looking for a beautiful afternoon drive, some fresh lobster and a beer? Follow the road out the peninsula of Harpswell...you'll run into a great "maine-uh" lobster restaurant near the tip.
This is the ancient cemetery of Portland. Some of the city's founders and war heroes are buried here. It's located on Munjoy Hill, which famously burned to the ground three times, once in 1775 under British bombardment.
Eastern Cemetery, Portland, Maine
224 Congress StThis is the ancient cemetery of Portland. Some of the city's founders and war heroes are buried here. It's located on Munjoy Hill, which famously burned to the ground three times, once in 1775 under British bombardment.
Shopping
Delicious gourmet foods..sit in or take out. ..pretty pricey but you're never disappointed. They have hard to find stuff like kombucha too.
51 locals recommend
Blue Spoon Cafe & Catering
64 Pine StDelicious gourmet foods..sit in or take out. ..pretty pricey but you're never disappointed. They have hard to find stuff like kombucha too.
Fantastic used book store. The owner, Michelle, is a SERIOUS science fiction and fantasy expert, but her expertise covers many other categories. You will not walk out empty handed, and good prices.
Green Hand Bookshop
661 Congress StFantastic used book store. The owner, Michelle, is a SERIOUS science fiction and fantasy expert, but her expertise covers many other categories. You will not walk out empty handed, and good prices.
An unbelievably electic selection of antique home-related objects like this anywhere else. From doors to lamps, antique doorknobs to lawn statues, weird and cool stuff...
12 locals recommend
Portland Architectural salvage
131 Preble StAn unbelievably electic selection of antique home-related objects like this anywhere else. From doors to lamps, antique doorknobs to lawn statues, weird and cool stuff...
Why give your money to Whole Paycheck/Amazon when you can buy fresh local produce at a better price at our local food coop?
49 locals recommend
Portland Food Co-op
290 Congress StWhy give your money to Whole Paycheck/Amazon when you can buy fresh local produce at a better price at our local food coop?