Tandem Coffee Roasters

Name: Tandem Coffee Roasters
Location: Portland, ME

Everyone knows that my love for Portland (The original, East Coast version.) runs deep. To see Portland's restaurant and coffee culture expanding as quickly as it is couldn't make me any happier. Tandem, Portlands newest third wave coffee roaster just set up shop in the unlikely East Bayside neighborhood and created a tranquil and bright space to match.

Using a bright color and material palate of whites, grays, and light wood allows the space to feel open and welcoming. Allowing portions of the brick wall to remain exposed helps the space feel authentic and raw and hints at the buildings past.

The space is kept sparsely furnished with simple shop stools and industrial pendants which allows the central focus to be on the roasting and brewing process. 

All Photos © The blue ferry

Duckfat

Name:  Duckfat
Location: Portland, ME

With a name like 'Duck Fat' you really can't go wrong.  This was the second time I've been here and will easily be back again. The food is great but the real star is the duck fat fries and multiple dipping sauces you can choose to accompany them. The space itself is located on a cobblestone street with large front facing windows. An outdoor ledge allows you to dine or drink outside on warmer days without protruding into the sidewalk. What I love the most about the space is how inclusive and local it feels, the interior remains simple and warm which works well within the small space.

Image 1 © Maine Boats

Image 3-4 © Ducat

East End Cupcakes

Name: East End Cupcakes

Location: Portland, Maine

All too often we see local restaurants, cafes and bars, fail at the design of their space. While the food/drink might be great, the first impression can barely get us in the door. At Kaper design we understand that many mom-and-pop-type shops don't have much extra funding after purchasing the space, hiring employees, and ordering the equipment. But, we believe that that is no excuse for a lacking interior environment. So as you can assume, we get pretty geeked when we see a small shop that not only has a great product, but also has a wonderful interior!

While in Maine last week, we spotted just such place. Take a look: 

 If you go, be sure to try their chocolate/ pb cupcake with sea salt on top. It was amazing!

Visit our website at kaperdesign.com

Portland, Maine

As a self-declared foodie (Lucky for me it's also part of my job description!), one of my favorite things to do is explore restaurants and local food. One of the most overlooked and underrated, in my opinion, foodie location is Portland, Maine. It's hard not to be when you are located inches away from multiple harbors where fresh seafood flows in hourly.

Add to that the cobblestone streets, brick buildings and down-to-earth vibe and you have an area overflowing with great places to eat. The charm of most of the places in Portland is the we've been here forever, hole-in-the-wall feel. 

Rob Evans, the local celebrity chef has recently brought some light to the area when he won a James Beard Award in 2009 for his restaurant, Hugo's (Another JBA was won in 2002 for Fore Street & it's chef). Yet, even with this recent addition of a JBA, Portland is still overlooked. With that, I want to present you with a few local food favorites from this amazing city.

Street and; Co.

Five Fifty-five

Duck Fat

The Porthole Restaurant

Sebago Brewing Company