Maine Is the Best-Ever Vacation Spot

Adam Rapoport

Every Monday night, Bon Appétit editor in chief Adam Rapoport gives us a peek inside his brain by taking over our newsletter. He shares recipes he's been cooking, restaurants he's been eating at, and more. It gets better: If you sign up for our newsletter, you'll get this letter before everyone else.

“Wait, you’re going to Maine, too?”

That was a common refrain in the halls of BA last week, as more than a few of us editors discovered that we had all basically planned the same 4th of July escape.

You could attribute this coincidence to the fact that we named Portland our Restaurant City of the Year in 2018—a walkable town, rife with top-notch oyster joints, fragrant bakeries, and the requisite number of Bon App-endorsed breweries and natural wine shops.

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Not that any of our editors would own up to this bias. Alex Delany pointed out that he’s been journeying to Sullivan, Maine—and his beloved Finelli Pizzeria —for some 15 years. Julia Kramer and her husband Zach have spent the past 10 summers at his aunt’s in Round Pond, a decidedly quaint WiFi-free zone (don’t look for any food pics on Julia’s Instagram ). Emma Wartzman and her BF hoofed it to their friend’s in Castine, where she said “he’s been coming since he was very young.”

Yes, it's about the fish. But it's also about the hot dogs.
Yes, it's about the fish. But it's also about the hot dogs.
Photo by Adam Rapoport
A swirl at Beal's is the only way to go.
A swirl at Beal's is the only way to go.
Photo by Adam Rapoport

Whatever. I was happy to admit that I was a Maine noob (as my 11-year-old would call me) and that I wanted to see what all the hype was about. So Marlon, Simone, and I checked as many boxes as possible, while staying with (long-time Mainer) Andrew Knowlton and family in Rockport.

We caffeinated (and biscuited) at Hot 10 winner Tandem Bakery upon landing in Portland. We oystered and munched on Fox Family potato chips on the deck at The Shop on a sunny 86-degree afternoon (not what we expected) and then enjoyed a kid-friendly 5 p.m. dinner at 2018 Hot 10 winner Drifter’s Wife (order any seasonal salad on the menu, and don’t miss the supremely crispy brick chicken.)

I was almost Instagram jealous of what Delany, Rachel Karten, and Co. were up to in Sullivan, but honestly, I was too busy eating lobster (and crab) rolls at McLoon’s, soft serve at Beal's, monkfish nuggets (imagine if Popeye’s opened a seafood chain) at Rhumb Line, and Sarah Jenkins’ pasta al limone with crab at Nīna June.

Meet the ultra-chewy chocolate chip cookie from Tandem Bakery.
Meet the ultra-chewy chocolate chip cookie from Tandem Bakery.
Photo by Adam Rapoport
A very summer slice from Belleville in Portland.
A very summer slice from Belleville in Portland.
Photo by Rachel Karten

Amid all that eating, we did manage to do some cooking on July 4th, firing up split-grilled lobsters and, of course, BA’s Best-Ever Barbecued Ribs.

It was almost the perfect family vacation. But as anyone who’s ever been on a family vacation knows, those don’t exist. Just as we were set to jet home from Portland, we got word that our flight was delayed. And delayed again. Cue the thunderstorms. And delayed again. And eventually cancelled. Cue the 8 p.m. rental car and six-hour drive back to NYC.

Cue my friend Jason Gay (longtime New Englander) DM’ing me: “Who flies to Maine?”

Lesson learned. Next summer we drive.

Go there: Portland, Maine, Is the 2018 Restaurant City of the Year

Originally Appeared on Bon Appétit