Food

One of the country’s next great food cities is in Maine, according to Food & Wine

The destination was selected for its "creativity, innovation, diversity, and deliciousness."

The Palace Diner is a dining hotspot in Biddeford, Maine. The Boston Globe

By Kristi Palma

April 14, 2022

Move over, Portland.

A resort full of seaside cottages is opening near Acadia National Park this summer

Another standout culinary destination has emerged from Maine, according to Food & Wine.

The publication’s May issue features the 11 best up-and-coming culinary destinations to visit now, which includes the York County city of Biddeford.

“Think of Biddeford as Portland, Maine’s quiet older sister with great taste — the one you ask for recommendations on nicely curated bottle shops and vintage clothing boutiques,” Food & Wine wrote.

Eateries worth checking out in Biddeford, a 30-minute drive from Portland, are as follow: Magnus on Water ” for Brunswick clams and a glass of sparkling Chenin Blanc,” Night Moves Bread “for breads like anadama, a loaf made here with nixtamalized heirloom flint corn and molasses,” and Jackrabbit Cafe for “a soul-soothing cardamom bun.”

“You’d be remiss to skip a pilgrimage to Rabelais, which has one of the country’s largest selections of rare cookbooks, as well as a breakfast stop at vintage comfort food mecca Palace Diner,” Food & Wine wrote.

Need a place to stay? Food & Wine recommends The Lincoln Hotel, a historic textile mill turned boutique hotel opening this summer.

Food & Wine‘s full list of “under-the-radar” and up-and-coming foodie havens is comprised of seven big cities and four small cities. The big cities are Boise, Idaho; Charlotte, N.C.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Indianapolis, Ind.; Jersey City, N.J.; Omaha, Neb.; and Tucson, Ariz. The small cities are Biddeford; Bozeman, Mont.; Charlottesville, Va.; and Greenville, S.C.

“We celebrate our picks for the 11 American cities with the most dynamic and emergent food cultures,” Hunter Lewis, editor in chief of Food & Wine, said in a statement. “Each met the criteria with their creativity, innovation, diversity, and deliciousness.”