The Front Room

Harding Lee Smith’s first restaurant, it’s the quintessential Portland neighborhood joint, where hungry East Enders and visitors to the neighborhood dine on updated and improved classic comfort foods. Examples include the grilled meatloaf, pastrami-style salmon on brown bread, and shepherd’s pie, not to mention a brunch menu filled with enticing selections and served every day. Those fortunate enough to score a perch at the bar tend to stay awhile, and all seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Read our feature on The Front Room. 

Address

73 Congress St.
Portland, ME

Contact Information

Features

Milkweed Man

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Smooth Sailing at Wandby Landing

A Kennebunk newcomer delivers rustic Italian cuisine and time-honored hospitality.

A Stitch in Time

Once upon a time, Maine was one of the world’s major shoe manufacturers. Hidden away in the hulking old mills of Lewiston and Auburn, artisans keep the tradition alive.

Wisdom from the Backyard Beekeepers

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Maine’s Top Dog 2023

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Shakshuka

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Caring in Crisis

Emily and Nate Peterson have a problem. The couple, who moved to Bucksport and had their first baby just before the pandemic hit, discussed childcare when preparing to start a family, but they had no idea how obsessive they would

Designed to Flow

A couple’s shared aesthetic shines at home and work.

Maple Madness

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Capture March/April 2023

Living on Bald Mountain in Camden, I enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the weather advancing toward and retreating from Camden and Rockport harbors. On this particular day the atmosphere was wildly changeable, the fog rolling in at a swift clip