Vinland
593 Congress St, Portland, ME, 04101
Vinland Menu
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Address :
593 Congress St
Portland, ME, 04101 - Phone (207) 653-8617
- Website https://www.vinland.me
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 11:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Daniel Z.
The new tasting menu is wonderful, with great variety and a very sophisticated array of summer dishes, from salads to desserts. Service was excellent, and the house was full (on a Monday) with a young and fun crowd.
(5)Margaret P.
This is a radically locovore bistro with tapas-style dishes that pay such heed to aesthetics that you feel as though you're in a gallery consuming works of art. The menu changes with the season, reflecting plants, animals and fishes currently available in the state o Maine. We flipped over the cheese platter, the turnip soup, the lobster, monk fish and crispy chicken. The mixology is as interesting as the food with creative cocktails made from local ingredients. We liked the Gunsmoke, the False Flag, and the walnut liqueur after dinner drink. A meal at Vinland is something to talk about for weeks or months. The servers were great, too.
(5)Katie A.
My boyfriend and I went to one of the first fully open evenings at Vinland. As locals, we have walked by the restaurant many times per day since the summer with growing anticipation. The space is really wonderful, with a warm, upscale, unfussy feeling. We had wonderful service at the bar, helpful but not intrusive. Each staff member we interacted with was knowledgeable and excited to share the food and drink with us. It was fun to watch the kitchen staff work from the bar. We ordered a few cocktails, and liked them all. We enjoyed the food (appetizers, amuse-bouches, dessert), and I was impressed with the full, interesting flavors of everything we tasted. They definitely have a few kinks to work out - we had a few little gripes with our food, and overall the cocktails seem a little raw and rougher than the usual Portland drinkeria, probably due to the ingredient restrictions. The dedication to the high standards and the passion that every staff member exhibited makes us likely to return and taste the evolution of this unique new place.
(4)Kai V.
Beautiful, calm, earnest locavore gluten-free place with inspired brunch choices. We had the brown bread smørrebrød (cured hake, Acadian bacon, pickled red cabbage, pickled onion, hard boiled egg, yoghurt; missing just some berry jam for perfection), and buckwheat blueberry pancakes. Even the bar is stocked only with local spirits (local expanded to include all of New England). Some night we would like to return for dinner.
(5)Lauren L.
We went here for dinner on our 1 year anniversary in September and had the best meal! Not only was the food delicious and (hyper) local but the ambiance and experience were way above average. We ate at the bar and the restaurant was full but still you could easily concentrate on your own conversation. The bartender was informative and creative. Even the cocktails are produced with local ingredients.The steak was the best I've ever had, cornbread and butter delicious, muscles, fresh veggies, and cheese plate - all great! Only regret is eating so much that we didn't get to try their ice cream!
(5)Lydia W.
Vinland is just a downright wonderful experience. Everything has been mindfully crafted from the lovely space to the incredible food to the delicious cocktails. Some of the highlights for me have been the mussels, every single cocktail I've tried, and a few variations on ice cream (brown butter was a standout). I can't recommend Vinland more highly.
(5)Chris C.
I have to say, this was a tough call on the stars. There is a lot to like about Vinland and areas of which we're not exactly right. I think overall I was glad for the experience but I don't see myself making Vinland anything more than a very occasional occurrence, especially for the price. First off, the wait staff was attentive and knowledgable, a plus overall for the evening. Any questions on the food got answered quickly and the table was bussed appropriately (not taking plates away too soon). Second, the drinks were really good. My wife had the Pine Gimlet and I had a drink special (whiskey concoction) that was one of my favorite mixed drinks in a long while. One thing to expect at Vinland is a European style pacing. What I mean is that the courses are stretched out with considerable breaks in between to allow for conversation, digestion, etc. At times the breaks were extensive so be prepared - we finished in a little over 2 hours without a dessert course. In my opinion it could have been a bit shorter, especially between the early courses. Next, the experience is all about multiple tastings. The plate sizes are all rather very small. We did laugh at times at the portion sizes but I kept telling myself it was all about the experience of tasting! At the end of the evening I wasn't hungry but nor was I fully satisfied. Nearly all courses are delicately flavored with a few tiny herbs or other tiny portions of vegetables. This is what missed for me - I think Vinland would have been better off with a tapas approach and plate sharing. The individual really small courses limited the food exploration. We went with the recommended 5 courses each. I list mine first and then my wife's (which I tasted with the tiniest of bites!) Course 1: Popcorn & Beet Chips (better of two). The beet, cheese and herb combo was excellent. The popcorn was more of a novelty. This is likely better as a shared table dish. Course 2: Chilled hakurei Turnip Soup and Griddled Cornbread. The turnip soup was solidly good , especially if you could get a bit of one of the tiny herbs at the same time. Unfortunately I ran out about midway. The cornbread was just ok. Course 3: Watermelon salad special and Shaved Fennel. The watermelon salad was really good. Watermelon rind, grilled corn, tomatoes and herbs were great together. Here is where I could have really used a larger portion. My wife liked the shaved fennel salad but I thought it was just ok. Course 4: Monkfish and Chilled Summer Herb Soup. The monkfish was really good. It came with 1/2 chanterelle mushroom, 1 small fingerling potato and a small dollop of spinach. Expect 2 ounces of fish. I liked the herb soup better than the turnip soup (again small dose of herbs) as it was a bit less earthy in flavor. Course 5: Portland Strip steak and Watermelon salad special. I was disappointed in the steak (with mushroom on top) and basil herb compote, again about 2 ounces. The steak lacked a bit of flavoring. There were some very thin carrot strips barely wider than the size of my fork tine. Funny. Was ok but wouldn't order it again I think. As mentioned above, no dessert. All in all, it came to $160 (incl tip and with 3 drinks). Good high concept meal, but in the end left wanting for the price and the plate sizes. I would definitely recommend a visit but make sure your expectations are set properly and you will have a good time. Suggest larger group as well given the wait time between courses so the conversation will really flow.
(3)Homerdante P.
Do not miss out on the chicken. I would usually ignore a chicken dish, just read right on past it. My waiter told me not to, and wow was I impressed. Crisp skin, tender chicken, squash, rosemary, sage, and a broth to die for. Rich and creamy polenta, succulent mussels also not to be missed. Also be sure to talk to the bartender, Alex I think. He's an absolute genius. He doesn't have citrus or cane sugar to work with (100% local restaurant so they don't have access to anything not grown in new england), but still crafts out of this world cocktails. I had his take on a dark and stormy and it was the best I ever had. I'm not sure what the other reviewers on here are talking about with the tiny portions for a fortune, the price to portion ratio seemed right on to me. Don't miss Vinland, I know I won't!
(5)A T.
We were so delighted with our meal at Vinland in early September. It truly nourished our souls and bodies. It is so rare to find a chef who is committed to foraging locally accessing high quality ingredients. My partner and I are from NY city and we often only dine at the very best restaurants as we are excelllent cooks ourselves and are very particular about the provenance of our ingredients. We ordered the tasting menu. The first bite we had was the beet chips with herbed chevre. The chips had such wonderful intensity of flavor. It was very promising. We had a wonderful salad of canteloupe and heirloom tomatoes and it tasted like the bounty of late summer. This was followed by the chilled hakurei turnip soup. Who knew that turnip soup could taste so sublime. Raw beef was excellent. My partner who is not fond of beef tartare had no problems polishing off her plate. The lobster with wild trumpet mushroom emulsion was divine. Our other favorite was the monkfish. We loved the creativity of the chef as he has set his bar so high in only sourcing foods from maine. The thoughtfulness and quality of ingredients certainly came through in the food he prepares. Some reviewers complained about the small portions but I found that the intensity of the flavors was such that I was completely satisfied with the portions and it left me with room to savor the other dishes. We were so delighted with our meal, we ate there a second night out of our three nights in Portland! On our second night we had the pork belly and it was exquisite.
(5)D D.
This restaurant is way above average on creativity. Kudos to the owners for attempting to serve great food with local ingredients in an arctic state :-). One caveat: the portions are small but they accommodate that by allowing diners to order as many courses as they choose. Oh yeah-the drinks are unusual and excellent.
(4)Sam G.
Fantastic food and a friendly staff at restaurant with an admirable mission. All our plates had a depth and range of flavor despite being sourced from entirely local and seasonal ingredients, down to the spices and seasonings. We had a creamy and tangy turnip and yogurt soup and rough cut but tender tartare to start, along with two delicious cocktails, also adhering to strictly local ingredients. Bang's Island mussels with a garlic cider broth and cappocollo pork chop with the best potatoes we've had for our mains. Well worth the price.
(5)William S.
I have a lot of respect for the Vinland team, who are both creative and pleasant. We enjoyed a leisurely dinner, and some of it was excellent. But I simply can't report that we had food worthy of what is close to the most expensive restaurant in Portland. This is a good restaurant, but not on a par with the best in this foodie town. The creativity is most impressive when it works, but not all of it does. We started with cocktails. One, the Bar Hill gin with pine syrup was outstanding. Two Bar Hill martinis were unremarkable, and the Vinland version of a bloody Mary, made with tomato water instead of tomato juice was deemed undrinkable by its recipient. The menu is very limited, and while it is locally sourced, it can be difficult to be heart-healthy unless you want vegetarian options. Our party of four sampled two appetizers and two entrees (sorry for the overlap, but with only 3-4 of each to choose from, this was inevitable). Only the steak was excellent. Nothing was bad per se, just not at the level the $30+ entree cost should produce. Note, too, that this is one of those restaurants where the meat portion is ample, but the sides described on the menu will be delivered at a tablespoon each. Only one person had dessert, a sweetened yogurt between house-made thin cookies, and it was truly outstanding. Note that the wine list is also one of the most expensive in town. I found myself struggling with how a restaurant which does not serve, say, lemons or olives, since they clearly do not grow in Maine, is nevertheless comfortable serving wines mostly from France. I respect this endeavor, and admire the risk-taking of the kitchen and bar. When it works, it is memorable. My disappointment is when you are charging the highest prices in town, just about everything should work, and for us, at least, not enough of it did.
(3)Sally B.
My husband and I returned to Vinland last night after having a wonderful experience at their soft opening. Best fine dining in Portland. Every dish was presented beautifully and tasted even better. The cocktails are absolutely wonderful! Service is great. I got my bill inserted into a poetry book - how cool is that!!!! This is our first visit since the soft opening and will now be our go to place when we want a great meal.
(5)Per P.
We had the tasting menu at the bar, enjoying great food and probably the most attentive waiter/bartender I've ever come across. Dishes that really stood out: octopussy; monkfish; "angel eggs" (baked eggwhites filled with Hollandaise). I'd paid top dollar just for these three plates. Although we're fans of the Scandi food movement, some of the dishes here didn't do it for us. Several relied on yogurt, which gave them a rather similiar taste. The chef added too much horseradish in another dish, almost wiping out any other taste on the palette. We also found it odd that three of our eight courses were beef - tartare, sous vide, slow-cooked. I expected a much stronger emphasis on sea food given the restaurant's location. While the slow-cooked beef was I ok (I had some problems with mine, wife's was perfect), the sous vide version was flat out boring. And composing a tasting menu in Maine with beef tartar instead of oysters, clams, crab or lobster seems strange, at least for a foreigner. Maybe there's something I'm not getting. The venue itself is really nice and comfortable. The staff is really hardworking and super friendly. It's well worth the stop if you find yourself touring New England
(4)Debbie F.
From start to finish our meal was superlative. You don't have to go to Copenhagen to eat at the world famous Noma. Vinland is the Stateside version. The chef, working with only locally sourced ingredients shows his creative stripes in light of the absence of what would be considered stock pantry items, i.e.: olive oil. Instead demonstrating his inventive, original, and delicious combinations. The room is spare, clearly the dish before you is the star. Like most restaurants in Europe, we very much appreciated the lighting. You can actually see your dinner partner and your food. It's always a treat to be served by a wait staff that enjoys their job. We can't wait to return.
(5)Jeremy C.
Best meal in Portland hands down. Amazing drinks and dishes, can't wait to go back and see what's on the menu next time. Mussels were the best I've ever had, same with the Negroni. Really incredible to pull this off and be 100% local and have great service. Should become a New England foodie institution right along with Primo.
(5)Brian G.
This is the only place you can go for 100% local Maine-sourced food and ingredients. Vinland is also 100% gluten free for those who care about their health. Did I mention that the food is phenomenal.
(5)Shelley N.
Please do try this new concept restaurant. They are doing some very interesting things with locally sourced food. The only arena on which I disagree is spice usage. I think they should be willing to use exotic spices as that is how the world has operated for eons. The venison pate defiantly needed a couple of more spices. Also coffee is served, so why not foreign spice? Otherwise, do try and support this lovely place. Space is refined by wonderful decor and lovely wood tables.
(4)Maura H.
Went to Vinland on the first night of Maine Restaurant Week What a delight! The menu was limited to three choices for each course - app, entree and dessert - but everyone in our party found choices they liked (including the two vegetarians). I had the mussels, celery root steak and a chevre tart. The food had wonderful flavors and was light but filling. I came away satisfied but not stuffed. We were even presented with two different courses of amuse-bouche. The decor at Vinland is simple but elegant. I was most impressed with the glassware - beautifully shaped, delicate wine and water glasses. Such a nice change from the new trend to serve drinks in "mason jars." Looking forward to my next visit - especially in the summer when the local food options expand.
(4)Robin D.
I'm frankly surprised by all the positive reviews here for Vinland. We were really disappointed by the food. Everything was seriously under seasoned and really just wasn't terribly tasty. We were really looking forward to the meal here but it didn't come anywhere close to our expectations. We ordered at least 10 different dishes (between 6 people) and I wouldn't return for any of them.
(2)Mary R.
In a town like Portland where people have been cooking with local ingredients for years, not because it's trendy but because it's common sense, Vinland's insistence on telling you how they only use local ingredients with every interaction leaves me feeling like "so what?" No less than three people came over to tell us that the ingredients are local. WE GET IT. It seemed to be a lot of self congratulatory back patting on their part. And all of that would have been fine if the food had been good. At my table of three, we shared two appetizers - one was cooked radishes and the other mussels. I'm not sure how you obliterate the flavor from a radish (my favorite vegetable) but they did. Mussels tasted off (not sure how else to describe). My pork entree was mostly fat and impossible to cut through. Accompanying potatoes lacked salt. The other two people I was with got steak which was "fine." We all passed on dessert and coffee given how previous courses tasted. The interior of the restaurant is actually quite lovely (once you get in past the Congress Street riff raff). The servers and bartenders will leave you feeling like you're in a Portlandia skit - each one more exaggeratedly hipster than the next. And then they brought the check in some pretentious book! We could not get out of there fast enough.
(1)Erin C.
In Portland for the night and loved the idea of a truly local restaurant. I was skeptical as this means they can't use pepper or citrus. My husband and I sat at the bar and had an incredible meal. The negroni cocktail was delicious. Every dish we ordered was even better than the previous one. You can tell the chef is passionate about what he cooks.
(5)Donna I.
The food was amazing and creative, the service professional, friendly and even educational. The only problem was with yelp seating. Our reservation was made for 8PM, confirmed for 8PM, but the restaurant expected us at 6:30. They were gracious and accommodated us, but it could have been bad, as we were coming from Boston after a cross-country flight, and would not have been in the mood for a hassle. When we showed them the confirmation on my cell phone, they rolled their eyes and I got the impression it was not the first time that had happened.
(5)Dena H.
Great food, great drinks and service. We will definitely come back. My new favorite restaurant in Portland!
(5)Tricia B.
Over priced portions that are fit for a bird. The food portions are closer to an amuse bouche than a tapas, and they don't even call themselves a tapas restaurant. They strive on being local and organic but their menu choices are limited, and they don't cater to special diet restrictions. They are trying to be Scandinavian style but they are far from it, I've been to Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, none of the meals I had in those countries would ever serve Vinland's version. The waitstaff was awful, we were there for two hours, waiting on our food then our drinks, then our bill. We missed part of our movie due to their servers acting like turtles.
(1)Alexander C.
The spicy chicken nuggets made me sick. I couldn't leave the house for hours. The staff did not even give me my drink. I was served lukewarm water after paying for diet pop.
(1)Jake K.
Not great; it's beyond.... Epic food experience. Go big, eat and drink as much as you can. It's A roller coaster for your mouth!!
(5)Chrystina G.
Magic. Seriously magic. From the Pine Gimlet to the Rumi poem hand written on the bathroom wall, Vinland is a dream. Prepare yourself to eat amazingly delicious things you never even realized were food (reindeer lichen, condensed yogurt whey) and to have things you may have considered to be boring (like oats) completely reinvented. Vinland makes tart and sour happen using local ingredients. No citrus. It's stunning. Vinland makes sweet happen without access to sugarcane. Vinland makes salt happen with the freshest sea-tasting amazingness that is Sea Change salt. (If you've never tasted this salt, I recommend you dip your finger into a packet soon. It tastes like you just walked onto the beach from a surf session.) And the staff. You have to love the Portland Dry Goods uniform. You have to love the quirky haircuts and the understated presence of these fine people. They know what they're talking about. They're pushing boundaries culinarily, but they're also incredibly friendly. They want you to know the details (if you're interested) and can talk with authority about each item on your plate without pretension. It's wonderful. Vinland brings the past into the future and it's a beautiful place. Stop in for lunch some time. Or make an excuse for a fancy dinner. They will delight you. You'll leave feeling cleaner.
(5)Scott W.
Fantastic dinner. We were 5 people and ended up ordering just about one of everything for appetizers, main courses and desserts. I love sharing and sampling food around the table, especially when I am paying for everything. We had 2 bottles of a lovely Bok wine too. Stand outs were the Mussels which were big and sweet and the turnip soup. Everything is organic, local and gluten free This is a Winner!
(5)Nick H.
The undisputed cream of a very impressive Portland restaurant crop. We dined here to celebrate our engagement and the meal was as unforgettable as the proposal. Chef David and his team were more than willing to accommodate our inflexible schedule and a few dietary restrictions to create a truly amazing experience. We opted for the tasting menu, which consisted of 8 courses (all with small snacks in between). From our seats at the bar, we watched each course prepared in the open kitchen. The chef was accessible and excited to discuss each of his courses, and the menu perfectly conveyed his creativity and painstaking attention to detail. The restaurant's self-imposed limitation of sourcing every ingredient from Maine necessitates some outside-the-box thinking, as staples like citrus and olive oil can't be used. Rather than tasting like something is being compensated for, the food flourishes. I see a couple people docking points for portion size and price. The fact that you're on Yelp suggests a willingness to do a little research on the places at which you choose to eat. This is a particularly good idea if you're dining on a budget. Check out the menu, website, and reviews before going. If you're looking for unlimited breadsticks and over-salted junk food, there's an Olive Garden by the mall. If you're looking for some of the most delicious and thoughtful food this city has to offer, Vinland is where it's at.
(5)Michelle L.
I had the pleasure to visit Vinland during Maine Restaurant Week, and while some of these menu items may not stick around I am confident that the spirit of Vinland and the excellent experience are here to stay. So, you walk into Vinland, a staff member greets you warmly and checks their tablet for your reservation. A table awaits, and on that table is a menu with a poem on it. I could stop right there and you'd probably get the idea, but allow me to expand. The ceiling is gilded, the walls are hiding acoustic paneling under tasteful birch tree decorations, when you order a cider in a can it is poured into a glass like a fine wine. The entire atmosphere is calculated to be high-class, yet comfortable. The menu will delight gluten-free, locavore diners and the wine list is full of words like "biodynamic." There's a lot of potential for this place to be insufferable. And yet... There is something earnest about it that makes me really appreciate what they're doing. My meal included carrot ginger soup, monkfish with mushrooms, sunchokes and spinach and a parsnip maple custard. Everything was, well, a little weird. But great. I like weird. To get into more detail: I could have used salt on my main course, but that's literally my only complaint. My monkfish was cooked to perfection and that's not an easy thing to do. The parsnip custard was probably my strangest course, not quite dessert and not quite side dish, but in the end I found myself really liking it. I also can't say enough good things about the service. Five stars all the way and worth the splurge.
(5)Alex P.
Went there for brunch, and as nearly the only people in the restaurant the service was shockingly slow. The staff seemed more interested in chatting with how with each other, and was never asked for my coffee to be refilled. Incredibly overpriced on top of it all. Would never go back after that experience
(1)Keith S.
No word describe the food. World class in flavor, originality and thought. Can't wait to return to Portland and visit them again. We did the tasting menu. WOW
(5)Lisa H.
I love any place that offers gluten free options and healthy choices. But i would also give them 5 stars just based on the burger i had for dinner... Friday nights during the summer Vinland has @8 outdoor tables where you dont have dress so spiffy and you can listen to the music in Congress square park and use their free wifi too!! Wed nights also have music and Sunday nights you can order to go and watch a movie in the park next door. Plus the dog liked the burger too! Also all the employees are super friendly and knowledgeable..
(5)Timmy C.
My wife and I had dinner here for the first time the other night after trying Vinland during a walking wine tour earlier this year. All in all, we liked it, but we didn't LOVE it for the price we paid. Great service, with local organic food all sourced from Maine. The atmosphere was decent, but pretty plain. I would suggest some better lighting and some swankier beats to liven it up a bit for evening dining. We both opted for the 5 plate tasting menu at $75 a piece, plus we each had a cocktail. Each plate was good, but they are 100% focussed on sourcing food ONLY from Maine. I feel like this limits the options of what can be made. For example, they won't use citrus or black pepper since it can't be sourced from Maine. I have no complaints on each dish, except nothing blew us away. I wanted to like Vinland a lot more, but honestly I didn't. I feel like the plates are priced too high for what you get and unfortunately I don't think we'll be returning.
(3)Erin H.
We ate here last Saturday, and had a wonderful meal and dining experience. The ambiance, staff, everything -- it was all perfect. We sat at the bar, which really was the best seat -- we could watch the kitchen in action, chat with the bartender and chef, and watch everything come out. We each got the five plate option which between the two of us let us sample almost everything on the menu, and was truly plenty of food. I enjoyed everything but the cold turnip soup, mussels, and polenta that were on the menu that night really stood out. The soup had such a nice rich taste, and the mussels had a surprising sweet sauce that was just so good. The effort put into this restaurant is so admirable. 100% local world class food in Maine. Yes, New England has a lot to offer but this is still no easy feat -- I really want to come back in winter to be even more impressed by what they are able to offer in that mean season. I've read many reviews of this restaurant and based on some of them I'd like to note that I did not find this restaurant overly expensive for what they were offering, and I did not find it (or the staff) to be the slightest bit pretentious. I think that the chef and staff actually do know what they are talking about and are enthusiastic in sharing it, and I am an equally enthusiastic listener and learner. Speaking of, I'm off to try making the aquavit I had to finish up my dinner -- thanks to the bartender for giving me some tips!
(5)Kelly A.
Here are some guidelines before you go to Vinland 1) This place is expensive. Count on $150 for a pair with just moderate booze consumption, but you will definitely want to try their homegrown booze here, if you drink alcohol in the first place. But even if you just drink tapwater, count on $100 for a pair. 2) The portions here are tiny, yes indeed. But after three courses, and three glasses, both my wife and I had to call it quits. Very satisfyingly rich food here. Yes. 3) This is not just a restaurant to satisfy your need for good food and drink. This joint is a wacky experiment. The kitchen and the dining area are the matched laboratories, and the customer is both the guinea pig and the scientific review that judges the success or failure of the whole project. 4) Part of that experiment is that you will both be lectured to on what you are eating as well as constantly asked about what you think of the experimental results. If you can get your mind past all of these formalities, and your wallet is bulging, then this place is definitely one of the most interesting restaurant experiences in New England, maybe in all of the USA, who knows? Or think of it as very sophisticated theater. I wonder how many people grumbling about $15 plates, with little coverage of said plate, would grumble about spending $100s on tickets to a pro sports game or a rock concert? How much would you pay to see the Boss at Merrill Auditorium? A Sox-Yankees matchup in Hadlock Field? Or think of it as modern conceptual art. Museum tickets in the USA can approach the amount of money that you would shell out here, and there is no arguing that this place is an aesthetic trip for more than just the senses linking your nose to your brain! You get what you pay for, and here you are getting some rather remarkable results: 1) Wild flavors that you will probably never have tried before unless you are the type of decadent foodie who likes to read yelp reviews in the first place. I had never tried nettles, or Jerusalem artichokes, or about half a dozen wild mushrooms whose names I cannot remember, before I walked in to this place. How often does that happen in life? How much is that worth to you? I have multiple decades of seafood consumption under my very large belt, and I can say that the monkfish and mussels were some of the best I have ever tasted, perfectly and lovingly prepared. If they had put double the number of mussels on my plate, would I have complained? No, but I was happy with what I had! 2) Incredibly inventive use of natural resources, almost all from the state of Maine. 3) Exceptionally attentive service. Way too attentive for my liking, but I also appreciated the fact that the tattooed waitstaff did not look askance on my just-off-the-lobster-boat Mainer attire. I sort of just walked in and asked if they had a free table. 4) Food for your brain too, that you won't get scarfing an eggplant parm at D'Angelos. Here just one example: What would the world look like if we could not get pepper, because pepper comes from the Far East and it just got blown up by a meteorite? What does a radical locavore replace pepper with? Well, come here and find out the answer. Now, one can argue about the last point. Pepper has been around since Roman times and perhaps longer, and the spices that Western cultures have valued for millennia have brought about indisputable benefits and tragic aspects for culture, for history, for human relations. But wait, what are those sentences doing in a yelp review? WTF man, I just wanna know where to eat tonight! That is precisely what is so wild about this place, it makes you think about a lot of things that most joints don't. I have to wish these people luck, they have got a hard sell in front of them, look at all those grumbling yelpers. If this place were in Manhattan, they probably would be booked for months in advance. I could not believe that I could just stroll in off the street in the primetime of a Saturday night on a warm May weekend and get some places at the bar (which by the way has the best seats in the house). Just wanted to poke me head in, really. Sure glad I stayed for a meal......
(5)Steff D.
I love the idea of Vinland. That every item of food is locally-sourced and every detail from flavor to presentation has been meticulously thought out far in advance - it's both refreshing and unique. To be honest, I typically don't gravitate towards higher-end/fine dining type places (which I know Vinland doesn't associate themselves as, but essentially seem to be) - as a vegetarian those restaurants typically aren't super accommodating. Nor should I expect them to be; I know that I'm not their demographic, and I'm okay with that. But that's not the case at Vinland; for the most part, I felt dietarily nurtured while I was there! It's this point that I think is the best for me to focus on for this (way too long) review. - First snack: beet chip with a dollop of yogurt Apparently, between courses, Vinland likes to send out "snacks" to their customers. Our first - dehydrated beet chips with yogurt - was so delicious I could have easily eaten just these (with a beer) all night long and been perfectly content. I know it's pedestrian in comparison, but if you're wondering what these taste like, they're similar to Terra's "Sweets and Beets". - First course: Oat and corn polenta (w/ yogurt whey sauce and micro greens) I was initially hesitant about this option, but our waitress said it was her favorite thing to eat at Vinland because it was one of the most "complete" and well-rounded dishes in Portland. I couldn't agree more. It was hearty, it was flavorful, the sauce was creamy and perfectly seasoned, and the micro greens were an ideal fresh addition. Talk about divine (I think I actually referred to it as "manna from heaven" when I was there!). - First course (part two): Turnip soup (with yogurt, fermented carrot, micro cilantro) One of the most brilliant visual dishes I've ever seen. It literally looked like a piece of art. The photos you've seen (white broth topped with greens, flowers, and beet dust) don't even do it justice. When you finally get over the hurdle of destroying this masterpiece, know that it's dizzyingly delicious. - Second snack: oat cakes with salty butter Meh. These were just okay. A bit like a sweeter Nairn's. - Second course: Celery root "steak" Ugh. This just didn't do it for me at all. And, unfortunately, this was the lone "main course" option for my significant other and I. Neither my partner or I finished it; to be totally honest, we barely touched any of it as the flavor profiles, textures, and smells were entirely off-putting to us. They can't all be winners, and this one falls short of anything memorable. You REALLY have to love celery root to appreciate this dish which came with very thick slabs of the root dressed with pickled carrot, kohlrabi chip, black radish, and an egg. I wouldn't recommend this dish. - Third course: all the dessert options that night (none of which my dinnermates and I unanimously liked)! 1. Lavender cookies with a sweet citrus cream: I'm a sucker for anything lavender and appreciated the juxtaposition of these. 2. Brown butter ice cream with granola: I thought this was a little boring, truth be told. To me, it lacked any defining flavor or character, but my significant other is still drooling over it days later! 3. Cheese plate with local honey and apple butter: Our friend who got this as her dessert was sorely disappointed. I think she thought it was fragmented and ill-thought out. I disagree entirely; then again, I'm a sucker for this exact kind of dish and couldn't have been more envious of her! The staff was incredibly knowledgable about each component of a dish and the origin of its ingredients; the interior is tastefully "Maine"; and the cocktail options are both interesting and well-balanced (though you can't go wrong with Allagash White for $6). I definitely can't afford to come here often, but I heard Vinland started a late night menu on Fridays and Saturdays from 9pm to midnight that includes small plates - like a twist on poutine - between $7 and $12 (which is pretty standard "small plate" pricing in this town these days).
(3)Herb S.
Ate during restaurant week. Party of 4 - two couples. Made reservation 3 weeks in advance for 8PM, confirmed a few nights before. Arrive before 8, all other waiting parties are seated. We wait over 45 minutes, only party not seated. We are hungry and cranky, not good. No reason given, but complementary wine bottle provided, unfortunately only one in party drinks. Finally get seated and served after 9. Not sure this aggravation was worth the $120 I spent for my half of the bill, my wife and myself. The food: soup was one of the best I have had. Main courses were very good. Desert - cheese plate was excellent local cheeses, more than a bite per cheese would be appreciated. A lot of parsnips, but given the commitment to local only was expected to be fairly reliant on root veggies. Great concept, unfortunately in this price range Portland offers a lot of options. Hope for them this was just an off night.
(3)Jason P.
When I first learned about Vinland's concept of strictly local, in season ingredients I wanted to write them off as an example of the growing "hipster-douche" culture in Portland, trying so hard to be different and cool. I was wrong. SO wrong. My first visit was on a Wednesday night, which features fantastic local jazz and a bar menu. I had the muscles, and it was truly a revelation. Perfect muscles in an amazing broth with NO lemon, using whey in it's place. The cornbread was ideal for absorbing every last drop of that broth. I also had the "Gunsmoke" cocktail, with actual gunpowder, charcoal and other elements - it was fabulous. I returned again recently for a three course dinner (which at $40 I felt was a great deal for Portland). The crispy polenta was wonderful - perfectly cooked and creamy inside. The muscles were ideal once again but my chicken with crispy skin was a little overcooked despite taking quite some time to come out. I cannot recommend this place more highly, especially to take a visitor to Maine out for a unique experience.
(5)Martin S.
Yikes! This restaurant serves what they call small plates but they should be called tiny, and I mean TINY, plates. For incredible prices. And the food is mostly a muddled mess of bland ingredients. For a "nibble" we ordered the "grilled cornbread with honey butter." Three 1x1 x 1/2 inch squares of grainy, dry, blackened cornbread arrived. The butter tasted of neither honey OR butter. On to the "plant" portion of the menu. I picked a corn, melon, tomato medley and I'm still wondering how a piece of cantaloupe could be sliced that paper thin. My lobster dish was served on a small hunk of Maine granite (too clever by half) so what lobster there was spilled onto the table. For the "meat" portion I made the mistake of ordering some tasteless pork that was so fatty I couldn't scrape together more than one bite. Ugh. For this dinner (if you can call it that ) the bill was a whopping $130. Vinland strives to use strictly Maine products. Ok, fine. But meals, be they served on one plate or many, are supposed to have flavor and flair. Vinland's food is pretentious and has little flavor. The flair is lost in the suppressed laughter of the patrons who wished they'd gone out for pizza and a beer.
(1)Dan R.
Our party of four ate here a few weeks ago. Nice and quiet. The food left more than something to be desired. Ever visit one of those ritzy restaurants where a pork chop costs $50 and the portion is laughably tiny? THIS IS VINLAND. The portions are indeed tiny, if not minuscule. The crackers with yogurt (whatever they were called) were served on this giant rock slab and the rock was so much bigger than the actual food that it made us laugh (and we actually thought it was a joke). The waitress even had trouble lifting the slab to take it away, further making a mockery out of everyone involved. The rest of the food was under-seasoned and underwhelming. All tiny portions, barely any taste. I don't quite remember what I ate there because it was that forgettable. We went to eat elsewhere after spending $180 here. All flash, no substance, no sustenance. A rip off. All other glowing reviews make me think that no one knows what they're talking about or the reviews are fake. Caveat emptor.
(1)K O.
Phoebe was an excellent server. Food was delicious. Phoebe even made a fun drink for my 7-year old daughter. Named it after her. :) Food was excellent as always.
(5)Lisa R.
Delicious.....but an odd vibe. Not elegant, more sparse; I guess they are trying to channel the Scandinavian vibe? Small portions, yes, but very well-presented, yes--I would go for the choice of 5 plates for $75 no matter what cause I think you really need that many dishes to feel filled. The wine pairing--oddly enough we never knew what the price would be, it wasn't stated anywhere and our server was not too wine-knowledgeable-- was a real deal at $40 for 5 paired servings. We all agreed the black trumpet lobster was the best lobster we collectively had ever tasted. Everything else paled after that. The "smoked pork" was really more of a pork belly than loin; had that line of fat (which was reaalllly tasty) and was delicious. Desserts were.....small and whatever the opposite of rich is (I can't say 'poor' cause we liked them). The strawberry granita was delicious although I could have used less fresh herbs on it.
(4)Nicole M.
Love the concept and mission of Vinland. It came recommended from a friend of mine, who knows the owner and chef. 100% local, they are not kidding. Restaurant is clean, modern, progressive, with friendly, knowledgeable staff. The food was good, but I wasn't completely blown away as I had hoped. I would absolutely return, if nothing more than to try more red wines and support their mission, but it won't be my first choice in dining if I only had one night in town.
(4)Fred F.
Went to Vinland to check out all the hooplah this restaurant is receiving. Here's the skinny. Our wait person seemed to not really understand how to open a bottle of wine. It took her three minutes. She fumbled with the cork because someone told her to place it upright in front of the person who ordered the wine. Next, she spilled wine on me. Not good. The four of us each had 3 courses, even though it was recommended that we order 5 courses to feel satisfied. The plus is the food was good, served promptly and elegantly plated. The downside was the small plates were miniscule. I don't think $18 for two bites of a Portland Strip Steak or $14 for 2 bites of monkfish is reasonable. As the wait person continued pouring our wine there seemed to be an issue with her getting it into the glass. Three times she spilled wine on the table and the last time dribbled it onto my pants as well as the shirt sleeve of one of my table mates. Four people - 3 courses each. Two bottles of wine. With tip it was almost $300. A rip off. We ended up having to go to another restaurant for a couple of late night appetizers just to feel moderately satisfied. We won't be back.
(2)Anju P.
There's a reason why some day people may call Vinland the Noma of Maine. Fresh food, clever creations, and an amazing staff make this one of my favorite restaurants. The tasting menu allows Chef Levi to shine as he showcases all that New England offers. I still dream about the ricotta and fermented oat bread. You will love the 10th course as much as the first, and leave wondering what they will come up with next.
(5)Antoine L.
Finally popped in here saturday night on a beautiful autumn weekend trip up to Portland. Couldn't stay for dinner so I ordered a Negroni. Now, some say the Sazerac or the Manhattan are the ultimate cocktails but for me nothing is better than a Negroni when you're looking for something "grown up", a little sweet, a little bitter and just a bit boozy. It's not girly yet it's damn sweet to look at. Vinland got my Negroni right and they even did it with all local ingredients. I def suggest you try one made with Barrhill Gin, produced by Caledonia Spirits, a first-rate little distiller from up the Northeast Kingdom. Vinland's barkeep will keep it real by substituting local herbs and even some wormwood to provide the bitterness you would otherwise get from Campari. The end result is gorgeous, a bit creamy, perfectly balanced and not too sweet. Just what you want in an aperitivo.
(5)Chris P.
Went here for dinner after reading some positive reviews and was not disappointed. The level of creativity displayed in the food preparation is hard to come by outside of a major metropolis. Oftentimes in creative pursuits restrictions can be a catalyst for great work, by restricting himself totally to local ingredients David Levy has not only made a statement of sustainability for the future, but opened a portal to the source of all great local cuisine from the past: necessity. Through hard work he has done something very special in this little city. Bravo. P.S. If there is beet ice cream available on the menu when you are there, I highly recommend you get it.
(5)Jay P.
My wife and I did an anniversary tour of some of Portland's best spots, and Vinland stood out as the highlight. While we enjoyed everywhere we went, the staff and chef at Vinland took the experience to another level. Every dish was unique and delicious, and they took the time to explain the process and thinking behind each course. Don't miss this place if you're in Portland.
(5)Neada J.
I can't speak highly enough of this restaurant. We went to the many "must-visit" eating spots in Portland but this is the only one we will return to and recommend to friends. The tasting menu of five dishes is absolutely worth it, the wine list is extensive and beautifully curated, and the service is exceptional. Bravo to the chef and his team! We had a vey positive and memorable experience here.
(5)S L.
Short version: Great for people with food sensitivities and/or people who prefer local/organic food. Great for people who like dinner to be an experience, and who don't want to rush. Longer version: Vinland has very "clean" food. If you have food sensitivities or allergies, you will probably appreciate this place. As they will likely explain to you, they use local and organic products whenever possible. (They do this to a more extreme level than any other establishment I have visited so far.) I cringe to use catchphrases to describe my dining preferences, but I am going to go ahead and type the word "Paleo" here, in case anyone is doing a search for that. There are a few menu items that are not die-hard paleo-friendly, but they are very transparent about their ingredients and will be more than happy to help you find items that fit your dietary needs. It was a relief to be able to order anything on the menu without worrying about being 'dosed' with MSG or other mystery ingredients. To address a few comments from other reviews that initially scared me off a little bit... I think they have taken previous reviews into account, because I didn't find anything lacking in spices or flavor here. I agree that the portions are somewhat on the small side compared to what restaurants have grown accustomed to serving. I thoroughly enjoyed the drawn-out process of the full dining experience. I ordered five plates with wine pairings and had a great time, slowly enjoying my dinner for almost two hours. (Loved it--that's exactly what I was looking for.) The wine pairings were very well matched. There was only one dish and pairing I didn't particularly care for, and that was the Chicken with Crisp Skin. I think that was my own fault for choosing that, since I don't care for sage too much. Here are the entrees I had. Again, I enjoyed everything very much, except the chicken: - Fall Salad (market vegetables, herbs, blue cheese and apple vinegar dressing) - Lobster (wild black trumpet mushroom emulsion, nori, radish) - Raw Beef (pickled onion, cranberry, horseradish, spicy green) - Chicken with Crisp Skin (sage, lovage, bone broth, butternut squash) - Daily Ice Cream (kombu) The kombu ice cream was SO good that (especially on my fifth wine pairing when inhibitions were down), I could have eaten a gallon of it. I really enjoyed the lobster too (see pics). On top of enjoying the food and wine, the service was outstanding. The host was so friendly and accommodating, even though I didn't make reservations. My server was very friendly and attentive. The owner even stopped by to make sure everything was okay. I love this kind of service. So in sum... If you are used to large portions, or if you are in a hurry, this might not be up your alley. (I'm not judging... there are times when I want huge portions and/or am in a hurry. I'm just mentioning it so you can factor that into your decision.) If you have food sensitivities or just prefer to eat clean, local, organic foods, give this a try.
(5)Tom U.
Hands down some of the best tasting food I've ever had-- that's a lot to say coming from a foodie. All the ingredients are local and the presentation of each dish is beautiful. Each dish is full of so many different flavors. You'll want to eat your food slow here to really enjoy the intensity of each dish. My family and I had the 5 course meal. We asked the Chef to pick the items for us. We were impressed by how tasty each dish was. I was stuffed by the end of it and because of the quality of the ingredients, there was no food coma in my future. Killer drinks too! If you appreciate the taste of food-- come here. The experience is well worth the money.
(5)Brion S.
Every plate was very good. Nice fresh flavors. Two to three plates are adequate. Locally State sourced ingredients and they do their best to source organically. Even the liquor used for the cocktails is sourced local. Saved on my list for a return engagement. But with a precious women in tow.
(5)Corona W.
Lovely restaurant in downtown Portland headed by Chef David Levi who interned at the highly celebrated Noma restaurant in Denmark. The restaurant brings foraging and locally sourced ingredients to the table. Although the restaurant is a relatively new, the service was impeccable. Chef Alex was super friendly and so efficient. We watched him effortlessly take orders, make drinks, and clean up at a busy bar. He even stopped to chat about some of the ingredients in their drinks - which were all very inventive and tasty. While we were there, my bf had the Laid Back (smoked apple drink) and the Chaga Latte after dinner. Both were delicious and very strong. I ordered the Gun Smoke and Pine Gimlet which were comparably strong and well-made. I also had the Walnut Liquer after dinner. While the flavors were very good, it was a little too strong for me. While I finished it, with some help from my boyfriend, I noticed another customer who could not get through the small serving. I would not recommend it to the ladies - think fire coming out of your nose. My only gripe is that yogurt seemed to be in a majority of the dishes. I would have liked to see a little more diversity in their ingredients but everything was delicious, regardless. We had the mussels (must have- the broth is amazing and I wish it came with some more corn bread so that we could sop it all up), turnip soup, and halibut for appetizers and the parsnip steak and monkfish (really liked this) for our main courses. Everything was plated beautifully and very fresh. We ended our dinner with the cookie sandwiches. Great meal!!
(4)Jeffrey G.
A unique experience for us in Portland. Great staff and fabulous food. The ability to use only totally local ingredients in the winter and still put together a menu that tastes and looks so good was amazing. On the list for more visits.
(4)Jeff P.
I went to Vinland with my girlfriend during their first week of operation and had a fantastic time. Ben was excellent with his suggestions of wine pairings and cocktails as we poured over the various options for dinner. While most of the food was made of ingredients that were new to me (a lot of this stuff has been extracted from French, Dutch, Finnish, and traditional cuisine), the combination of flavors and presentation make delicious and edible art that begs you to deconstruct it elegantly piece by piece and savor the oft-new flavors. As the first restaurant of it's kind to tackle the difficult task of utilizing only locally and sustainable produced foodstuffs, they are executing on their mission with aplomb. Highly recommended stop for anyone who appreciates sophisticated but accessible food and drink.
(5)