• a lighthouse image by Elmo Palmer from Fotolia.com
  
  Visitors flock to Maine each year to enjoy everything from fishing and golfing to whale watching and museums. With something for everyone, this New England state brings tourists back time and time again. Popular attractions are the Portland Freedom Trail, Acadia National Park and numerous tours of the state's lighthouses. South Portland, the fourth largest city in Maine, is home to a variety of top-notch restaurants, including the Saltwater Grille, Porthole Restaurant and Snow Squall.
  
  

Saltwater Grille

• At the Saltwater Grille, diners enjoy a variety of dishes served in an intimate dining room which offers views of the city. Many of the items served are prepared with fresh seafood from the surrounding docks. To start, guests can try a bowl of clam chowder, fried calamari or the chipotle beef taco. Main course favorites include the grilled salmon with wasabi butter and rice, steamed Maine lobster with mussels and fresh corn on the cob, grilled lamb chops topped with apricot peppercorn sauce and the baked ziti. An extensive selection of wine, beer and cocktails is also available. Diners might also want to try the the lemon chiffon cheesecake or tri-berry torte for dessert. The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for dinner.
  
  Saltwater Grille
  231 Front Street
  South Portland, ME 04106
  207-799-5400
  saltwatergrille.com
  
  

Porthole Restaurant

• Located on the Casco Bay waterfront, Porthole Restaurant specializes in serving American classics in a casual dining room. Breakfast specials include eggs Florentine, biscuits and gravy, huevos rancheros and other favorites. Diners start off lunch or dinner with an appetizer, soup or salad. Popular choices are the spinach-artichoke dip, crab cake salad and clam chowder. Main course selections are the grilled salmon, meatloaf sandwich, chicken ranch wrap and fried salmon. In the winter months, Porthole is open for breakfast or lunch on Thursday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The restaurant is open in the summer for breakfast, lunch or dinner Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  
  Porthole Restaurant
  20 Custom House Wharf
  Portland, ME 04101-4708
  207-780-6533
  portholemaine.com
  
  

Snow Squall Restaurant

• The Snow Squall offers a variety of dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For breakfast, guests can try the homemade buttermilk pancakes or corned beef hash. Appetizer selections for lunch and dinner include the bruschetta, warm apple and pear salad or sauteed mussels. Entree favorites are the slow-roasted pork tenderloin served with sweet potato, penne pasta tossed with sausage and sun-dried tomatoes, sake-seared salmon and the crispy shrimp ravioli. Burgers, sandwiches and wraps are also available on the menu. The Snow Squall is open Wednesday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and From 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The restaurant is closed on Monday and Tuesday.
  
  Snow Squall Restaurant
  18 Ocean Street
  South Portland, ME 04106
  207-799-0811
  snowsquallrestaurant.com