Duckfat

Even in midafternoon, this small, casual, and cool panini-and-more shop is packed, and the wait for tables can be hours. The focus here is everyday farm-to-table fare: the signature Belgian fries are made with Maine potatoes cooked, yes, in duck fat and served in paper cones, and standards include meat loaf and the BGT (bacon, goat cheese, tomato). Drink choices include gelato milk shakes, French-press coffee, lime-mint fountain sodas, beer, and wine.

This small sandwich spot in the Old Port sets itself apart by centering the most beloved deep-fried potato product: the French fry. Hand-cut, fried in duck fat, and served up in a cone of delightfully grease-soaked parchment, they’re delicious enough to build a reputation on alone—although it certainly doesn’t hurt to serve them with sauces like truffle ketchup and horseradish mayo (better yet, a “flight” of all five sauces), or to proffer them in the form of poutine, replete with duck gravy and locally sourced cheese curds. The rest of the menu is great, too—the paninis cover everything from a Montreal-style Reuben to a Cubano sandwich with house-smoked pulled pork, plus you’ll find milkshakes in flavors like vanilla bean and sea salted duck fat caramel.

When he set his sights across the street, towards creating a smaller, sandwich-and-fries driven eatery called Duckfat, it seemed natural to the restaurant’s then-manager Smith, along with Andrew Taylor and Mike Wylie, already in the kitchen—to keep the esteemed restaurant in the family. Together, the three took over the restaurant, along with the space next door, a recently-vacated culinary bookstore that the group would turn into the bustling Eventide oyster bar—something that could be open all day long at all price points, and help keep the funds flowing for a more ambitious dining program on the other side of the wall (now a shared kitchen) at Hugo’s.

Thanks to the Yoda-like guidance from its original owners, Nancy Pugh and Beard Award-winning chef Rob Evans, Duckfat 2.0 remains at the top of Portland’s restaurant scene. It wasn’t clear for the first few weeks after the restaurant was sold (to a hands-off investor) if general manager Trevor Lilly, a 19-year Duckfat veteran, would be able to keep the restaurant on course. But nearly a year into the new regime, Duckfat’s indulgent menu of gelato-based milkshakes, grill-scored panini and Belgian-style french fries cooked in bubbling duck fat is almost indistinguishable from its predecessors.

Even though we didn’t have enough time to really grab a meal at Duckfat, we still wanted to try out this Portland staple–famed for its charcuterie, sandwiches and craft beer. We took a tip from Adventurous Kate and ordered our sandwiches to-g0 and took them with us to the airport (although to her point: at 4:30pm on a Sunday, we would have been able to sit down with no wait). Because the panini are grilled, I do think they’re probably better to eat within 30 minutes or so of taking them out (and we ate them a few hours later)–but the house smoked turkey sandwiches were still delicious!

If you want a more affordable spot, try the taqueria El Rayo on the neighborhood’s outskirts, Flatbread brick-oven pizza (perfect for families and right on the water), Duckfat (whose staff chef has won on Food Network’s show “Chopped”), The Thirsty Pig or the East Ender, a bright, family-friendly tavern on the east end whose chef-owner comes up with surprising takes on BBQ and pub grub. For simple but delicious takes on lobster, check out the Portland Lobster Co. right on the wharf. And, last but not least, the best place to get good chowder is Gilbert’s on Commercial Street.

This very casual lunch spot is all about the fries—specifically, crispy Belgian fries cooked in duck fat (yes, you read that right). For the true Duckfat experience, diners sit at high-tops, dipping the famous potato sticks in truffle ketchup or curry mayo and washing them down with the Duckfat Original Milkshake (made with "double Tahitian vanilla bean crème anglaise"). Sure, there are other things to eat, such as a roasted beet salad and tuna melt or the B.G.T. (bacon, goat cheese, and tomato) panini, but, oh, those fries.

As one of Portland’s trendiest places to eat, Duckfat has quickly become the king of elevated comfort food in the downtown area. Having launched into fame for Chef Rob Evan’s unique method of frying French fries in duck fat, the restaurant has since developed a menu that holds up to its legendary fries. Chef Evan was also named “Best Chef Northeast” by the James Beard Foundation in 2009, a nd is a three-time winner of Food Network’s Chopped champion restaurant.

Chef Rob Evans won awards for all kinds of fancy stuff at his former restaurant Hugo’s (now run by the group behind Eventide Oyster Co.), but it’s his Duckfat frites that win hearts. At this longtime mainstay, Maine potatoes are cut by hand and fried in, yes, duck fat. Salty, crisp, and wonderful, the Belgian-style frites are served in a paper cone with your choice of dipping sauce: garlic mayo, curry mayo, horseradish mayo, Thai chili mayo, or truffle ketchup.

Duckfat has a hipster vibe that wouldn’t be out of place in Brooklyn, yet is here, in the heart of charming but low key Portland. The small, casual eatery has a varied menu, with the common denominator being that there’s very little that will leave you hungry, whether you opt for the poutine with duck gravy, packed-to-the-brim brisket sandwich, or unctuous ice cream milkshake. The venue also has a buzzing social vibe, exacerbated by the cheek by jowl seating.

(I’m so sorry—I’m not usually one to yuck someone else’s yum, and I know I run the risk of alienating my readers, but the fries at Duckfat are more than just fries.). These are Belgian-style frites made from local Green Thumb Farms potatoes, twice-fried in Hudson Valley duck fat, and served piping hot with your choice of house-made dipping sauces. When this much care goes into the ingredients and technique, the result is something kind of transcendent.

Duckfat: Seemingly every guide to Portland also includes the poutine at Duckfat, and you don’t have to tell me twice to get fries with cheese curds!. Duckfat is even smaller than Eventide but luckily they have a modified to-go menu, so it's easy to try the poutine without a wait. We got it right before heading to the airport on Monday and it was a great afternoon snack.//We missed going to Scales, a gorgeous waterfront restaurant with an amazing bar!.

Duckfat, a cozy eatery nestled in Portland's vibrant arts district, is famous for its Belgian fries cooked in duck fat, a culinary delight that has earned a loyal following. Their menu also features innovative sandwiches, craft sodas, and a selection of local beers, creating a casual yet memorable dining experience. The poutine with duck gravy and local cheese curds is a must-try, exemplifying Duckfat’s commitment to elevating simple comfort food.

Hand-cut Belgian-inspired fries, panini, gelato shakes, craft beer, housemade sodas, salads, soups, locally sourced ingredients, 43 Middle Street, downtown Portland Maine. Thanks for your lists, I’m looking forward to Portland daycation season again. That’ll be soon since I’m getting low on the olive oil I like to get from Micucci’s (a favorite pretext for making the trip, not that we really need one).

Duckfat, located on Middle Street in Portland, gained notoriety for a restaurant that uses real duck fat to fry their Maine potato fries, making the outside of the fry crisp and the inside fluffy. The fries are then sprinkled with Duckfat’s own seasoning salt and can be dipped in eight different dipping sauces. The fries were the owner’s main inspiration to open Duckfat in downtown Portland.

Duckfat is a unique restaurant that specializes in one great product: duck fat-fried Belgian fries. Since 2005, they've been serving these cones of delicious, golden, crispy fries. Over time, they've expanded their menu, offering salads, soups, sandwiches, and sweets, but the fries are still one of their most well-known offerings, with delicious sauces like truffle ketchup and garlic mayo.

Duckfat could do really well in places like Brooklyn, Austin, or the other Portland—it’s small, casual, and constantly full of people named Winona or Elias. But Portland, Maine is the one that’s lucky enough to actually have it. They serve very good and very not-light food like poutine with duck gravy, brisket sandwiches, and milkshakes for brunch, lunch, and dinner.

Duckfat, headed by James Beard Award winner Rob Evans (formerly of French Laundry), is lauded for its Belgian-style french fries. There's also Blue Rooster Food Co., another popular casual eatery serving sandwiches, as well as an extensive hot dog and tater tot menu. And if you like Japanese food, Pai Men Miyake and Izakaya Minato are not to be missed.

On our first trip to Portland with our children in tow, we tried incessantly to get access to some Duckfat fries. Duckfat restaurant is this uber tiny, hip little restaurant that cooks everything in…duck fat. I think part of the appeal is to wait in line (there is just always a wait…just give it up here) and then savor those duckfat fries one-by-one.

We got the Poutine (add duck)… the actual duck on top was tender af and was simply amazing; even though this dish was good- I wish we had just gotten regular fries with their famous dipping sauces (sauces are a way of LIFE). We also got the Caprese Panini (add bacon). I am very particular about my sandwich bread and this HIT the SPOT!

Opened by the owners of Hugo's, one of Portland's choice upscale eateries, Duckfat has become a favorite with both the lunch and dinner crowd in Maine's largest city. Their much beloved specialty here are hand cut Belgian Fries cooked in, what else, duck fat. The result are some of the crispiest, chunky fries you will ever enjoy.

Duckfat’s claim to fame comes down to one key ingredient, which you probably guessed by now: duck fat. They’re best known for fries fried in duck fat that has been drawing customers since they opened their doors in 2005. Expect long lines during the lunch and dinner hours or arrive during off-hours to get the goods faster.

Duckfat is, in my option, the best casual restaurant in Portland Maine, and one of the best restaurants in Maine. Their food is unbelievably good, and like other restaurants we've mentioned, the living room is extremely small. Reservations aren't accepted, so you'll walk into the restaurant and leave your name.

Just the name of this restaurant probably makes you start to feel hungry. This family-owned restaurant offers a variety of delicious dishes, but the main focus is hot, crispy French fries made in duck fat. You’ll want to try some poutine or slow-cooked duck confit with handmade mayonnaise from local farms.

Not seafood, but I thought I’d include it due to the sheer popularity of this place and how every single travel blog mentions it. This place was even featured on an episode of ‘Somebody Feed Phil’. Duckfat is known for their Belgian-style french fries that are cooked in, you guessed it, duck fat!

Consider these places with parklet permits this year: Honey Paw/Eventide and Duckfat on Middle Street; Rosie’s, Mami and Dock Fore on Fore Street; Cheese Louise and Hunt & Alpine on Market Street; and High Roller Lobster Co. and Papi on Exchange Street. Makes for a lively street scene.

Foodie magazines love to chatter about Duck Fat, a small establishment that became famous for serving up french fries cooked in duck fat. The fries are good, not great, and the other dishes I’ve had there didn’t impress me. Same goes for anything with the name David’s in the title.

James Beard-award-winning chef Rob Evans left the fine dining world years ago to open this beloved bistro serving hand-cut Belgian-style fries with curried mayo, truffled ketchup, and other gourmet sauces, plus amazing poutine (Canadian-style fries with cheese curds and gravy),…

The frites here are exactly like the ones we found all over Belgium. These short little frites are fried in lard and served with a variety of mayo-based dipping sauces – just the way they should be. We loved these frites so much, we went here twice over our weekend trip.

Duckfat is a casual European sandwich, soup and cafe with good food and an outdoor patio. They’re known for their mouth-watering fries with duck as the main ingredient. This includes poutine with cheese curds and duck gravy as well as fresh-cut fries cooked in duck fat.

Duckfat for fries, poutine, shakes, sandwiches (or really anything they offer). Rob Evans won a James Beard award across the street at Hugo's before he sold it to the current owners (who are themselves perennial semifinalists). The guy is just too good at what he does.

In a city of seafood, Duckfat is a bit of an oddity with it’s high end sandwiches. Styled as a Belgian frite joint, the frites are definitely awesome as they are fried in duck fat, hence the name. The tables outside are dog friendly, but the wait can be extraordinary.

Owned by the talented Rob Evans (former James Beard winner), Duckfat is home to the greatest french fries on Earth. As the name implies, they are thicker cut fries (Belgian style) fried in pure duck fat. This is certainly not health food, but worth the indulgence.

I had the tongue panini and my wife had the duck confit panini. We thought both were somewhat skimpy, but tasty. We also shared the french fries cooked in duck fat, which we enjoyed, but didn't think they were as special as the press would lead one to think.

Duckfat is known for their fries, so of course we got a sample of those and we split a sandwich, as we still had 9:00 dinner reservations. Duckfat is a small restaurant and was pretty packed even at 5:00. We enjoyed playing with the magnetic word board.

Duckfat has been Instagrammed, blogged, and Facebooked ever since its opening day in 2005. Luckily, it still lives up to the hype. Pair your sandwich or panini with an indulgent milkshake in flavors like Burnt Maine Honey or Spicy Chai Tea.

Enjoy a hearty brunch at Duckfat, famous for its Belgian fries and panini. Afterward, immerse yourself in the local brewing scene with a tour of Allagash Brewing Company, known for its Belgian-style beers and commitment to sustainability.

D had to be Duckfat, because it’s one of my oldest restaurant loves in Portland. I’ve been in Maine, technically, since 2009, but I graduated college in 2013, and that’s when I really became acquainted with Portland’s insane food scene.

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (2,297 reviews)- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)- Type of cuisine: American- Price: $$ - $$$- Address: 43 Middle St, Portland, ME 04101-4213- Read more on Tripadvisor

Hence the name, a lot of items here are cooked in duck fat such as fries, brussel sprouts, donut holes, and even added to a milkshake!. With that said, their panini game is top notch. My go to panini is the homemade meatloaf.

Duckfat is a unique gem in Portland, Maine, known for its Belgian-style fries. These frites are hand-punched and twice-fried in duck fat. The result is an incredibly crispy and flavorful snack that I couldn’t get enough of.

Not only do they have the best fries in Portland, Duckfat has perfected every single aspect of this poutine dish, including the bits of cheese, chives, and duck gravy. #SpoonTip: Don’t forget to add a sunny side up egg.

Duckfat is a casual sandwich shop that has gained a cult following and is a must-visit. The shop is famous for its Belgian-style fries, cooked in duck fat. Diners have called them some of the best in the country.

Duckfat’s menu offers a wide variety of dishes to suit every palate, from hearty comfort food to healthier options. Make sure to check out the Frites Shack to grab some of its world-famous French fries.

Duckfat: Before summer kicks off and the endless lines start; grab some great happy hour. Sunday – Friday from 3pm – 6pm, enjoy deals on house wines, draft beer pour, popcorn, wings, and other bites.

A popular stop is Duck Fat, for their fabulous fries cooked in you guessed it…duck fat. Another famed restaurant here is Eventide Oyster Co, renowned for their oysters and fresh seafood.

Many of the best eateries are just outside the Old Port on Middle Street: Head there for oysters at Eventide (get there early on the weekends) or Belgian fries and paninis at Duckfat.

You’ll find supremely satisfying ones at Duck Fat (43 Middle St.; 207-774-8080), an upscale sandwich shop. The name is a clue to how they’re made.

Try Duckfat for lunch, probably the best lunch spot in town though the menu is a lunch twist on basic foods.