One of life’s most wonderful guilty pleasures is fried food. Next time you’ve got a craving for fried clams, egg rolls, and even deep-fried mushrooms (yes!), know that options in Maine abound. From clam huts in Portland to diners in Bangor, here are the best fried food places in the state.
Southern food reigns supreme at Hot Suppa, and nowhere is fried chicken as good as in the south. Hot Suppa’s fried chicken is heartily battered and fried until crisp. Their Nashville Hot Chicken is fried as well, with the perfect amount of spice to heat things up. You can’t go wrong with either option.
Guests will find some of the most delicious fried fish in the southern Maine area at Warren’s Lobster House. Add to that their fried scallops and clams, and you’ve got a fried food smorgasbord! The all-you-can-eat salad bar is the perfect accompaniment to fried seafood, and it comes with every entrée.
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You won’t find any frozen mozzarella sticks at Sea Dog Brewing Company. That’s because their deep-fried mozzarella sticks are all made by hand. Fresh mozzarella is hand cut and battered, and then deep fried until crispy on the outside and melting in the middle. Served with house marinara, they’re an appetizer to behold!
If you’ve never experienced the crispy sweetness of sweet potato fries, you have to try them for your first time at High Tide Restaurant & Bar. Cooked perfectly so the outside is crisp and the inside is tender, they are hot and delicious. Sweet potato fries are the perfect side order with sandwiches, burgers, fried seafood and more—all of which you may also order at Rising Tide.
What’s better than plain fries? Fries that are deep fried in duck fat. That’s exactly what you’ll get to treat yourself with at Duckfat in Portland. Hand cut Belgian fries are heated to a crisp in duck fat, and then are served with your choice of sauces. Choose from garlic mayo, curry mayo, truffle ketchup, horseradish mayo, Thai chili mayo, and more.
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Sure, Hush Puppies are a southern gem, but the Black Birch makes them, too, and they’re likely the very best in Maine. Deep fried, and served with pimento cheese and tomato jam, they’re one of the most delightful small plates on the menu. Perfect as a starter or a mid-evening snack with cocktails. You don’t have to go below the Mason-Dixon line for Hush Puppies again!
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