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Portland, Maine, Restaurants: Top 5

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Cinque Terre
36 Wharf St.
207-347-6154

Vignola
10 Dana St.
207-772-1330

Steve Corry, 555

"We [the kitchen staff] poke around at the farmers' markets and snag what inspires us, what looks good; then we bring it back to the kitchen," says Steve Corry, chef and co-owner (with his wife, Michelle) of 555. "We talk the menu through, and everyone has an opinion. Some are more vocal than others, but the cooks are all passionate and intense. Sometimes it goes through a few renditions before we're all satisfied. Then it makes it to the menu."

Steve and Michelle both spent time in California before settling back among their East Coast roots. That time in Napa codified their respect for local ingredients and their love of fine wines -- both of which are front and center on Steve's menus.

Before opening the doors, Steve was clear about his cooking style and what his operation would be, "but mostly I wanted to make sure that this would be a place for people who live here in Portland -- not just for out-of-towners. We love seeing new faces for certain, but we're also open seven nights a week, no matter the weather."

555
555 Congress St.
207-761-0555

Krista Kern, Bresca

Most of Krista Kern's prior experience was in desserts, but this woman is a force to be reckoned with, from appetizer to pasta to salad to entree. Her flavors are bold, but not overwhelming. And her mark is on every dish that leaves Bresca's teeny kitchen doors. "It's like I'm hosting a small dinner party every night," she says. "I don't want to be a big operator right now. I just want to take care of this little space and the people who come here."

Early in Krista's career, she was the sole baker in the kitchen of a large fine-dining establishment, where she produced more than 5,000 pieces of bread and pastry a day, on her own. "I went to New York to get formal training and more experience," she explains. She spent the 1990s cooking and baking her way through New York, France, and Las Vegas, coming home to Maine to do her own thing. With five tables and 20 seats, "it makes sense for me to go to the farmers' markets and local grocers to buy. I could never meet the minimum orders of the large companies, and that's fine -- I'd rather have a relationship with a local producer than an 800 number."

Bresca
111 Middle St.
207-772-1004