Central Provisions occupies 414 Fore Street in the Old Port, a building whose name nods to its original use as a storehouse for provisions on what was once Central Street wharf. Chef Chris Gould runs the kitchen, and the dining room seats guests on bar stools and chairs made by local craftsmen, with tabletops of reclaimed heart pine and seat backs cut from old wine-barrel staves.
The menu has included crab salad, bread and butter, tuna crudo with garnish, and suckling pig — dishes that move between light, raw preparations and heavier, shared plates. The kitchen sources from local farms and businesses.
Regulars point to inventive small plates, standout desserts, and a lively room, alongside service that comes up often enough to be part of the restaurant's identity.
Central Provisions was a James Beard Foundation Best New Restaurant finalist in 2015, and Portland Press Herald named it among the city's best restaurants in 2025.
The menu has included crab salad, bread and butter, tuna crudo with garnish, and suckling pig — dishes that move between light, raw preparations and heavier, shared plates. The kitchen sources from local farms and businesses.
Regulars point to inventive small plates, standout desserts, and a lively room, alongside service that comes up often enough to be part of the restaurant's identity.
Central Provisions was a James Beard Foundation Best New Restaurant finalist in 2015, and Portland Press Herald named it among the city's best restaurants in 2025.