<p class="ingestion featured-caption">I recently dined at Fore Street, one of the most famous restaurants in Portland, Maine. I was surprised by the experience.Erin McDowell/Business Insider</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>I recently dined at Fore Street, one of the most awarded restaurants in Portland, Maine.</li><li>The restaurant has been nominated for many James Beard awards, including "Outstanding Restaurant."</li></ul><p>The scent of burning wood filled my nostrils as I pushed through the large paned doors of Fore Street in <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/regards-portland-maine-everyone-should-be-going-to-2023-6">Portland, Maine</a>. The restaurant, with its tavern-like atmosphere and rustic wood and brick accents, instantly felt welcoming.</p><p>I was eager for the dining experience that lie ahead, knowing that Fore Street's reputation preceded it.</p><p>Since opening in 1996 in the historic Old Port neighborhood, Fore Street has garnered countless accolades, making it a culinary cornerstone in Portland.</p><p>Chef-partner Sam Hayward, a Portland native who has been <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/207/the-making-of-fore-street-chef-sam-hayward/97-a9379303-b7db-431c-b35c-c0dac47a755a">called</a> the "godfather of the farm-to-table movement in Maine," was named the top chef in the Northeastern United States in 2004, one of the highest honors given by the James Beard Foundation.</p><p>The restaurant has also been nominated in the "Outstanding Restaurant" category multiple times since it was first recognized in 2011 and was included on <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.opentable.com/blog/top-100-restaurants-america-2023/">OpenTable's</a> list of the top 100 restaurants in the United States in 2023.</p><p>Despite being a food reporter for over five years, I've never dined at a restaurant that has been recognized by the James Beard Awards, one of the most prestigious accolades a restaurant or chef can receive.</p><p>So, before <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-that-surprised-a-new-yorker-about-visiting-portland-maine-2024-9">visiting Portland for the first time</a>, I decided to make a reservation at Fore Street to judge the experience, atmosphere, and, most importantly, the food.</p><p>Here are 10 things that surprised me about dining at Fore Street, and whether it's worth trying to score a coveted reservation.</p>