Central Provisions is a small plates restaurant and bar at 414 Fore Street in Portland’s Old Port, run by chef Chris Gould and Paige Gould since 2014. Diners come for an inventive, globally influenced menu built for sharing, served inside one of the neighborhood’s oldest brick buildings.
The space feels rustic and close: exposed brick, worn timber beams, and a compact layout split between a lively street-level bar and a dimmer lower level. The kitchen leans hard on Maine seafood. Raw bar offerings like the Scallop Crudo and Oysters Escabeche open most meals, and the menu also includes caviar service. The rest of the menu rotates with the seasons and borrows freely from Asian, Mediterranean and Latin flavors. The bar pours pre-Prohibition-style cocktails, local beer and an eclectic wine list, along with a “Temperance” section of zero-proof drinks (source: [Menu To Eat](https://menutoeat.com/central-provisions/)). Google reviewers give it a 4.6 rating across more than 1,700 reviews.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
Book well ahead for summer and fall weekends, when Old Port foot traffic peaks. Solo diners and couples can often land walk-in bar seats early in the evening or on weeknights. Plan on two or three plates per person, and order in waves. Confirm current hours at central-provisions.com or by calling 207-805-1085. Afterward, walk two blocks to the Commercial Street waterfront or browse the shops on Exchange Street.
