It's a natural feeling to sit back and reflect at the end of the year. Even if wrapped up in holiday madness, there always seems to be time to reminisce.

Sadly, it's not always for positive reasons. Sometimes it's easy to look back and reflect on the bad news that hit us in 2022. Good Lord, we have had enough of that lately. And some of the worst news comes with business closures.

Every year brings business closures; it's just a fact of life. But when it's a favorite, it can figuratively punch you right in the gut.

I bring this up because it's important look back and remember the wonderful experiences had over the past year and beyond. Even bad news can trigger good memories. And with restaurant closures, that's all you have left. Just great memories of a place you can never eat at again.

Below is a list of Portland, Maine, restaurants that closed this year. It's a very interesting mix of establishments, to say the least.

From the large to small, from Mexican to Middle Eastern, the restaurants were a diverse group. Some that closed were absolute heavy hitters in the town. Others were iconic institutions that had been open for decades.

One thing that connects them all are the everlasting memories that fans of these restaurants will treasure forever.

Author's note: I did include two chain restaurants. Those two were the only ones not locally owned.

13 Portland Restaurants that Closed in 2022

Below is a list of 13 restaurants that closed in 2022. They will be missed.

30 "Under-the-Radar" Restaurants in Maine

Thanks to our great listeners we were able to compile a list of many of Maine's great "under-the-radar" restaurants, cafes, pubs and bakeries.

These great spots can be found across the state, and waiting for you to give them a try.

How many have you been to?

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