Emilitsa

We had been walking by this restaurant for years, and finally found a special occasion worthy of a more expensive dinner in town. It did not let us down! The service was perfect, very attentive but not overly so, and very friendly. The food was phenomenal. The one part of the meal that really stands out is the octopus appetizer… that was the most tender and delicious octopus I’ve ever had and I may go back for a glass of wine and another taste in the near future.
Definitely worth checking out!

My wife and I have been to Emilitsa a dozen or so times since it opened and never been disappointed. John and his staff have always taken excellent care of us and the food in some of the best in Portland. There are not many places I can take friends and sincerely recommend everything on the menu. The stand outs for me are the pan fried sheep’s milk cheese with balsamic fig sauce and the grilled octopus for apps. The entrees are all delightful and it is always hard to decide. The skewers of chicken and the lamb chops are my favorite. It is hard to describe how good the food at Emilitsa is because it sounds so simple, but it is so expertly prepared. Emilitsa is our ‘go to’ fine dinning option especially if we are out with friends.
On our last visit I had the privilege of seeing the kitchen and it was immaculate. The back of the house staff was very gracious and I was surprised that on a busy Saturday night they had turned out such a good service with only three people.

My husband and I went Columbus weekend. The food was not bad but high priced for the quality. We don’t mind high price and will gladly pay it as long as the food is comparable. Overpowered with garlic. Garlic should be an enhancement not the main event. The service was good. 1^st disappointment, they didn’t have what they put on their web menu, 2^nd we asked for bread, ordered it, it came stale and then charged us for it. Don’t mind paying but say there is a charge. Charging for stale toasted bread was a little ridiculous given the price of the meals and we had ordered a $ 50 bottle of wine.

Amazing delicious meal! Great ambiance, informed friendly servers, interesting yummy cocktails. Worth the $$$. This is an eclectic meal you won’t so forget. We had 3 of the spreads with the pita. Eggplant (heavy on the cardamom) jalapeño, and white bean. Hands down white bean was #1 in our book. We also tried the octopus which was good, and the lamb sliders (unbelievable). Went on to have moussaka (was just ok, again, too much cardamom) the duck (mind blowing) and and the rabbit. (Yum!)
For dessert we shared the baklava which was good; I can’t say it was the best I’ve ever had but good. They could work on that a bit. It was the only part of the meal that was not top notch. I would love to give this place 5 stars and I will if the baklava is improved. Flakier, crunchier, gooier, less cardamom!

This restaurant offered an enjoyable experience in a relaxed environment. Good selection of interesting Greek wines. We enjoyed ordering the sampling of different spreads. The scallop appetizer was also delicious. Overall we really enjoyed our meal. Emilitsa lost a fifth star, however, because it is pretty ridiculous for a restaurant at this price point to charge for extra pita.

I’ve been here twice, and each meal sticks out in my mind as one of the best meals of my life. It’s just a matter of perfect execution of service and food. This place is upscale Greek, and I regard it as the best higher end restaurant in Portland that I’ve experienced. One time during the winter, I ordered a pasta which is essentially greek bolognese with mizithra cheese. It was rustic, comforting, and perfect. The next time I visited was in the summer. I ordered a grilled whole drum fish on salad. It was deboned table side. Although a very different type of meal, it was again flawless. Service was attentive, pleasant, and well timed. I don’t have occasion to go out to restaurants at this price point very often, but this would be the place I’d choose over all else. It’s the type of pricier meal that feels like an excellent value. Most of the time, I eat for sustenance. Often, I go out to a restaurant for a good time. But, this is the type of restaurant that will remind you of how profound a food experience can be.

Friends and I had another wonderful meal at Emilitsa last night. We started out with a trio of spreads with grilled pita bread, all outstanding, the pita was warm and melted in our mouths. Our entrees were even better, my friends each had the halibut, healthy portion size and cooked to perfection. I had the vegetarian potatoes and tomato dish, the flavor was of kalamatas, garlic, sweet tomatoes and feta. Truly amazing.
The waitstaff was attentive, ensuring our glasses were full and that we had everything we needed. Additionally, the owner graciously brought out dessert wine for our table at the end of our meal.
I will definitely return again and again.

My best friend asked me to answer with my first reaction to her text that said «Greek or Italian?» I said Greek, so I anticipated that Emilitsa was a distinct possibility. I was correct!
Emilitsa was a quaint, thoughtful restaurant. I noticed many Greek patrons, and personal attention was provided to them (by who appeared to be the owner). I generally find it to be a good sign when customers hail from the same region as the food being served. It’s usually fair to assume that the food is of quality, and perhaps traditional in flavor. I haven’t visited Greece as my friend has, but she seemed satisfied with what we ate.
I noticed a variety of people seated around us. Some couples were on dates, some people were there with their family. Seems like a good place for either. There is a small bar at the front which could be an intimate, quiet meal for the solo diner as well.
We ordered three different spreads to go with the pita. One was traditional tzatziki, one was jalapeño, and one was a garlic/​potato purée. I liked them in that exact order, in fact. The garlic was very potent, and while tasty, a bit overwhelming. I would suggest ordering it as a way of saying «Not tonight, honey» if you aren’t feeling frisky.
We also ordered the lamb rib appetizers, pretty good. In other circumstances I would have opted for octopus or scallops, but my friend has a limited palette. For entrée, my friend had the moussaka, and I ordered the whole grilled fish. Hers was tasty, but very heavy and rich. Mine had a much lighter flavor, and was just to my liking.
Overall, good service, good food.
I’m a little picky about atmosphere, though. I would come back IF given the corner seat.

Simply amazing! Not a bad dish on the menu. Delightful staff. Totally a place to come back to.

By far my favorite restaurant in Portland. Everything is 5 star; food, service, ambiance. A must try !

ALWAYS, hands down the best Greek food in Portland. I’ve eaten here dozens of times and not once did they falter in quality, presentation or service. If you want a five star Greek dining experience for three star prices, you’ve found your place.

We visited this upscale Greek restaurant on the last night of our recently concluded vacation. After being provided menus and ice water, we were presented with a delicious amuse bouche of seasoned toast points with a lentil purée. My wife’s choice of an entrée was free range chicken breast marinaded in olive, presumably Greek, oil and lemon, oregano and garlic that was skewered with onion and red pepper and served with spanakorizo (Greek rice) and tzatziki. I chose swordfish skewered with red onions, sweep peppers, and zucchini that was served with spanakorizo and skrothalia (a purée of potato and garlic). Though souvlaki is generally considered a Greek fast food, these were upscale and a total taste delight. Service was also a cut above to the extent that the wait staff unskewered our food. This was a fitting conclusion to our foodcentric vacation.

I’ve eaten at a lot of the restaurants in Portland Maine and there are some great ones. Over the past year I have tried, unsuccessfully, to make reservations at Emilitsa’s. They were always full.
Recently I was able to get in on a Wednesday night. The meals were fantastic. My wife ordered the Duck Breast and I ordered the Halibut and I have to say that this is the best food we’ve had inPortland.

I had a hard time believing that I would find amazing Greek food in Portland, but I was blown away. I spent a weekend in town and ate at 5 different restaurants, and this was by far the best meal.
Being with my family, I got to try a lot of different dishes, because we all like to share. I can tell you everything was amazing, but in particular the lamb loin, octopus appetizer, roasted eggplant dip, and of course the moussaka was amazing. I also enjoyed my drink, which was rye whisky, ouzo, sugar, and bitters. Amazing and unique combination! The desserts were a great ending, though probably the weakest part of the meal for me (but no regrets on ordering them! They were still delicious).
Everything was expertly done, original but still close to home, and every detail tended to. Fresh herbs accenting every plate, amazing sauces and spreads, and extremely friendly staff. We had a wonderful conversation with the owner, and before we knew it we had spent 3 hours eating and laughing and having a wonderful meal.
There is no doubt I will be back here next time I find myself in Portland.

We had a wonderful dinner. Started with a mojito that was light and refreshing with plenty of fresh mint — a taste of summer! Chef sent out a complimentary dip made with chick peas, sea salt, olive oil and herbs with crisp pita that was delicious. The duck was just perfectly prepared, seared outside and moist and tender inside, not greasy or heavy at all, served with tzataki. The swordfish kabab was likewise perfectly cooked, very fresh, tender, with a distinct grilled flavor. Moussaka was the ultimate comfort food. There were 4 of us, and I don’t think anyone left so much as a morsel of food on their plate.
Although it’s not inexpensive, the quality of the food and service more than justifies the expense. Highly recommend.

After significant advanced research (which may or may not have involved a spreadsheet…), I chose Emilitsa for my birthday dinner. It did not disappoint!
My husband and I made reservations for earlyish on a Friday night, and the place was already filling up by then. I’m guessing reservations are a must when the weather warms up.
Food:
We got the rabbit in phyllo dough as our appetizer. It was very elegant and well prepared, although it did have kind of a bitter taste, perhaps from the beer reduction? If we go back, I might choose a different dish for an app.
The entrees were OUT of this WORLD. I got duck served on a pita with a yogurt sauce and pomegranate glaze. (Disclaimer: duck is my favorite meat.) I really enjoyed the combination of the fruity glaze with the hearty duck and the creamy yogurt. It felt indulgent without being too rich. My husband got the grilled baby lamb loin chops. Now, we’re not big red meat eaters, but we LOVED those loin chops. They were pretty small and delicate (not like those huge bricks of meat you’d get at a steakhouse) and the seasoning blend on the outside was incredibly tasty. Wish I knew what it was!
Dessert solidified the whole experience. Now, you may be tempted to go for something besides baklava, since we’ve all had baklava, right? DON’T. Get the baklava. It’s delicious without being sickeningly sweet, and it comes with an amazing cream on the side that is something between whipped cream and vanilla ice cream. It was the perfect ending to my meal.
Service:
The waitress we had was good; not overly friendly, but she always made sure we had water, and she brought us our food at a good pace. The owner also came to check on us twice during our meal, which I thought was nice. You could tell he really cared about the diners.
Atmosphere:
Refined and cozy at the same time. It’s definitely on the fancy side, but not too stuffy.
Price:
Yes, it’s expensive. But in this case I felt like the price was well worth it. I only wish we could go here more often!

Love to sit at the bar here. The bar top is a beautiful honed marble. Love it. Nice glass of wine, Greek salad and trio of spreads served with grilled pita.
Very relaxed dinner with great service

This is one of the best restaurants in Portland hands down. My girlfriend and I split four small plates and had two drinks each at the bar… it was outstanding. Each dish was expertly prepared, with subtle Mediterranean flavors… which highlight the chefs creative talents.
The octopus app is world class stuff… the best I’ve ever had. Pricy… but try it… its grilled to perfection and delicious.
The scallops with feta and sauce was great… perfectly portioned and cooked for a small plate. You’re in Europe with this one.
The beet salad was colorful and delicious.
The lamb kabob burst with lemon, oregano, garlic, and was perfect medium rare.
Just good stuff… the wine list is varied with good value… ambiance and service were excellent… and the owner created a bit of interactive dining for me… explaining the cooking process of several items.
Expensive…$ 125 plus tip for four apps and two drinks each… but well well worth it… five stars

Atmosphere: Classy and inviting. Upscale dining that is comfortable.
Service: I ate there a while back, so I don’t remember the details, but we felt well taken care of and despite the fact that we were the last people there, they did not rush us out.
Food: Excellent food. Every course was solid. Our appetizers were great. We had the fried cheese. The lamb entrée is incredible and the duck entrée was equally delicious. One of the things I cant get out of my head is the dessert — chocolate cake — light, great flavor. The entire meal was memorable.
Drink: We ordered a bottle of the Sauvignon blanc and it was excellent.
I would highly recommend this place.

This place was amazing. I have never been a fan of Greek food but this totally blew me away. I had their Heirloom tomato salad, which was so fresh and tasty. I don’t like feta, but the feta they use is buttery and not at all salty. The duck entrée is out of this world good. It is rubbed with a spice blend and cooked medium rare… it was fantastic. For dessert I had to try the traditional Greek dessert, Baklava. It was sweet, crisp, and the nut filling was just delicious. The wait staff was demure, polite, and on point. The atmosphere and decore is intimate, soft, modern, sophisticated, and classy. I highly recommend this restaurant. Please be advised that for a table reservations are required, they do have a bar that is first come, first serve but it is very small with maybe 8 chairs.