New Veranda restaurant planned for Portland’s Fore Street

Maine restaurant owners plan new Veranda Kitchen & Bar on Fore Street

Portland, Maine – Hai Pham and Sonka Nguyen, the proprietors of a chain of Thai‑ and Vietnamese‑inspired restaurants and markets in Greater Portland, have submitted a proposal to the City Council to open a new Veranda Kitchen & Bar at 425 Fore Street. The application will be reviewed at the council meeting scheduled for October 5.

The proposed venue will occupy the same building that houses Barkada and Gelato Fiasco. In the application, the owners noted that their flagship Veranda Kitchen & Bar, located in Westbrook, has been serving Thai and Vietnamese specialties for more than a decade. They intend to replicate that menu and experience at the Fore Street location.

The plan calls for a full liquor license and outlines operating hours of 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The layout shows a total of 38 seats: 24 at tables and 14 at a counter.

Pham and Nguyen’s broader “Veranda Group” currently includes Veranda Thai and Veranda Noodle Bar on Veranda Street, as well as the Veranda Asian Market on Forest Avenue. All of the restaurants offer a mix of Thai, Vietnamese, and other Asian dishes.

The owners said they plan to open the Fore Street location in the fall, though no specific date has been announced. An official response to the proposal was not received at the time of writing.

If approved, the new Veranda Kitchen & Bar would bring another Asian‑inspired dining option to downtown Portland, complementing the city’s growing culinary scene. The application remains pending until the council’s October 5 meeting, at which the owners’ proposal will be formally considered.