For some years before Greater Portland and Maine in general became synonymous with good food, we’ve been a force to be reckoned with on the national craft beer scene. Today, the state has more than 150 breweries, ranking second in the country (behind Vermont) for most breweries per capita. 

Since the craft cocktail movement kicked off in the early 2000s, Portland in particular has also become home to some of the country’s most lauded cocktail bars. While fewer people may be drinking alcohol these days — and excellent mocktails are on the rise locally — those who do tipple will find a wealth of options. Whether you’re looking for snazzy and sophisticated venues and drinks or something more casual and homey, you’re covered by the seven bars and breweries that readers and our panel of experts called their favorites.

Here are the readers’ and experts’ favorites:

---

---

Allagash Brewing Co.

50 Industrial Way, Portland. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday. 207-878-5385, allagash.com.

When a reader says Allagash Brewing Co. is “one of the best in the country, right here in little old Portland,” it’s not an exaggeration. Founded by Rob Tod in 1995, Allagash racks up awards and acclaim at an almost dizzying rate. Just last fall, it won gold medals for two of its signature beers at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival and was named brewery/brewer of the year for a third time. 

Yet as highly respected as it is nationally, Allagash is positively beloved back home. Loyalists cite the tasting room’s extensive beverage offerings, from seasonal beers and limited edition brews and ciders to flagship staples like Allagash White, Hop Reach IPA and Curieux, a barrel-aged tripel. They also love that a dedicated Bite Into Maine truck supplies lobster rolls and other food, while the tasting room regularly offers trivia, tasting events and tours. Even more, many readers said they appreciate that Allagash is a responsible Certified B Corp company, supporting community and sustainability.

---

Blyth & Burrows

26 Exchange St., Portland. 4-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 4-midnight Friday; noon-midnight Saturday; noon-11 p.m. Sunday. 207-613-9070, blythandburrows.com.

Since it opened in 2017, Josh Miranda’s Blyth & Burrows has been a cherished spot for craft cocktail lovers in Old Port. The cozy, dark and romantic space includes two stylish bar areas and a fun little speakeasy space behind a hidden door in the back. In naming it Portland’s “Best Cocktail Bar with Something for Everyone” in 2025, Wine Enthusiast magazine said Blyth “offers everything from light, refreshing drinks to intensive cocktails that employ homemade ingredients and tough techniques.”

Blyth & Burrows’ artful, exceptionally well-calibrated and elegantly presented cocktails include the bottled and carbonated S.B.N.T.S., with tequila, hibiscus, lavender, apricot and Champagne acid, and the Belgian White, a vodka-based drink flavored with coriander, almond and citrus. First-timers will likely have their minds blown by the delicious Tom Yum Punch, a clarified cocktail that tastes uncannily like the eponymous Thai hot and sour soup. As veteran local chef and Dry Dock general manager Matt Ginn puts it, “Blyth & Burrows is the best cocktail bar in town. They make the most thoughtful and creative cocktails in the city.”

---

Cuties

46 Market St., Portland. 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday; 9 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday. cutiesportland.com.

When the ownership team of Arvid Brown, Nick Coffin, Garrett Lenderman, Ryan Nielsen and Bryce Summers took over the former Petite Jacqueline space, they envisioned a bright and colorful all-day bar that would take full advantage of the natural light pouring in from enormous picture windows that look out onto Market Street. Almost a year in, Cuties has become the daylong Old Port destination the team had in mind. 

Locals stop by in the morning for coffee beverages and to work on their laptops. As the day goes on, orders become a mix of coffee and day-friendly sippers, like a Bitchin’ Michelada and the Turbo Julius, a riff on the orange creamsicle-like Orange Julius. Later still, business turns to wine and cocktails, like the Salad Bar Martini, made with both clarified tomato water and Italian tomato gin, which Punch magazine named among its 11 favorite cocktails of 2025. Daytime food includes sandwiches and breakfast items, with snacky dishes and small plates served at night. As Hunt + Alpine co-owner Briana Bononcini said, “Portland has needed a place like Cutie’s for a long time. I go there during the day and get work done and hit it at night with friends. It’s a vibrant spot that just feels great to be in.”

---

Five of Clubs

754 Congress St., Portland. 3-10 p.m, Monday-Thursday; 3-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. 207-800-3855, longfellowhotel.com.

For a hotel lobby bar, Five of Clubs has garnered plenty of local fans since it launched in 2024 in the West End’s Longfellow Hotel. Inspired by the five-man literary society Henry Wadsworth Longfellow founded, the sophisticated bar and lounge features high ceilings, oak and marble decor accents and plush seating. 

Five of Clubs’ food menu includes shared plates like oysters Rockefeller and chickpea fries, as well as novelties like a caviar-topped hot dog. The cocktail menu offers twists on classics like a Douglas Fir Gimlet with local Goldie’s gin, signature drinks like a Passion Fruit Negroni, and seasonal concoctions such as this winter’s Henry’s Handshake, made with small-batch bourbon and local Handshake amaro spiced with saffron, cardamom and chamomile. “The cocktail list is inventive and consistently good,” said a reader in our survey. You don’t need to be a tourist to enjoy this West End gem – consider it a mini-staycation.

---

Maine Beer Co.

525 U.S. Route 1, Freeport. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Sunday. 207-221-5711, mainebeercompany.com.

The skeleton of a 50-foot fin whale hangs from the ceiling of Maine Beer Co.’s strikingly sleek, atrium-like tasting room. The space makes a powerful first impression, even before your first sip of the hop-forward ales that are the brewery’s specialty. Regardless of the time of day, customers here gravitate toward Lunch, the flagship IPA that has developed a cult-like following. One reader calls the Freeport tasting room “a handsome space, imaginatively created, with a dramatic view of the brewery operations, plus the opportunity to sample (for a price) different beers and order a splendid pizza from the onsite wood-fired oven.”

Since its launch in 2009 by brothers David and Daniel Kleban, Maine Beer Co. has also prioritized sustainability, giving 1% of its gross annual profits to environmental nonprofits through its partnership with 1% for the Planet. It was named “Greenest Independent Restaurant” by the Green Restaurant Association last year and also offers employees ample compensation and benefits packages. Another reader notes: “The whole operation feels thoughtful — from quality and consistency to the community-minded approach. If you’re anywhere near Freeport, it’s a must-stop.”

---

Novare Res

4 Canal Plaza, Portland. 3-11 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 11:30 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday. 207-761-2437, novareresbiercafe.com.

Novare Res is a beer lover’s happy place. Tucked away from Old Port’s bustle in the basement of the 1825 Canal Bank building, the bar boasts more than 30 taps and 170 bottles representing both local and international brews. Novare was founded by Julie and Eric Michaud in 2008 to meet the desires of craft beer aficionados, and has since made a national name for itself: In 2019, USA Today crowned it New England’s best beer bar, and the 5th best in the country.

Located in an alleyway off Exchange Street, the venue offers lovely beer garden-style deck seating in good weather. In colder months, the cellar-like barroom is a cozy space to hunker down with a hearty pint and nibble on some of the menu’s beer-friendly snacks, sandwiches and meat and cheese plates. One reader said she loved “the low-key vibe, pub-like feel, and wide array of beers. The knowledgeable staff is also amazing — you can describe what you are in the mood for and they know what to recommend.” Arvid Brown, co-owner of Cuties and Room for Improvement, said Novare has “sneaky-good snacks, one of the best patios in Portland and (it’s) never swamped with tourists.”

---

Oxbow BLENDING & BOTTLING

49 Washington Ave., Portland. Noon-7 p.m. Sunday-Monday; noon-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; noon-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. 207-350-0025, oxbowbeer.com

Launched 12 years ago, some 50 miles southwest of its farmhouse brewery in Newcastle, Oxbow’s 10,000-square-foot warehouse space on Washington Avenue serves as a production facility, bar and art gallery, showcasing rotating exhibitions. It’s also become one of the area’s standout venues for live music and special events like weddings. 

The bar at Oxbow Blending & Bottling is attractively lined with more than 200 barrels filled with long-aging sour beer. Oxbow also shares an outdoor patio with neighboring Duckfat Frites Shack, which supplies the bar with food. Duckfat’s famed Belgian-style fries are soulmates for Oxbow’s signature Belgian-style farmhouse ales and saisons, though there are plenty of other styles to enjoy, like the dry-hopped amber lager Alpino, and Luppolo, their Italian-syle pils. Colin Wyatt, the chef at Twelve and Douro, said Oxbow’s Washington Avenue location “is my favorite brewery and the one I visit most. Great beer is a must (thank you Luppolo), but it’s also where I go for live music, to meet friends and — without fail — a large order of fries. Just thinking about it makes me want to be there.”

Tell us about your favorite spots to grab a beer or cocktail in the comments below or weigh in with other commenters on our entire Best 32 picks here: What are your favorite restaurants? Which did we miss?