Our Self-Designed “Pub Crawl”

One evening, rather than heading to another restaurant for dinner, we designed our own “pub crawl” through town.  It was a great way to sample drinks and lite bites throughout Portland.

Papi

The food and cocktails here are just like the overall vibe:  vibrant and fun.  Papi is a Puerto Rican Bar and Kitchen located in the heart of Old Port.  

Drinks:  I got the Bruja Sabia, which was a pretty kiwi flavored drink featuring coconut gin and a candied kiwi slice on top.  It was quite sweet!

Food:  The street tacos were excellent!  The pork was very flavorful and the pickled passion fruit perfectly combined this lite bite with the tropical drink.

Overall Thoughts:  The service was good and the food tasty.  The cocktails were a little too sweet and the space was tight inside, although if you come at an off time it won’t be as crowded.  Papi also has a space outdoors, right in the front of the restaurant, where you can enjoy your cocktails in the fresh air during nice weather.

Scales

Back at one of our favorite restaurants, this time just to the bar area.  Again, the bright, yet cozy ambiance made for a lovely time.

Drinks:  Here I enjoyed the Captain’s Revival, a lovely blend of gin, elderflower, and lemon.  It was mellow and fresh with just a hint of lemon.

Food:  You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu here, as we dined in for dinner a couple days prior.  However, the halibut ceviche is a delectable blend of fresh vegetables, cilantro, and halibut.  If you are a fan of ceviche, you definitely need to try this! 

Overall Thoughts:  Scales is one of our favorite restaurants in Portland with its excellent service and lovely ambiance.  Pair it with absolutely incredible seafood and craft cocktails and you have a win-win!

Shipyard Brewing

You know you have arrived at Shipyard Brewing when you see the flagpole with a keg on the top!

Our first impressions of Shipyard Brewing was that it was a large, bright, and clean space, a perfect place to hang with friends.

Drinks:  We each got a flight of beer to try the many varieties on tap.  My favorite by far was the blueberry wheat ale, which I rate a 10/10!  The flavor was poignant while not overwhelmingly sweet.  Other beers tried were Blue Fin, which was very similar to Guinness (8/10); Light Lager, smooth and crisp, a great summer beer (9.5/10); and Blood Orange, a citrusy take, although not quite as flavorful as expected (8/10).

Food:  I really enjoyed my tomato bisque here as it was very flavorful and creamy.  Others in the group got the wings, which they said were mediocre, although the blue cheese dressing was good.  

Overall Thoughts:  The variety of beer was great, with some unique and tasty varieties and the restaurant was bright and clean and good for large groups.

Blyth & Burrows

Blyth & Burrows was always hopping!  The vintage-inspired bar and restaurant features a dedicated outdoor space.  In fact, the outdoor space is in a replica ship, which is fun to sit in and people watch while sipping your drinks.

Drinks:  My drink here was the Blyth to Brazil, an espresso martini with cumin and horchata.  It was a unique twist on an old favorite, and very good!

Overall Thoughts:  We only sat outside so can’t speak from experience of what it was like to dine inside Blyth & Burrows.  The pirate ship, however, was a fun and unique spot in which to sip our cocktails.

Bonus:  Blyth & Burrows Speakeasy

There is a “secret” speakeasy on the backside of Blyth & Burrows.  This is how to get there:  To the right of the entrance of Blyth & Burrows, walk down the alley covered in colorful murals. 

Take a left as soon as you reach the end and look for the red light.  The door to enter is under the light!

A completely different vibe than the front facing bar and restaurant, this place was cool!  It definitely felt secret and hidden, making us feel like we were having cocktails in a hidden underground bunker.

Drinks:  It was “Bees Knees Week” while we were there so there were some special cocktails on the menu featuring a variety of gins paired with honey.  All of our drinks were very tasty!

Overall Thoughts:  The Blyth & Burrows Speakeasy had a completely different vibe than the main Blyth & Burrows and was a great stop on our pub crawl.

Hunt & Alpine

Hunt & Alpine has a very cozy ambiance, with dim light and a refined feel as well as great music playing.

Drinks:  I tried a Lavender Collins, which had a slight lavender flavor in a well-balanced way.  It was a nice, summery twist on a classic cocktail.

Food:  We enjoyed a variety of food here from zesty hot olives, delicious popcorn, and a charcuterie board.

Overall Thoughts:  We really liked the ambiance here, being that it was quiet and refined, a nice contrast to some of the other hopping places we had been to earlier in the evening.  

Room for Improvement

Room for Improvement was recommended to us by locals and it ended up being a favorite stop.  Located in one of the coziest cobblestone lanes in Portland, it has an almost “hole in the wall” feel, but with some of the best cocktails of the whole trip.

Drinks:  Espresso martinis are a favorite of mine so I had to try the one here.  It was incredible and definitely my favorite espresso martini to date.  It featured a coconut banana foam with a dash of sea salt.  Neither the coconut nor the banana were overwhelming, just a tasty addition to this delectable drink.

Food:  We tried the Castelvelrano Olives, which feature zest of orange and hot honey.  What a unique blend of flavors and they were surprisingly delicious!

Overall Thoughts:  Both the food and drinks here were some of the best!  Definitely put Room for Improvement on your list for a bar stop in Portland.

Cuties

Cuties is the new kid on the block, but already with a big following.  We liked it so much we went here twice!  

Drinks:  Aperol Spritzes are another go-to drink of mine, so the version at Cuties, All Day Spritz, was a must try.  It was a delicious spritz with strawberries, cucumber, and lots of bubbles.

Food:  We tried the butterbean dip, which was flavorful and a great compliment to the cocktails.

Overall Thoughts:  A bright, happy place, Cuties is a great place, day or evening. 

Portland is a fantastic foodie town, from seafood to lobster shacks to unique dining experiences.  Curating a pub crawl and trying so many amazing restaurants and bars was a highlight of our time in Portland, Maine.  Enjoy eating your way around Portla