The Best Places to Drink in Portland, by the Record
The best places to drink in Portland, by the professional record: Esquire, Punch, and Portland Press Herald have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Room for Improvement comes out on top.
Via Vecchia and Maps Bar hold the next two places. Portland Press Herald shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with Esquire next.
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- Esquire Espresso Martini · The Best Martinis in America
- Punch Best New Bars
- Portland Press Herald Best 75 places to eat and drink in Greater Portland
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- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bar
- Portland Press Herald Best 75 places to eat and drink in Greater Portland
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service · Nathaniel Meiklejohn
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- Portland Press Herald Best 75 places to eat and drink in Greater Portland
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. East
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Rank 6. Papi
Puerto Rican Cocktail Bar
Mahogany double doors shipped from Puerto Rico anchor the entrance to this Puerto Rican cocktail bar in the Old Port, where salsa and merengue fill the room and the tiled bar is the obvious place to sit. The drinks lean inventive, the food is serious enough to linger over, and the whole thing has a regional Spirited Award to its name. Portland has seafood shacks covered; this is doing something else entirely.
- Condé Nast Traveler 15 Best Restaurants in Portland, Maine
- Portland Press Herald Best 75 places to eat and drink in Greater Portland
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. East