If people are drinking less, why are more Maine bars opening?

Portland’s Old Port Gains Another Cocktail Sanctuary as New Bar Scene Thrives

Portland, Maine – In a city that has long been known for its seafood and historic waterfront, the Old Port has become a new hub for craft cocktails and community gathering. Brandon Allegue, a seasoned hospitality professional from Florida, opened The Teal Duck on Exchange Street in August 2026, positioning it as a “third space” where people can unwind without the focus being solely on alcohol.

Allegue, who has spent 15 years launching and managing bars across Florida, first visited Portland in March 2025. “One place after another blew me away,” he recalled. “The hospitality was outstanding. That’s when I was like, ‘You know what? I want to be part of this scene.’”

After a swift move, he set up The Teal Duck as a cocktail lounge offering a rotating menu of artisanal drinks and a customizable charcuterie and cheese board. “I’m not about the drinking per se,” Allegue said. “We are a cocktail lounge, but people need like a third space, an escape, and that’s what I was trying to provide to the community.”

A City of New Bars

Portland’s bar renaissance isn’t limited to The Teal Duck. At least 11 new venues opened in Portland or South Portland over the past year, from Bad Neighbors in the West End to The Dooryard Pub in South Portland, Gill’s Neighborhood Bar on Spring Street, and the Marquis Lounge on Park Street. Across the state, new openings include Lemon Bar in Rockland and Capital Bar & Grille in Augusta, while several older establishments have reopened—Cocktail Mary in the Old Port, Sonder & Dram in Lewiston, and Lucky Sevens slated to open in West Bayside this fall.

While the city has seen its share of closures—such as the former Paper Tiger and Leisure Time Cocktail Co.—the overall trend is one of expansion. “It’s not about the drinking per se,” Allegue reiterated. “We are a cocktail lounge, but people need like a third space, an escape, and that’s what I was trying to provide to the community.”

Changing Consumer Behaviors

The surge in openings coincides with national data showing a decline in overall alcohol consumption. A Gallup poll in July 2026 reported that only 54 % of Americans say they drink alcohol, a record low for the second straight year. Yet, the same data revealed a 4 % increase in consumer spending at bars, even as sales at beer, wine and liquor stores fell 5 % last year.

Bar owners attribute this paradox to a shift in how people socialize. Meg Bartos, co‑owner of the Marquis Lounge, explained that patrons now favor mocktails, non‑alcoholic beer, and light‑alcohol options. “People are buying an experience, more than just to get drunk,” said Craig Tribuno, owner of Sonder & Dram in Lewiston and co‑owner of DaVinci’s Eatery. “You realize that people aren’t going to be having as many rounds of things, but they’re going to linger longer and be willing to spend a little more on just one or two things that have an experience and a story behind them.”

The rise of “mocktails” and non‑alcoholic beverages has become a prominent trend. In 2024, sales of non‑alcoholic drinks at Via Vecchia in Portland were on pace to double year‑over‑year since 2021, though they still made up a fraction of overall cocktail sales. “I see it as just a little shift,” said Michael Sindoni, co‑owner of Gill’s Bar in the West End, “and with every one of those shifts, you make adjustments.” Meanwhile, the popularity of Guinness among 21‑to‑30‑year‑olds has surged, giving a boost to bars such as Rí Rá in West Bayside.

Food as a Driver

Many of the new bars are expanding their food offerings to attract diners looking for a budget‑friendly alternative to restaurant meals. The Dooryard Pub’s menu includes staples such as chili, mac‑and‑cheese, and panini, while Gill’s Neighborhood Bar has food at its core—food now accounts for nearly 50 % of the bar’s sales. “We get a lot of people telling us it’s exactly what the neighborhood needed,” said Siobhán Sindoni, co‑owner of Gill’s, highlighting the synergy between decent food and a relaxed bar environment.

Looking Ahead

Despite the enthusiasm, some owners warn of the risks of market saturation. Josh Miranda, owner of Via Vecchia, cautioned that while summer tourist traffic can support many venues, the shoulder season could bring closures if the supply outpaces demand. “You may not feel it in the summer when there’s an influx of tourists, but you definitely feel it in the shoulder season when there’s a lot of places people can choose from and not enough customers to go around,” Miranda said.

In the meantime, new bar owners continue to adapt. Spencer Brantley, co‑owner of the upcoming Lucky Sevens, emphasizes that “socializing first, drinking second” is the current model. “We’ve noticed at Rí Rá people definitely slowing down drinking in the last few years,” Brantley said, but he and his partners still see a need for a neighborhood bar in West Bayside.

Portland’s bar scene, therefore, is not simply a return to pre‑pandemic buzz; it is an evolving ecosystem that blends craft cocktails, non‑alcoholic options, affordable dining, and a focus on community experience. The Teal Duck and its peers illustrate how a city can thrive socially even as overall drinking patterns shift.