Bagels and Beer in Portland, Maine

After Z and I checked out of the Christmas Farm Inn, we took the gorgeous drive to Portland, Maine (our bartender at the inn the night before recommended this spontaneous trip). 

Portland is a really fun town with some great waterfront views - not to mention a handful of breweries. We had no set plans, since we didn't initially intend to go to Portland, so our mission for the day was to eat, drink and soak up the sunshine.

Our first stop was The Dogfish Bar and Grille. I started my extended vacation with a Shipyard Summer ($4.25) on their rooftop deck. 

For my lunch, I decided to go with the Veggie Burger ($9.99), which was a locally-made black bean burger served with mixed greens, tomato, sprouts and mango mayonnaise on a wheat bulkie roll. I had my choice of either potato chips or potato salad for my side; I went with the salad, which ended up being a good choice. 

This was by far one of the best veggie burgers I've had in a longtime. It was obviously homemade, and the toppings were fresh and plentiful. 

After we ate, we had another leisurely beer on Dogfish's rooftop deck before we decided to check out some of the local breweries. Our first stop: Gritty McDuff's. 

I ordered a Black Fly Stout, which was creamy, smooth and rich.

After checking out Gritty's, we decided to walk the few blocks over to Sebago Brewing Company. I ordered the Runabout Red Ale, which comes from three different types of caramel malt. 

After Sebago, we decided to check into an affordable hotel nearby (La Quinta). Once we got settled in our hotel room, we took a short cab ride back into downtown and had a few more beers at an amazing place called Novare Res. At this point in the day, I was in no shape mood to take photos, but this place is incredible. If you love good beer (and delish cheese plates), then this is a must-visit in Portland.

For dinner that evening, we had a really incredible vegetarian meal at the Green Elephant. Their menu is all vegetarian, but there are plenty of dishes that omnivores would like, too. Another must-visit destination in Portland!

The next morning, Z and I packed up and made our way home. Before leaving Portland, however, we stopped into Scratch Baking Co. for bagels and coffee/juice. 

Scratch Baking Co. is an adorable bakery/gourmet food store in South Portland. Basically, they have pastries, bagels, coffee, cheese, beer, bread and wine, all in one place. Need I say more?

Have a safe and fun Memorial Day weekend! 

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