Summer Eats & Live Music Locales Around Portland
June is here and all of us in Maine agree that it is one of the most beautiful months of the year. The humidity and heat have not yet arrived making it a great time for you to relax and enjoy all the food, beverages and live music Portland has to offer, indoors and out.
Liquid Riot Bottling Co. has the distinction of being one of the only breweries AND distilleries in the country. Photo – Maine Foodie Tours
Head over to Liquid Riot in the Old Port. They have a new Chef, Kyle Everett. Kyle recently relocated to Portland after several high-end gigs in California and Florida. Here, you can enjoy outdoor deck seating with Casco Bay views, or step inside to watch the brewing and distilling process through the glass. Liquid Riot also has the distinction of being one of the only breweries and distilleries in the country. Lazzari Italian Restaurant opened recently and you may just want to be among the first to visit. Lots of buzz about this new Italiano spot, and I’d love to hear what you think. Lastly, under new news, I wanted to mention Casco Bay Creamery, adding to the ranks of Portland’s ice cream establishments. It’s a mini ice cream outpost on the outskirts of the Old Port and they’re serving Maine’s famous and nationally distributed Gifford’s Ice Cream. There’s s a good reason locals love Gifford’s. Stroll towards the Eastern Promenade Trail, via Commercial St., and they’re on the right in the former Narrow Gauge Railroad ticketing booth.
The Night Kitchen, a “zesty” new musical written and directed by John Burstein a resident of the Great State of Maine, has just graced our stage. You can see it at the fabulous Portland Stage from June 6 to the 10th, and June 13 to the 17th. 100% of the profits will go to Preble Street, a soup kitchen here in Portland that feeds those in need all week long. “The Night Kitchen” incorporates burlesque, vaudeville, Keystone cops humor and likable, hummable tunes with smart, sometimes sly lyrics . . . In one scene, the chef sings a poetic ode to a butternut squash. In another, a frying pan with aspirations to sauté and flambé tells her troubles to Dr. Pepper: ‘I am tired of being treated like an ordinary pan. There is so much more I could be trying. I was born for more than frying.’” A musical about cooking — what could be more fun and appropriate in this foodie town? Don’t miss it!
If you’re like me, listening to good live music while dining is just about as good as it gets – Photo – Maine Foodie Tours
We are fortunate to have several great food spots who offer live music all summer long. Slab Sicilian Street Food has a beautiful patio and it’s the perfect spot for live music, or even a film every Monday when classics and 80s throwbacks are screened. A pizza slab and some tunes or a film and you’re good to go. El Rayo’s is not only known for tacos and a great bar — enjoy music and Mexican fare at their new location on Free Street. Salvage BBQ‘s ribs aren’t the only reason to visit this outstanding BBQ outpost, live music on Friday and Saturday evenings will make an already delicious pulled pork platter taste even better. Both the Porthole Restaurant & Pub and the Portland Lobster Co. serve up Maine steamed lobster and live outdoor music all summer long. seven days a week — check out their calendars to see who’ll be playing during your visit. Andy’s Old Port Pub is a locals favorite for fresh seafood and Maine craft beer who also offers live music nightly! Bull Feeney’s, our own traditional Irish Pub and restaurant, is an authentic old world salute to our Irish immigrants with delicious fare –love their seafood chowder — and weekly live entertainment. None of these businesses charge a cover for the live music and the eats are what brings many of our visitors coming back again and again.