Kittery is a dual-personality town; many tourists know it as home to myriad retail outlets and shops along U.S. Route One…but there is another side to Kittery—literally and metaphorically.
Home to many bistros, bars, and gastro-pubs, Kittery is a veritable bounty of libation-centric establishments (both on and off Route One) ready and waiting with craft cocktails, micro-brewed beer, and impressive wine lists.
You just have to know where to look—and thus, the purpose of this article is revealed. Many of these spots are located in the revitalized Kittery Foreside and Wallingford Square area—less than a ten-minute drive from the outlets, but a world away in terms of atmosphere and vibe.
Map of Kittery Bars
Here are all of the bars we’ve mentioned in this article, so you can plan out your next drink:
The Black Birch
Located near Wallingford Square and tucked into a defunct post office, The Black Birch is one of my favorite gastropubs. Be warned: I am one of the multitudes that feel this way…and this small establishment doesn’t take reservations. But trust me when I say the craft cocktails, fantastic fare, and cool vibe are well worth the wait.
Sip on a Mezcal Negroni while nibbling on one of the most popular small plate options—the house deviled eggs—which come in myriad mouth-watering varieties that change with local ingredient availability.
Location: 2 Government St, Kittery, ME 03904
Website: The Black Birch
The Corner Pub
“A neighborhood bar with good beer, spirits, and pub food” is the way the folks at The Corner Pub like to describe themselves. Located diagonally across the street from The Black Birch, The Corner Pub has a pool table, sports on TV, a large bar, and both indoor and outdoor seating.
It’s one of those quintessential “Cheers”-type spots where everyone feels welcome; there are plenty of local brews on tap, and the bartenders here have plenty of craft cocktail recipes up their sleeves just waiting to be put to use…so don’t leave them hanging!
Location: 4 Wallingford Square, Kittery, ME 03904
Website: The Corner Pub
Rudders Public House
Rudders is a local, pet-friendly favorite that features a bit of something for everyone—a full- service restaurant, heated outdoor seating, a spacious bar, and flat-screen TVs. Also located in bustling Wallingford Square, Rudders is open year-round and a popular spot for comfort food, happy hour drinks, and friendly service.
The full restaurant menu is served in the bar, which is open from 11 a.m. until midnight Tuesday through Saturday, and until 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Location: 70 Wallingford Square, Kittery, ME 03904
Website: Rudders Public House
Anneke Jans
Next door to Rudders Public House, you’ll find Anneke Jans, a delightful little gastropub whose kitchen staff puts as much time, effort, and creativity into their fare as the bartenders do for their craft cocktails.
The atmosphere is casual yet refined, and bar seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis…so be sure to get there early if that is your preferred spot to sip. And if you are a wine lover—like me—you’ll be impressed by the extensive wine offerings.
Location: 60 Wallingford Square, Kittery, ME 03904
Website: Anneke Jans
The Wallingford Dram
For a wee bit of across-the-pond atmosphere and flavor, drop into the Dram. Featuring a 6-page cocktail menu, these mighty mixologists don’t mess around in this diminutive British-y pub.
The Wallingford Dram is all about the cocktails—no actual kitchen here—but you can plan on filling your tummy at their sister property, Anju Noodle Bar (accessible through a speakeasy-like door in the back), where you can also order the Dram’s cocktails (you’ll miss out on the whole London-esque vibe, though).
Location: 7 Wallingford Square #101, Kittery, ME 03904
Website: The Wallingford Dram
Anju Noodle Bar
The bar at Anju serves canned versions of Wallingford Dram cocktails, along with beer, sake, and wine to accompany their “freestyle Asian dishes.”
And while Anju offers both indoor and outdoor seating (weather permitting), I suggest trying to get a seat at the bar, where you can enjoy the company of the friendly folks serving up your libation of choice and whichever spectacular Asian dish you’ve chosen to accompany it.
Location: 7 Wallingford Square #102, Kittery, ME 03904
Website: Anju Noodle Bar
Bistro 1828, Frisbee’s Wharf, & The Ski Club
Just under three miles east of Wallingford Square, Pepperrell Cove is home to three sister properties that all offer a different vibe for enjoying an afternoon or evening tipple.
Bistro 1828 and its rooftop, outdoor counterpart, The Ski Club, offer a full menu and bar, including beer, wine, and creative libations like the Storm Warning: Bulleit Bourbon, Fig, local cider, smoked rosemary, and fresh lemon with a Lambrusco float.
Frisbee’s Wharf is where you can dock your boat (or walk in if you are lacking in the boat department) and enjoy a drink, a meal, and 360-degree views of Pepperrell Cove. Reservations are strongly suggested for all three establishments.
Location: 88 Pepperrell Rd, Kittery Point, ME 03905
Website: Pepperrell Cove
Blue Mermaid Island Grill
Drive three minutes to the northeast and you’ll come upon the Blue Mermaid Island Grill, a fun and friendly spot that brings a taste of the tropics to southern Maine.
Featuring fare and libations with a Caribbean flair as well as plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, the Blue Mermaid’s house cocktail specialty is the margarita (of course), and you can try several flavors with a customized flight.
Location: 10 Shapleigh Rd, Kittery, ME 03904
Website: Blue Mermaid Island Grill
Tributary Brewing Company
Located next door to the Blue Mermaid, Tributary Brewing offers up drinks of a more…hoppy nature.
This tasting room allows you to bring in your own food to accompany your beer of choice—and speaking of choices, the folks at Tributary make things easy for you with their flight samplers.
There is indoor and outdoor seating, and chances are there will be live music if you visit on a weekend afternoon.
Location: 10 Shapleigh Rd, Kittery, ME 03904
Website: Tributary Brewing Company
Loco Coco’s Tacos
Enjoy a casual and lively atmosphere as you partake of the food and drinks at Loco Coco’s, which are as authentic as it gets in these parts.
No big-name, big-batch sour mix for the cocktails here; all of the mixes, purees, and syrups are made in-house, from scratch—and you can taste the difference in every drink they serve here. If you like a cocktail that kicks and can’t find one that suits your fancy, you can even get jalapeño sour mix or habanero syrup added to your favorite libation.
Location: 36 Walker St, Kittery, ME 03904
Website: Loco Coco’s Tacos
Definitive Brewing Company
The second craft brewery on this list, Definitive is located along Route One, which means you can take a beer break in the middle of your retail therapy excursion.
The Kittery tasting room is open seven days a week and offers a snack menu alongside the beer offerings—nothing more than chips, trail mix, and pub mix, though, so you’ll still need to make plans for a real meal elsewhere (not hard to do in these parts).
Location: 318 US-1, Kittery, ME 03904
Website: Definitive Brewing Company
The Maine Beer Café
Featuring an enormous list of beers on tap as well as margarita, bourbon, and tequila flights, The Maine Beer Café also has a full menu of pub-style comfort food.
There is always something going on at this lively spot—football on the TV on Sundays, trivia nights, Lobster Roll Thursdays, and Mug Club events are just a few of the things folks keep coming back for.
Location: 439 US-1 #1, Kittery, ME 03904
Website: The Maine Beer Café
Robert’s Maine Grill
Also located along the shopping outlet mecca on Route One, Robert’s is a local favorite. Bright and airy, the dining space and bar are comfortable and casually elegant, perfect for lunch or dinner after a long day of shopping.
Sit at the bar or one of the tables in the dining room overlooking Spruce Creek—either way, your meal and cocktail will be fabulous. Give the Maine Killer Rum Punch a try: Bacardi rum, Gosling’s dark rum, Cointreau, Coco Lopez, pineapple juice, and orange juice.
Location: 326 US-1, Kittery, ME 03904
Website: Robert’s Maine Grill
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