Highest-rated cafes in the Portland, Maine area by diners
From the first coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire to Boston's famed London Coffee House, cafes have always been an egalitarian place to gather, sip, and share ideas, many of which have changed the world.
During the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, cafes regularly entertained the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, Thomas Jefferson, and Isaac Newton. Later, Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre would spend hours in cafes, pondering their works and holding court alongside other intellectuals.
Needless to say, coffee and cafes beget some revolutionary ideas; sipping a cup may even be a political act. When settlers dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to send a message to the British in 1773, tea became a British loyalist's drink, and coffee became a popular substitute.
Boston's London Coffee House, which had opened nearly 85 years earlier, was soon renamed the American Coffee House. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Merchants' Coffee House hosted the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere.
Many other coffee shops steeped in history abound in the United States, including New York City's Caffe Reggio. Founded in 1927, it was the first to serve cappuccino in the country. New Orleans' Cafe du Monde, founded in 1862, is a fixture in the French Quarter for its coffee and beignets.
Whether it's for a cup of Joe, a heady conversation, or simply a place to start the day, cafes have become landmarks of our daily lives. But where's the best one to find refuge and that perfect caffeinated cup near you?
compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in the Portland area based on diners' reviews on as of February 2025. Cafes with at least 20 reviews tagged as "coffee" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of Portland were included. As a result, some cafes featured may primarily serve other items besides coffee and tea. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 25 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
Keep reading to see if your favorite cafe made the list!
#30. CIA Cafe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 72 Ocean St. South Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
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#29. The Holy Donut
- Rating: 4.2/5 (408 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 398 Rt 1 Scarborough, Maine
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea
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#28. Rigby Yard
- Rating: 4.2/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 50 Wharf St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, American, Coffee & Tea
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#27. Navis Cafe
- Rating: 4.2/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 56 Thames St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea, Cafes
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#26. St. Joe's Cafe
- Rating: 4.2/5 (278 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 220 Gorham Road Scarborough, Maine
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
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#25. Higher Grounds
- Rating: 4.2/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 45 Wharf St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cannabis Dispensaries
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#24. Aroma Joe's
- Rating: 4.3/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 633 Main St. South Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch
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#23. Bard Coffee
- Rating: 4.3/5 (520 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 185 Middle St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#22. Yordprom Coffee
- Rating: 4.3/5 (119 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 722 Congress St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#21. The Sinful Kitchen
- Rating: 4.3/5 (406 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 952 Brighton Ave. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea, Gluten-Free
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#20. The Proper Cup
- Rating: 4.4/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 500 Forest Ave. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#19. Tandem Coffee + Bakery
- Rating: 4.4/5 (584 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 742 Congress St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
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#18. Buzz Coffee
- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 19 Exchange St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#17. HiFi Donuts
- Rating: 4.5/5 (274 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 30 City Center Portland, Maine
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#16. Scratch Baking Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (382 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 416 Preble St. South Portland, Maine
- Categories: Bakeries, Bagels, Coffee & Tea
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#15. Nezinscot Farm Cafe & Gourmet Food Shop
- Rating: 4.5/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 284 Turner Center Road Turner, Maine
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, CSA, Coffee & Tea
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#14. Dara Bistro
- Rating: 4.5/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 371 Tuttle Road Cumberland, Maine
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
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#13. Gorgeous Gelato - Portland
- Rating: 4.6/5 (664 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 434 Fore St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Coffee & Tea, Gelato
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#12. Maps Bar
- Rating: 4.6/5 (144 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 64 Market St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Dive Bars, Bakeries
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#11. Botto's Bakery
- Rating: 4.6/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 550 Washington Ave. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Bakeries, Desserts, Coffee & Tea
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#10. Bread & Friends
- Rating: 4.6/5 (115 reviews)
- Address: 505 Fore St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, New American
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#9. Thai Tree
- Rating: 4.7/5 (38 reviews)
- Address: 571 Congress St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Thai, Desserts, Coffee & Tea
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#8. Honeycomb Cafe
- Rating: 4.7/5 (70 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 132 Pleasant Hill Road Scarborough, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Donuts
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#7. The Gelato Fiasco
- Rating: 4.7/5 (431 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 425 Fore St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
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#6. Coffee ME Up
- Rating: 4.7/5 (288 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 221 Cumberland Ave. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#5. Eighty 8 Donuts Cafe
- Rating: 4.8/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 225 Federal St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Donuts, Cafes
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#4. Onggi
- Rating: 4.8/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 131 Washington Ave. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Specialty Food, Bakeries
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#3. Homegrown Herb & Tea
- Rating: 4.9/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 195 Congress St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Tea Rooms
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#2. Burundi Star Coffee
- Rating: 4.9/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 261 St. John St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#1. Matcha Mood
- Rating: 5.0/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 654 Congress St. Portland, Maine
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Rasha Aly and Carren Jao, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 313 metros.
