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1. MILK+T
Inside the Portland Food Hall, 827 SW 2nd Ave., milkandt.com. Noon-6 pm Tuesday-Thursday, noon-8 pm Friday-Sunday.
MILK+T, pronounced “milk and tea,” is a Beaverton Asian- and women-run bubble tea bar that is making the leap across the West Hills by opening an outpost in downtown Portland. A pint-sized version of the suburban shop is part of the revival of the Portland Food Hall, which was slow to reopen following the pandemic lockdown. Despite MILK+T’s closet-sized space, it serves drinks with big flavors and premium ingredients, like the Classic (a black milk tea) and the adorably named Piglet (strawberry coconut milk).
2. McMenamins 23rd Avenue bottle shop
2290 NW Thurman St., 971-202-7256, mcmenamins.com. 10 am-10 pm daily.
For the second year, McMenamins has partnered with Great Notion Brewing so that each can make the other’s beer recipe while giving it a unique spin. This time around, the industry old timer has produced two different Great Notion beers: What’s Colder Than Cold, a double IPA inspired by Juice Box fermented with lager yeast for a crisp finish, and an even bolder 13.9% ABV Ice Cold Triple IPA. The latter could only be bottled because McMenamins has a distilling license. Drink with care.
3. Multnomah Whiskey Library
1124 SW Alder St., 503-954-1382, mwlpdx.com. 4-10 pm Tuesday-Thursday, 4-11 pm Friday-Saturday.
For the first time ever, this den of distilled spirits has invited outside industry professionals to create drinks for its menu. The break from tradition was prompted by Women’s History Month, which MWL is using to honor women and femmes who’ve worked to build a better bartending community. Seven female drink professionals have created original cocktails that will be available through the end of the month, and $1 from the sale of every guest beverage will be donated to the National Network of Abortion Funds, which works to remove financial and logistical barriers to abortion access.
4. Workshop Food and Drink
1407 SE Belmont St., 971-229-1465, fermenterpdx.com. 5-10 pm Thursday-Sunday, 5-11 pm Friday-Saturday.
Aaron Adams, the chef behind the self-dubbed “beneficial bacteria emporium” Fermenter, has launched a late-night lounge right next door to that house of fermented foods. Small plates at Workshop Food and Drink are all vegan and inspired by Adams’ Cuban roots, but we’re most excited about the deep list of cocktails. Many use kitchen byproducts to help offset waste, like Yes Whey, a classic milk punch with a housemade cashew yogurt whey.
5. Lloyd Athletic Club
815 NE Halsey St., 503-287-4594, lloydathleticclub.com. 5:30 am-9:30 pm Monday-Friday, 7 am-8 pm Saturday-Sunday.
Purchasing a gym membership just to gain access to its bar may sound a bit indulgent; however, there are few watering holes outside of an airport that open as early as the Lloyd Athletic Club’s. Almost pointedly dated yet obsessively maintained, the overlit tableau feels like a set for a Reagan-era sitcom. You’ll be drinking with thick-necked chuckles who stop by for an après-lift tipple, but craft beers are only $6.50 a pour and, again, the potential for finagling an early morning hair of the dog intrigues.