The best cocktails to cool off with in Portland

Okay, this hasn’t been your average summer by any means. Personally, I’ve never had to make so many reservations in the last month or two, but it’s been worth it to support some of my favorite restaurants and establishments.

Now, I’m all about a good cocktail, but what I’m really loving this summer are frozen cocktails. Between slushies and poptails, Portland has plenty to choose from! Here are some of my favorite cocktails to cool off with in Portland!

Vena’s Fizz House

Okay, if you want a delicious poptail (this is a cute way of saying boozy popsicle) you can’t go wrong at Vena’s. They have the largest selection available. They make all of their poptails by hand, which makes them even better in my eyes.

The flavors change but when I went, I got the piña colada poptail. Oh, and here’s a tip that you need so you don’t make the mistake I made: you can only get these to go!

Luckily, there’s a cute little park right next to Vena’s so you can slurp one down and then be on your way. Perfect on a hot summer day or a cooler one, honestly!

Anoche

Washington Avenue is popping this summer. You could probably attribute this to the insane amount of people from out of state milling about.

But part of it always has to do with the stretch of restaurants, bars, breweries, and this cider spot serving up ice cold blended drinks.

Each day, Anoche has two slushies to choose from. When I went, I got the Jazzy Ting which was light, refreshing, and just a little bit tangy.

The day I went it was also in the middle of the insane heat wave a few weeks back so it was beyond refreshing! You really can’t go wrong, so follow your gut and order what sounds good!

Luke’s Lobster

Getting my hands on a poptail at Luke’s Lobster has seriously been a challenge, because this place has been packed. Every time I try to make a reservation, whether it’s a day or a week in advance, it’s booked up already!

I guess they can’t keep these poptails in stock! I did finally make it in to try the strawberry daiquiri poptail, and though it was a bit of a journey to make it in, so worth it.

Cold, sweet, fruity, and yes, it definitely gave off that daiquiri vibe. Yes, yes, yes, if you want a poptail to go with your lobster roll or other delectable seafood, Luke’s is serving up the good stuff. A must on your cocktails to cool off with in Portland list before summer ends.

I heard from our server there is a piña colada poptail that they also serve which isn’t listed on the physical menu, so I may have to get back on that Resy waitlist and try it.

Highroller Lobster Co.

Look, there’s no way you can do a post about the best cocktails to cool off with in Portland and not include Highroller. Their frozé is basically the stuff of dreams, but honestly, any of their frozen drinks or slushes are a home run in my book.

The frozé though, that’s the one I order every time. The last time I got it, I took a look at the ingredients listed on the plastic cup and did you know they include Chambord, among other things in it?

There’s a reason this frozé is so good, and it probably has something to do with their attention to detail and making sure they use only the best possible ingredients.

Those are always the things that make a difference and you can tell when you take that first icy sip. It’s fruity, it’s got the wine taste, but it’s also just a tiny bit bougie and I love it.

Independent Ice Co.

Okay, so the other place that’s got a great frosé is Independent Ice Co. I can say this with full confidence because I’ve tried it several times now.

I mean, full confession, I love frosé because it’s basically a wine slushy. It’s hard to go wrong with that.

But some iterations at other places will make a very watery frosé, or they’ll go the other way and it’ll be too thick.

Independent Ice Co. makes a frosé that’s fruity and light. It’s perfect to sip on while you nosh on some fries or some sliders. It also may be one of the only places on Wharf Street you’ll find me at, at least for a while.

Fore Points Marina Bar

Fore Points Marina Bar is new but I gotta tell you, I love the frozen drinks they are bringing to the table. The location is quickly becoming a hot spot and it’s not hard to see why.

This is the closest to a beach bar Portland is ever going to have. Now, there’s really no way to guarantee which of their frozen drinks will be available when you go. They seem to rotate them out, but all of the ones I’ve tried have been amazing!

Expect things like frozen margaritas, a mudslide (who else has that on their menu?), the swirly boy, and other tasty concoctions. Trust me, you don’t want to miss it!

Via Vecchia

If you’re lucky enough to score a reservation at Via Vecchia, their cocktail menu is seriously on point. It’s not really all that surprising.

They are owned by the same guy that owns Blyth & Burrows, and we all know that their cocktails always knock it out of the park.

But if you do manage to stop in, make sure you try the Hey Mambo. The Hey Mambo is like the more sophisticated and elegant cousin of a piña colada. It’s fresh and fruity and goes down a little too easily, which is everything you want if you’re trying to cool off.

It’s also one of the most stunning drinks I’ve ever seen, so order it if you’re all about that Instagram life. You don’t want to miss it when you’re looking for one of those perfect cocktails to cool off with.

Stroudwater Distillery

Is it any surprise to anyone at all that Stroudwater Distillery has fantastic frozen drinks? They’ve been serving up some of the best frozen concoctions that I can remember ever since they opened, and this summer has been no exception!

If it’s on the menu, try the Don Johnson: Rum, coconut, lime, pineapple, and strawberry all blended together. It’s all the frothy goodness you could ever want. Bonus points if you’re there for the Comedy Series on the Patio!

As always, I’m sure there are plenty of other frozen drinks to enjoy around Portland, but these have definitely been some of my favorite cocktails to cool off with this summer! Let me know in the comments what you’ve been enjoying and if I missed your can’t live without summer cocktail!