What's not to love about The Vault? It is the most well stocked craft beer and wine shop in the…read morearea and parking is usually available on street outside. When I say the most well stocked, I'm talking about Foundation, Bissell Brothers, Lawson's Finest Liquids, Liquid Riot, you name it and they probably have it. Great sour beer selection as well! They offer Fiore olive oils and vinegars that are available for tasting. As far as wine goes, I can tell you they have a ton to offer and also have some chilled. They have specialty tea, chocolates and coffee too. Incredibly friendly, helpful staff and great prices.

Since I'm not a "how many racks of Bud Light can I buy"-the cheapest kind of girl, I prefer to get…read moremy wine and beer at smaller, more intimate places that are run by folks who are passionate about what they do. That's EXACTLY what you'll find at The Vault, which is such a wonderful, gem in the Lewiston/Auburn area. The owner, Susan, and her staff not only appreciate good wine and beer themselves, but they're incredibly knowledgable about it too. When it comes to my libations, I don't want to be (up)sold on whatever product needs to be moved out. I want to have intelligent conversation with educated folks on what they suggest, why, and have them make recommendations to me about what I might like after I tell them (and they listen with open ears) what it is I personally prefer. And that's part of what The Vault folks offer; they take the time out to get to know you (whether you're a regular or just passing through) so that your experience at their store each and every time you go in is tailored completely around you in that moment and not around whatever retail agenda that might have. Locally craft beers? They do that. Budget-friendly wines? They do that, too. And now they're offering flavorful and unique balsamic vinegars and olive oils, too for both samples and purchasing (although downing a shooter of olive oil is frowned up... The Vault is classier than your average beer and wine store, so don't be one of "those people" [*ahem* like myself] who rolls in and starts taking shots of EVOO like it's going out of style). If you're in the area - even if you're not - and you're looking for something specific, you should talk to Susan and her team. If they can't help you, they'll be able to find someone who can! Also, The Vault frequently hosts wine and beer tastings (something I'm an avid believer in - it's a great way to discover new beverages without spending an exorbitant amount of money on something you may not end up liking), so be sure to check that out as well!

Amazing selection and such a great staff. The redemption center does not make you count your own…read morecans. SO MUCH Better!! Only problem is the redemption center is closed Sunday and Monday.

I ordered a keg for my son's graduation party well in advance and when he went to pick it up, the…read moremorning of the party, he was told they didn't have it. They gave him an alternate keg with a beer that he does not even like and said it was the "best they could do". When I called, they said that someone did not call us to tell us it was out of stock; which might have given me time to get another one somewhere else. But because they "forgot" I had not choice. Then the manager was rude to me on the phone because I felt I was not a priority as a customer and he said, "We take pride in all of our customers," (well except for me). I will NEVER do business with this company. We were also told we were given that keg at cost and the price we paid was almost 100 dollars MORE than what we were quoted for the other keg. So not a deal.

Love this place. Fantastic food, beer and staff. Well worth the drive from Hallowell.read more

Had a late lunch here today, as Sidereal Farm Brewery was close by to the Airbnb we were staying at…read morethis week. As a disclaimer for this review, we came for the food, not the beer. My wife ordered the burnt ends and I went with the simmered ribs. We felt the meal portions were a bit on the smaller side, but I also think the pricing reflected that. The meats themselves were tender, but I felt my ribs were overseasoned somewhat. The sweet potato side was outstanding, just wish we had more of that. And the Fire Roasted brussels and artichoke side was burnt, to be honest. Cornbread, however, was extremely tasty. Still, overall, a decent meal, but somewhat inconsistent. 3.5 , rounded up to a 4 Star Yelp rating, IMO. Again, I can't comment about the beer, because we don't consume beer. I really shouldn't say the place had a "Hipster vibe", but it was certainly a unique and cool setting for a casual lunch.

I ordered tacos they were very good. Loved the ambience etc. I am looking forward to being in town…read moreagain and visiting this place. So I'd recommend this place for sure. The service was uneven. One bar tender was amazing the other was too busy chatting with people to do his job. (He was new, and clearly doesn't get what the mission is.)

Best expresso martini in townClean ingredients nice and smooth no alcohol taste not to sweet.read more

Walking through town we spotted this brewery sitting on the water. They were just opening when we…read morearrived. The bar tender was very friendly and told us we could sit anywhere. After browsing the menu we found they served Imperial Ales which are some of our favorites. Couldn't beat the price either!! I believe it was $8 versus where I'm at these bears can go as much $38 for the same size. We really enjoyed sitting outside on the deck over looking the water. Must try place for sure.

Stopped here on the way into bar harbor. Made a nice little stop. We went on a Friday afternoon…read moreand parking was easy. Dont go for the food but drinking a beer right on the wharf was nice. The service was friendly and an extensive beer list. Nice spot to hang out for a minute!

The tofu was amazing! The best we've ever had and we eat tofu all the time and have for almost 20…read moreyears so that says a lot! It was crispy, perfectly sized pieces, very flavorful (I think it was teriyaki) and the portion was generous. We had the pizza special of the day (elote) with vegan cheese and it was decent. The breaded cauliflower app would have been better with some salt/flavoring in the breading and the brussel sprouts had great flavor and texture but they burnt them a bit and it took away from making them a 10/10. The environment was a little loud but the view of the river was nice and the server was pleasant even if a little busy and absent at times.

Back in Bangor, remembered the fantastic food at Mason's and the lovely seating options…read more Our waitress Grace more than made up for our past experience with Matt. She gave great recommendations and was taking excellent care of us. We will be back! Quick note: a popular place like this will have some longer times for the food, it would be helpful to be given a heads up that it will take a little longer to get the food.

Beautiful shop with thoughtfully curated selection of wines, cheeses, and other epicurean…read moreessentials. Warm and knowledgeable staff to help guide your choices. Always stop by when making trips from the wilds into Bangor.

My wife picked up a $75 basket that was so small and lifeless I could not believe it. It's called…read morepresentation guys come on! For $75 I expect a BIG basket with tons of stuff. and their gift basket options started at $25! Gee, I bet the $25 one you could put in your pocket! What she was given was a joke. It's a good thing I wasn't the one picking up, I would have never accepted it. and no gift wrap or package option was given at pick-up. GIMMIE A BREAK! Learn presentation and value or close your doors! Santa would NOT approve.

If you ever find yourself traveling along Route 1 in Maine, make sure to plan a visit to the Maine…read moreTasting Center to explore state's local food history and culture. My sister and I passed it on the road during a roadtrip last year and made a note to plan time for a visit during our most recent coastal Maine adventures and it was a highlight of the trip for both of us. We're both big foodies and always try to learn about the local food scene and the Maine Tasting Center is intentionally designed to do just that. We participated in their Flavors of Maine 101 tasting class (offered daily at 2pm but make sure to book by 1:45 day of) and it was SO GOOD. We also opted to do the additional drink pairing with the day's tasting board and I would highly recommend. Our wonderful teacher took us through three themed courses that paid homage to the state's native influence, the modern day dairy industry, and of course seafood. Everything on the board was delicious (okay maybe the seaweed salad wasn't my favorite but it was still super interesting to try and learn about). We'll definitely be returning on future trips and I can't wait to try some of their other class options I saw them advertising (especially the cheese class!)

This was an easy stop off to and from Boothbay or the Botanical Gardens. The two stars here…read moreentirely represent the ease of free parking and the service, with clean dining room and bathrooms. Another nice aspect was the free recipe with spice packets, free chocolate tasting and free coffee grounds. All these were very tasty. So I have confidence their food was probably good, though we did not order any. The drinks were quite horrible. There were two of us who stopped in. One tried the spirit flight and the other the mead and kombucha flight. Nothing was good to either of us. I've never left a spirit behind, but this time I had to. The offerings were just terrible to taste. Hopefully they'll get some better local businesses to support their drink offerings in the future.

Stopped by for the first time in... 5-6 years recently to buy 1 thing and ended up spending $90 and…read morewas totally impressed with how the market had changed. I stopped in after searching for Hop Water and saw on the Hop Water website the Good Life Market sold it. I arrived about a half hour before close so I was one of few customers and ended up buying a ton and wanting more. First, I found a 4 pack of beer that had JUST been released in Burlington VT and then Portland ME (collaboration beer) and immediately grabbed it. Absolute score! I was super impressed with the beer selection, both refrigeratorated and on the shelf, plus N/A options, hop waters, mixers, you name it. Before I even made it to the beer section I was drawn to the prepared food because I was hungry and knew I would have to prepare something when I got home. I got smoked ribs (probably a half rack) for $11.99, Cole slaw and a broccoli bacon salad. They had multiple refrigerators and freezers with everything you can imagine, frozen Slab pizza, health drinks, locals meats, local ice cream, etc. I noticed a huge wall of local coffee so I will be going back to hopefully find espresso beans, which are challenging to come by. I didn't notice inside seats but that would be a good addition. For the ribs, I wrapped them in foil and baked at 350 for 20-30 minutes. I was so happy to find real food, prepped for easy reheating. I will definitely be back with my husband to order sandwiches and pick up more goodies.

I am fortunate to live within walking distance from this lovely market. I've gotten many good…read moreproducts from them and realized that I haven't posted any reviews yet. Employees here are always friendly. Their food is always well-made and is of excellent quality. Prices are a bit on the high end hence the 4 stars. Pictured here is their Hometown Chef Salad and The Good Life Club. My stepson and I ended up sharing as the portions are huge. We even got 3 servings out of the salad. These two items are highly recommended. This market also has some fresh produce, several cheese options, interesting snacks and pantry items. Stop by and support local whenever you can!