Coffee By Design

For over three decades, Coffee By Design has been a thriving example of high-quality Maine craftsmanship married to deep, genuine investment in local communities. Originally opened in 1994, CBD had humble origins considering its current form as a unique blend of coffee shop and charitable organization. Founder and current owner Mary Allen Lindemann is originally from Connecticut, and she grew up traveling to Maine on vacations. She bounced all over the US studying poetry and learning all sorts of skills until she eventually fell in love with a high quality cup of coffee in Seattle. That cup of coffee was so inspiring, she moved all the way back to Portland to found CBD with her partner Alan Spear!

At the cornerstone of CBD’s approach to their product is start-to-finish, high-quality handcrafted hard work. They follow their beans from the farms all across the globe where they begin growing all the way to their state-of-the-art roasting equipment, all with the goal of making sure the final product is as delicious and ethical as possible. And this effort has paid off tremendously, with CBD earning a James Beard semi-finalist award in 2025. Not to mention Mary Allen’s constant commitment to using your daily cup of joe to support the arts, social change, and economic growth in the local area.

We highly recommend that you pay CBD a visit at their location in Portland and get to try one of the best cups of coffee you’ll ever find, right here in Maine! Make sure to learn more on their website at https://coffeebydesign.com/ and follow them @coffeebydesign on both Facebook and Instagram to see what good things they’re brewing up!