Though it’s hard to believe now, for a long time Andrew Volk believed that working in the food and drink industry was only a pit stop in his career path. Then, he and his wife opened up Hunt + Alpine Club in Portland, Maine and introduced a world of innovative boozy drinks to the tight-knit and food-loving community. Situated in the middle of Market Street, the bar is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, with a menu that literally has something for everyone. A tribute to the ski and hunting clubs they consider a touchstone of Northern New England, Hunt + Alpine has become a famed spot in the food world too, gaining the attention of countless magazines and food critics. Since 2013, Andrew and Briana have made a name for themselves by offering guests unique craft cocktails and Scandinavian fare in an inviting and cozy setting. A two-time James Beard semi-finalist for “Outstanding Bar Program” and named “Best Cocktail Bar” by several notable magazines, Hunt + Alpine is a testament to what happens when you mix a great customer experience with fantastic food/drink at the same time.
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A native of Vermont, Volk began thinking about food at a pretty young age, learning how to cook from his nana and spending ample time in the kitchen. In his family, food always seemed to be a priority, the center of attention, but he never realized how important it was to him during his younger years. He entered Colby College in Maine with the same unknowing mindset, where even though he spent time holding “iron chef competitions” with his friends in his senior year apartment, he never thought for a minute that he would end up making a career out of food and drink.
We spoke one afternoon over Zoom, embracing the new way of meeting one another during a pandemic. Seated in his office, Volk fit right in with the Portland vibe, clad in a laid-back plaid button-down, tortoise-shell glasses and a perfectly coiffed but rugged beard to match. He spoke of one particularly poignant memory during his college years, saying, “I didn’t realize it, but I remember visiting Fore Street [a famous entry in fine dining in Portland]. I remember exactly where I sat and what I ate.” Though at the time he couldn’t have realized a single meal at Fore Street would leave such an impact, he explained that those types of food memories helped to form his love of the industry and later pushed him to want to be a part of it.
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After college, Volk headed out to the West coast and assumed he’d not be back. Heading first to Montana and then to Portland, Oregon, he started bartending. Though he hadn’t intended on a job behind the bar post-grad, he laughed, “I was an international studies major at Colby… which I later joked about because I could read, I could write, I could think, I could bullshit really well, you know, you are perfectly qualified to bartend.” Despite applying and being accepted into law school, Volk struggled to find something that he felt attached to, and still bartending didn’t seem like his final destination. “When I got into restaurants in 2005, that wasn’t a career path. You did that until you figured out what you were going to do,” he said. When he finally landed in Oregon, the food scene was already big, and space for cocktails was growing. Before long, the bar he worked at was nominated by the Beer Foundation for “Outstanding Bar Program” and Volk started to realize this industry could actually be a good fit for him. But he wasn’t yet fully convinced. After meeting Briana in Oregon and a brief stint in Alabama, the two decided to settle in the “other” Portland, a place they both felt a connection to, having grown up in small New England towns.
Arriving back in Portland, Volk said, “we sort of saw the same evolution that we’d seen in other cities, and it was 2011, where the food scene was phenomenal, beer was and continues to be some of the best in the country, but there wasn’t a bar that was focused on cocktails and spirits.” Finally, he found a bit of clarity. “[Cocktails] were what I learned, that’s what I knew, that’s what I had done in Portland, Oregon and so the elevator pitch of the business plan [that became Hunt + Alpine] was, ‘hey let’s open up a bar that focuses on cocktails and spirits. It was pretty much a no brainer.” Despite the fact that most other areas in the country had already hopped on the cocktail bar trend, Volk noticed that he had the upper hand opening one in New England. “Being from Northern New England, I feel pretty comfortable saying Vermont and Maine are very much five to ten years behind national trends. And that’s a good thing in a lot of ways, we get to pick the good stuff,” he said.
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From the get-go, Hunt + Alpine’s atmosphere was created to be one that is “comfortable for everybody.” Volk explained, “It [had to] make good drinks, but not give you the pretension that you can find in larger cities. That’s what we knew we were gonna be doing and I’d like to think we’ve done a pretty good job of that.” A good job is an understatement. Reception to the bar was electric from the start. “Pardon the pun, but there was a thirst for this,” Volk said. The newbie’s integration into Portland wasn’t all smooth though, skepticism about their intent and possibility of success was clear in the community. “We got a lot of good luck, but I don’t know if this is gonna work for you,” he said. They had to prove themselves. One of the best ways Volk was able to prove just how special Hunt was, was by committing to his philosophy on food and drink.
On the outside, Hunt looks like any normal “happening” Portland bar, with welcoming soft-lit windows, string lights and a fun logo on display. But once inside, the magic of cocktails takes over. “We have a way we present hospitality. I think there are a lot of different schools of thought, but for us, food and drink are not the point. The point is the experience. For us personally, we would rather have a great experience with whatever mix of food,” he said. “It’s much more about how you make people feel. But we also believe you gotta put good stuff in front of ‘em.”
For many guests, this philosophy is clear the minute you walk through the door, as you are welcomed into a warm and cozy space, filled with customers dressed stylishly yet casually with drinks in hand. The bar is not a place for snobbery; you are part of the Hunt clan, able to chat with the staff and bask in the familial atmosphere, not sip champagne at a white-clothed table. The environment and attitude of Hunt’s staff helps to cultivate a mutual respect, and that respect works to give every guest an enjoyable and memorable experience with their friends and family. Famous media outlets from all over the country have also picked up on the unique Hunt experience that keeps customers coming back. In a Bon Appétit roundup of the “best food city” which highlighted Portland, the magazine named Hunt + Alpine, calling them “local favorites.” Just to name a few more, Architectural Digest dubbed Hunt the “best designed bar” in Maine, while Food & Wine called the bar a “hotspot.”
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Collaboration, Volk said, is a huge piece of the bar’s success. His experience in the front of the house before opening Hunt was an asset, as was Briana’s expertise from working in advertising, but they looked to other professionals in the area to help write the food menu and create a fantastic array of cocktails. From classics like an Old Fashioned to funky specials like “Bonecrusher,” Hunt + Alpine has managed to collect a long list of drinks that reflect the passion of everyone who helps create them. “With the drinks, we love to hire people who are excited about what we are doing and give them opportunities to grow. It’s so much more fun that way, to have somebody else bring something they’re excited about and say ‘how do we make this drink perfect for what we want it to represent?’ Going through that process is so much fun. Seeing their pride…” He paused, the admiration in his voice reminiscent of a proud parent.
Another source of pride for Volk is his connection with the Portland food community. He explained, “everybody knows each other,” but more than that, “we always at Hunt try to create a sense of camaraderie, a clubhouse for the restaurant industry.” Unlike other restaurants and bars in the area, Hunt + Alpine was from the beginning open seven days a week until one a.m., enabling workers from other restaurants to come hang out after their shifts and grab a beer and some clam soup. “It’s pretty cool to know people and see their growth” Volk mentioned, referring specifically to watching places across the street, like Eventide (also owned by a Colby grad) launch their own success.
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Although Volk and Briana mostly focus on the business at Hunt + Alpine, they took on a new endeavor a few years ago, publishing their first book together, entitled: Northern Hospitality. The pair had always planned on writing a book together at some point; after all, Briana is a professional writer, but when a publishing house approached them, they jumped at the chance. “We wanted to create something where somebody could take a piece of Hunt + Alpine home with them, almost like an interactive business card.” Throughout the two hundred and something pages, stories from the bar, about the couple, and their philosophy on life, food and drink, are sprinkled between cocktail and food recipes for all palates, serving as a physical reminder of how easy it is to feel like a part of the Hunt family. Volk noted how nostalgic and proud it made him to go back through old menus and recipes from over the years, almost like a time capsule. And while the successful bar is already proof that the Volks are a talented and beloved couple in Portland, Volk said it is still a pleasure to see the book “out in the wild,” almost as if he sometimes forgets just how far he and Briana have taken their business and brand.
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Now, with plans to open a new joint in Waterville, the Volks are looking forward to growing the business and taking on an entirely new opportunity. Even better, the restaurant will be operating out of a Colby-owned building, right on Main Street, allowing Andrew to give back to the place that shaped him. “Waterville has great restaurants, but room to grow and it’s a wonderful welcoming community, similar to the towns Briana and I grew up in. To us, Portland is still a city and Waterville is a really great community.” With Colby as their landlord, the Volks will open the doors to their more casual restaurant in the next coming months (COVID permitting). Colby students were thrilled with the announcement, excited to have a new spot to check out downtown, especially one with alcohol involved. Entering into the Waterville community will certainly be a professional and personal challenge, Volk admits, but his confidence in creating a cozy and lovely atmosphere for people within the community shines through. It will be a special full circle moment for Volk, ushering in a new era for Colby students, faculty and the greater Waterville community, to enjoy food just as much as he did during his own college years. And maybe a few cocktails too!
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