The Pour Farm Tavern has long been a craft beer destination in downtown New Bedford. Under new ownership, it’s quickly becoming more than just a beer bar while remaining true to its craft beer roots.

An old bar learning new tricks

Brad Cardoza and Jen McHugh Cardoza took the reins of the Purchase Street bar nearly two years ago and quickly got to work on their own vision for the downtown staple. They had talked about owning a bar for a while, and when the opportunity arose to purchase The Pour Farm in 2022, they jumped at it. 

While first-time bar owners, the couple is quite familiar with the scene. Brad’s had a long personal interest in craft beer, describing it as his major hobby for the last 10-15 years. He even explored the idea of opening a brewery on more than one occasion, but the timing was never quite right. Meanwhile, Jen comes to the business with a long career in the hospitality industry and understands good, strong relationships provide a strong foundation.

Diving right in, Brad took on the adventures of weekly beer orders while Jen got to work revamping the bar’s food concept.

A spot for everybody

For years, Pour Farm has held a reputation among craft beer lovers as one of the can’t-miss spots to pull up a stool and order a few rounds of hard-to-find, top-tier beers. The draft list changes nearly daily and is painstakingly built by Brad every week. 

“My dream was to put together a draft list I would see somewhere and go ‘Holy sh*t, I gotta go there’,” Brad said.

It’s one of a handful of spots on the SouthCoast where you’ll find Trillium Brewing Co., Long Live Beerworks, Widowmaker Brewery, and Vitamin Sea Brewing all on tap at the same time. Not to mention another dozen or so incredible breweries to choose from on draft.

Exclusive tap takeovers have also been a fun recurring event, where a brewery will have several beers on tap at once. Brewers or representatives will usually be in attendance giving away swag, pouring rare beers, and just hanging out and chatting with folks.

And while the draft list can often be a craft beer geek’s dream come true, there’s always a seat for those who prefer macro beers or even cocktails or mocktails.

“On a Friday night, you’re going to see four guys with Miller High Life in their hands, you’re going to see six guys with hazy IPAs in their hands, but they’re all hanging out talking to each other,” Brad said. “We’re a spot for anybody.”

Cooking up a new concept

Today, the Pour Farm really is a spot for anybody. Always a reliable destination for a drink or two, it’s now earned a reputation for an elevated dining experience.

“From the start, we knew that we wanted to elevate the dining experience to match the beers we’re offering, “ said Jen. “Before, people would come here before dinner or after dinner. Now we’re seeing dinner crowds. Some Friday nights you can’t even get a seat in here.” 

The menu features much of what you’d expect among traditional bar food, but the ingredients and execution are what sets each dish apart and blows away those expectations.

Ordering the wings? Get ready for dry-rubbed, house-smoked drums and flats fried to order and so tender and juicy you won’t even need them tossed in sauce.

Pairing a pizza with your pint? The personal-sized pizzas check all the boxes of the South Shore Bar Pizza style – charred cheddar cheese blend, laced edges, tangy sauce, and crispy bottoms. It’ll perfectly complement whichever pilsner’s available on the Luker side-pull tap.

There are also a number of sandwiches, salads, and specials to choose from to handle any craving.

Fun is always on the schedule

While the food and drink are obviously enough to draw you in, weekends typically pack an extra punch with a variety of entertainment options. Start your weekend early every Thursday with Neal McCarthy, followed by rotating DJs on Fridays and bands on Saturdays. Finally, the Pearly Baker Band wraps up the weekend every Sunday afternoon. 

New events are also in the works like Industry Night, having just kicked off this month. Local industry folks are invited to swing by every Tuesday night and kick back after their shift or on a rare night off.

The return of the PFT Mug Club is also on the horizon for some time in 2024 plus some exclusive beer events upstairs in the newly renovated function space. (If you can’t wait to see it, you can also book the upstairs space for your own private events!)

Finally, as the warm weather returns, so will outdoor dining on the patio in Wings Court. A new mural installation is planned for the wall opposite the bar and will add a new vibrance to the space.