Flat Iron Coffee Bar

Flatiron Coffee Bar is an independent, European-style café and micro gallery located at 594 Congress Street in Portland, Maine’s Arts District, housed in the historic Hay Building directly across from the Portland Museum of Art. Opened in July 2025 by classical realist painter and orthopedic surgeon Gary Perlmutter, the intimate 12-seat counter-service bar serves espresso-based drinks, drip coffee, and pastries sourced from local partners, while rotating original artwork on its walls and intentionally forgoing Wi-Fi to encourage conversation and community connection. Perlmutter and his wife, artist and designer Rhonda Pearle, also operate the Pearl Gallery on the building’s second floor and participate in Portland’s First Friday Art Walks.