4 Best Restaurants in Lakes Region, New Hampshire

A legit contender in New Hampshire's fierce battle for the best pancake house, this rustic timber-frame roadhouse is run by a family who've been producing maple syrup for five generations. Open only on weekends, Benton's serves stacks of pancakes in several flavors, including strawberry shortcake, Mounds Bar, and Grandma's apple cinnamon. There's stuffed French toast, omelets, and breakfast sandwiches, too, but who are we kidding? This place is all about those fluffy pancakes.

With tall windows as well as a large deck overlooking the historic Blair Covered Bridge and the Pemigewasset River, this rustic restaurant serves an eclectic mix of Asian, Mediterranean, and American dishes and is a favorite place to refuel after hiking in the White Mountains or boating on Squam Lake. Good bets include wild-caught salmon with a ginger-scallion vinaigrette and Cambodian chicken coconut curry steamed in banana leaves with jasmine rice.

With big windows overlooking the lake and timber posts and ceiling beams, this popular restaurant inside the Church Landing at Mill Falls hotel captures the rustic ambience of an old-fashioned camp dining room. Feast on classic American favorites with interesting twists, such as eggs Benedict topped with Maine lobster in the morning, and char-grilled steaks, chops, and seafood in the evening.

Situated high on a grassy bluff in Tamworth, this contemporary barn-style pub with soaring cathedral ceilings, big windows, and a spacious deck offers unparalleled vistas of Mount Chocorua and the White Mountains beyond. The approachable menu features farm-to-table-driven gastropub fare, such as pub fries with roasted garlic–rosemary aioli, fried haddock tacos with blistered jalapeños, and pesto-veggie flatbreads, and there's a well-curated selection of beer, wine, and cocktails.