The Seacoast Restaurants
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Seacoast - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.
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We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Seacoast - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.
This swanky spot in a gorgeous old brick brewery building in Portsmouth's up-and-coming West End is a magnet for fans of artisan gin, which figures in about a dozen intriguing cocktails, but the exquisite French-accented cuisine appeals to all. Highlights from the seasonal menu include classic steak frites with brandy jus, and grilled monkfish in a squash bisque with corn and lobster. There's a nice list of wines by the glass and craft beers, too.
Having a meal at this sophisticated little wine and tapas bar down a tiny alley near the downtown riverfront can feel like going to a special dinner party. It has a small exhibition kitchen and bar, and just a handful of tables and chairs, where guests can enjoy a selection of stellar bocadillos, tapas, and pintxos—from piquillo peppers with goat cheese and artichokes to char-grilled baby octopus—plus a few larger plates, such as paella.
As its name hints, this buzzy neighborhood bistro in a lively dining room with redbrick walls, beam ceilings, and hardwood floors specializes in cured, brined, and slow-cooked meats, which you can sample through beautifully presented charcuterie boards, smoked ribs, and slow-roasted Moroccan lamb shank. But take heart if you're less disposed toward red meat—you'll find plenty of creative seafood and veggie dishes on the menu, including gooey lobster mac and cheese.
Master bakers Sherif and Nadine Farag run this cozy, conversation-filled bakery and cafe that's known for its meticulously crafted Middle Eastern and French pastries, sandwiches, and breakfast dishes. Start the day with poached eggs cilbir (over garlic labneh with aleppo butter, parsley gremolata, and toasted sourdough), and make every effort to save room for a slice of cardamom-rosewater cake or a brown-butter brownie.
At this intimate, romantic downtown restaurant overlooking the Exeter River, artfully prepared dishes like gemelli with chestnut mushrooms and smoked ham in a leek-taleggio-mustard sauce, and classic shrimp linguine with a garlicky scampi sauce take center stage. There's also a long and impressively curated list of Italian wines.
This romantic, urbane restaurant set inside the early-19th-century Inn by the Bandstand offers exceptional five-course tasting menus featuring farm-to-table fare that changes often to reflect what's in season. Typical offering include sea scallops with orange and fennel, and lamb with Brussels sprouts, shallots, and a sherry sauce, and everything is always plated beautifully. Lighter but still quite creative fare is served at the inn's other restaurant, Ambrose.
This tiny parlor in historic downtown produces ice cream in big, bold flavors—think black currant tea–caramel, brown sugar–nectarine, and classic cookies-and-cream. They also bake dense and chewy cookies in interesting flavors, which you can enjoy on their own or in an ice-cream sandwich.
Offering stunning, reservation-only prix-fixe dinners featuring 8 to 10 small courses, this intimate open-kitchen space occupies the third floor of a converted redbrick mill building in Dover. The daily menu is based on what the talented culinary team here has sourced from farms and fishing boats—perhaps cured monkfish with green pea dashi and ramps, or lobster mushrooms with coffee, razor clams, and hazelnuts. Expect the unexpected.
This romantic harbor-view restaurant brings the bold flavors of Latin America and the Mediterranean to bear on such eclectic fare as smoked corn–and–brandade–crusted halibut, lobster and grits, and lamb tagine with preserved lemon over couscous. The chef belongs to the Heirloom Harvest Project and brings unusual vegetables—sometimes in surprising colors—to the table.
Students and faculty from UNH, whose campus is just a few blocks away, congregate over mammoth burgers with flavorful, original sides (kimchi, fries topped with cilantro-pickled peppers or black-garlic-truffle aioli) and other creative takes on gastropub fare. This is a hot spot for craft-beer aficionados, who appreciate the long list of options, including a rotating cache of rare and seasonal selections.
This snug counter service café is a handy option for organic coffees, blended tea elixirs, and creative smoothies and bowls—the blueberry-basil with banana, avocado, spinach, and almond milk is a standout. Or tuck into a salad of locally sourced fruit, veggies, and greens, or try one of the hearty but healthy salads made on locally baked sourdough.
What began as a humble downtown burger joint has blossomed into a regional mini empire, thanks to the high-quality ingredients, upbeat service, and groovy "peace, love, and burgers"–themed decor. The burgers are reasonably priced and topped with all sorts of goodies, but there are also hot dogs and a few sandwiches, plus plenty of addictive sides. You'll find additional locations in Dover, Exeter, and Newburyport, MA.
Set in a gleaming, industrial-chic dining room with tall windows, exposed air ducts, and metal tables and chairs, this contemporary and slightly fancy take on a classic seafood house is the sort of place that's equally appropriate for special celebrations and casual beer-and-oysters happy hours with friends. From tuna tartare to scallop ceviche, you can't go wrong with anything from the raw bar, but also check out the extensive variety of steamed and grilled fare, such as roasted monkfish and grilled salmon collar.
Located inside a restored mill building on the Lamprey River in the historic village of Newmarket, this festive tavern and bar with boldly colored walls and timber-beam ceilings specializes in flavorful—if decadent—regional Southern dishes like classic shrimp and grits, braised pork shoulder with Creole spices and red gravy, and grilled New Orleans–style oysters. It's also a fun spot for cocktails and conversation.
Whether you eat inside the conversation-filled, high-ceilinged dining room or out on the breezy deck, you'll be treated to expansive views of Old Harbour and the Piscataqua River—an apt setting for consistently fresh and tasty seafood. The menu branches into several directions, including lobster rolls, shrimp-pork ramen, sushi, and Tuscan-style shrimp with marinara sauce, but manages everything well, and there's a well-curated wine and cocktail selection to complement your choice.
Across from Jenness Beach, this elegant cottage serves innovative dishes with an emphasis on local seafood, from raw bar specialties like scallop crudo and littleneck clams on the half shell to roasted cod and tarragon lobster salad. A first-rate hanger steak and lamb stew with eggplant and fry bread round out the menu.
Have a seat at the bar or at one of the banquette seats along the wall at this convivial, upscale gastropub with offbeat artwork and a diverse crowd. The kitchen serves up well-executed takes on comfort classics like Nashville-style hot chicken sandwiches with maple-cayenne sauce; poutine smothered in roasted-bone gravy and glazed pork belly; and braised beef short rib with mushroom-onion jam and crispy shallots.
In a state sorely lacking in notable Latin restaurants, this airy contemporary space south of downtown stands out for the ambitious modern Mexican cuisine of chef-owner and James Beard award--nominated chef David Vargas. Several kinds of street-food-style tacos are offered, including barbacoa and pork belly, along with a tangy goat cheese version of queso fundido and sous vide short rib with pistachio salsa macha.
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