4 Best Restaurants in The White Mountains, New Hampshire

In the Dexter family for generations, Polly's has been serving up pancakes and waffles (from its own original recipe, with several batter options available, including cornmeal and gingerbread) since the 1930s—the current space dates to 2015 but retains the original country charm. Try the smoked bacon and ham, eggs Benedict, sandwiches on homemade bread, delicious baked beans, and such tempting desserts as raspberry pie. Much of the food is made from grains ground on-site.

You certainly don't have to be a beer lover to appreciate this airy, modern brewpub that serves exceptionally good pub fare like fries topped with house-made curry aioli, roasted–sweet potato tacos, and farm-raised-beef burgers with bacon and barbecue sauce—the kind of sustenance that warms the soul after a day of White Mountains hiking. But Big Day does produce some of the region's best brews, including European-style classics like a golden Munich Dunkel and a citrusy Hefeweizen.

On the second floor of the White Mountain Athletic Club, Waterville Valley's best restaurant is a rambling space with big windows offering up grand views of the White Mountains. The food is hearty and well prepared, just what you need after a day of hiking or skiing. Enjoy pizzas topped with meatballs and marina sauce, or consider the pork chops with roasted-peach jam and sharp-cheddar grits. There's a good kids' menu, and tempting desserts, too.

This big and festive brewpub inside a late-1800s train station is decorated with old maps, historic photographs, and other fun curiosities. The kitchen turns out reliably good pub fare—pizza, burgers, steaks, seafood—and filling breakfasts, and the brewery produces nearly 20 different varieties of exceptionally good beers. Overnight accommodations are available in the on-site inn.