Eager to discover New Hampshire’s most unique restaurants? Let me take you from dining in a historic church to enjoying pancakes with mountain views. Together, we’ll uncover some of the coolest spots in this beautiful spot in New England.
Start with a house-brewed stout at Stark Brewing Company, set in a brick mill building beside the Merrimack River in Manchester. Or head to Polly’s Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill for pancakes made to order, served with pure maple syrup and White Mountains views. For something quirky, grab a table inside a former jail cell at Margaritas in Concord, or play from a library of nearly 2,000 board games at Boards & Brews in Manchester.
From an Irish pub inside a 130-year-old church to a five-course dinner on a vintage train, these spots are must-tries in the Granite State. Let’s dig into New Hampshire’s most memorable dining adventures!
👉 Pro Tip: The Meet the Winemakers Winery Tour is a total vibe! You’ll sip some amazing local wines, hear cool stories from the winemakers, and take in the gorgeous White Mountains views. Come ready to chill, taste, and maybe grab a bottle (or two) of your new fave wine. It’s such a fun way to spend the day!
22 Most Unique Restaurants in New Hampshire at a Glance
If you’re over the usual chain spots, here’s a quick at-a-glance look at some of the coolest places in New Hampshire where the setting is just as memorable as the food. From historic buildings to offbeat concepts, these are the kinds of spots that make dining out feel a little more fun.
| Restaurant | Best For | What Makes It Unique | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Holy Grail Restaurant and Pub | Architecture lovers | Irish pub inside a converted 1890s church with original stained glass | Epping |
| 2. Stark Brewing Company | Industrial cozy vibes | Set in a Millyard mill with house-brewed beers and dogs welcome inside | Manchester |
| 3. Pickity Place | Fairytale dining | A 1786 cottage used as the model for Grandmother’s house in a 1948 “Little Red Riding Hood” | Mason |
| 4. Polly’s Pancake Parlor | Scenic breakfasts | Pancakes made to order since 1938, with White Mountains views | Sugar Hill |
| 5. Boards & Brews | Interactive nights | Nearly 2,000 board games to play while you eat and drink | Manchester |
| 6. The Crust and Crumb Baking Co. | Scratch-made treats | From-scratch pastries, breads, and whoopie pies steps from the State House | Concord |
| 7. Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train | Nostalgic romance | A five-course dinner served on restored 1950s railcars | North Woodstock |
| 8. Green Elephant | Flavorful vegetarian | A fully vegetarian menu inspired by Thai, Malaysian, Chinese, and Indian cooking | Portsmouth |
| 9. Margaritas Mexican Restaurant | Quirky history | Tables inside the old jail cells of Concord’s former police station | Concord |
| 10. Flight Coffee Co. | Caffeine enthusiasts | Coffee roasted on site, with beans bought directly from farmers | Bedford |
These ten spots are a great starting point, but there’s plenty more to check out. Keep scrolling for the full guide covering all 22 places and what makes each one stand out.
1. Holy Grail Restaurant and Pub
- 📍 Location: Epping (64 Main Street)
- 💲 Price range: $15 – $35 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Irish Pub Fare / American
- 🔥 Standout Features: Converted 1890s church, original stained glass windows, 32 beers on draft, live music Thursday to Saturday.
- 🎯 Perfect For: Architecture lovers, St. Patrick’s Day plans, and group dinners
You can have a pint inside a 130-year-old church at the Holy Grail Restaurant and Pub in Epping, about 25 minutes from Portsmouth. St. Joseph’s parish moved out in 1990, and the building reopened as an Irish pub in 2008. The original stained glass windows are still in place, and a colorful Irish village mural now covers the old altar wall.
My top tip is to request the Choir Loft when you book. Its pew-style booths overlook the bar and sit closest to the windows. The Cottage Room is a cozier option, modeled on the owner’s grandparents’ home in Connemara, Ireland.
I always start with the Scotch eggs for the table. The shepherd’s pie, made with ground lamb and beef under mashed potatoes, is my favorite main, and the beer-battered fish and chips come a close second. There are 32 beers on draft, though I love a pint of Guinness here.
The pub is closed on Mondays, and the kitchen closes at 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 8 p.m. otherwise. Those later nights bring live music, and this fall there’s an Oktoberfest menu with German beers on tap. St. Patrick’s Day lands on a Wednesday in 2027, and I’d book a table early for it.
2. Stark Brewing Company
- 📍 Location: Manchester (500 North Commercial Street, Millyard)
- 💲 Price range: $15 – $30 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Brewpub / American Pub Fare
- 🔥 Standout Features: Historic mill building on the Merrimack River, house-brewed beer and spirits, dog-friendly indoor seating.
- 🎯 Perfect For: Craft beer fans, dog owners, and casual group meals
Stark Brewing Company opened in 1994 as New Hampshire’s first operating brewpub, and it still brews its beer on site. You’ll find it inside a brick mill building in Manchester’s Millyard, right beside the Merrimack River. The German Shepherd on the logo is Milly, the brewmaster’s dog, and your own dog is welcome inside too.
My go-to pour is Milly’s Oatmeal Stout on nitro, the beer Stark is best known for. Right now the Grumpy Pumpkin is on tap, brewed each fall with over 400 pounds of New Hampshire sugar pumpkins. If you can’t decide, order a flight and build your own lineup of house beers.
The jumbo Bavarian pretzel with house beer cheese and beer mustard is my pick for sharing. For a main, I like the Drunken Tips at $21, and the burgers are around $17. Stark also distills its own bourbon, rum, and gin, sold by the bottle to take home.
Weekday specials help keep costs down, with tacos on Tuesday and wings on Wednesday. Hours stretch to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, but Sunday closes early at 6 p.m. The Millyard Museum is about a 10-minute walk away if you want some local history after lunch.
3. Pickity Place
- 📍 Location: Mason (248 Nutting Hill Road)
- 💲 Price range: $36 per person (five-course lunch)
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Herb-Infused New American / Farm-to-Table
- 🔥 Standout Features: 1786 storybook cottage, five-course herbal lunch that changes monthly, herb gardens and greenhouse.
- 🎯 Perfect For: Garden lovers, special-occasion lunches, and day trips from Boston
Pickity Place is a little red cottage in Mason, built in 1786 at the end of a dirt road. Illustrator Elizabeth Orton Jones used it as the model for Grandmother’s house in the 1948 Little Golden Books edition of Little Red Riding Hood. The cottage sits among herb gardens, and the gift shop stocks over 100 dried herbs and blends.
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Lunch is a five-course herbal menu for $35.94, and it changes on the first of every month. Each meal features herbs and edible flowers picked from the gardens, with a choice of two entrées, one of them vegetarian. Hot tea and mocha coffee come with the meal, and this fall that includes mulled cider.
Book by phone at (603) 878-1151, because reservations aren’t taken online or by email. Choose from three seatings at 11:30 a.m., 12:45 p.m., and 2 p.m., and plan to arrive early to walk the gardens. Kids can order the Grandmother’s Basket, a sandwich with fruit and cookies.
I like to pair lunch here with breakfast at Parker’s Maple Barn, also in Mason. The gardens and shop are open until 5 p.m. through December, then close at 4 p.m. from January through March 2027. The cottage closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, which is good to know if you’re planning a holiday visit.
- Visit the Pickity Place website
- Read reviews of Pickity Place
- Read Next: Top 12 Free Things to Do in New Hampshire
4. Otis Restaurant
Main Street vibe meets upscale comfort at Otis in Exeter. The space is intimate but never stuffy, set in a historic building right in the heart of downtown. You’ll feel like you’re getting away with something from the first bite of their duck confit poutine or silky scallops—these plates bring the fancy, but the service is all hometown charm.
The cocktails are on point (try the smoked maple old fashioned), and the exposed brick gives an old-school speakeasy feel. Tip: Reserve ahead, weekends fill up, and definitely check out Water Street shops and the picturesque Swasey Parkway on your way out. Their butterscotch pudding was honestly a revelation after dinner.
5. Boards & Brews
- 📍 Location: 941 Elm Street, Manchester
- 💲 Price range: $10 – $25 per person, plus a $5 game fee
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Board Game Cafe / Bar / Comfort Food
- 🔥 Standout Features: Nearly 2,000 board games, full bar, private game room for up to 10
- 🎯 Perfect For: Game nights, rainy days, and families with kids
Boards & Brews on Elm Street in downtown Manchester holds nearly 2,000 board games, which it calls the largest game library in New England. It started as game nights in the founders’ apartments and grew into a cafe with help from a Kickstarter campaign. Shelves are sorted by game type and color-coded by player count to help you choose.
Unlimited play costs $5 per person, and there’s no fee if you only come for food and drinks. The kitchen serves sandwiches and comfort food, including vegan and gluten-free options. At the bar, I’d go for a local craft beer or the espresso martini, which regulars rave about.
It’s closed Mondays, opens at 4 p.m. on weekdays, and stays open until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Weekend evenings are the busiest time, and I’d reserve a table online before going. Kids are welcome at any hour, though earlier in the day is calmer for families.
For a birthday or group night, book the Queen Mary private room, which fits up to 10 adults for $150 including game fees. This is my go-to plan in Manchester when the weather turns cold this winter. Firefly and The Wild Rover are a short walk away if you want dinner before you play.
6. The Crust and Crumb Baking Co.
- 📍 Location: 126 North Main Street, Concord
- 💲 Price range: $5 – $15 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Bakery / Cafe
- 🔥 Standout Features: From-scratch breads and pastries, whoopie pies, steps from the State House
- 🎯 Perfect For: Breakfast, coffee breaks, and holiday pie orders
The Crust and Crumb Baking Co. is a from-scratch bakery on North Main Street in downtown Concord, a short walk from the New Hampshire State House. Owner Alison Ladman opened it in 2012 and doubled the space in 2019, adding more seating and espresso drinks. She also bakes the squash rolls served at Canterbury Shaker Village.
The whoopie pies are my favorite, especially the salted caramel and raspberry lemon. The quiche makes a good quick lunch, and I’d take home a loaf of the sauerkraut rye or multigrain. For something small, grab a key lime bar or a maple shortbread cookie with your coffee.
The bakery is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. Saturday closes at 4 p.m., and Sunday is shorter, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Street parking is metered, and you can pay through a parking app on your phone.
Custom cakes and pies are available to order, and I’d call early if you want one for Thanksgiving or the holidays. The shop also sells goods from local artisans, and you can prepay for treats for someone in need. Margaritas and Revival Kitchen are both a few minutes’ walk away if you’re spending the day in Concord.
7. Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train
- 📍 Location: 3 Crossing at Riverplace Drive, North Woodstock
- 💲 Price range: $125 – $150 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Fine Dining American
- 🔥 Standout Features: Restored 1950s dining cars, five-course dinner, 20-mile White Mountains route
- 🎯 Perfect For: Anniversaries, fall foliage trips, and train lovers
The Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train pairs a five-course dinner with a two-hour ride through the White Mountains. Restored 1950s rail cars travel 20 miles along the Pemigewasset River Valley, crossing trestles on a timber line that dates to the 1800s. Tables come set with white cloths and china, and the pace is slow enough to enjoy the views.
Main level seats cost $125 per person, and the upper dome level is $150, with tax and a food gratuity included. Drinks from the bar are extra, and the dress code is business casual. This fall, you pick one appetizer and one entrée on board, and my pick is the pumpkin bisque with the pork tenderloin au poivre.
Fall departures are Thursday through Sunday, with boarding at 4:15 p.m. and the train leaving at 5 p.m. The 2026 season wraps up at the end of October, and I’d book foliage weekends as far ahead as you can. Let the staff know about food allergies when you reserve, since meals are prepared on board.
From December through March, the station hosts The Depot, a tapas restaurant with no reservations needed. The dinner train is expected to return in May 2027, and spring and summer trips leave an hour later, at 6 p.m. Pair your ride with a day at Franconia Notch State Park or the Flume Gorge, about 10 minutes north.
- Visit the Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train website
- Read reviews of Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train
- Read Next: 12 Fun White Mountains Experiences
8. Green Elephant
- 📍 Location: 35 Portwalk Place, Portsmouth
- 💲 Price range: $20 – $40 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Pan-Asian Vegetarian / Vegan
- 🔥 Standout Features: Fully vegetarian Asian menu, vegan and gluten-free options, full cocktail bar
- 🎯 Perfect For: Vegetarians, vegans, and meat-eaters open to something new
Green Elephant is a vegetarian bistro in downtown Portsmouth, serving dishes inspired by Thailand, Malaysia, China, and India. Chefs Dan Sriprasert and Bob Wongsaichua opened the first location in Portland, Maine, in 2007 and brought it to Portsmouth in 2015. Nearly everything on the menu is vegan or can be made vegan, and I’d happily bring meat-eating friends here.
I always start with the curry puffs, flaky pastries filled with potato, portobello mushroom, and curry, for $12. For a main, the Siamese Dream curry noodles are my favorite at $22, and the green curry with tofu is $20. Dishes come on a spice scale from 0 to 4, and I’d go one level higher than usual if you like heat.
Green Elephant is walk-in only, and I’d arrive right at 4 p.m. on weekends to beat the dinner rush. Dinner is served daily from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., with lunch added Friday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The full bar mixes cocktails with fresh-pressed juices, alongside local beers.
The Press Room, the longest-standing live music venue downtown, is about a five-minute walk away. Market Square and the waterfront are also close, which makes this an easy dinner stop on a Portsmouth day trip. If you’re planning a party this holiday season, the catering menu needs 3 to 5 days’ notice.
9. Margaritas Mexican Restaurant
- 📍 Location: 1 Bicentennial Square, Concord
- 💲 Price range: $15 – $30 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Mexican / Tex-Mex
- 🔥 Standout Features: Former 1890s police station, dining tables inside old jail cells, margarita flights
- 🎯 Perfect For: Quirky dinners, happy hour, and margarita lovers
Margaritas in Concord fills the old Concord Police Headquarters and Jail, which housed the city’s police department from 1890 to 1975. The original jail cells still stand, and several now hold dining tables with the bars still in place. You can reserve a cell when you call ahead, and it feels more private than a regular booth.
Ask your server about George, the ghost said to haunt the old jail. I like to start with the street corn dip, then share the fajitas or order the Enchiladas Banderas. For drinks, a margarita flight lets you try several flavors, and there’s a new margarita of the month.
Margaritas opens at 3 p.m. on weekdays and 11:30 a.m. on weekends, and it stays open until midnight Tuesday through Saturday. Weekday happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. brings drink deals and discounted bar bites. Taco Tuesday and Kids Eat Free Wednesdays help keep a family dinner affordable.
Every October, Margaritas celebrates Tacotoberfest, and this year that includes a free taco offer on National Taco Day, October 6. The patio faces Bicentennial Square and makes a nice spot for dinner on a mild fall evening. If you’re traveling with a dog, note that pets aren’t allowed in the jail cells.
10. Flight Coffee Co.
- 📍 Location: 209 Route 101, Bedford
- 💲 Price range: $8 – $20 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Specialty Coffee / Bakery Cafe
- 🔥 Standout Features: Coffee roasted on site, direct-trade beans, Mile High Cronuts
- 🎯 Perfect For: Coffee lovers, breakfast on the go, and remote work
Flight Coffee Co. roasts its beans on site at its Bedford cafe on Route 101, where the roaster, kitchen, and espresso bar share one building. Owners Claudia and Jim started out as a wholesale roaster, then opened this cafe around the pandemic and retired their original Dover shop. Many beans are bought directly from farmers at prices above Fair Trade minimums.
The Mile High Cronuts are my must-order, and the flavors rotate through the year. Bagels are made in-house too, and the Athena sandwich on a rosemary sea salt bagel is a filling breakfast. I’d pair either with a seasonal latte, or buy a bag of whole beans to take home.
The Bedford cafe is open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. The line can look long, but it moves fast, and there’s indoor and outdoor seating. Flight sits at the corner of Route 101 and Wallace Road, an easy stop on the way into Manchester.
For a second stop, Flight’s Goffstown cafe on Main Street shares its space with a plant shop and a vintage store. It keeps the same hours as Bedford and bakes the same Flight favorites, cronuts included. Bedford is also about 15 minutes from Stark Brewing and The Foundry in Manchester’s Millyard.
11. Camp
- 📍 Location: 298 Daniel Webster Highway, Meredith
- 💲 Price range: $20 – $40 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: American Comfort Food
- 🔥 Standout Features: Adirondack summer camp decor, fieldstone fireplace, s’mores for dessert
- 🎯 Perfect For: Families, Lake Winnipesaukee trips, and cozy fall dinners
Camp in Meredith recreates the feel of a lakeside summer camp, right across the road from Meredith Bay on Lake Winnipesaukee. It opened in 1998 inside the Chase House at Mill Falls, with a tin roof and a screen door at the entrance. A moose head hangs over the fieldstone fireplace, and the staff call their guests campers.
I always order the Camp crackers for the table, then the Campfire Steak or the New England baked haddock. Diners also rave about comfort classics like meatloaf and chicken pie. Save room for the s’mores, a dessert I never skip here.
Dinner starts at 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and at 4 p.m. on weekends, and the lounge stays open until 10 p.m. every night. Camp takes reservations, and I’d book ahead for fall foliage weekends and holiday weeks. You can also order takeout online or get delivery through DoorDash if you’re staying nearby.
Camp is part of the Common Man family of restaurants, which celebrates 55 years in business this November. Hart’s Turkey Farm is just down Route 3 if you want to plan a second Meredith meal. After dinner, stroll along the Meredith Bay waterfront across the street.
12. The Local Grocer Farm Cafe
- 📍 Location: 3358 White Mountain Highway, North Conway
- 💲 Price range: $10 – $20 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Organic Cafe / Vegan and Gluten-Free Friendly
- 🔥 Standout Features: Produce from the owners’ own farm, bread baked in-house, dedicated gluten-free prep space
- 🎯 Perfect For: Vegan and gluten-free travelers, healthy breakfasts, and White Mountains road trips
The Local Grocer Farm Cafe, formerly Table + Tonic, sits inside an organic market about a mile north of North Conway Village. Owners Heather Chase and Russ Van Deursen grow much of the produce on their own permaculture farm and bake their bread in-house with organic grains. Every dish comes with a non-GMO guarantee, and the kitchen has dedicated space and equipment for gluten-free cooking.
For breakfast, I like the southwest burrito or the tofu scramble wrap, and there’s a vegan breakfast sandwich too. At lunch, the Turkey Pesto Melt and the tempeh wraps are my picks, with scratch-made soups and salads on the side. Add a smoothie or fresh juice, and grab a paleo muffin or gluten-free cookie for the road.
The cafe is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Monday and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. You order at the counter and get a buzzer, which leaves time to browse the market’s vegan chocolates and eco-friendly gifts. Online ordering is available if you want to pick up lunch for a hike.
I like stopping here for breakfast before driving the Kancamagus Highway during foliage season. It’s also a few minutes from Cranmore Mountain Resort, which makes it handy for lunch on ski days this winter. For dinner, White Mountain Cider Co. in Glen is about 10 minutes away.
13. Parker’s Maple Barn
- 📍 Location: 1349 Brookline Road, Mason
- 💲 Price range: $10 – $25 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: American Breakfast / Comfort Food
- 🔥 Standout Features: 200-year-old barn dining room, house-made maple syrup, working sugar house
- 🎯 Perfect For: Pancake lovers, maple season visits, and family breakfasts
Parker’s Maple Barn started in 1965, when the Parker family made one gallon of maple syrup in their backyard. In 1968 they moved a 200-year-old barn from 10 miles away to build the restaurant, which has been expanded five times since. Tables are built around antique cow stanchions, and the whole place feels like a working New England farm.
Every stack of pancakes comes with pure maple syrup made on site, and I’d order the buckwheat or pumpkin this fall. The Parker’s Special brings two eggs, two pancakes or French toast, bacon, sausage, and ham for $16.50. For something different, try the maple-glazed ribs with eggs, or a maple bourbon latte with your meal.
The barn is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday through Monday and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. There are no reservations, and weekend mornings can bring a wait, with last seating at 1:45 p.m. Walk over the covered footbridge to the Corn Crib Gift Shop while you wait for a table.
Plan a return visit in March 2027, when you can tour the sugar house and watch the season’s syrup being boiled. Parker’s also ships its syrup and maple candy through its online store if you want to bring a taste home. Pickity Place is also in Mason, and I like pairing breakfast here with lunch there.
14. White Mountain Cider Co
- 📍 Location: 207 Route 302, Glen
- 💲 Price range: $40 – $80 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Seasonal New American / Global
- 🔥 Standout Features: 1890s farmhouse, working cider mill, cider donuts from the market bakery
- 🎯 Perfect For: Date nights, fall foliage trips, and après-ski dinners
White Mountain Cider Co. fills a restored 1890s farmhouse on Route 302 in Glen, about a mile from the junction with Route 16. The dining room has a crackling fire and a handcrafted wooden bar, and the property still has a working cider mill. From mid-September through December, you can watch the cider pressing on weekends and taste it fresh off the press.
Chef and owner Miles Williams builds a seasonal menu from local farm ingredients with flavors from around the world. I’d start with the skillet Dan Dan Brussels sprouts for $15, then order the 14-ounce Cider House Sirloin or the seared scallops, both $45. For a lighter night, the bar serves a casual menu, and the Cider Co Burger is $21.
The restaurant serves dinner Thursday through Monday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I’d reserve ahead during foliage season and on winter weekends, when the Mount Washington Valley gets busy. The on-site market opens at 8 a.m. on the same days for sandwiches, meals to go, and fresh cider donuts.
Grab a half dozen cider donuts for a drive through Crawford Notch, about 30 minutes up Route 302. Attitash and Cranmore are both close by, which makes this a good dinner stop on ski days this winter. The market also stocks local craft beer and gifts if you want to bring something home.
15. The Wild Rover Pub & Restaurant
- 📍 Location: 21 Kosciuszko Street, Manchester
- 💲 Price range: $15 – $35 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Irish Pub Fare / American
- 🔥 Standout Features: Irish pub since 1990, 100-year-old oak floors, live music several nights a week, kitchen open until 11 p.m.
- 🎯 Perfect For: Pub nights, live music fans, and late dinners downtown
The Wild Rover has been pouring pints in downtown Manchester since 1990. It sits on Kosciuszko Street, just off the north end of Elm Street, and bills itself as the only Irish pub on a Polish street in a French city. Inside, 100-year-old oak floors and exposed brick walls give it a classic pub feel.
The Kinsale fish and chips are my top pick, and regulars rave about them. The shepherd’s pie with ground beef, corn, mashed potatoes, and gravy is a hearty cold-weather choice. Pair either with a pint of Guinness, or try the espresso martini, which some locals call the best in Manchester.
The pub opens at 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and at noon Friday through Sunday, and it stays open until 1 a.m. every night. The kitchen serves until 11 p.m., which makes it my pick for a late dinner downtown. Weekday afternoons bring pint specials, and there’s live music several nights a week, with acoustic bands on weekends.
Parking is easy, with a city garage right across the street. Boards & Brews is a few minutes’ walk away if you want to start the night with a board game. The Wild Rover also takes reservations, which helps for larger groups during St. Patrick’s Day week in March 2027.
16. Revival Kitchen and Bar
- 📍 Location: 11 Depot Street, Concord
- 💲 Price range: $40 – $80 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Farm-to-Table New England
- 🔥 Standout Features: Revived New England classics, entire wine list by the glass, 2025 Top Cap award for Best Dining
- 🎯 Perfect For: Date nights, pre-show dinners, and special occasions
Revival Kitchen & Bar opened in downtown Concord in 2017, and the name reflects chef-owner Corey Fletcher’s mission of reviving New England classics with local ingredients. He sources from nearby farms and foragers, and the menu changes with the seasons. In 2025, Revival won Concord’s Top Cap award for Best Dining.
I’d open with a New England cheese board, $12 for two local cheeses with candied walnuts and baguette. The lobster poutine is a fun starter at $20, and the seared sea scallops with saffron rice and chorizo are my main at $36. Save room for the brown butter walnut carrot cake, my favorite dessert in Concord.
Every wine on the list is available by the glass, which makes it easy to pair a different glass with each course. The bar also mixes creative cocktails and mocktails. Revival is open Tuesday through Saturday from 4 p.m., closing at 9 p.m. midweek and 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Book ahead on Tock, since walk-ins can face a long wait. The Capitol Center for the Arts is an easy walk away, which makes this a great pick before a show. Margaritas and The Crust and Crumb are nearby if you’re planning a full day of eating in Concord.
17. Polly’s Pancake Parlor
- 📍 Location: 672 Route 117, Sugar Hill
- 💲 Price range: $15 – $25 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: American Breakfast / Pancakes
- 🔥 Standout Features: Mountain views, pancakes made to order since 1938, James Beard America’s Classics award
- 🎯 Perfect For: Scenic breakfasts, fall foliage drives, and pancake lovers
Polly’s Pancake Parlor has served pancakes on a hillside in Sugar Hill since 1938, inside a carriage shed built around 1830. Polly and Wilfred “Sugar Bill” Dexter first offered all-you-can-eat pancakes for 50 cents to promote their maple products, and the family is still involved today. In 2006, it won a James Beard America’s Classics Award.
You can mix batters in one order, choosing from options like buckwheat, gingerbread, cornmeal, and oatmeal buttermilk. I like the sampler, with blueberries in one batter and walnuts in another, and every plate comes with pure maple syrup and Polly’s maple spread. Ask for the maple sugar too, which is available on request.
Grab a window seat for views of Cannon Mountain and Mount Lafayette while you eat. Polly’s is open every day except Wednesday, from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. on weekdays and 3 p.m. on weekends. There are no reservations, and you can call 603-823-5575 ext. 16 to check the wait before driving over.
Fall is peak season here, and waits of 45 minutes or more are common on foliage weekends. Seating is indoors only, and takeout isn’t regularly offered. If you can’t make it this year, Polly’s ships its pancake mixes and syrup year-round, which makes a good holiday gift.
- Visit the Polly’s Pancake Parlor website
- Read reviews of Polly’s Pancake Parlor
- Read Next: My Fall in New England Guide
18. Kumo Sushi & Hibachi
- 📍 Location: 25 Indian Rock Road, Windham
- 💲 Price range: $20 – $45 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Japanese / Sushi / Hibachi
- 🔥 Standout Features: Fresh sushi and sashimi, complimentary chef’s starter, vegetarian specialty rolls
- 🎯 Perfect For: Sushi lovers, casual date nights, and I-93 road trip stops
Kumo Sushi & Hibachi is a family-friendly Japanese restaurant on Indian Rock Road in Windham, just off Exit 3 of I-93. It’s an easy stop on the drive between Boston and the Lakes Region, and the dining room is casual and comfortable. The kitchen often sends out a complimentary chef’s sample, like seafood mango rolls, to start your meal.
I’d order the sushi and sashimi combo, which reviewers praise for generous portions of fresh fish. The seafood tower with crab, shrimp, and mango sauce is my pick to share. Vegetarians get more than the usual cucumber roll here, with a few creative veggie specialty rolls.
There’s no tableside hibachi show, but the hibachi dinners come in big portions, and chicken hibachi starts around $16. At lunch, bento boxes and roll specials are a good value. Kumo is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday.
Kumo is closed on Mondays, and you can order online for takeout or get delivery through DoorDash. Windham sits about 45 minutes north of Boston, which makes this a good first dinner on a New Hampshire weekend. Canobie Lake Park is about 10 minutes away in Salem if you’re traveling with kids.
19. The Friendly Toast
- 📍 Location: 113 Congress Street, Portsmouth
- 💲 Price range: $20 – $40 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: American Diner / All-Day Brunch
- 🔥 Standout Features: The original Friendly Toast since 1994, colorful retro decor, gluten-free and vegan pancakes
- 🎯 Perfect For: Weekend brunch, families, and fans of kitsch
The Friendly Toast on Congress Street is the original location of this New England brunch spot, serving Portsmouth since 1994. The dining room is packed with colorful retro decor and quirky details, and you’ll spot something new every time you look around. It’s a lively, loud room, and a fun place to bring kids or a group of friends.
This fall, I’d order the pumpkin pancakes with cinnamon and vanilla cream cheese icing for $13. For something savory, the Irish Benny with corned beef and poached eggs is $17.50, and the Pork Belly Benny with onion jam is $18. Gluten-free and vegan pancakes are both on the menu for $13.50.
The restaurant opens at 7:30 a.m. daily, closing at 2:30 p.m. on weekdays and 4 p.m. on weekends. Weekend brunch gets busy, and I’d join the virtual waitlist online before walking over. You can also make a reservation, which helps for larger groups.
Save room to share the churro sticks with dulce de leche and chocolate ganache for $13.50. Market Square and the waterfront are a few minutes’ walk away, which makes this an easy start to a Portsmouth day. Staff will walk you through allergy questions before you order, which helps if you’re managing dietary needs.
20. Sweet Maple Cafe
- 📍 Location: 80 Main Street, Conway
- 💲 Price range: $10 – $25 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Bakery Cafe / Breakfast and Lunch
- 🔥 Standout Features: From-scratch bakery case, house-made sourdough, locally sourced ingredients
- 🎯 Perfect For: Breakfast before a hike, coffee and pastries, and Kancamagus Highway trips
Sweet Maple Cafe is a coffee house, bakery, and deli on Main Street in Conway Village, a few miles south of North Conway. Owner Danette Talbot opened it in the winter of 2011, and she supports local farmers and businesses whenever she can. Locals come in for the coffee, which is poured into mugs warmed ahead of time.
For breakfast, I’d order the Valley omelet with toast made from the house sourdough. The bakery case is the highlight, with lemon cake, blueberry scones, and caramel apple squares baked in-house. Gluten-free options are available, and sandwiches and soups fill out the lunch menu.
The cafe is open daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., except Thursdays, when it’s closed. Ask about add-on costs before you order, like swapping bread on a sandwich. Online ordering makes it easy to grab breakfast to go.
Conway Village sits at the eastern end of the Kancamagus Highway, which makes this my pick for breakfast before the drive during foliage season. This winter, it’s a handy stop on the way to Cranmore and Attitash for the 2026/27 ski season. Grab a pastry for the road, since the Kancamagus has no gas stations or food stops along its 34 miles.
21. Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant
- 📍 Location: 233 Daniel Webster Highway, Meredith
- 💲 Price range: $20 – $40 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: American / Traditional New England
- 🔥 Standout Features: Thanksgiving dinner every day since 1954, seating for 500, gift shop with take-home meals
- 🎯 Perfect For: Families, bus tours, and holiday-season comfort food
Hart’s Turkey Farm has served Thanksgiving-style dinners every day of the year since 1954, and the Hart family still owns it. The Meredith restaurant seats about 500 guests across its dining rooms and the Copper Kettle Tavern. Posing for a photo in front of the Hart’s sign is a Lakes Region tradition that families pass down through the generations.
Order the classic turkey dinner, with sliced turkey over homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Every meal starts with Parker House rolls, cornbread, and a tangy carrot relish with crackers. Turkey also comes as croquettes, turkey pie, Marsala, and Divan, and I’d add the butternut squash as a side.
Hart’s is open daily from 11:30 a.m., closing at 8:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. There are no reservations, though the staff appreciate a call ahead for groups of 10 or more. The tavern hosts trivia on Thursdays and live music on Fridays.
Expect a crowd during Thanksgiving week and the holidays, and I’d visit midafternoon to beat the dinner rush. The shop sells Hart’s fresh and frozen prepared foods, which makes it easy to bring a turkey dinner home. Camp is just up Route 3 if you want to try a second Meredith favorite on your trip.
22. Firefly American Bistro & Bar
- 📍 Location: 22 Concord Street, Manchester
- 💲 Price range: $25 – $50 per person
- 🍽️ Cuisine Style: Contemporary American Bistro
- 🔥 Standout Features: Exposed brick dining room, art room showing local artists, weekend brunch
- 🎯 Perfect For: Date nights, weekend brunch, and dinner before an SNHU Arena event
Firefly American Bistro & Bar opened the day after Christmas in 2008, started by siblings Diane Downing and chef David Becker. It fills the ground floor of an antique building from Manchester’s industrial days, with exposed brick walls and warm lighting. The semi-private art room displays work by local artists and hosts groups for showers, rehearsal dinners, and birthdays.
Start with the Go-Go Bread for $10, a starter regulars order again and again. For dinner, I’d pick the buttermilk fried pork chops at $27 or the Bourbon Street fettuccine at $29. The pan-seared sea scallops are $33, and a separate gluten-sensitive menu is available.
Weekend brunch is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and weekday lunch starts at 11 a.m. Dinner goes until 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and until 8 p.m. on Sunday. Plan around Firefly’s holiday closures on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
Firefly sits a few blocks from SNHU Arena, which makes it my first choice for dinner before a concert or hockey game. Parking is free in the front lot’s yellow-striped spaces on weekday evenings and weekends, and the Victory garage is one block away. The patio adds outdoor seating in warm weather, sometimes with live music.
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