Our Favorite Under-the-Radar Food Towns

When you think of New England’s top food towns, It’s easy to look at the bigger culinary destinations like Boston and Portland and stop there. And by all means, we recommend that you visit those spots and dine around to your heart’s content. But there’s a new crop of small-but-mighty foodie towns that are garnering early buzz of their own. Some are fairly well established, while others are just gaining traction. All give you the opportunity to check out a new scene ahead of the crowds, while taking in classic New England scenery. Time to hit the road!

Here are some of our favorite under-the-radar New England food towns:

Bantam, Connecticut

Bantam Bakery became a bread-lover’s destination back in 1995, when Niles Golovin and Susie Uruburu began making artisan loaves out of a riverfront cottage in this sleepy hamlet in Litchfield County. Years later, George Malkemus and Tony Yurgaitis opened the fine dining farm-to-table restaurant Arethusa al Tavolo, the bakery/cafe Arethusa a Mano, and the dairy/ice cream shopArethusa Farm Dairy. All three eateries are inspired and supplied by the nearby Arethusa Farm in Litchfield. And most recently, Materia Ristorante is earning hearty praise in the national press for chef/owner David DiStasi’s take on modern-rustic Italian food, honed through years of cooking at New York’s Le Bernardin and in Tuscany.

Kittery, Maine

Kittery began positioning itself away from outlet malls and towards great food more than a decade ago, and this is one of the most well-rounded small food towns in New England. Start the day at Lil’s Café with coffee and one of their famous crullers. Lunch is a harder call. You can eat lobster rolls on the water at the Buoy Shack; slurp ramen or spicy lamb Xi’an noodles at Anju; or try the excellent chowder and fish sandwiches at New England Fishmongers. For dinner, we love the farm-to-table Italian at Festina Lente; Texas-style barbecue at Ore Nell’s, and the gastropub fare at Black Birch. Begin or end the night with a cocktail at the Wallingford Dram. And don’t leave town without picking up some pasta at the Terra Cotta Pasta Company.

Truro, Massachusetts

Even though Truro is so small that it barely boasts a clear town center, it’s home to some of the best food on Cape Cod. First and foremost, there’s Blackfish Bistro, a destination unto itself for its amazing seafood (don’t miss the tuna Bolognese or the mussels with sausage and fennel). Chef/owner Eric Jansen’s team is cooking at a level that is difficult to find in most tourist towns and reservations here are precious, so book ahead. You can also check out Jansen’s more casual offerings via his Crushpad food truck, which sets up shop every Sunday evening in the summer at Truro Vineyards, makers of well respected wines (and also spirits under their South Hollow Spirits label). These “Sunday Funday” events feature live music, great drinks, and tasty food in a gorgeous setting and are one of the best ways to spend an evening on the Cape. Finally, don’t miss a stop at Chequesset Chocolate, makers of cacao products and award-winning bars in flavors like dark, Wellfleet sea salt, and brown butter sage.

Keene, New Hampshire

This college town (technically a city) in the southwestern corner of the state has cultivated a burgeoning food scene of late. Fire Dog Breads is a standout, serving wonderful French, Italian, and Danish-style loaves, along with perfect kougin-amann, pain au chocolat, brownies, and caradmom buns. Brewbakers Cafe is beloved by students and locals, with a cozy-boho vibe and wonderful breakfast (and lunch) sandwiches. Machina Kitchen & Art Bar, created by a team of young creatives who wanted to boost the city’s art scene, serves up farm-to-table cuisine, plus live music and a rotating lineup of contemporary visual art installations and shows. Granita Enoteca is the town’s most upscale restaurant, serving polished Italian dishes (we love the porchetta duo and the gnocchi), with a wine list to match. Salt & Lime is a permanent food truck that specializes in locally sourced sausages (we love the “Italian Job” sammie with sweet peppers and onions), tacos, and other street food treats. Modestman Brewing doesn’t serve food, but it’s a great place to sample craft beer. And Fireworks’s menu is a crowd-pleasing lineup of pizza, pasta, and good burgers.

Warren, Rhode Island

Warren is not an oceanfront town, but it’s surrounded by water: the Warren River to the west and Mount Hope Bay to the east. It does feel coastal, but it’s not manicured like Newport or Watch Hill. Restaurants run from the downhome (Amaral’s for fish & chips and Portuguese food or Rod’s for diner food and hot wieners) to the more refined (Metacom, a terrific bistro with homemade pastas, ultra-fresh fish, and an amazing Monday night three-course prix fixe for just $38). There’s Bywater, which operates as a café/bakeshop during the day and a farm-and-coast-to-table dream spot at night; Hunky Dory, a New England-meets-Southern comfort spot; and Archive, a bookstore that serves snacks, cocktails, beer, and wine (brilliant idea!). Finally, for more classic seafood vibes, there’s the waterfront Wharf Tavern and Blount’s seasonal waterfront clam shack.

Bristol, Vermont / Courtesy of Discover Bristol

Bristol, Vermont

Bristol is a town of just 4,000, located about 30 miles south of Burlington. But there are some interesting things afoot in this unlikely food hub. First, a new café/food incubator calledMinifactory. The café serves breakfast, lunch, and drinks in a cute-as-a-button space up front. In back, legendary jam maker V Smiley produces her honey-sweetened, award-winning confections. Bristol is also home to a new inn/restaurant, The Tillerman; Bobcat Café, a gastropub; a Jones the Boy bake shop, Savouré craft soda, and Bicycle Mill Baking, a microbakery where Elizabeth Trostel grinds flour using a bike-powered mill and turns it into lovely sourdough and other loaves. In the summer, don’t miss a trip to the Village Creemee Stand.