The Granite State offers plenty of restaurant options for hungry residents and visitors. Read our picks for the best food & dining in New Hampshire.
BEST INVENTIVE AMERICAN
BEDFORD VILLAGE INN,
Bedford
An alumnus of Hell’s Kitchen’s season 7, chef Benjamin Knack pulls no punches with his richly flavorful dishes. He reinterprets chicken and waffles, for example, as roast quail with black-pepper waffle and foie gras maple butter. Handmade gnocchi, sometimes served with fava beans and corn, melt in your mouth. Entrées: from $26.
2 Olde Bedford Way. 603-472-2001; bedfordvillageinn.com
BEST CASUAL BISTRO
MT’S LOCAL KITCHEN & WINE BAR,
Nashua
Whether you order small (a burger or a haddock sandwich) or large (grilled pork chop with honey BBQ sauce), chef Michael Buckley treats all his customers like family. The broad menu of comfort dishes is always augmented by blackboard specials featuring whatever excited him at the market. Entrées: from $17.
212 Main St. 603-595-9334; mtslocal.com
BEST SEASONAL INN MENU
HOME HILL INN & RESTAURANT,
Plainfield
Chef Peter Varkonyi reaches out to farmers on the New Hampshire and Vermont banks of the Connecticut River for his meat and produce, curing and preserving all summer and fall so that he can offer local fare all winter. Order his duckfat fries for the table to share. The inn pays homage to the region with rooms named for notable Upper Valley residents, including Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Tavern Entrées: from $12. Dining-room entrées: from $18. Lodging rates: from $175, including full breakfast.
703 River Road. 603-675-6165; homehillinn.com
BEST MAPLE DINING
PARKER’S MAPLE BARN RESTAURANT,
Mason
Set in a 19th-century barn, the folks at Parker’s serve breakfast all day, offering their own maple syrup to pour over waffles, French toast, or pancakes. Those who prefer lunch needn’t miss out; the menu offers maple baked beans, maple ribs, and a maple frappe. Open early February through late December. Breakfast: from $4. Lunch: from $7.
1316 Brookline Road. 603-878-2308; parkersmaplebarn.com
BEST RELAXED ELEGANCE
SUGAR HILL INN,
Sugar Hill
Reservations here are staggered so that the kitchen can keep pace and you can keep your table all night. Dinner is a four-course prix-fixe affair, and chef Val Fortin tends to amplify the servings by dividing some courses, including serving a trio of soups. Prix-fixe dinner: $60.
116 Route 117. 800-548-4748, 603-823-5621; sugarhillinn.com
BEST SOUP & SANDWICH
MILLER’S CAFE & BAKERY,
Littleton
Miller’s lunch special is a particularly good deal. Opt for a bowl of soup of the day, perhaps carrot-apple-thyme, with a whole or half panini, such as smoked turkey with bacon, cheddar, and tomato. The deck overlooking the Ammonoosuc River is a perfect place to enjoy the meal. Lunch combos: from $9.
16 Mill St. 603-444-2146; millerscafeandbakery.com
