It’s 3 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon at the Tuckaway in Raymond, New Hampshire. At this hour, one would expect there to be a period of down time before the dinner rush, but there’s still a wait for lunch. That’s normal for the tavern and butchery, though. Owner Paul Simbliaris and Executive Chef Bobby Marcotte know that on most days they’ll be working nonstop until 9 p.m.
Oregano Pizzeria and Ristorante is located in the heart of downtown Newburyport. But step inside, and the mix of delightful aromas make it easy to imagine you’re in Italy.
Vegetables take center plate at Seacoast restaurants
Nestled between mountains and ocean, and just a hop over from Portsmouth and the bustling campus of the University of New Hampshire, Dover is a hidden gem on the Seacoast. The picturesque Cocheco River runs through the quaint center of town, surrounded by an abundance of eateries offering up creative cuisine and craft beers from microbreweries around the region.
CR’s the Restaurant offers a relaxed dining space, friendly service, and dishes you not only recognize but that taste great. The eatery, which opened late October, 2014, is the newest venture from restaurateur Chuck Rolecek, who owned and operated the late, beloved CR Sparks in Bedford, New Hampshire.
While hundreds of restaurants, parks, museums, and theaters have made Portsmouth the capital of Seacoast culture, Kittery, Maine, is fast becoming a local favorite for regional flavors and superior cuisine. Within just a few square miles, you can find scrumptious French crullers, gourmet Italian paninis, modern American seafood, award-winning Indian fare, locally sourced artisan dishes, and Asian noodles so authentic one might think they are dining in the Far East rather than the coast of Maine. Several small neighborhood eateries have earned national acclaim from the likes of Bon Appétit,Travel + Leisure, and the Washington Post. Here are a few of these gems.
Terry Grant smiles as he watches a five-year-old girl tucking into the Polpette, a sandwich stuffed with provolone cheese and meatballs made from his 86-year-old mother’s straight-from-the-Old-Country recipe. “Nonna would be so happy to see you eating that,” Grant says to the little girl, who later declares Nonna’s meatballs the best in the world.
