There’s a reason that 5 Thai Bistro in downtown Portsmouth, with its simple but bright dining space, is so loved by locals and visitors alike. The restaurant, consistently ranked in the top 10 on TripAdvisor, boasts a winning formula: creative dishes with balanced and fresh ingredients, generous portions, fair prices, and an attentive wait staff. No wonder the place is always buzzing. Read more
The Library Restaurant, a popular steakhouse located on State Street in downtown Portsmouth, is easy to spot: just look for the massive Federal-style Rockingham House with a pair of gilded lions guarding the entrance. Read more
Traveling north on Route 1 in Kittery, just past rows of outlet malls dotted with fried seafood shacks, sits Misto!, a bright and lively Italian-inspired cafe and bistro. Open since July 2014, Misto! has quickly gained traction, garnering recognition as a 2015 Best of Taste top 30 restaurant. In Italian, misto means mixed, and Chef-Owner Suzanne Schepis-Gray’s menu mixes Sicilian, Californian, and New England cuisines, using indigenous ingredients, many grown in the bistro’s backyard organic heirloom seed gardens. Read more
It’s not quite 4 p.m. on a Friday, and already the large, curving bar at Ron Jillian’s Italian Bar and Grill in Hampton is alive with regulars, who chat animatedly with each other and the staff as they relax with drinks after work. “This is actually pretty quiet,” says owner Ed Blouin, motioning over his shoulder at the lively afternoon crowd behind him. Read more
The Golden Egg, open since 1983, is a Portsmouth institution. Owners Debbie and Tom Gosselin have been flipping pancakes and eggs from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., 361 days a year, for over three decades. Read more
Set the night ablaze at Kume Japanese Restaurant. Opened in July of 2014, Kume is a standout in busy Brickyard Square in Epping, New Hampshire. Modern floor-to-ceiling natural stone walls, etched glass dividers, and ample lighting in the main dining room contrast with the lightly colored and impressive well-stocked bar. Along the back side of the restaurant chefs are abuzz at the sushi bar, showcasing a rainbow of fresh sashimi atop boats and decorative plates. Mahogany walls and gray stone are backlit to complement the inviting espresso-toned leather chairs that frame the rectangular stainless steel grills in the habachi dining room. Smartly dressed chefs, at home behind the grills, set the expectation that this is not your everyday dining experience. Read more
At The Black Birch in downtown Kittery, proprietors Gavin Beaudry, Benjamin Lord, and Jake Smith ensure the vibe of the restaurant supports their comfort food menu. “We want everyone’s experience to be the experience we want to have when we dine out,” Lord says, which turns out to be a community block party in restaurant form. Read more
