Miles of sandy beach bordering the Ocean Boulevard strip of restaurants, candy shops, arcades, and gift shops have made Hampton (and neighboring North Hampton) one of New Hampshire’s popular tourist destinations. This quintessential New England town also boasts bold eats, innovative menus, and entrepreneurial endeavors. Just a few miles inland, Lafayette Road is bustling with some of the best breakfast, lunch, and dinner spots that combine fresh ingredients with creative culinary skills, resulting in dishes that you’ll come back for time and again. Read more
This intimate, homey bistro in North Hampton hits all the right notes. The vibe is welcoming, with rough-hewn wood-paneled walls and simple country decor. The service is warm, friendly, and attentive, and the food is fresh and finely crafted. Located on busy Lafayette Road, Urban Farmhouse has been open less than two years, and owner Renee Locke says business is busier than she thought it would be. “The community has been amazing,” she says. “Everyone has been very supportive.” There’s a reason for the support and success: This feel-good breakfast and lunch eatery serves up crave-able comfort food with flourish and finesse. Read more
For a town once prominent enough to mark pre-Revolutionary maps of America, Kingston exudes a sense of staunch preservation—in the best, most New England way possible. But at Rick’s Food & Spirits, small-town charm and New-Age fare are anything but mutually exclusive. Read more
In Portsmouth, a trip down memory lane just might mean a jaunt around the Rotary. There, nestled beside the Best Western hotel, you’ll find the aptly named Roundabout Diner. Opened by former Muddy River Smokehouse owner Dan Posternak in 2011, the Roundabout shimmers with ’50s Americana from the outside in, all the way down to requisite race-script arrow sign, checkerboard floors, and plush vinyl booths. It’s enough to make this ’90s grunge kid wish he’d commandeered Doc Brown’s DeLorean. Read more
You won’t find a restaurant that oozes more charm and character than the beloved ffrost Sawyer Tavern, tucked in the lower level of a historic 1649 home (now inn) on the banks of the Oyster River in Durham, New Hampshire. Read more
As you enter The Poynt in downtown Newburyport, your eyes will be drawn to the 360-degree bar in the center of the room. Rolling pins line a wall next to the pizza oven and cooks dance around one another in an open kitchen. Proprietors John and Laura Wolfe, who also own Brick & Ash in Newburyport, as well as more restaurants in Massachusetts and California, incorporated design elements to honor John Farley Clothiers, which formerly occupied the space. The backs of booths are upholstered with fabric used for men’s shirts and the old brick leading into a private dining area, The Wolfe’s Den, remains lettered with Farley’s legacy. Read more
As one of New England’s premier coastal towns, Ogunquit brings together the best of land and sea. Beach lovers have access to a huge stretch of sandy shores. Walk along Marginal Way, a paved footpath that connects Perkins Cove—with its boutique shops, alfresco dining, and beautiful views of the colorful ships anchored in the harbor—to Ogunquit Beach. The welcoming community is filled with charm and offers a little of everything for visitors who’ve traveled near and far in search of the perfect getaway spot. Read more
