It’s breakfast meets lunch and vice versa when you dine at The Country View Restaurant. Open most of the week from early morning to midafternoon, this Greenland, New Hampshire, eatery serves up both the first and second meals of the day, often blending components of each into its entrees.
In business since 1986, The Country View served as the area’s neighborhood diner, and remained virtually unchanged until customer Sandra Makmann took ownership six years ago. “My intention was to take a really local place and develop the menu and therefore our clientele to go way beyond just Greenland,” Makmann says. “We’re the same brand, just really updated and defined.
If you’re heading in on the weekend, expect a line—the place is bustling pretty much all day, but everything moves quickly. Tables are set relatively close together, and it’s a common occurrence to see friends, or even strangers, gabbing with another party a couple of feet away.
Once you’ve been seated, grab a cup of bottomless coffee, like a unique Columbian blend from Port City Roasters. Or, try one of several Bloody Mary variations. Customers have said they’re the best they’ve ever had, and Makmann credits this to her secret recipe, which features Chelsea Fire Hot Sauce. The Salt Marsh is garnished with tiger shrimp and bacon, while the Winged Mary incorporates a chicken drumstick for dipping. You can also have some fun with the mimosas. In addition to the regular orange juice and champagne combo, Country View offers seasonal specialties throughout the year.
Menu items are often a play on age-old classics with quirky names that General Manager Jeffrey Smith creates on a whim. “I get these kooky ideas,” Smith laughs. “It makes it more fun. When I read a menu, I like to see those items. They come out right at you.”
If you’re thinking eggs, any of the benedicts are a great bet, like Yo’ Vinnie, a tribute to Boston’s North End, the restaurant’s take on a sausage, peppers, and onion sub in benedict form. Keeping true to that sandwich vibe, it comes with ciabatta bread instead of an English muffin. The popular California Bennie brings together two poached eggs with tomato, red onion, avocado, Brie, and a creamy hollandaise sauce.
Guests travel far and wide for The Country View’s Pumpkin Nut Pancakes and Golden Harvest Pancakes (a savory option that’s reminiscent of carrot cake). They’re unusual in that they’re made with muffin batter, so they’re extra dense and flavorful. Plus, each one is about the size of a small pizza. People don’t even put syrup on them usually,” Makmann says. They’re really rich. It’s like eating a muffin, but in a pancake shape. The CVR French Toast is also a great option for those with a sweet tooth. A stack of Teas toast is layered with Bavarian creme, strawberries, bananas, blueberries, oranges, and kiwi, all topped with a large dollop of whipped cream.
For lunchier offerings, the Black Forest is named after the dish’s main component, black pastrami, which is sandwiched between pumpernickel along with a fried egg, bacon, lettuce, onion, Swiss cheese, dill, relish, and Dijon mustard. The Back Forty is succulent pulled pork, apples, and pepper jack on a brioche bun.
A fan favorite, the Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich uses a curry mayonnaise to bring a little heat to the dish’s profile, while apples, grapes, walnuts, and celery add a bit of sweetness and texture. Everything comes together between slices of toasted sourdough. There’s also the award-winning beef burger, which includes a half-pound blend of sirloin, brisket, and flank that’s cooked on a flat top to ensure the patty is juicy and flavorful. Try the Cider House Burger; it comes with all the fixings, along with bacon, onion rings, apples, and BBQ sauce, plus a side of housemade potato chips or fries.
Close out your meal with breakfast for dessert, like the Waffle Boat, topped with fruit, ice cream, and chocolate sauce, or a selection of muffins (including gluten free options), or a seasonal Apple Crisp with homemade maple cream sauce.
The Country View Restaurant
692 Portsmouth Avenue
Greenland, NH
603-431-7426
