One of my favorite parts of learning about New Hampshire is finding a restaurant you might not necessarily stumble across on your own.
Not the giant chain off the highway. Not necessarily the place everyone already knows.
I’m talking about the little breakfast spot somebody tells you about, the barbecue shack you almost drive past, or the restaurant that makes you say, “How have I never heard of this place?”
Here are five New Hampshire restaurants that deserve a spot on your food road-trip list.
Credit: Anatolia Mediterranean Restaurant Somersworth NH via FacebookCredit: Anatolia Mediterranean Restaurant Somersworth NH via Facebook1. Anatolia Mediterranean Restaurant — Somersworth, New Hampshire
2 Main Street, Somersworth, NH
This one truly earns the term hidden gem, because you could practically walk right past it.
Anatolia is located downstairs at 2 Main Street in downtown Somersworth and specializes in Turkish and Mediterranean food. Think fresh lavash bread, hummus and other dips, kebabs, grilled meats, Turkish specialties and big shareable plates.
And there’s another reason this place stands out: Anatolia regularly hosts a Thursday evening belly-dancing show.
It’s exactly the kind of restaurant I love finding… somewhere that turns dinner into an experience instead of just another meal.
Why it made my list: It feels completely unexpected for downtown Somersworth.
Credit: Two Bees Cafe + Patisserie via Facebook – 1Credit: Two Bees Cafe + Patisserie via Facebook – 12. Two Bees Cafe + Patisserie — Dover, New Hampshire
100 1st St, Suite 110, Dover, NH
If pastries are your weakness, we’re going to have a problem here.
Two Bees is a French-inspired café and patisserie in downtown Dover built around fresh, seasonal ingredients. Their lineup includes handmade pastries and desserts along with sandwiches, salads, coffee, espresso and other seasonal drinks.
And this isn’t just a coffee-and-croissant stop. Owners Rebekah and Ross Krieger met while attending culinary school in San Francisco before eventually bringing their dream to Dover.
Why it made my list: It feels like the kind of little neighborhood café you’d expect to discover while traveling — except it’s right here in New Hampshire.
3. The BBQ Shak & New Hampshire Smokehouse — New Hampton, New Hampshire
599 nh route 104, New Hampton, NH
There is something about finding barbecue at a roadside shack that immediately makes me trust the barbecue.
The BBQ Shak on Route 104 serves oak-smoked barbecue including ribs, chicken, pulled pork and brisket along with the essentials: mac and cheese, baked beans, potato salad, coleslaw and cornbread.
It’s casual, unpretentious and exactly what a hidden-gem food stop should be.
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This is the kind of place where you’re driving toward the Lakes Region, somebody says, “Wait, turn around,” and twenty minutes later you’re wondering why you’d never stopped before.
Why it made my list: Roadside barbecue + smoked brisket + cornbread. I’m not sure I need a stronger argument.
Credit: Fat Dog Kitchen via FacebookCredit: Fat Dog Kitchen via Facebook4. Fat Dog Kitchen — Dover, New Hampshire
99 Oak St, Dover, NH
Fat Dog Kitchen describes what it does as “funky comfort cuisine,” which may be the best three-word description possible.
The Dover breakfast-and-lunch spot has relocated to 99 Oak Street at Hot Rod City and focuses on comfort food with some seriously creative twists.
We’re talking loaded breakfast creations, Benedicts, big breakfast burritos, burgers, sandwiches and things like the Fat Elvis… French toast paired with peanut butter, banana, bacon and Nutella.
This is not the place where you order dry wheat toast and quietly contemplate your life choices.
Why it made my list: Breakfast should occasionally be completely ridiculous. Fat Dog understood the assignment.
Credit: Wicked Fresh Craft Burgers via FacebookCredit: Wicked Fresh Craft Burgers via Facebook5. Wicked Fresh Craft Burgers — North Conway, New Hampshire
19 Barnes Rd, North Conway, NH
North Conway already gives us plenty of excuses for a road trip. Wicked Fresh gives you another one.
This locally owned, family-run burger joint focuses on what it calls “fresh food fast, not fast food,” with burgers cooked to order and locally sourced ingredients used whenever possible. Their signature Wicked Burger is a smashed burger with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and Wicked Fresh Sauce, but the menu goes well beyond basic burgers with chicken, build-your-own options, hand-cut fries and more.
There’s some Food Network credibility here, too: co-owner Danny Rassi competed on Chopped: Comfort Food Feud and became the burger champion during his appearance.
Why it made my list: If you’re going to drive through the White Mountains, a massive burger should probably be involved somewhere.
One of the best things about living in New Hampshire: sometimes the best meal isn’t at the place with a giant billboard.
It’s tucked into a downtown basement.
Or hiding inside a café.
Or sitting alongside a road you’ve driven a hundred times.
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Dining and Cooking