Fun vibe at The Local in Warner

Having received a recommendation of delicious hamburgers and French fries by an acquaintance, we ventured to the small town of Warner. The restaurant is called The Local and on a recent Saturday night we headed over to find out if the hype was truly worth the visit.

Derry Restaurant and Pizza reopens after fire

After a fire closed the Derry Restaurant and Pizza several weeks ago, we wondered when they would reopen. According to their Facebook page, they are back in business as of yesterday, Monday, November, 23rd.

The promise of authentic Mexican food at La Cabana in New Boston

What is the biggest problem with Mexican restaurants these days? Many have dishes that are covered in cheese to hide how bad the food really is from their customers. We believe any restauranteur who would like to be a success should start by make authentic dishes with fresh ingredients and the crowds will find you and appreciate the extra effort. This brings us to our latest review, La Cabana Mexican Grill, in New Boston.

A pig out is the order of the day at Goody Coles

I had been trying to figure out where to find decent BBQ in New Hampshire. I then realized that I needed to turn to the resident expert in the northeast, Pigtrip. He suggested Goody Coles in Brentwood and we were on our way.

Atlantic Grill a good choice for late night eats

We have had our fair share of disasters looking for a decent meal later in the evening. Is it just me or does it seem like the food isn't as good and the service drops off significantly after 8 pm? It can be difficult for restaurants to stay focused during this time but every guest no matter when they arrive deserves the same exceptional service and food. So when we were nearing Hampton recently late in the day our choice was a new restaurant, Atlantic Grill in Rye. Let's find out how they did.

Concord's Best Restaurants and Food Secrets

Having dined out in Concord for many years we know as much as anybody regarding food in the Capital region. Yes, there are other lists but these seem to us to be more of a popularity contest. We have put together some of our favorites and a few surprises in the list below to help you cut through the baloney.

Lavinia's in Center Harbor

Since fall is well under way in New Hampshire, it was time for us to enjoy the foliage. As we headed to the North Conway/Jackson area in search of spectacular color, I couldn’t help but notice Lavinia’s as we drove through Center Harbor. It intrigued us so much that we decided to try it for dinner later that evening.

Richardson's Farm worth a trip to Boscawen

It saddens us every year when ice cream season begins to wind down as we watch all of our favorite stands closing. Because of the arrival of Fall, this will probably be the last post about ice cream for a little while - please no tears. As we wait through the dreary cold winter, I have found a new option that is open year round that you may want to check out. Don’t forget the list of places that are also open during the winter.

Pickety Place in Mason

Nestled on a hill in the quiet town of Mason, NH is the setting for an unlikely destination but one that brings people far and wide to experience the beautiful gardens and the food inspired by the herbs grown right on the premises. Here you will find Pickity Place.

Salt at the Wentworth by The Sea in New Castle

We recently celebrated a special day and the choice of venue was the Salt Kitchen and Bar at the Wentworth by The Sea in New Castle. For several weeks leading up to the event, there were many details that needed to be finalized and it was my wife’s responsibility to make sure that everything went smoothly. I was confident that all would be fine but she was wringing her hands with worry up until the very end.

The Union Diner in Laconia

What could be more New England than a diner? You may have your own definition but for me these historic treasures are in an old railroad car where breakfast and homemade dinners are the focus. You are a regular, known by name and when they see your car arrive in the parking lot, the eggs are already on the grill and by the time you sit at the counter, the coffee is poured and your breakfast is ready. Sadly there are no diners in Concord so we decided to find one nearby and headed north to the City of Laconia and the Union Diner.

Pleasant stop for travelers at Welcome Center in Hooksett

After the old man crumbled to the ground so many years ago all seemed bleak for the New Hampshire travel industry. Our state icon was gone and there wasn't much that anybody could do about it. Additionally, the state rest areas seemed to be sorely in need of updating. There was some recent good news with the completion of the welcome center in Hooksett but is this new rest area something granite staters can be proud of?

SunShui in Bedford

This week brings us to the town of Bedford and the SunShui, an Asian restaurant located in a strip mall on South River Road. They provide both Chinese and Japanese food in a small comfortable environment. Our experience over the years with this type of cuisine has been a mixed bag of frequent poor service and mediocre food but we are always on the lookout for something new. Here is what we found at SunShui.

When Pigs Fly Pizzeria in Kittery, Maine

If pigs could fly and make pizza they would probably land in Kittery, Maine at When Pigs Fly Pizzeria. Having already been familiar with their freshly made breads, I found it curious that they would open a restaurant. So, as we passed by the pizzeria on Route 1 a number of times, we never took the time to sample the goods. I couldn’t help but wonder if this would be more of a tourist trap or a restaurant that served fantastic pizza? Seeming to always have a full parking lot my wife finally said that it was time to give them a try.

The Mile Away in Milford

Because we eat out so much there is bound to be some restaurants that we have visited multiple times. Every now and then I pick one that is deserving of a review and that brings us to The Mile Away in Milford. It seems that this restaurant has been around forever. It sits in a very pretty country setting with an old barn that gives off a New England vibe.

The Deck at Poco's in Portsmouth

One of our favorite summertime activities is to enjoy a beautiful sunny day dining oceanfront. We recently found ourselves in Portsmouth on such a day and decided to head over to Bow Street to enjoy some drinks and lunch on the deck at Poco's Bow Street Cantina. We’ve visited this restaurant before and there is no doubt that they have a beautiful location. We look forward to sharing our experience with our readers.

Red Blazer to Remodel

A local Concord favorite restaurant, The Red Blazer is going through a remodel. They will be closed from June 29th to July 8th, 2015 and plan to reopen for lunch and dinner on July 9th, 2015. The entire project is ongoing thereafter with an expected completion by the end of July, 2016.

Rogan's Bakery & Restaurant in Exeter

Since we are so busy during the week, my wife and I look forward to enjoying a delicious breakfast on the weekends. We are regulars at a number of places and like to find something new every now and then which brings us to our next review, Rogan's Bakery and Restaurant in Exeter. Located on Portsmouth Avenue and in business for over 20 years it took us a long time to sample this one.

The Kellerhaus in Laconia

Nothing says summer like ice cream and one of our favorite ways to enjoy it is with a make your own sundae bar. However, like a lot of very good things these days, it’s difficult to find many options to do this. Not to worry because there is a place in New Hampshire. All you need to do is drive north to Weirs Beach and stop in at the Kellerhaus.

Time for a Road Trip is moving

Hello Everyone,

Just a quick note to let you know that Time for a Road Trip is moving to its own URL. The reason is that although similar in the subject matter these blogs are very different. New Hampshire Restaurant Reviews is focused on reviews of Granite state restaurants while Time for a Road Trip is designed with great Northeast food destinations in mind where you can drive to in a day or weekend.

Petey's in Rye

Nothing screams warmer weather more than the smell of fried seafood. On Sunday with temps in the 70's it seemed like one of those days so my wife and I headed toward the NH seacoast in search of our first taste of the season.

The Central in York, Maine

Now that we are experiencing spring and beautiful weather in New England, we decided to take a trip to the coast. In fact, the impetus for this review actually began a few years ago. Since going to the ocean is a favorite pastime of ours, we were in York, Maine during this particular trip and we decided to visit a breakfast place, The Stolen Menu Café, which was getting some good press at the time. I won't go into all of the sordid details but our experience was one of the worst in terms of service that we have ever had and it was no surprise when we learned that the restaurant went out of business. Seeing that we were just in the area we drove by to see what was there now and found The Central.

Kimball's CAV'ern in Pembroke

Since I love food and sports I am always on the lookout for a decent place to enjoy both. We frequently go to Pembroke for ice cream at Lang's and noticed Kimball's CAV'ern located just down the street. Driving by, we saw several cars in the parking lot and decided to stop in and grab a quick dinner.

Our top picks for Cinco De Mayo

One of our favorite holidays is Cinco de Mayo which is celebrated on Friday.  Each year at Mexican restaurants throughout the United States, people gather to take part in the festivities. While the common understanding is that the holiday is a time to celebrate Mexico's independence it is actually for their victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla.

Underwhelmed at The Homestead in Merrimack

Having visited the Homestead in Merrimack a few times in the past and their sister restaurant Fratello's in Manchester I had never been overly impressed. Looking for a nearby restaurant to check out we decided to go in for a visit. With cautious optimism we saw the silo in the distance knowing that we had arrived at our destination.

Puerto Vallarta Mexican Grill in Manchester

We had heard through the grapevine that we should check out the Puerto Vallarta Mexican Grill. Having been told that they had very good food and some of the best in Manchester, we never shy away from trying a new dining establishment and set out to find out if the rumors were true. 

The Everyday Café & Pub in Contoocook

Heading to Vermont on a recent Sunday morning we were driving up Route 89 trying to figure out where to go for breakfast. Nearing Contoocook I thought this might be a good time to visit the Everyday Café & Pub located in Contoocook Village off exit 6. Since I’m from this area, we’ve driven by the café on several occasions and have been meaning to try it.

First Impressions: Number 5 Tavern in Hopkinton

After watching the coming soon sign hang outside the old Blaser’s Fireside Tavern in Hopkinton on Route 103, we wondered if the new restaurant would ever open. Months went by and we waited. The place would be called The Number 5 Tavern so we occasionally checked their Facebook page and recently noticed that they were open.

Parker's Maple Barn in Mason

At long last the winter has ended and spring has begun! While it may still be fairly chilly, we decided to do something to celebrate the upcoming season and what better way than to incorporate some maple sugar? Since as far as we know none of our friends are in the sugaring business nor will you find any metal buckets on our trees, we decided to do the next best thing: eat some maple syrup! The decision where came more naturally so we headed out to the countryside to Parker’s Maple Barn in Mason.

New Location for Red Arrow Diner in Londonderry

Years ago when my father worked for the railroad, he was a regular at the Red Arrow Diner in Manchester. His hours were not the best and overnights a constant. He would fondly recall the wonderful way the staff treated him when he went in for breakfast. When they saw his car in the parking lot they knew his order and made sure it would be ready when he would sit down at the counter. Eggs sunny side up, burned toast, bacon and a nice cup of hot coffee. My father has long since left this world but the Red Arrow Diner has always held a special place in my heart.

Canoe in Bedford

We broke one of our dining out rules – to never try a new restaurant on opening weekend. Having heard on the radio that Canoe in Bedford was opening on a recent Friday, we wondered when we should visit and we both agreed to give them a few weeks. However, on Saturday, we re-evaluated the situation and decided to check it out for ourselves.

New Hampshire Restaurant Week March 20th to 27th

The New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association presents their annual restaurant week from March 20th to the 27th. For all you food lovers who have been looking for an excuse to go out at a reasonable price, you should check out their list.

Rocco's in Hudson

Well, I guess the old adage of not judging a book by its cover is accurate. Having driven by Rocco's - Pizza, Bar & Grill in Hudson on numerous occasions, we never thought to stop in until one of my wife’s friends went there after apple picking on the recommendation of the orchard’s owner and she reported back that the food was good. On our way to Nashua we ended up looking for someplace to have lunch and my wife suggested, Rocco's. That sounded great to me and away we went.

Hayward's now open in Nashua

Before the big Valentine’s Day storm hit this past weekend, my wife and I were in the Nashua area when she received a text from my mother in law that Hayward’s Ice Cream was open. Since we didn’t have far to go, we headed on over to check out the early season offerings. We almost forgot that they would be opening this weekend and we plan to make it a yearly tradition for us. We think this is the first true ice cream stand to open this early in the area and we couldn’t have been more excited.

Go to Mr. Mac's for comfort food

Having to deal with one of the worst winters in recent history, my wife and I decided that we needed something to help get us through the daily drudgery. How can we get through one more snowy day without selling our house, quitting our jobs and moving to a warm climate? Not having much luck in picking the winning lottery numbers, we opted for something that we knew would pick up our spirits - comfort food. We gravitate towards mac n cheese as one of our favorites. If you are looking for a place that makes it as good as your mom and treats you like a valued customer, you will be pleased to know that we found such a restaurant.

You will not be able to stop eating this Valentine's Day gift!

Have you ever tasted something that you cannot stop eating because it was so unbelievably good? Because I tend to gravitate to salty foods, I can finish a whole bag of Smartfood Popcorn in one sitting and don't even realize that I didn't bother to offer any to anyone else in the room! Another one of my favorites are Doritos. My intentions are always good - I plan to have a handful and before you know it I've had a second, third etc.... You might be wondering what popcorn or tortilla chips have in common with Valentine’s Day. Well, nothing except that they are salt laden snacks which had me thinking about a special treat that my wife purchases for me every year for February 14th. Don’t say that I didn’t warn you.

Hayseed to open at Smuttynose Brewing Company

The Smuttynose Brewing Company is opening a new 95 seat restaurant, Hayseed, at Towle Farm in Hampton. The Hayseed is expected to begin serving customers in early February and will also include an outdoor seating area available during the warmer weather. Beer lovers will have plenty of choices featuring Smuttynose, of course, along with other select options brought in for your drinking pleasure.

Road Trip: Lexie's on State, Newburyport, MA

If you are a New Englander, you know how difficult the winters can be around here. We don’t ski, snowshoe or snowboard and it can be difficult to find something to do on weekends. Coupled on to that are the snowy and icy roads and we have to pick our spots to make sure that we aren't driving in dangerous conditions. But on those days when the only element we have to deal with is the cold air, our thoughts turn back to food and looking forward to trying a new food destination.

Veano's Italian Kitchen trying to recapture the magic

One of our local favorite restaurants was Veano’s Italian Kitchen which was located at the intersection of Loudon Road and East Side Drive on the Concord Heights. The food was consistently good and we became regular diners. Then Walgreens came along and made an offer to lease the land from the restaurant owners. Since it was an offer they couldn't refuse, Veano’s closed and the pharmacy was built. A few years passed and much to the locals delight Veano’s reopened in Pembroke. You can bet that we were one of the first to try the new location but they seemed to have lost some of their spark after the change in location. The food was just okay and the service poor so we decided to give them a long break. After a lengthy hiatus it was time to see if they had recaptured the magic.

Success continues for Webber Group with The Bancroft, Burlington, MA

The area surrounding the Burlington Mall has been in need of new restaurants for a long time. Other than what you would find in the mall when you looked nearby all you found was the woeful Tavern in the Square and not much else. For those familiar with the area you know how busy it is and high time for some new restaurant options. If you read our blog on a regular basis, you might recall that a favorite of ours is the Gibbett Hill Gill in Groton owned by the Webber Restaurant Group. When we found out that they were opening a new steak house, The Bancroft we knew we had to check it out. With my wife’s birthday on the horizon I made a reservation.