13 Must-Visit Restaurants in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
The dazzling dining options of the Granite State seaport are just a stone's throw away.
Photo by Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Cafe via Yelp.
Everyone knows that the dining scene in Portland, Maine, is well worth the drive from Boston. If you want to save some time and gas money, though, take heed: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is a similarly quaint seaport that’s only an hour away—about half the ride, but with a restaurant landscape that competes with cities many times its size. (No wonder Boston’s own Row 34 chose the historic downtown for its first out-of-state location.) Ready to hit the road? Let the best of Portsmouth whet your whistle.
This guide was updated in August 2024; stay tuned for periodic updates.
Black Trumpet
Dim, cozy, and swathed in brick and wooden beams—there’s palpable “ye olde seaport history” inside the Black Trumpet, a waterfront building that once served as a ship-supply mercantile. Today, though, the place proffers rustic-refined New American cuisine (plus excellent wines) from acclaimed chef Evan Mallett. Think: buttermilk fried rabbit with polenta made from blue corn; eggplant salad and tomato gravy; paella with Spanish chorizo, seafood, and saffron rice; wild boar and mushroom ragu pappardelle; and a savory green chard spin on a Moroccan pastry known as m’hanncha with harissa and green olive arrabbiata. It’s a trip around the world—all the while emphasizing ingredients sourced from New England farms. Don’t forget to, uh, stock up on spices at Stock & Spice, Black Trumpet’s sibling shop, next door.
29 Ceres St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 603-431-0887, blacktrumpetbistro.com.
Botanica Restaurant and Gin Bar
Occasion-worthy French cuisine and a boatload of gin? Yes, please. Inside a revitalized West End mill building blooms Botanica, where brick walls are painted lily white (when they’re not covered in floral print). On the menu you’ll find a garden of delights, from the fromage blanc-filled pasta to the brandy jus-sauced steak frites to the chocolate soufflé with vanilla crème anglaise. Flowery cocktails, meanwhile, make ample use of the restaurant’s namesake spirit, tapping top-shelf varieties on the nine-drink gin cocktail list: Botanist gin, for instance, joins a rose cordial and cardamom bitters in the Turkish rose.
110 Brewery Lane, Suite 105, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 603-373-0979, botanicanh.com.
BRGR Bar
We’d like to buy a vowel—preferably a “u” for the “yum” that comes dribbling out between bites of A-plus burgers of beef or bison sourced from Maine farms. (Other meats and veggie options are available, too.) Build ’em how you want ’em from the list of toppings, which covers everything from fried avocado to crispy prosciutto to balsamic fig jam. Or opt for one of 18 different preconceived patties, such as the Up in Smoke (bison with gouda, bourbon barbecue sauce, and smoked shallot and tomato jam) or the Figgetta about It (beef with goat cheese, pickled red onions, balsamic fig jam, and prosciutto). They’re all RLY GD.
34 Portwalk Pl., Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 603-294-0902, brgr-bar.com.
Cava Tapas & Wine Bar
The garden patio’s greenery-festooned living wall is a pretty, picturesque backdrop for warm-weather sipping on sparkling Spanish wines. And when wintry chills move in? Warm up inside with transportive tapas that dance from Spain to the Eastern Mediterranean and back again. See: grilled peaches with hazelnut vinaigrette and manchego; Piquillo peppers stuffed with pork cheek and goat cheese; zucchini with labneh, za’atar, fattoush salad and mint; and churros with hot chocolate.
10 Commercial Alley, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 603-319-1575, cavatapasandwinebar.com.
Cure
She didn’t go all the way, but Portsmouth chef Julie Cutting-Kelly earned high praise from tough judge Martha Stewart when the iconic queen of divine dinner parties hosted her own special series of Chopped episodes, filmed at nearby Hidden Pond Lodge in Kennebunkport, Maine a few years back. If you missed her on the small screen, snag a seat at her intimate street-corner spot, where she puts a special focus on meat and seafood. Pan-roasted duck with a white wine balsamic beurre blanc? Grilled ribeyes with fries, chimichurri butter, and smoked sea salt? As Stewart would say, “It’s a good thing.”
189 State St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 603-427-8258, curerestaurantportsmouth.com.
Durbar Square Restaurant
The Nepalese nosh at this bi-level spot can be a respite from the city’s seafood-heavy fare, packing big flavors and surprises. Take the momos, which look like steamed Chinese dumplings, for example: with filling choices like paneer and spinach, they’re an unexpected delight from the usual pork-or-veggie suspects in Chinatown. And don’t mistake the chili dishes for the tomato-based crockpot staple, either—these beauties feature spicy mixes of chilies sautéed in olive and sesame oils, red wine, and vinegar that are rounded out by proteins and veggie options like sweet potato. In particular, the duck version features chunks of skin-on meat that’s cooked to a crisp. Like the tomato-based curries called tarkari (check out the eggplant and basil paneer option), the chili dishes are served with basmati rice to soak up the sauce. Most of the dishes are a “choose your own adventure” level of spice, from one to ten. Have a wad of napkins handy to dab your forehead for anything hotter than spice-level six.
10 Market St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 603-294-0107, durbarsquarenh.com.
Photo by Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Cafe via Yelp.
Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Cafe
When dining in a seaport, best to test the local waters—and in Portsmouth, that means a meal at Jumpin’ Jay’s, a veteran of the restaurant scene open for over 20 years. From the name, you might expect a hokey joint with a battery-operated Big Mouth Billy Bass flapping on the wall. Nah, not here. The vibe is casual but still keeps it classy to meet the modern, upscale-tilting cuisine: jerk-glazed swordfish with curry lime aioli; a piccata take on haddock with caper beurre blanc; and fresh catch of the day, accompanied by a choice of lobster velouté, red pepper hazelnut romesco, and other sauces. Oh, and raw bar offerings abound. Shuck yeah.
150 Congress St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 603-766-3474, jumpinjays.com.
The Library Restaurant
With its lion statues standing sentry by the front door, ornate walls and ceilings of intricately carved dark wood, and shelves lined with hardcover tomes, the Library looks like the set for a reboot of Clue. It’s not, and it was never actually a library, either. So, what is it? A former judge’s mansion and current quintessential New England steakhouse, that’s what, where the steaks are sizzled to perfectly pink, the sides like bourbon creamed corn and lobster mac and cheese are served family-style, and the award-winning wine list is replete with ruby-red bottles for the rich tastes that populate this old-school Portsmouth institution.
401 State St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 603-431-5202, libraryrestaurant.com.
Moxy
Chef Matt Louis trains his eye on seafood at his other, also-excellent Portsmouth restaurant, the Franklin. Moxy, though, is where he built his bold-faced name and bolder rep—and it remains an essential part of the Seacoast Region’s culinary conversation since opening over a decade ago. It’s all about eclectic made-to-share plates here, with lots of goodies perfect for grazing: crispy pork belly with fennel relish; mussels with coconut cream; marinated beets with lemon-honey whipped ricotta, blueberries, and pickled chili. Add kicky cocktails, plus a particularly adroit way with crafting booze-free bevvies, and you’ve got a go-to people pleaser you won’t want to keep to yourself.
106 Penhallow St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 603-319-8178, moxyrestaurant.com.
Courtesy Nikki’s Bánh Mi
Nikki’s Bánh Mi
At first glance, the wide wingspan of Nikki’s menu might ruffle feathers. Like, who would think to serve bánh mi sandwiches, Laotian specialties, pizzas, and subs under one roof? Lucky for the regulars (and Nikki’s got them in droves), when owner Nikki Nachampassak took over the locally loved Darleen’s Subs & Pizza a few years back, she added her own specialties to the menu of American sub-shop favorites. In other words, Nikki’s Bánh Mi is essentially two restaurants operating out of the same space, meaning you can whip up some cuisine combos that taste greater than the sum of its parts. Match the fresh jalapeño found in the beef bánh mi with cheesy-spicy jalapeno poppers. Cool the kick of a buffalo chicken sub with some mango sticky rice, or meld both cuisines on one plate with the bánh mi pizza. The possibilities are endless.
801 Islington St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 603-431-5445, nikkisbanhmi.com.
Photo by Ore Nell’s BBQ via Yelp.
Ore Nell’s BBQ
Okay, we’re cheating just a bit here: Plopped right on the other side of a borderline-spanning drawbridge, Ore Nell’s is technically in Kittery, Maine. Technicalities. The point is, if you’re hankering for ‘cue, it’s hard to imagine doing better than this standout from pitmaster Will Myska, a Texas native. He gives us Yankees all the good stuff: trays of brisket, pulled pork, and St. Louis-style ribs; starters and sides, including a loaded deep-fried baked potato, as well as chicken wings slathered in Alabama-style white barbecue sauce; and superb sweets like honey-drizzled “State Fair” funnel cake and signature banana pudding. The real state we’re in: Bliss.
2 Badgers Island West, Kittery, Maine, 207-703-2340, orenellsbbq.com.
The burger and tater tots
Rooftop at the Envio
A couple of recent additions have elevated the rooftop restaurant of the AC Portsmouth, the aptly named Rooftop at the Envio, to new heights. Earlier this summer, local legend Deb Weeks—who counts co-owning Portland’s Green Monkey and Brazo restaurants among her culinary cred—joined the Envio as food and beverage manager, while chef Jesse Souza completely reimagined the menu, drawing from three decades of cooking all over the country. With a global-minded, curated collection of snacks and shareable plates joining a few salads and entrees, the bites are meant to pair with craft cocktails while you soak in panoramas of the Piscataqua River.
Dive into Souza’s seemingly out-there big swings and find big payoffs, like the chilled watermelon dish with ginger-lime vinaigrette, mint, and sesame togarashi (a mildly hot Japanese spice blend). The first mouthful of Souza’s burger is just about perfect—and every bite after that, too: A blend of Kobe beef and short rib, the burger features a special sauce and aged cheddar, but it’s the smoked onion jam that will have you licking your fingers. (The condiment is made of hard-smoked onions that are sautéed down with tamari, brown sugar, and other spices, then blended down into a butter-like consistency—a complex flavor, almost like aged meat, that’ll keep you guessing.) Other standouts include the house-made lamb kofta with sesame-carrot hummus, and a grilled shrimp noodle bowl tossed with fish-sauce-spiked sriracha vinaigrette. Don’t skip dessert, either. Souza lends his savory smarts to sweets, adding a bit of thyme to lemon cake and a whisper of black pepper to whipped cream. Souza will shake up the menu four times a year (plus a few micro-seasonal tweaks here and there) which definitely calls for frequent fly-ins.
299 Vaughan St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 603-334-4207, rooftopportsmouth.com.
Vida Cantina chef David Vargas. / Courtesy photo
Vida Cantina
Though most of these restaurants are in Portsmouth’s quaint downtown, it’s worth wandering just a bit afield to get to Vida Cantina. We’ve already dubbed it a dining destination, and for good reason: James Beard-nominated chef David Vargas’s Mexican eats are among the best in the northeast, covering all the bases, from tortas to tacos to enchiladas. The crowning achievement, though, might be the confit pig head platter served with a salsa flight (there are also 40-plus tequilas, if you want to try a few of those). Is the place housed in a former strip-mall Friendly’s? Sure, but the James Beard awards didn’t care when they named Vargas a semi-finalist, and neither do we.
2456 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 603-501-0648, vidacantinanh.com.
