An Insider’s Guide to My Favorite Restaurants on the NH Seacoast

One of my favorite things about living on the New Hampshire Seacoast is our restaurant scene. For a relatively small area, we have an incredible mix—from neighborhood favorites in Rye to chef-driven restaurants in downtown Portsmouth, great seafood by the water and wonderful international cuisine.

As a Rye resident and Realtor who spends most of my days traveling throughout the Seacoast, I’m often asked by clients where they should eat. These are the places I actually recommend—the restaurants I return to with family and friends and suggest to buyers who are getting to know the area.

This isn’t meant to be a definitive list of every great restaurant on the Seacoast. It’s simply my personal list of favorites, along with a few of my favorite dishes and little insider tips I’ve picked up along the way.

Dinner Favorites

Mamma Luca | Portsmouth

One of my favorite choices for Italian in downtown Portsmouth. Mamma Luca combines house-made pastas, wood-fired pizza and seasonal Italian cooking in a beautiful setting. It’s a great choice for dinner before or after walking around downtown.

My tip: Don’t leave without the soft-serve gelato with olive oil. Trust me on this one.

Toscana Italian Chophouse & Wine Bar | Portsmouth

Located inside a beautifully renovated historic bank building in downtown Portsmouth, Toscana is a great choice when you’re looking for a steak, Italian dishes and a more polished night out. I also love the setting—it feels very Portsmouth.

My order: The NY Strip with peppercorn sauce. One of my favorites.

The Puddle Dock Restaurant | Portsmouth

The location alone makes Puddle Dock special. It sits in Portsmouth’s historic Strawbery Banke neighborhood and has a wonderful sense of place. The menu draws inspiration from traditional New England cooking but gives it a more elevated feel.

Don’t miss: The Campfire Mussels. They are to die for.

Louie’s | Portsmouth

A longtime Portsmouth favorite with a beautiful home in the West End. Louie’s is intimate, warm and a wonderful choice for a date night or dinner with friends. The menu changes seasonally and has a strong Italian influence.

My tip: Start with the charcuterie—and absolutely order the sourdough with whipped ricotta and roasted garlic.

Carriage House | Rye

One of my favorites close to home. Located across from the ocean in Rye Beach, Carriage House captures so much of what I love about living in Rye—great food, a relaxed but sophisticated atmosphere and the beach right outside the door.

My order: Oysters! When you live this close to the coast, how can you not?

Black Trumpet | Portsmouth

Tucked along the waterfront on Ceres Street, Black Trumpet is one of those quintessential Portsmouth restaurants. It’s intimate, creative and has a wonderful historic feel. The menu changes seasonally, which is part of the fun.

My order: Anything! This is one of those places where I’m happy to see what’s on the menu and go from there.

SouthPort Kitchen + Bar | Rye

A great Rye option with a lively atmosphere, beautiful bar and relaxed feel. It’s an easy choice when you want something fun and casual without sacrificing great food or atmosphere.

My order: The Crispy Skin Salmon with Brussels and sweet potato hash, crispy shallots and maple gastrique.

Seafood Favorites

When you live on the New Hampshire Seacoast, good seafood is never far away—and some of the best meals are also the simplest.

The Beach Plum | North Hampton

A Seacoast institution and one of those places that immediately feels like summer. Think lobster rolls, fried seafood and ice cream after a day at the beach. Casual, easy and quintessentially coastal New Hampshire.

My pick: A lobster roll followed by ice cream. Sometimes you just don’t need to overthink it.

Petey’s Summertime Seafood | Rye

A true Rye classic. Petey’s is the kind of place I send people when they want traditional New England seafood without any fuss. It’s especially fun in the summer and remains a favorite with locals and visitors alike.

Local tip: Go hungry, embrace the casual atmosphere and order whatever seafood sounds good that day. This is classic Rye.

International & Ethnic Favorites

One of the things I love about the Portsmouth area is the variety of restaurants we have. You can go from traditional New England seafood to Thai, Japanese, Indian or Mexican within a few miles.

Thai

FIVE81°NE | Portsmouth

A modern take on Thai cuisine with a focus on the bold flavors of northeastern Thailand. The food is creative, beautifully presented and the restaurant itself has a stylish, elevated atmosphere.

Worth knowing: This is one I like when I’m looking for something a little different from the traditional Portsmouth dinner.

Japanese

Nichinan | Portsmouth

Located inside Hotel Thaxter, Nichinan is my choice when I’m looking for elevated Japanese food and sushi in downtown Portsmouth. It’s sophisticated without feeling overly formal and is another great example of how diverse Portsmouth’s dining scene has become.

My tip: Sit back, order a few things to share and enjoy the experience.

Indian

Shalimar India | Portsmouth

A longtime Portsmouth favorite for traditional North Indian cuisine. It has been part of the downtown restaurant scene for years and remains a go-to when I’m craving Indian.

My tip: Order several dishes for the table and share. It’s the best way to do it.

Mexican

Vida Cantina | Portsmouth

Vida is not your typical Mexican restaurant. Chef and owner David Vargas brings a creative, chef-driven approach to Mexican cuisine with an emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients. It’s colorful, fun and has become a standout in the Portsmouth food scene.

My tip: Come for the tacos, stay for the margaritas—and don’t skip the house-made tortillas and salsa.

Las Olas Taqueria | Exeter & Hampton

For something much more casual, I love Las Olas. It’s fresh, quick and easy, with burritos, bowls, tacos and salads. It’s the kind of place that works equally well for a quick lunch between appointments or an easy dinner to bring home.

My tip: Perfect when you want something fresh, casual and fast. Build your own and make it exactly the way you like it.

Café & Bakery

Elephantine Bakery | Portsmouth

One of my favorite little spots in Portsmouth. Hidden away in Commercial Alley, Elephantine feels almost European with its beautiful pastries, breads, coffee and café menu.

The setting is part of what makes it so special—you can easily walk right by it if you don’t know it’s there.

My tip: Grab a coffee and pastry and sit outside in Commercial Alley when the weather cooperates. It’s one of those little Portsmouth moments I love.

Restaurants Are Part of the Seacoast Lifestyle

Restaurants may seem like a small part of choosing where to live, but I think they tell you quite a bit about a community.

One of the things I love most about the New Hampshire Seacoast is how much we have within such a small geographic area. You can live in the quieter coastal communities of Rye, New Castle or North Hampton, have dinner overlooking the ocean, drive ten minutes into Portsmouth for an entirely different experience, or head to Exeter for another wonderful little downtown.

It’s one of the reasons I spend so much time talking with my buyers about lifestyle—not just houses.

Where do you want to grab coffee in the morning? Where will you meet friends for dinner? Do you want to be able to walk into downtown Portsmouth, or would you rather come home to the quieter pace of Rye, New Castle or North Hampton?

Those little things become a big part of what it actually feels like to live here. And after living in Rye since 2016 and raising my family here, they’re also the kinds of things I love sharing with people who are considering making the Seacoast home.

If you’re getting to know the area, you may also enjoy my Insider’s Guide to the Best Beaches on the NH Seacoast, Favorite Seacoast Hiking Trails and Favorite Local Seacoast Resources.

And if you’re considering a move to the New Hampshire Seacoast, I’m always happy to be a local resource and share what I know about the different communities, neighborhoods and, of course, the real estate.

Explore More of the NH Seacoast

Favorite Local Seacoast Resources

Discover the NH Seacoast