Friday Favorites: Best Eats in Portsmouth

There are seven weeks between us and the 2015 New Hampshire Film Festival. For those of you venturing to Portsmouth for NHFF 2015 this October, you’re in for a treat – or several – and we aren’t just talking about the films. As we gear up for the 2015 NHFF, we’ll be bringing you our Friday Favorites – a series of posts where we’ll introduce you to our favorites of Portsmouth’s offerings. This week, we bring you food! Figuratively of course.

Anyone who has ever been assigned the task (read: the burden) of deciding where to eat in Portsmouth will tell you, it is not an easy task. The city has more restaurant seats than actual people. We’re not making this up.

This situation is both good and bad; it may take all night to narrow down a choice – but options are plentiful and you’re pretty much guaranteed a great meal!

So, which restaurants should you be stopping at during this year’s 2015 NHFF? We’ve got you covered. Here’s our list of the best restaurants in Portsmouth.

Flatbread Company
138 Congress Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801

With over a dozen locations, Flatbread Company has become a pizza staple in the New England community.

Since its humble beginnings in 1998 in Amesbury, Massachusetts, Flatbread has maintained its dedication to honest, real, organic food. This commitment is just one of the many reasons it tastes so good.

Flatbread focuses on having close relationships to the local farmers and producers, which in turn allows the community to support itself—all while enjoying their pizza.

Our recommendation? Check out the Punctuated Equilibrium. It comes with imported Kalamata olives, fresh organic rosemary, organic red onions, Heart Song Farm goat cheese, fire-roasted sweet red peppers, premium whole milk mozzarella and imported Parmesan cheese with homemade garlic oil and Flatbread’s own blend of organic herbs. Save a slice for us, please!

Check out their menu here.

Portsmouth Gaslight Co.
64 Market St, Portsmouth, NH 03801

Portsmouth natives may equate Gaslight with the pizza it’s downstairs pub offers – but there’s a lot more to Gaslight. In fact Portsmouth Gaslight Co. boasts four facets to their venue: The Club, Street Level, The Deck and the aforementioned Downtown Pizza. A young Taylor Swift once graced The Deck with her talents, so you’re already in the presence of greatness even before you get to the food. Gaslight offers a range of delicious entrees, our personal favorite is the Lobster Risotto. Street Level has an extended Happy Hour – from 3pm to 6pm Monday through Friday it’s half off off wine, draft beer pints and select appetizers. Good for your wallet and your stomach. If you want to dance – head to The Club. You’ll find a full bar, plenty of seating and a DJ playing into the night.

If the dance-party isn’t quite your scene – The Deck also has a full bar, plenty of seating, and live music all weekend long. Whether you like rock, jazz, or acoustic, we’re sure there’s something you’ll enjoy.

You could pretty much spend an entire evening at Gaslight and fulfill the entertainment and food requirements for yourself and all your friends. Isn’t it great when everyone’s happy? To no surprise – they’ve been named the best restaurant in New Hampshire. Check it out to see (and taste) why!

Take a peek at what they have to offer here.

Martingale Wharf
99 Bow St, Portsmouth, NH 03801

Sometimes, it’s just nice to gaze out over the water on a crisp autumn night sipping a cool white wine. Lucky for you, Martingale Wharf has one of the best waterfront views in Portsmouth and a great wine menu.

In 1892, the location of the Wharf was known as Preston Laboratory, a distributor of medicines and dry goods that were distributed throughout the New England Seacoast. Now it’s one of Portsmouth’s premier dining destination. Touting a primarily gluten free menu and a focus on locally-sourced ingredients, the food options are sure to satisfy even the choicest of eaters. We recommend the Pistachio Crusted Atlantic Salmon.

If the menu isn’t enough to entire you – perhaps the bar is. The Martingale Wharf has a stunning 360 degree custom bar with views of the ocean.

You can view their menu(s) here!

Block Six
319 Vaughan Street, Suite A, Portsmouth, NH 03801

New this year, Block Six us just one piece of the whole 3S Artspace experience. 3S Artspace is a “nonprofit alternative arts organization that combines the only midsize, flexible performance space of its kind in the area, a large, non-commercial gallery with affordable artist studios above” – and of course, Block Six.

The concept behind the restaurant was to create a local hub that would bring people together, a place to gather after work or to work. The restaurant offers patrons a menu full of contemporary, inviting, and innovative dishes, all sourced as much as possible from local farmers and vendors and the bar menu breathes new life into classics with even more ties to Portsmouth.

We guarantee the Polenta Tot will be devoured in a matter of minutes but make sure to save room for the Blueberry & Goat Cheese Cheesecake.

Check out Block Six’s menu here.

The 100 Club
100 Market St # 500, Portsmouth, NH 03801

If you love a gorgeous city-scape as a backdrop to your vino, head straight for the 100 Club.

Known as the “Wow, is that a terrace up there? How do I get in!?” place in town, The 100 Club offers a members only one-of-a-kind dining experience. So how do you get in? 1. Become a Member. 2. Get invited. 3. Buy an NHFF VIP pass, and experience what the club has to offer during the exclusive VIP Brunch on Sunday, October 18.

Check out their site (and the view) here.

Are you noticing a trend? We love restaurants that support local vendors and give back to the community. It’s part of what makes Portsmouth such a great destination and home for the NH Film Festival. We hope to see you here this October!

If you haven’t bought tickets to the 2015 NHFF, head to the Box Office to pick up yours!