New Year’s eatings

Delicious ways to ring in 2021

Let’s face it — 2020 wasn’t the year any of us hoped for. So if you’re looking forward to ringing in 2021, check out this list of local restaurants offering special dine-in or takeout menus to help you celebrate.

Amphora (55 Crystal Ave., No. 3, Derry, 537-0111, amphoranh.com) will serve a special prix fixe menu for New Year’s Eve on Thursday, Dec. 31, from 3 to 9 p.m., featuring one of two appetizers of your choice (double cream goat cheese in a pool of lamb sauce with chiffonade basil and pita chips, or shrimp cocktail with a spicy sauce); antipasto salad; an entree of your choice (deconstructed Beef Wellington or seafood risotto with a creamy Parmesan mushroom sauce); and a dessert (chocolate mousse or Champagne and berries). The cost is $46 per person (optional wine pairings are available) and reservations are encouraged. Amphora’s full menu will also be available for takeout and dine-in until 3 p.m.

Angela’s Pasta & Cheese Shop (815 Chestnut St., Manchester, 625-9544, angelaspastaandcheese.com) will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31.

Ashworth by the Sea (295 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, 926-6762, ashworthhotel.com) will host a socially distanced New Year’s Eve dinner on Thursday, Dec. 31, at 5 p.m. featuring party favors, a Champagne toast, rock ’n’ roll bingo and more. Overnight packages with a Champagne and mimosa breakfast on New Year’s Day are also available.

Bad Lab Beer Co. (460 High St., Somersworth, 842-5822, badlabbeer.com) will serve its third annual New Year’s Day brunch on Friday, Jan. 1, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Reservations are currently being accepted with an hour-and-a-half time slot for each.

Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) will serve a four-course prix fixe dinner for New Year’s Eve on Thursday, Dec. 31, with seatings from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m., in its dining room. The menu will feature appetizers (lobster bisque, yellowfin tuna poke, braised beef cheek, New England oysters, capon terrine, and warm Maplebrook Farm burrata); salads (baby kale and watercress salad, or Boston bibb and radicchio salad); entrees (grilled filet mignon, smoked New Bedford sea scallops, grass-fed lamb rack, pan-seared salmon, Northern lobster risotto, pork chop, or pierogi and fall vegetables); and desserts (Earl Grey cheesecake, lemon verbena creme brulee, strawberry Champagne sorbet, ginger pear torte or mudslide cake). The cost is $75 per person and reservations are required.

Bistro 603 (345 Amherst St., Nashua, 722-6362, bistro603nashua.com) will open at 11 a.m. on both Thursday, Dec. 31, and Friday, Jan. 1, serving its full menu with family-style options also available.

Buba Noodle Bar (36 Lowell St., Manchester, 935-7864, bubanoodle.com) will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31, and from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 1.

Buckley’s Great Steaks (438 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-0995, buckleysgreatsteaks.com) is taking reservations now for New Year’s Eve, serving its regular menu with specials on Thursday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 9 p.m.

Cafe El Camino (134 Newton Road, Plaistow, 974-1652, cafeelcamino.com) is taking orders for a variety of specialty “crowd pleaser platters,” including empanada platters, rice platters, chicken or pork platters and more. Orders must be picked up by Thursday, Dec. 31, at 3 p.m.

Cask & Vine (1½ E. Broadway, Derry, 965-3454, caskandvine.com) is taking reservations now for New Year’s Eve, Thursday, Dec. 31. Deposits of $25 per party are being accepted, which will be applied to your bill for the evening and will include a Champagne toast at midnight.

Cava Tapas & Wine Bar (10 Commercial Alley, Portsmouth, 319-1575, cavatapasandwinebar.com) will serve a special four-course menu for New Year’s Eve on Thursday, Dec. 31, with multiple options to choose from, like yellowfin tuna poke, butternut squash soup, farro and golden raisin salad, crisp pork belly, foie gras, beef short rib, Parisian herb gnocchi, crisp Brussels sprouts, pistachio cake, dulce de leche, dark chocolate pot de creme and more. Reservations are required.

Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker, 428-3281, colbyhillinn.com) will hold a special New Year’s Eve wine dinner on Thursday, Dec. 31, from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., featuring a six-course meal with wine pairings, live music and more. Items to be served will include foie gras torchon, New Hampshire oysters, Moroccon-spiced rack of lamb, seared sea scallops, and petite rabbit and mushroom cassoulet. The cost is $180 per person. Overnight packages with a complimentary Champagne brunch are also available.

Copper Door Restaurant (15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677; 41 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-2033; copperdoor.com) will serve a special prix fixe dinner for New Year’s Eve on Thursday, Dec. 31, beginning at 4 p.m., with live music from 6 to 9 p.m. Costs vary depending on the courses you choose ($69 for a two-course meal, $79 for a three-course meal and $89 for a four-course meal). Featured options include herb-crusted scallops, truffled mushroom risotto, fish chowder, wild mushroom bisque, braised lamb shank, sesame-crusted tuna, crispy honey chicken, seafood casserole, roasted vegetable ravioli, caramel apple pie and chocolate raspberry cheesecake. Reservations are highly recommended and will be accepted through 8 p.m.

Copper Kettle To Go (39 Main St., Wilton, 654-2631, copperkettletogo.com) is taking orders for heat-and-serve eggroll party platters for New Year’s Eve, featuring flavors like steak and cheese, chicken Parm and eggplant Parm, as well as various dipping sauces. Order by Dec. 27.

Cotton (75 Arms St., Manchester, 622-5488, cottonfood.com) will be serving its regular menu on Thursday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 9 p.m., with special additions that will include an appetizer, a salad, two entrees and two desserts, all priced a la carte.

CR’s The Restaurant (287 Exeter Road, Hampton, 929-7972, crstherestaurant.com) will serve its regular dinner menu, with holiday specials, on Thursday, Dec. 31, from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Reservations are required.

Flannel Tavern (345 Suncook Valley Road, Chichester, 406-1196, flanneltavern.com) will ring in the new year in style with classic cocktails from the Rat Pack era. Join them on Thursday, Dec. 31, from 5 p.m. to midnight for a special menu, a charcuterie board, live music and a Champagne toast. The cost is $10 per person. Formal dress is encouraged but not required.

Giorgio’s Ristorante & Bar (270 Granite St., Manchester, 232-3323; 707 Milford Road, Merrimack, 883-7333; 524 Nashua St., Milford, 673-3939; giorgios.com) is taking orders for holiday variety boxes for New Year’s, which feature your choice of smoked pork rack chop with apple chutney, garlic roasted prime rib with au jus and horseradish cream, or seafood lasagna, with sides like sweet and Yukon gold whipped potatoes, traditional stuffing and roasted Brussels sprouts. Order by Dec. 28 at noon. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 31, from noon to 5 p.m.

Greenleaf (54 Nashua St., Milford, 213-5447, greenleafmilford.com) is taking reservations now for a special New Year’s Eve dinner on Thursday, Dec. 31, with seatings at 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Course options will include charred broccoli and ricotta tortellini, turkey roulade, cast iron roasted rib-eye, pan seared scallops, pink Champagne macarons, chocolate Yule logs and more. The cost is $89 per person, or $120 per person with an optional wine pairing. Reservations with a 50 percent deposit are required.

LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898, labellewinerynh.com) is taking orders for New Year’s Eve catering packages available in two sizes, feeding six to eight people, or 12 to 14 people. Each package includes an artisan cheese and charcuterie display, bacon-wrapped scallops, coconut shrimp, pesto Parmesan arancini, curried chicken salad, phyllo cups and beef tenderloin canape. Optional wine add-ons are also available. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 31, on the hour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. LaBelle is also taking reservations for a New Year’s Eve Experience dinner on Thursday, Dec. 31, featuring sparkling wine and smoked salmon salad with seared sea scallop and winter citrus vinaigrette as a specialty first course.

Mile Away Restaurant (52 Federal Hill Road, Milford, 673-3904, mileawayrestaurant.com) will serve a multi-course meal for New Year’s Eve on Thursday, Dec. 31, featuring your choice of an entree (sliced roasted tenderloin of beef, duck grand marnier, nut-crusted chicken, chicken pesto, pork Dijonnaise, wienerschnitzel, vegetarian acorn squash, baked stuffed Jumbo shrimp, baked stuffed scrod or maple glazed salmon); and a dessert (chocolate mousse cake, flourless chocolate cake, bourbon bread pudding, cheesecake, lemon mascarpone cake, sorbet or tiramisu cake). All dinners come with appetizers like New England clam chowder, Swedish meatballs and a fresh fruit plate with sorbet (or you can substitute for shrimp cocktail, escargots and onion soup gratinee) and a Caesar or garden salad. Entrees also include your choice of a baked potato, Swiss potato or rice pilaf, and your choice of butternut squash, pickled beets or applesauce.

MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar (212 Main St., Nashua, 595-9334, mtslocal.com) is taking reservations now for New Year’s Eve, serving its regular menu with specials on Thursday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 9 p.m.

Otis (4 Front St., Exeter, 580-1705, otisrestaurant.com) has limited space available for a special five-course dinner with Champagne for New Year’s Eve on Thursday, Dec. 31, at 5 p.m., 7 p.m. or 9:30 p.m. The cost is $75 per person and reservations are required.

The Peddler’s Daughter (48 Main St., Nashua, 821-7535, thepeddlersdaughter.com) is taking reservations for New Year’s Eve on Thursday, Dec. 31, beginning at 4 p.m. Various specials will be served, like creamy baked potato soup, crabmeat stuffed mushroom, baked seafood casserole, a roast beef dinner with oven-roasted winter vegetables, and several wines and desserts.

Raleigh Wine Bar + Eatery (67 State St., Portsmouth, 427-8459, raleighwinebar.com) will serve a socially distanced New Year’s Eve dinner on Thursday, Dec. 31, with seatings at either 6:30 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. The dinner will feature four courses with optional wine pairings and is $85 per person.

The Red Arrow Diner (112 Loudon Road, Concord, 415-0444; 137 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 552-3091; 61 Lowell St., Manchester, 626-1118; 149 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua, 204-5088; redarrowdiner.com) takes orders for its homemade cakes and pies at all of its locations. Flavors include apple, blueberry, pumpkin, chocolate cream, brownie cream and more. Online orders must be placed at least 24 hours in advance of pickups.

Roundabout Diner & Lounge (580 Route 1 Bypass, Portsmouth, 431-1440, roundaboutdiner.com) will host a “Social Distance Social” New Year’s Eve comedy show on Thursday, Dec. 31, at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.). Tickets start at $119 per couple and include a Champagne toast and dinner for two, with a shared appetizer, two entrees and two homemade desserts. Tickets of $199 per couple also include an overnight stay at the Best Western Hotel next door.

Stones Social (449 Amherst St., Nashua, 943-7445, stonessocial.com) will serve a special menu for New Year’s Eve on Thursday, Dec. 31, available for takeout, delivery or dine-in. Items include Thai wings, pork dumplings, mushroom ramen, Asian short rib, spicy edamame, tempura shrimp, vegetable fried rice and a few specialty cocktails, like a pomegranate sparkler and a creamsicle martini. Reservations are recommended for dine-in.

Surf (207 Main St., Nashua, 595-9293, surfseafood.com) is taking reservations now for New Year’s Eve, serving its regular menu with specials on Thursday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 9 p.m.• T-Bones Great American Eatery (25 S. River Road, Bedford, 641-6100; 404 S. Main St., Concord, 715-1999; 39 Crystal Ave., Derry, 434-3200; 77 Lowell Road, Hudson, 882-6677; 1182 Union Ave., Laconia, 528-7800; 311 S. Broadway, Salem, 893-3444; t-bones.com) is taking orders for ready-to-heat and ready-to-make meal packs for New Year’s Eve, which include two Lunetta Prosecco Splits, espinaca and chips, sesame chicken, vegetable stir-fry, Korean barbecue lettuce wraps, brownie bites and chocolate chip cookies, plus a set of two 2021 party hats, beads and horns. Order by Dec. 28. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 31, from noon to 3 p.m.

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Author: Matt Ingersoll

Matt Ingersoll writes about all things food and drink, covering new restaurants and following the most delicious foodie trends in the state. Reach him at [email protected].

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