Best of 2024

We’re all winners!

From the spots voted best pizza place to those of us who can go eat that pizza, everybody involved in Hippo’s Best of readers’ poll 2024 is getting a win from this issue.

In this year’s poll we asked you to weigh in with your favorite doughnut, hiking trail, lunch spot and brewery. We also asked for your thoughts on ketchup, music while you work and picnics. We even asked you who, in New Hampshire, you’d like to extend a thank you to (and thank you to the reader who said “Hippo for a great paper”).

And after all that voting in February, now we present you with, generally, the top five winners in each category — though sometimes we have supersized it and let a few more reader faves join the winners court. And we’ve sprinkled some specific reader responses throughout, because they’re fun. Looking for a place where they make your coffee perfect every time or a great hair stylist? Here are Hippo readers’ favorites.

Link to Sections

THINGS WE FORGOT TO ASK

The Fine Print

This survey is for entertainment purposes only and all results are final.

The results of Hippo’s readers’ poll are based on readers’ answers to a poll conducted online in February. Readers typed in the names of people and locations they voted for. In situations where the vote is tied or otherwise unclear, Hippo editorial staff makes an effort to determine the will of the greatest number of voters. Hippo reserves the right to disqualify individual votes, ballots and/or entries when they are incomplete or unclear, do not meet the letter or the spirit of the question asked or otherwise do not meet the requirements to make them a usable vote.

Hippo’s editorial staff makes the ultimate determination of the winners in the categories. Hippo’s advertisers play no role in the determination of the winners. All results are final.

The Best of 2024 is a celebration of all things local and is meant to serve as a snapshot of the people and places in southern New Hampshire. Large national and international chains are, for the most part, not included in the count. Information presented here is gathered from sources including the location’s website and social media pages. Double check with the spots before heading out to make sure times, locations and menu items haven’t changed.

Questions, comments, concerns? Did we get an address or phone number wrong? Do you have an idea for a new category? Let us know. Contact editor Amy Diaz at adiaz@hippopress. com. Corrections will appear on the first page of the news section in future issues. Is your favorite category missing? Categories change regularly, with some categories taking a sabbatical and new categories introduced, so please send your suggestions for a category for next year. And, again, all results are seriously final. Hey, there’s always next year.

Arts

Best Performing Arts Venue

Best of the best: The Palace Theatres 80 Hanover St. in Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org
Tupelo Music Hall 10 A St. in Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com
Capitol Center for the Arts 44 S. Main St. in Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com

Nashua Center for the Arts 201 Main St. in Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com
Bringing nationally touring musicians, live comedy, theatre, children’s performances, and more to Downtown Nashua! Come experience a great show!

BankNH Pavilion 72 Meadowbrook Lane in Gilford, 293-4700, banknhpavilion.com

Best Theatrical Production

Best of the best: A Christmas Carol at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) ran Nov. 24 to Dec. 23, 2023.
Ballet Misha’s The Nutcracker at the Dana Center (100 Saint Anselm Dr. in Manchester, 641-7700, tickets.anselm.edu) ran Dec. 16 and Dec. 17, 2023.
Kinky Boots at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) ran Oct. 13 through Nov. 5, 2023.
Dancing Queens at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) ran Jan. 19 through Feb. 11, 2024.
The Wizard of Oz at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) ran Sept. 8 through Sept. 24, 2023.

Best Local Place to Buy Art

Best of the best: League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Annual Craftsmen’s Fair, which will take place this year Saturday, Aug. 3, through Sunday, Aug. 11, at Mount Sunapee Resort in Newbury. See nhcrafts.org/annual-craftsmens-fair.
Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St. in Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org, Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Mosaic Art Collective 66 Hanover St., Unit 201, in Manchester; 512-6209, mosaicartcollective.com, Wednesday Through Friday from 2 to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Concord Arts Market, a market with dates May through December. The first 2024 market is scheduled for the first Friday in May — Friday, May 3, at Bicentennial Square in downtown Concord. A market is also slated once a month in Rollins Park in Concord from June through September, as well as during Market Days in downtown Concord (June 20-22), according to concordartsmarket.net.
Manchester Craft Market, Mall of New Hampshire, 1500 S. Willow St. in Manchester, 606-1351, manchestercraftmarket.com, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Best Publicly Viewable Mural

Best of the best: Cat Alley off Elm Street between Manchester and Merrimack streets in Manchester, featuring kitties of various shapes and sizes.
Hanover Street in Manchester titled “Greetings from Manchester” by Hooksett resident and artist James Chase and commissioned by Red Oak Apartments, according to manchesterinformation.com.
Derry Downtown 1½ East Broadway in Derry on the side of Cask and Vine, showcasing a timeline of Derry, according to nhrtc.org.
Derry Rail Trail in Derry. Robert Frost homage with trees and lines of verse painted on the asphalt-paved road, according to nhrtc.org.
Mural by artist Keith Trahan on the building by Lamont-Hanley Park at the corner of Bridge and Elm streets in Manchester.

Entertainment

Best Bookstore

Best of the best: Gibson’s Bookstore 40 S. Main St. in Concord, gibsonsbookstore.com, 224-0562
Bookery 844 Elm St. in Manchester, bookerymht.com, 836-6600
Balin Books 375 Amherst St. in Nashua, balinbooks.com, 417-7981
Toadstool Bookshop 12 Depot Sq. in Peterborough, toadbooks.com, 924-3543
Water Street Bookstore 125 Water St. in Exeter, waterstreetbooks.com, 778-9731

Best Bowling Alley

Best of the best: Lakeside Lanes 2171 Candia Road in Manchester, lakesidelanes.com, 627-7722
Merrimack 10 Pin 698 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, merrimacktenpin.com, 429-0989
King Lanes 751 Mast Road in Goffstown, kinglanes.com, 623-9515
Leda Lanes 340 Amherst St. in Nashua, ledalanes.com, 889-4884
Yankee Lanes 216 Maple St. in Manchester, manchester.yankeelanesentertainment.com, 625-9656

Best Comic Book Shop

Best of the best: Double Midnight Comics 252 Willow St. in Manchester, dmcomics.com, 669-9636
Double Midnight Comics 341 Loudon Road in Concord, dmcomics.com, 715-2683
Southern NH’s premiere source for the latest and greatest comics and games!

Merrymac Games & Comics 550 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, merrymacgc.com, 420-8161
Pop Culture Card Comics and Collectibles 66 Route 27 in Raymond, popculturenh.com, 244-1850
Jetpack Comics 37 N. Main St. in Rochester, jetpackcomics.com, 330-XMEN (9636)

Best Mini Golf

Best of the best: Mel’s Funway 454 Charles Bancroft Hwy. in Litchfield, melsfunwaypark.com, 424-229. Opens in April.
Chuckster’s Ice Cream & Miniature Golf 53 Hackett Hill Road in Hooksett, chucksters-hooksett.com, 210-1415. Opens Saturday, April 13.
Chuckster’s Family Fun Park 9 Bailey Road in Chichester, chuckstersnh.com, 798-3555. Opens Saturday, April 6.
Captain’s Cove Adventure Golf 814 Lafayette Road in Hampton, smallgolf.com, 926-5011. Opens Saturday, April 20.
Mini Links at LaBelle Winery 14 Route 111 in Derry, labellewinery.com, 672-9898. Slated to open April 1.

Best Place to Learn How to Make Something Cool

Best of the best: Studio 550 Arts Center (550 Elm St. in Manchester, 550arts.com, 232-5597) Learn to sculpt clay, stain some glass, or make 2D artforms like watercolor, acrylics or pastels.

Manchester Craft Market (Mall of New Hampshire, 1500 S. Willow St. in Manchester, manchestercraftmarket.com, 606-1351) Learn how to use alcohol ink, wire-wrap gemstones or mold polymer clay. If you can craft it there is probably a workshop for it here.

You’re Fired (25 S. River Road in Bedford, yourefirednh.com, 641-3473) A walk-in-friendly establishment where you can create and paint your own pottery.
Cooking School at Tuscan Market (9 Via Toscana in Salem, tuscanbrands.com, 912-5467) Create the perfect spaghetti sauce and learn which wines to pair with it. A myriad of Italian-style cooking courses are available.
The Canvas Roadshow (25 S. River Road in Bedford, thecanvasroadshow.com, 913-9217) Offers classes and events for painting, glass art, wood staining and more.

Best Place to Totally Geek Out

Best of the best: Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, aviationmuseumofnh.org, 669-4820)
Boards and Brews (941 Elm St. in Manchester, boardsandbrewsnh.com, 232-5184) Play almost any board game that has ever been created while drinking beer and sharing food with friends.
Granite State Comicon (700 Elm St. in Manchester, granitecon.com, 669-9636) Slated for Saturday, Sept. 21, and Sunday, Sept. 22. Head to this Con to meet comic book artists and authors, game creators, actors and more, while enjoying costume contests and parties. Tickets are already on sale, including for weekend passes and VIP packages that include early entry and a goodie bag.
Pop Culture (66 Route 27 in Raymond, popculturenh.com, 244-1850) Your one-stop shop for all things 40k, Magic The Gathering, RPGs, comic books and much more.
Awesome Cards, Collectibles & Games (123 Nashua Road in Londonderry, awesomeccg.com, 404-6996) Anything from Pokemon card games to Dungeons & Dragons, if you can play it on a tabletop, you can find it here.
Diversity Gaming (1328 Hooksett Road in Hooksett, diversitygaming.store, 606-1176) Set up your favorite board game with friends in one of four private rooms or use free tables where everyone is invited to roll the dice.
Midgard (55 Crystal Ave. in Derry, midgardhobbiesandgames.com, 260-6180) Come for the tournaments and any type of game your Midgardian heart could desire.

Best Place to Make New Friends

Best of the best: The Collective Studios 4 Orchard View Dr. in Londonderry, thecollective-studios.com, 216-2345
The Nest Family Cafe 25 Orchard View Dr. in Londonderry, thenestfamilycafe.com, 404-3512
Feathered Friend Brewing Co. 231 S. Main St. in Concord, featheredfriendbrewing.com, 715-2347

Stumble Inn Bar & Grill 20 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, stumbleinnnh.com, 432-3210
Join us for Live music 6 nights a week (every night in the summer). Check our website to see who’s playing tonight

The Hop Knot 1000 Elm St. in Manchester, hopknotnh.com, 232-3731

Independent Shop Where You’d Have a Win-the-Lotto Shopping Spree

Best of the best: Gondwana & Divine Clothing Co. 13 N. Main St. in Concord, gondwanaclothing.com, 228-1101
Junction 71 707 Milford Road in Merrimack, junction71.wixsite.com/mysite, 213-5201
League of NH Craftsmen’s gallery 36 N. Main St. in Concord, concord.nhcrafts.org, 228-8171
Manchester Craft Market Mall of New Hampshire, 1500 S. Willow St. in Manchester; 606-1351, manchestercraftmarket.com
The Terracotta Room 1361 Elm St., Suite 102, in Manchester, theterracottaroom.com, 935-8738

Nightlife

Best Restaurant, Brewery or Bar for Live Music

Best of the best: The Stumble Inn Bar & Grill 20 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, stumbleinnnh.com, 432-3210
The Derryfield Restaurant 625 Mammoth Road in Manchester, thederryfield.com, 623-2880
The Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant 909 Elm St. in Manchester, shaskeenirishpub.com, 625-0246
Backyard Brewery and Kitchen 1211 S. Mammoth Road in Manchester, backyardbrewerynh.com, 623-3545
Strange Brew Tavern 88 Market St. in Manchester, strangebrewtavern.net, 666-4292

Best Live Music Venue

Best of the best: Tupelo Music Hall 10 A St. in Derry, tupelomusichall.com, 437-5100
BankNH Pavilion 72 Meadowbrook Lane in Gilford, banknhpavilion.com, 293-4700
The Rex Theatre 23 Amherst St. in Manchester, palacetheatre.org/venues/rex-theatre, 668-5588
The BNH Stage 16 S. Main St. in Concord, ccanh.com/bank-nh-stage, 225-1111
Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom 169 Ocean Blvd. in Hampton, casinoballroom.com, 929-4100

Best Bar with an Outdoor Deck

Best of the best: The Derryfield Restaurant 625 Mammoth Road in Manchester, thederryfield.com, 623-2880
The Backyard Brewery 1211 S. Mammoth Road in Manchester, backyardbrewerynh.com, 623-3545
The Stumble Inn Bar & Grill: 20 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, stumbleinnnh.com, 432-3210
Bernie’s Beach Bar: 73 Ocean Blvd. in Hampton, berniesnh.com, 926-5050
KC’s Rib Shack: 837 Second St. in Manchester, ribshack.net, 627-7427

Best Bar or Pub

Best of the best: The Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant 909 Elm St. in Manchester, shaskeenirishpub.com, 625-0246
The Stumble Inn Bar & Grill: 20 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, stumbleinnnh.com, 432-3210
Backyard Brewery and Kitchen: 1211 S. Mammoth Road in Manchester, backyardbrewerynh.com, 623-3545
Industry East: 28 Hanover St. in Manchester, industryeastbar.com, 232-6940
The Hop Knot: 1000 Elm St. in Manchester, hopknotnh.com, 232-3731

Best Weekly Bar Event

Best of the best: Trivia with Heather at The Farm Bar and Grille (1181 Elm St. in Manchester, farmbargrille.com, 641-3276) takes place Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
Tuesday open mic at KC’s Rib Shack (837 Second St. in Manchester, ribshack.net, 627-7427) is hosted by Paul & Nate with a featured artist from 7 to 8 p.m. and open mic from 8 to 10 p.m.
Trivia at The Hop Knot (1000 Elm St. in Manchester, hopknotnh.com, 232-3731) runs Thursdays at 7 p.m. with Broderick Lang.
Trivia at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road in Manchester, chunkys.com, 206-3888) runs Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. and is 21+. Each week usually has a theme based on a movie or genre of movies or a TV show or music. About once a month on Sunday, there is an all-ages family-friendly trivia night at 6 p.m.
Music Bingo at Backyard Brewery and Kitchen (1211 S. Mammoth Road in Manchester, backyardbrewerynh.com, 623-3545) runs Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Best Spot for Some Friendly Competition

Best of the best: The Rugged Axe 377 S. Willow St. in Manchester, theruggedaxe.com, 232-7846
Block Party Social 51 Zapora Dr. in Hooksett, blockpartysocial.com, 263-5408
RelAxe Throwing NH 157 Gay St. in Manchester, relaxethrowing.com, 782-3061
Axel’s Throw House 4 Bud Way, Unit 2, in Nashua, axelsthrowhouse.com, 212-1778
Granite State Escape 795 Elm St. in Manchester, escapenh.com, 935-7455

Best Spot for a Cheap Date

Best of the best: The Stumble Inn Bar & Grill 20 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, stumbleinnnh.com, 432-3210
The Farm Bar and Grille 1181 Elm St. in Manchester, farmbargrille.com, 641-3276
The Hop Knot 1000 Elm St. in Manchester, hopknotnh.com, 232-3731
Chunky’s Cinema Pub 707 Huse Road in Manchester, chunkys.com, 206-3888
The Gyro Spot 1073 Elm St. in Manchester, thegyrospot.com, 218-3869
Diz’s Cafe 860 Elm St. in Manchester, dizscafe.com, 606-2532
Penuche’s Ale House 16 Bicentennial Sq. in Concord, facebook.com/penuches.concord, 228-9833

Best Spot for a Group Outing

Best of the best: Tupelo Music Hall 10 A St. in Derry, tupelomusichall.com, 437-5100
The Stumble Inn Bar & Grill 20 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, stumbleinnnh.com, 432-3210
Boards & Brews 941 Elm St. in Manchester, boardsandbrewsnh.com, 232-5184
Axel’s Throw House 4 Bud Way, Unit 2, in Nashua, axelsthrowhouse.com, 212-1778
Canobie Lake Park 85 N. Policy St. in Salem, canobie.com, 893-3506
Game Changer Sports Bar and Grill 4 Orchard View Dr. in Londonderry, gamechangersportsbar.com, 216-1396
The Rugged Axe 377 S. Willow St. in Manchester, theruggedaxe.com, 232-7846
Fisher Cats at Delta Dental Stadium 1 Line Dr. in Manchester, milb.com/new-hampshire/tickets, 641-2005. The season begins April 4.

Best Place to Meet a Blind Date

Best of the best: The Stumble Inn Bar & Grill 20 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, stumbleinnnh.com, 432-3210
The Farm Bar and Grille 1181 Elm St. in Manchester, farmbargrille.com, 641-3276
The Hop Knot 1000 Elm St. in Manchester, hopknotnh.com, 232-3731
Penuche’s Ale House 16 Bicentennial Sq. in Concord, facebook.com/penuches.concord, 228-9833
Stella Blu 70 E. Pearl St. in Nashua, stellablu-nh.com, 578-5557

Restaurant

Best Restaurant

Best of the best: Puritan Backroom 245 Hooksett Road in Manchester, puritanbackroom.com, 669-6890 for the restaurant.
Copper Door 15 Leavy Dr. in Bedford, copperdoor.com, 488-2677
The Tuckaway Tavern and Butchery 58 Route 27 in Raymond, tuckaway.com, 224-2431
Revival Kitchen & Bar 11 Depot St. in Concord, revivalkitchennh.com, 715-5723
Cotton 75 Arms St. in Manchester, cottonfood.com, 622-5488

Best New Eatery

Best of the best: Stash Box 866 Elm St. in Manchester, stashboxnh.com, 606-8109. Opened October 2023.
STREET: 76 N. Main St. in Concord, streetfood360.com, 333-2125. Opened October 2023
Fotia Greek Taverna 401 S. Willow St. in Manchester, fotiagreektaverna.com, 461-3007. Opened September 2023.
Buba Kitchen 148 N. Main St. in Concord, bubanoodle.com, 219-0064. Opened December 2023.
Friendly Red’s 111 W. Broadway in Derry, friendlyredstavern.net, 404-6606. Opened July 2023.

Best Fine Dining Restaurant

Best of the best: Hanover Street Chop House 149 Hanover St. in Manchester, hanoverstreetchophouse.com, 644-2467
Buckley’s Great Steaks 438 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, buckleysgreatsteaks.com, 424-0995
Bedford Village Inn 2 Olde Bedford Way in Bedford, bedfordvillageinn.com, 472-2001
Revival Kitchen and Bar 11 Depot St. in Concord, revivalkitchennh.com, 715-5723
Cotton 75 Arms St. in Manchester, cottonfood.com, 622-5488

Best Restaurant from which to get Takeout

Best of the best: Puritan Backroom 245 Hooksett Road in Manchester, puritanbackroom.com, 669-6890 for the restaurant.
Troy’s Fresh Kitchen 4 Orchard View Dr., No. 6, in Londonderry, troysfreshkitchen.com, 965-3411
Charlie’s of Goffstown 1B Pinard St. in Manchester, charliesgoffstown.com, 606-1835
Goldenrod Restaurant 1681 Candia Road in Manchester, goldenrodrestaurant.com, 623-9469
Pressed Cafe 216 S. River Road in Bedford, 606-2746; 108 Spit Brook Road in Nashua, 718-1250; 3 Cotton Road in Nashua (drive-thru only); 1 Artisan Dr. in Salem, 458-5922; pressedcafe.com

Best Date Night Restaurant

Best of the best: Cotton 75 Arms St. in Manchester, cottonfood.com, 622-5488
Revival Kitchen and Bar 11 Depot St. in Concord, revivalkitchennh.com, 715-5723
Copper Door 15 Leavy Dr. in Bedford, copperdoor.com, 488-2677
The Foundry 50 Commercial St. in Manchester, foundrynh.com, 836-1925
Villaggio Ristorante Italiano 677 Hooksett Road in Manchester, villaggionh.com, 627-2424

Restaurant that Brings the Heat

Best of the best: Destination India Restaurant and Bar 14A E. Broadway in Derry, destinationindianh.com, 552-3469
Daw Kun Thai 93 S. Maple St., No. 4, in Manchester, dawkunthai.com, 232-0699
Curry Leaf 6 Pleasant St. in Concord, curryleafus.com, 715-5746
A Lot of Thai 360 Daniel Webster Hwy., Unit 121, in Merrimack, alotofthainh.com, 429-8888
Kashmir Indian Cuisine 396 S. Broadway in Salem, kashmirindianfood.com, 898-3455
Kathmandu Spice 379 S. Willow St. in Manchester, ktmspice.com, 782-3911

Best Food Truck

Best of the best: Up in Your Grill Find them in the front parking lot, 526 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, upinyourgrill.com, 493-3191
The Sleazy Vegan Usually at the Tideline Public House, 15 Newmarket Road in Durham, thesleazyvegan.com, 233-5078
Teenie Weenies Often at Able Ebenezer Brewing Co., 31 Columbia Circle in Merrimack (find them on Facebook, 403-2336)
B’s Tacos May through October they’re at the BP Gas Station, 2 Mohawk Dr. in Londonderry, nhtacotruck.com, 622-8200
Messy Mike’s Barbecue and Catering 161 Rockingham Road in Derry, messymikesbbq.com, 781-710-7832

Restaurant with the Best Outdoor Seating

Best of the best: The Crown Tavern 99 Hanover St. in Manchester, thecrownonhanover.com, 218-3132
Backyard Brewery and Kitchen 1211 S. Mammoth Road in Manchester, backyardbrewerynh.com, 623-3545
The Derryfield Restaurant 625 Mammoth Road in Manchester, thederryfield.com, 623-2880
Tuscan Kitchen Salem 19 Via Toscana in Salem, tuscanbrands.com/tuscan-kitchen, 952-4875
Cheers Grille & Bar 17 Depot St., No. 1, in Concord, cheersnh.com, 228-0180

Delicious Dishes

Best Barbecue

Best of the best: KC’s Rib Shack 837 Second St. in Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack.net
Smoke Haus 278 Route 101 in Amherst, 249-5734, smokehausbbq.com
Smoke Show Barbecue 231 S. Main St. in Concord, 227-6399, smokeshowbbq.com
Goody Coles Smokehouse 374 Route 125 in Brentwood, 679-8898, goodycoles.com

Smoke Shack Cafe 226 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, 404-2178, smokeshackcafe.com
Hickory Wood Smoked Ribs, Brisket, Chicken, Pulled Pork, Wings, plus Loaded Mac and Cheese and more!

Best Breakfast

Best of the best: Tucker’s 95 S. River Road in Bedford, 413-6503; 80 South St. in Concord, 413-5884; 238 Indian Brook Road in Dover, 413-5470; 1328 Hooksett Road in Hooksett, 206-5757; 360 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, 413-6477; 207 Main St. in New London, 413-5528; tuckersnh.com
Serving breakfast and lunch every day with a menu that includes organic, local and gluten free options for all to enjoy.

Maryann’s Diner 29 East Broadway in Derry, 434-5785; 4 Cobbetts Pond Road in Windham, 965-3066; 3 Veterans Memorial Parkway in Salem, 893-9877; 1 Craftsman Lane in Amherst, 577-8955; maryannsdiner.com
Janie’s Uncommon Cafe 123 Nashua Road in Londonderry, 432-3100, janiescafe.com
Riverhouse Cafe 167 Union Sq. in Milford, 249-5556, damngoodgrub.com

Chez Vachon 136 Kelley St. in Manchester, 625-9660, chezvachon.com
Get what you deserve! Comfort food and French Canadian Favorites. Breakfast served all day.

Troy’s Fresh Kitchen 4 Orchard View Dr., No. 6, in Londonderry, 965-3411, troysfreshkitchen.com

Best Brunch

Best of the best: The Foundry 50 Commercial St. in Manchester, 836-1925, foundrynh.com
Tucker’s 95 S. River Road in Bedford, 413-6503; 80 South St. in Concord, 413-5884; 238 Indian Brook Road in Dover, 413-5470; 1328 Hooksett Road in Hooksett, 206-5757; 360 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, 413-6477; 207 Main St. in New London, 413-5528; tuckersnh.com
The Friendly Toast 4 Main St. in Bedford, 836-8907 (also has a location in Portsmouth); thefriendlytoast.com
Firefly 22 Concord St. in Manchester, fireflynh.com, 935-9740
Pressed Cafe 216 S. River Road in Bedford, 606-2746; 108 Spit Brook Road in Nashua, 718-1250; 3 Cotton Road in Nashua (drive-thru only); 1 Artisan Dr. in Salem, 458-5922; pressedcafe.com
Prime at Sky Meadow 6 Mountain Laurels Dr. in Nashua, 888-9000, skymeadow.com

Best Burgers

Best of the best: Papa Joe’s Humble Kitchen 237 South St. in Milford, papajoeshumblekitchen.com, 672-9130
The Barley House 132 N. Main St. in Concord, 228-6363, thebarleyhouse.com
The Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery 58 Route 27 in Raymond, 244-2431, thetuckaway.com
River Road Tavern 193 S. River Road in Bedford, 206-5837, riverroadtavernbedford.com
T-Bones Great American Eatery 25 S. River Road in Bedford, 641-6100; 404 S. Main St. in Concord, 715-1999; 39 Crystal Ave. in Derry, 434-3200; 77 Lowell Road in Hudson, 882-6677; 311 South Broadway in Salem, 893-3444; 1182 Union Ave. in Laconia, 528-7800; t-bones.com
Vibes Gourmet Burgers 25 S. Main St. in Concord, 856-8671, vibes-burgers.com

Best Burrito

Best of the best: California Burritos Mexican Grill: 655 S. Willow St., Suite 103, in Manchester, 722-2084; 2 Cellu Drive in Nashua, 417-6151; 101 Factory St. in Nashua, 718-8745; 35 Lowell Road in Hudson, 402-2130; californiaburritosnh.com
La Carreta Mexican Restaurant 139 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Nashua, 891-0055; 1875 S. Willow St. in Manchester, 623-7705; 545 Hooksett Road in Manchester, 628-6899; 44 Nashua Road in Londonderry, 965-3477; 35 Manchester Road, Suite 5A in Derry, 421-0091; 172 Hanover St. in Portsmouth, 427-8319; lacarretamex.com
Dos Amigos 26 N. Main St. in Concord, 410-4161, dosamigosburritos.com
Los Reyes Street Tacos & More 127 Rockingham Road, Unit 15, in Derry, 845-8327, losreyesstreettacos.com
Puerto Vallarta Mexican Grill (865 Second St. in Manchester, 935-9182)and Nuevo Vallarta Mexican Restaurant (791 Second St. in Manchester, 782-8762), vallartamexicannh.com

Best Chicken Tenders

Best of the best: Puritan Backroom Restaurant 245 Hooksett Road in Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com
Goldenrod Restaurant 1681 Candia Road in Manchester, 623-9469, goldenrodrestaurant.com
Charlie’s of Goffstown 1B Pinard St. in Manchester, 606-1835, charliesgoffstown.com
T-Bones Great American Eatery 25 S. River Road in Bedford, 641-6100; 404 S. Main St. in Concord, 715-1999; 39 Crystal Ave. in Derry, 434-3200; 77 Lowell Road in Hudson, 882-6677; 311 South Broadway in Salem, 893-3444; 1182 Union Ave. in Laconia, 528-7800; t-bones.com
Smoke Shack Cafe 226 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, 404-2178, smokeshackcafe.com

Best Fish & Chips

Best of the best: Lobster Boat 453 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, 424-5221; 273 Derry Road in Litchfield, 882-4988; lobsterboatrestaurant.com
The Peddler’s Daughter 48 Main St. in Nashua, 821-7535, thepeddlersdaughter.com
Goldenrod Restaurant 1681 Candia Road in Manchester, 623-9469, goldenrodrestaurant.com
The Beach Plum 3 Brickyard Square in Epping, 679-3200; 8 S. Village Drive in Salem, 458-7266; 2800 Lafayette Road in Portsmouth, 433-3339; 16 Ocean Blvd., North Hampton, 964-7451; thebeachplum.net
Petey’s Summertime Seafood 1323 Ocean Blvd. in Rye, 433-1937, peteys.com

Best Grilled Cheese

Best of the best: Patz Deli & Catering 900 Elm St., Suite 102, in Manchester, 644-7289
Cheese Louise 76 Congress St. in Portsmouth, 427-8615, eatcheeselouise.com
Copper Door 15 Leavy Dr. in Bedford, 488-2677, copperdoor.com
Prime Time 119 Hanover St. in Manchester, find them on Facebook or Instagram
Pressed Cafe 216 S. River Road in Bedford, 606-2746; 108 Spit Brook Road in Nashua, 718-1250; 3 Cotton Road in Nashua (drive-thru only); 1 Artisan Dr. in Salem, 458-5922; pressedcafe.com

Where the French Fries Are So Good They Could Be a Whole Meal

Best of the best: Goldenrod Restaurant 1681 Candia Road in Manchester, 623-9469, goldenrodrestaurant.com
The Farm Bar & Grille 1181 Elm St. in Manchester, 641-3276, farmbargrille.com
Puritan Backroom Restaurant 245 Hooksett Road in Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com
River Road Tavern 193 S. River Road in Bedford, 206-5837, riverroadtavernbedford.com
Smoke Shack Cafe 226 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, 404-2178, smokeshackcafe.com

Best Mac & Cheese

Best of the best: Mr. Mac’s 497 Hooksett Road in Manchester, 606-1760, mr-macs.com
The Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery 58 Route 27 in Raymond, 244-2431, thetuckaway.com
Pressed Cafe 216 S. River Road in Bedford, 606-2746; 108 Spit Brook Road in Nashua, 718-1250; 3 Cotton Road in Nashua (drive through only); 1 Artisan Dr. in Salem, 458-5922; pressedcafe.com
Smoke Shack Cafe 226 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, 404-2178, smokeshackcafe.com
Diz’s Cafe 860 Elm St. in Manchester, 606-2532, dizscafe.com

Best Menu of Pasta Dishes

Best of the best: Villaggio Ristorante Italiano 677 Hooksett Road in Manchester, 627-2424, villaggionh.com
Fratello’s Italian Grill 155 Dow St. in Manchester, 624-2022, fratellos.com
Angelina’s Ristorante Italiano 11 Depot St. in Concord, 228-3313, angelinasrestaurant.com
Luccianos 4 Orchard View Dr. in Londonderry, 432-2442, luccianoscafe.com
Giorgio’s Ristorante & Bar 524 Nashua St. in Milford, 673-3939; 270 Granite St. in Manchester, 232-3323; 707 Milford Road in Merrimack, 883-7333; giorgios.com

Best Pizza

Best of the best: 900 Degrees 50 Dow St. in Manchester, 641-0900, 900degrees.com
Voted Best Pizza for 17 years! Inspired by the mouthwatering, wood fired pizza native to Naples, Italy. Join us for gourmet pizza, pasta, and salads.

Alley Cat Pizzeria 486 Chestnut St. in Manchester, 669-4533, alleycatpizzerianh.com
Vintage Pizza 241 Candia Road in Manchester, 518-7800, vintagepizzanh.com
Sour Joe’s Pizzeria 5 Pleasant St. Ext. in Concord, 856-7427, sourjoespizzeria.com
Elm House of Pizza 102 Elm St. in Manchester, 232-5522, elmhop.com

Best Specialty Pizza

Best of the best: “The House Pie” at Elm House of Pizza 102 Elm St. in Manchester, 232-5522, elmhop.com — “house made tomato sauce, cup and char pepperoni, Italian sausage, dollops of ricotta, three cheese blend, hot honey drizzle.”
“Bella Cosa” at 900 Degrees 50 Dow St. in Manchester, 641-0900, 900degrees.com — “Roasted garlic cream sauce, Grana Padano, mozzarella, baby spinach, caramelized red onions, rosemary ham, prosciutto, and EVOO.”
“Saltimbocca” at 900 Degrees 50 Dow St. in Manchester, 641-0900, 900degrees.com — “Roasted garlic cream sauce topped with fresh mozzarella, fontina, roasted chicken, tomatoes, caramelized red onion, prosciutto, torn sage and EVOO.”
“Meat Lovers” at The Pizza Man Bar & Grill 850 E. Industrial Park Dr., Suite 3, in Manchester, 623-5550; 254 W. River Road in Hooksett, 626-7499; thepizzamandelivers.com — “pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef, meatball, ham & extra cheese.”
“Eagle Square” at Sour Joe’s Pizzaria 5 Pleasant St. Ext. in Concord, 856-7427, sourjoespizzeria.com — “Crushed tomato, mozzarella, pepperoni, ricotta dollops, hot honey.”

Best Sandwich

Best of the best: “Patz melt” at Patz Deli & Catering 900 Elm St., Suite 102, in Manchester, 644-7289 — “Black Angus burger, grilled rye bread, American cheese, brown sugar carmelized onions and garlic pepper aioli”
Roast Beef Sub at Bentley’s Roast Beef 134 Route 101A, in Amherst, bentleysroastbeef.com, 883-2020 — “4 oz. freshly thin-sliced USDA Choice Midwestern beef on a toasted sesame roll.”
“Caprese Panini” at The Green Beautiful 168 Wilson St. in Manchester, 606-1026, greenbeautifulcafe.com — “seasonal pesto, tomato, cashew mozzarella and balsamic reduction served on sourdough.”
“Sabich” at Pressed Cafe 216 S. River Road in Bedford, 606-2746; 108 Spit Brook Road in Nashua, 718-1250; 3 Cotton Road in Nashua (drive-thru only); 1 Artisan Dr. in Salem, 458-5922; pressedcafe.com — “grilled lightly breaded eggplant, hummus, hard boiled egg, crunchy cukes, Roma tomatoes, amba sauce, tahini drizzle & schug (cilantro hot sauce) pressed on ciabatta or fresh pita.”
“Chipotle Steak Grilled Cheese” at Pressed Cafe 216 S. River Road in Bedford, 606-2746; 108 Spit Brook Road in Nashua, 718-1250; 3 Cotton Road in Nashua (drive-thru only); 1 Artisan Dr. in Salem, 458-5922; pressedcafe.com — “cheddar, Swiss & American cheese with braised beef short rib, chipotle mayo, applewood smoked bacon & Roma tomatoes pressed on ciabatta bread.”
“The Wellington” at Pressed Cafe 216 S. River Road in Bedford, 606-2746; 108 Spit Brook Road in Nashua, 718-1250; 3 Cotton Road in Nashua (drive-thru only); 1 Artisan Dr. in Salem, 458-5922; pressedcafe.com — “braised beef short rib, roasted mushroom, caramelized onion, demi jus, Gorgonzola cheese crumbles, Swiss, & Boursin spread pressed on ciabatta.”

Best Subs

Best of the best: Nadeau’s Subs 776 Mast Road, Manchester, 623-9315; 110 Cahill Ave., Manchester, 669-7827; 673 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 644-8888; nadeaussubs.com (there is also a location in Exeter)
USA Subs 66 Crystal Ave., Derry, 437-1550, usasubs.com
Patz Deli & Catering 900 Elm St., Suite 102, 644-7289
Bill Cahill’s Super Subs 8 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson, 882-7710, find them on Facebook @billcahills
Great American Subs 44 Nashua Road, Unit 3, Londonderry, 434-9900, greatamericansubsnh.com

Best Tacos

Best of the best: Los Reyes Street Tacos & More 127 Rockingham Road, Unit 15, in Derry, 845-8327, losreyesstreettacos.com
La Carreta 139 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Nashua; 891-0055, 1875 S. Willow St. in Manchester, 623-7705; 545 Hooksett Road in Manchester, 628-6899; 44 Nashua Road in Londonderry, 965-3477; 35 Manchester Road, Suite 5A, in Derry, 421-0091; 172 Hanover St. in Portsmouth, 427-8319; lacarretamex.com
Taco Time Cocina & Cantina Mexicana 11 Wilton Road in Milford, 554-1424, tacotimenh.com
Puerto Vallarta Mexican Grill (865 Second St. in Manchester, 935-9182)and Nuevo Vallarta Mexican Restaurant (791 Second St. in Manchester, 782-8762) vallartamexicannh.com
Hermanos Cocina Mexicana 11 Hills Ave. in Concord, 224-5669, hermanosmexican.com

Sweets & Treats

Best Bakery

Best of the best: Bearded Baking Co. 819 Union St. in Manchester, beardedbaking.com, 647-7150
Buckley’s Bakery & Cafe 436 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, 262-5929; 9 Market Place in Hollis, 465-5522; buckleysbakerycafe.com
Crosby Bakery 51 E. Pearl St. in Nashua, crosbybakerynh.com, 882-1851
Frederick’s Pastries 109 Route 101A in Amherst, 882-7725; 25 S. River Road in Bedford, 647-2253; pastry.net
Klemm’s Bakery: 29 Indian Rock Road in Windham, klemmsbakery.com, 437-8810

Best Blueberry Muffins

Best of the best: Troy’s Fresh Kitchen & Juice Bar 4 Orchard View Dr., No. 6, in Londonderry, troysfreshkitchen.com, 965-3411
Buckley’s Bakery & Cafe 436 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, 262-5929; 9 Market Place in Hollis, 465-5522; buckleysbakerycafe.com
The Crust and Crumb Baking Co. 126 N. Main St. in Concord, thecrustandcrumb.com, 219-0763
Patz Deli 900 Elm St., Suite 102, in Manchester, 644-7289, find them on Facebook
The Bridge Cafe on Elm 1117 Elm St. in Manchester, thebridgecafe.net, 647-9991
Pressed Cafe 216 S. River Road in Bedford, 606-2746; 108 Spit Brook Road in Nashua, 718-1250; 3 Cotton Road in Nashua (drive-thru only); 1 Artisan Dr. in Salem, 458-5922; pressedcafe.com

Best Candy or Chocolate Shop

Best of the best: Granite State Candy Shoppe 13 Warren St. in Concord, 225-2591; 832 Elm St. in Manchester, 218-3885; granitestatecandyshoppe.com
Locally sourced Ingredients. Premium chocolates From New Hampshire.

Van Otis Chocolates 341 Elm St. in Manchester, vanotis.com, 627-1611
Nelson’s Candy and Music 65 Main St. in Wilton, nelsonscandymusic.com, 654-5030
Loon Chocolate Center Entrance, 195 McGregor St., No. 121, in Manchester, loonchocolate.com, 932-8887
Dancing Lion Chocolate 917 Elm St. in Manchester, dancinglion.us, 625-4043

Best Cookies

Best of the best: Bearded Baking Co. 819 Union St. in Manchester, beardedbaking.com, 647-7150
Black Forest Cafe & Bakery 212 Route 101 in Amherst, blackforestcafeandbakery.com, 672-0500
The Crust and Crumb Baking Co. 126 N. Main St. in Concord, thecrustandcrumb.com, 219-0763
Buckley’s Bakery & Cafe 436 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, 262-5929; 9 Market Place in Hollis, 465-5522; buckleysbakerycafe.com
Charlie’s of Goffstown 1B Pinard St. in Manchester, charliesgoffstown.com, 606-1835
Lighthouse Local 21 Kilton Road in Bedford, lighthouse-local.com, 716-6983

Prettiest Cupcakes

Best of the Best: Queen City Cupcakes & Gift Shop 816 Elm St. in Manchester, qccupcakes.com, 624-4999
Carina’s Cakes 14B East Broadway in Derry, facebook.com/Carinas.Cakes, 425-9620
Frederick’s Pastries 109 Route 101A in Amherst, 882-7725; 25 S. River Road in Bedford, 647-2253; pastry.net
Cupcakes 101 132 Bedford Center Road in Bedford, cupcakes101.net, 488-5962
Bearded Baking Co. 819 Union St. in Manchester, beardedbaking.com, 647-7150

Best Doughnuts

Best of the best: New Hampshire Doughnut Co. 410 S. River Road in Bedford, 782-8968; 2 Capital Plaza in Concord, 715-5097; nhdoughnutco.com
Klemm’s Bakery 29 Indian Rock Road in Windham, klemmsbakery.com, 437-8810
Crosby Bakery Inc. 51 E. Pearl St. in Nashua, crosbybakerynh.com, 882-1851
Brothers Donuts & Deli Shop 426 Central St. in Franklin, facebook.com/brothersdonuts, 934-6678
The Bakeshop On Kelley Street 171 Kelley St. in Manchester, thebakeshoponkelleystreet.com, 624-3500

Best Ice Cream

Best of the best: Puritan Backroom Restaurant 245 Hooksett Road in Manchester, puritanbackroom.com, 669-6890
Moo’s Place Homemade Ice Cream 27 Crystal Avenue in Derry; 15 Ermer Road in Salem, 898-0199, moosplace.com, 425-0100
Hayward’s Ice Cream 7 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Nashua, 888-4663; 364 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, 424-5915; haywardsicecream.com
Goldenrod Restaurant: 1681 Candia Road in Manchester, goldenrodrestaurant.com, 623-9469
The Inside Scoop: 260 Wallace Road in Bedford, theinsidescoopnh.com, 471-7009

Drinks

Best Breakfast or Brunch Cocktails

Best of the best: The Friendly Toast 4 Main St. in Bedford, 836-8907; 113 Congress St. in Portsmouth, 246-5285; thefriendlytoast.com

Firefly 22 Concord St. in Manchester, fireflynh.com, 935-974

Tucker’s 95 S. River Road in Bedford, 413-6503; 80 South St. in Concord, 413-5884; 238 Indian Brook Road in Dover, 413-5470; 1328 Hooksett Road in Hooksett, 206-5757; 360 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, 413-6477; 207 Main St. in New London, 413-5528; tuckersnh.com
Copper Door 15 Leavy Dr. in Bedford, copperdoor.com, 488-2677
The Foundry 50 Commercial St. in Manchester, foundrynh.com, 836-1925

Best Beer Selection at a Retail Shop

Best of the best: Bert’s Better Beers 545 Hooksett Road in Manchester, bertsnh.com, 413-5992
The Packie 88 W. River Road in Hooksett, 518-8069; 581 Second St. in Manchester, 232-1236; thepackienh.com
The Beer Store 433 Amherst St. in Nashua, 889-2242; 291 South Broadway in Salem, 458-1440; thebeerstorenh.com
East Derry General Store 50 E. Derry Road in Derry, eastderrygeneralstore.com, 432-5302
Lazy Dog Beer Shoppe 27 Buttrick Road in Londonderry, lazydogbeer.com, 434-2500

Best New Hampshire Brewery

Best of the best: 603 Brewery & Beer Hall 42 Main St. in Londonderry, 603brewery.com, 404-6123
Backyard Brewery and Kitchen 1211 S. Mammoth Road in Manchester, backyardbrewerynh.com, 623-3545
Pipe Dream Brewing 49 Harvey Road, Unit 4, in Londonderry, pipedreambrewingnh.com, 404-0751
Spy Glass Brewing Co. 306 Innovative Way in Nashua, spyglassbrewing.com, 546-2965
Concord Craft Brewing Co. 117 Storrs St. in Concord, concordcraftbrewing.com, 856-7625

Best New Hampshire Winery

Best of the best: LaBelle Winery 345 Route 101 in Amherst, 672-9898; 14 Route 111 in Derry, 672-9898; labellewinery.com
Zorvino Vineyards 226 Main St. in Sandown, zorvino.com, 887-8463
Fulchino Vineyard 187 Pine Hill Road in Hollis, fulchinovineyard.com, 438-5984
Flag Hill Distillery & Winery 297 N. River Road in Lee, flaghill.com, 659-2949
Sweet Baby Vineyard: 260 Stage Road in Hampstead, sweetbabyvineyard.com, 347-1738

Best Cocktail

Best of the best: Mudslide at Puritan Backroom Restaurant (245 Hooksett Road in Manchester, puritanbackroom.com, 669-6890) This drink is made with Baileys Irish Cream, Kahlua coffee liqueur and vodka and is offered in flavor variations.
C.R.E.A.M. at Industry East (28 Hanover St. in Manchester, industryeastbar.com, 232-6940) This drink is made with Mi Campo tequila, ancho verde, cucumber, lemon and jalapeño.
Espresso Martini at Giorgio’s Ristorante & Bar (524 Nashua St. in Milford, 673-3939; 270 Granite St. in Manchester, 232-3323; 707 Milford Road in Merrimack, 883-7333; giorgios.com) This drink is made with fresh-brewed espresso and it carries a froth on top.
Blood Orange Cosmo at Copper Door (15 Leavy Dr. in Bedford, copperdoor.com, 488-2677) This drink is made with Tito’s Handmade Vodka, blood orange liqueur, cranberry juice and fresh squeezed lime.
Margarita at Hermanos Cocina Mexicana (11 Hills Ave. in Concord, hermanosmexican.com, 224-5669) The standard margarita is made with Lunazul tequila, triple sec and a house fresh-squeezed sour mix.

Best Margaritas

Best of the best: La Carreta Mexican Restaurant (139 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Nashua, 891-0055; 1875 S. Willow St. in Manchester, 623-7705; 545 Hooksett Road in Manchester, 628-6899; 44 Nashua Road in Londonderry, 965-3477; 35 Manchester Road, Suite 5A, in Derry, 421-0091; 172 Hanover St. in Portsmouth, 427-8319; lacarretamex.com) The margarita menu at La Carreta features multiple “signature margaritas” such as the Sangria-Rita, Berry Rita and Pineapple En Fuego.
Hermanos Cocina Mexicana (11 Hills Ave. in Concord, hermanosmexican.com, 224-5669) The standard margarita is made with Lunazul tequila, triple sec and a house fresh-squeezed sour mix.The menu also features multiple varieties and a build-your-own offering with their extensive tequila menu.
Puerto Vallarta Mexican Grill (865 Second St. in Manchester, 935-9182)and Nuevo Vallarta Mexican Restaurant (791 Second St. in Manchester, 782-8762; vallartamexicannh.com) offer the same Margaritas Especials menu featuring Wildbery Margarita, Vallarta Margarita, Hot Rita and a cucumber margarita.
Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry, tupelomusichall.com, 437-5100) The Tupelo offers a classic margarita with tequila, triple sec and sour mix.
Taco Time Cocina & Cantina Mexicana (1 Wilton Road in Milford, tacotimenh.com, 554-1424) The house margarita is available in strawberry, watermelon, pomegranate, mango, peach, and orange flavors.
Amigos Mexican Cantina (20 South St. in Milford, amigosmilford.com, 673-1500) Their margarita is made with Lunazul Reposado tequila, triple sec and Jamaican Lime Juice.

Restaurant with the Most Inventive Cocktails

Best of the best: Industry East (28 Hanover St., in Manchester, industryeastbar.com, 232-6940) Offerings include the Caribbean Kilt (Scotch, amaretto, orange, lime, orgeat and bitters, with a rum float) and Granny Panties (dark rum, Zucca, creme de violette, pineapple, lemon and grapefruit, with celery bitters).
Stash Box (866 Elm St. in Manchester, stashboxnh.com, 606-8109) Drinks include Religion and Politics (Barr Hill Gin or Peloton Mezcal, ancho, lemon, honey, orange, carrot, and pepper tincture) and Stay Classy (a smoked cocktail with Plantation Stiggin’s Fancy Pineapple Rum and bitters).
Prime at Sky Meadow (6 Mountain Laurels Dr. in Nashua, skymeadow.com, 888-9000) The menu includes Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Cocktail (Plantation Rum, velvet falernum, freshly squeezed lime juice and Cointreau) and a Gin Basil Smash(gin, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, basil syrup and fresh basil).
The Hop Knot (1000 Elm St. in Manchester, hopknotnh.com, 232-3731) Offerings include the Nova (blueberry vodka, house-made blueberry syrup and lemon) and a Zero-Proof Margarita (agave, lime and alcohol-free tequila).
Greenleaf (54 Nashua St. in Milford, greenleafmilford.com, 213-5447) The selection includes There’s Something About Rosemary(Uncle Nearest 1884, rosemary red wine reduction and orange bitters) and Fizzy Lifting Drink (prosecco, creme de violette and lemon).

Bar Where They Make You Feel Relaxed as Soon as You Sit Down

Best of the best: The Stumble Inn Bar & Grill 20 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, stumbleinnnh.com, 432-3210
The Hop Knot 1000 Elm St. in Manchester, hopknotnh.com, 232-3731
Industry East 28 Hanover St., in Manchester, industryeastbar.com, 232-6940
The Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant 909 Elm St. in Manchester, shaskeenirishpub.com, 625-0246
Stash Box 866 Elm St. in Manchester, stashboxnh.com, 606-8109

Where They Make Your Coffee Perfect Every Time

Best of the best: Flight Coffee Co. 209 Route 101 in Bedford, flightcoffeeco.com, 836-6228
Brother’s Cortado 3 Bicentennial Square, Odd Fellows Avenue in Concord, brotherscortado.com, 856-7924
Revelstoke Coffee 100 N. Main St. in Concord, revelstokecoffee.com, 715-5821
Hometown Coffee Roasters 80 Old Granite St. in Manchester, hometownroasters.com, 703-2321
Aroma Joe’s locations include 2 S. Beech St. in Manchester, 518-5409; 527 Hooksett Road in Manchester, 782-7173; 13 Manchester Road in Derry, 552-3581; 71 Calef Hwy. in Lee, 749-7700; 478 W. Main St. in Tilton, 729-0030; 3 Chambers Dr. in Hooksett, 932-2890; 135 Loudon Road in Concord, 715-8109; 214 Fisherville Road in Concord, 565-5497; 171 N. Broadway in Salem, 458-6335; 401 Main St., Suite 112, in Salem, 458-2770; 140 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, 459-8702; 2 Paul’s Way in Amherst, 402-1195; 1912 Dover Road in Epsom, 736-0505, and others; aromajoes.com.

Work Life

Best Spot for a Quick but Tasty Lunch

Best of the best: Pressed Cafe 216 S. River Road in Bedford, 606-2746; 108 Spit Brook Road in Nashua, 718-1250; 3 Cotton Road in Nashua (drive-thru only); 1 Artisan Dr. in Salem, 458-5922; pressedcafe.com
Patz Deli & Catering 900 Elm St., Suite 102, in Manchester, 644-7289
Troy’s Fresh Kitchen 4 Orchard View Dr., No. 6, in Londonderry, troysfreshkitchen.com, 965-3411
The Stumble Inn Bar & Grill 20 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, stumbleinnnh.com, 432-3210
The Bridge Cafe on Elm 1117 Elm St. in Manchester, thebridgecafe.net, 647-9991

Best Place to Order Lunch for the Office when the Boss is Buying

Best of the best: Pressed Cafe 216 S. River Road in Bedford, 606-2746; 108 Spit Brook Road in Nashua, 718-1250; 3 Cotton Road in Nashua (drive-thru only); 1 Artisan Dr. in Salem, 458-5922; pressedcafe.com
Troy’s Fresh Kitchen 4 Orchard View Drive, No. 6, in Londonderry, troysfreshkitchen.com, 965-3411
Puritan Backroom 245 Hooksett Road in Manchester, puritanbackroom.com, 669-6890 for the restaurant.
The Bridge Cafe on Elm 1117 Elm St. in Manchester, thebridgecafe.net, 647-9991
The Stumble Inn Bar & Grill 20 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, stumbleinnnh.com, 432-3210

Best Happy Hour

Best of the best: The Stumble Inn Bar & Grill 20 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, stumbleinnnh.com, 432-3210
The Farm Bar and Grille 1181 Elm St. in Manchester, farmbargrille.com, 641-3276
Feathered Friend Brewing 231 S. Main St. in Concord, featheredfriendbrewing.com, 715-2347
Tandy’s Pub & Grille 1 Eagle Sq. in Concord, tandyspub.com, 856-7614
Backyard Brewery and Kitchen 1211 S. Mammoth Road in Manchester, backyardbrewerynh.com, 623-3545
Hare of the Dawg 3 East Broadway in Derry, hareofthedawgnh.com, 552-3883

Happenings

Best Food Festival

Best of the best: Glendi at Saint George’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral (650 Hanover St. in Manchester, stgeorgenh.org, 622-9113) is slated for Friday, Sept. 13, through Sunday, Sept. 15.
Taco Tour in Downtown Manchester (tacotourmanchester.com, 792-4107) is Thursday, May 2, from 4 to 8 p.m.
Hampton Beach Seafood Festival (on Route 1A in Hampton, seafoodfestivalnh.com, 926-8718) will take place Friday, Sept. 6, through Sunday, Sept. 8, from noon to 9 p.m.
Bacon & Beer Festival at Anheuser-Busch Brewery (Outdoor Fields, 221 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, nhbaconbeer.com) will take place Saturday, June 1, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
NH Poutine Fest from the Franco-American Centre and held at Anheuser-Busch Biergarten (221 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, nhpoutinefest.com) will take place Saturday, Oct. 12. Sign up for the newsletter to get information about ticket sales.

Best Farmers Market

Best of the best: Concord Farmers Market takes place Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to noon, on Capitol Street next to the Statehouse Lawn, starting May 4 and running through Oct. 26, according to concordfarmersmarket.com.
Derry Homegrown Farm & Artisan Market takes place at 1 West Broadway in Derry on Wednesdays, 3 to 7 p.m., beginning June 5, according to derryhomegrown.org.
Salem NH Farmers Market is open year-round, with the winter market open Sundays, November through April, from 10 a.m through 1 p.m. at the LaBelle Winery, 14 Route 111 in Derry, and the summer market open Sundays, May through October, 10 a.m. through 2 p.m. at the Mall at Rockingham Park, according to salemnhfarmersmarket.org.
Candia Farmers Market runs every third Saturday, June 15 through Oct. 19, from 9 a.m. to noon at 55 High St. in Candia, according to candiafarmersmarket.org.
Church St. Farmers Market is at 9 Church St. in Deerfield and is open two Saturdays a month June through October (only once in September), 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., starting June 8, according to churchstmarket.com.

Event That Puts the “Fun” in Fundraiser

Best of the best: Glendi at Saint George’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral (650 Hanover St. in Manchester, stgeorgenh.org, 622-9113) is slated for Friday, Sept. 13, through Sunday, Sept. 15.
Castle in the Clouds Gala (455 Old Mountain Road in Moultonborough, castleintheclouds.org, 476-5900) on Friday, July 12.
Special Olympics Penguin Plunge (Hampton Beach State Park in Hampton, fundraising.sonh.org/event/penguin-plunge, 624-1250) Next year’s high school plunge will be on Saturday, Feb. 8, and the Penguin Plunge will be on Sunday, Feb. 9.
Aviation Museum Car Show ( 27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, aviationmuseumofnh.org, 669-4820) is Saturday, July 13.
Wags to Whiskers Festival to benefit the Humane Society For Greater Nashua (hsfn.org, 889-2275). Saturday, September 21, at the Anheuser-Busch brewery at 221 Daniel Webster Hwy in Merrimack. See the Humane Society’s website for details.
NH Renaissance Faire Martin Road in Fremont, nhrenfaire.com, Saturday, May 11, Sunday, May 12, Saturday, May 18, and Sunday, May 19.

Best Community Event

Best of the best: Market Days Festival on Main Street in Concord will run Thursday, June 20, through Saturday, June 22, according to marketdaysfestival.com.
Glendi at Saint George’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral (650 Hanover St. in Manchester, stgeorgenh.org, 622-9113) is slated for Friday, Sept. 13, through Sunday, Sept. 15.
Winter Holiday Stroll in downtown Nashua takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving; see downtownnashua.org.
Milford Pumpkin Festival takes place on and at locations near the Oval in downtown Milford and will be held Friday, Oct. 11, through Sunday, Oct. 13, according to milfordpumpkinfestival.org.
Goffstown’s Giant Pumpkin Weigh Off and Regatta will take place on Main Street in Goffstown on Saturday, Oct. 19, and Sunday, Oct. 20, according to goffstownmainstreet.org.

Family Fun

Best Place to Take Your Kids

Best of the best: Aviation Museum of New Hampshire 27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, aviationmuseumofnh.org, 669-4820
The Nest Family Cafe 25 Orchard View Dr., Unit 1, in Londonderry, thenestfamilycafe.com, 404-2139
Fun Spot 579 Endicott St. North, in Laconia, funspotnh.com, 366-4377
Fun City 553 Mast Road in Goffstown, funcitygoffstown.com, 606-8807
Canobie Lake Park 85 N. Policy St. in Salem, canobie.com, 893-3506
Nova Trampoline Park 300 Main St., Suite 402, in Nashua, novanashua.com, 825-4131

Best Outdoor Spot to Let Kids Get Out Their Energy

Best of the best: Benson Park 19 Kimball Hill Road in Hudson, hudsonnh.gov/bensonpark, 886-6018
Livingston Park 156 Hooksett Road in Manchester, manchesternh.gov/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Parks-Trails-and-Facilities/Parks/Livingston-Park, 624-6444
Hampton Beach in Hampton, hamptonbeach.org
Mel’s Funway Park 454 Charles Bancroft Hwy. in Litchfield, melsfunwaypark.com, 424-2292
White Park 1 White St. in Concord, concordnh.gov/facilities/facility/details/White-Park-21, 225-8690

Best Spot for All-Ages Family Fun

Best of the best: Canobie Lake Park 85 N. Policy St. in Salem, canobie.com, 893-3506
Aviation Museum of New Hampshire 27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, aviationmuseumofnh.org, 669-4820
The Nest Family Cafe 25 Orchard View Dr., Unit 1, in Londonderry, thenestfamilycafe.com, 404-2139
Fun Spot 579 Endicott St. North in Laconia, funspotnh.com, 366-4377
Mel’s Funway Park 454 Charles Bancroft Hwy. in Litchfield, melsfunwaypark.com, 424-2292
Hampton Beach in Hampton, hamptonbeach.org

Best Restaurant for the Whole Family

Best of the best: Puritan Backroom 245 Hooksett Road in Manchester, puritanbackroom.com, 669-6890 for the restaurant.
T-Bones Great American Eatery 39 Crystal Avenue in Derry, t-bones.com, 434-3200
The Nest Family Cafe 25 Orchard View Dr., Unit 1, in Londonderry, thenestfamilycafe.com, 404-2139
T-Bones Great American Eatery 25 S. River Road in Bedford, t-bones.com, 641-6100
The Common Man Merrimack 304 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, thecman.com, 429-3463

Pets

Best Doggie Day Care

Best of the best: All Dogs Gym & Inn 505 Sheffield Road, Manchester, 669-4644, alldogsgym.com

American K9 Country 336 Route 101, Amherst, 672-8448, americank9country.com

Chewie’s Playland 472 Amherst St., No. 24, Nashua, 921-1875; 217 W. Hollis St., Nashua, 921-0745; chewiesplayland.com
Superdogs Daycare 637 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-1515, superdogsdaycare.com
Pawquet’s Play & Stay 302 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 216-1147, pawquetsplaystay.com

Best Dog Groomers

Best of the best: Sarah’s Paw Spa 16 Manning St., Derry, 512-4539, find them on Facebook @sarahspawspa
D’Tails Dog Grooming 178 Route 101 in Bedford, 703-6288, find them on Facebook
Wag Grooming Salon & Spa 15 Ermer Road in Salem, 898-0924, wagplace.com
Grooming at Tiffany’s 127 Rockingham Road, Derry, 432-8000, groomingattiffanys.com
Woofmeow 19 Manchester Road, Suite A, Derry, 965-3218, woofmeownh.com

Best Pet Retail Store

Best of the best: Woofmeow 19 Manchester Road, Suite A, Derry, 965-3218, woofmeownh.com
Pets Choice 454 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-7297, petschoicenh.com
The Wholistic Pet 341 Route 101, Bedford, 472-2273, thewholisticpet.com
Sandy’s Pet Food Center 141 Old Turnpike Road, Concord, 225-1177, sandyspetfood.com
State Line Pet Supply 137 Plaistow Road, Plaistow, 382-6873, statelinepetsupply.com

Best Place to Let Your Dog Off Leash

Best of the best: Hudson Dog Park inside Benson Park, 19 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson, 886-6000, hudsonnh.gov
Derry Dog Park Fordway and Transfer Lane, Derry, 432-6136, derrynh.org
Hooksett Dog Park 101 Merrimack St., Hooksett, 485-8471, hooksett.org. This park is open daily from 6 a.m. to dusk.
Nashua Dog Park One Groton Road (Route 111A) in Nashua, nashuadog.org (where you can find information about membership)
Bear Brook Canine Camp a fenced area designed for private, pre-booked play in Allenstown; book a time at sniffspot.com
Raymond Dog Bark Park in Riverside Park (98 Sundeen Parkway in Raymond), raymondnh.gov/riversidepark

Best On-Leash Dog Outing

Best of the best: Benson Park 19 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson, hudsonnh.gov/bensonpark
Mine Falls Park Whipple Street, Nashua, 589-3370, nashuanh.gov
Lake Massabesic Trail a 3.7-mile loop with parking in the Massabesic Center parking lot (though dogs are not allowed on any Audubon trails), according to alltrails.com
Benedictine Park on Wallace Road in Bedford, featuring 27.4 acres of active and passive recreational land and walking trails that are just under a mile, according to bedfordnh.myrec.com
New Boston Rail Trail a 4-mile rail trail with a trail head at Lang Station (Gregg Mill Road in New Boston); see nbrailtrail.com
Windham Rail Trail windhamrailtrail.org, 4.1 miles of trail

Beauty & Wellness

Best Barber

Best of the best: Homegrown Barber Co. 18 Orchard View Dr. in Londonderry, homegrownbarber.com, 818-8989
Lucky’s Barbershop 50 S. State St. in Concord, luckysbarbershop.biz, 715-5470
Polished Man Barbershop & Lounge 707 Milford Road, No. 3A, in Merrimack, thepolishedman.com, 718-8427
Polished Man Barbershop & Lounge 178 Route 101 in Bedford, thepolishedman.com, 233-7991
Dude’s Barbershop 1328 Hooksett Road in Hooksett, dudesbarbershop.com, 626-0533

Best Salon

Best of the best: Blank Canvas Salon 1F Commons Dr. in Londonderry, find them on Facebook, 818-4294
Pellé Medical Spa 159 Frontage Road in Manchester, pellemedicalspa.com, 627-7000
Salon Bogar 25 Orchard View Dr. in Londonderry, salonbogar.com, 434-2424
Color Trends Hair Salon 25 Merritt Parkway in Nashua, colortrendshairsalon.com, 880-7504
Topknot Salon and Spa 1 Nashua St. in Milford, topknotnh.com, 212-6863

Best Spa

Best of the best: Renew MediSpa 23B Crystal Avenue in Derry, renewmedispa.com, 931-4345
Redefine The Way You Age To Look and Feel Your Best. Advanced Anti-Aging Technology Combined with Experienced Care

Chill Spa 1224 Hanover St. in Manchester, chillspa.com, 622-3722
Pellé Medical Spa 159 Frontage Road in Manchester, pellemedicalspa.com, 627-7000
Innovations Salon and Spa 228 Naticook Road in Merrimack, innovationsnh.com, 880-7499
Serendipity Day Spa and Float Studio 23 Sheep Davis Road in Pembroke, serendipitydayspa.shop, 229-0400

Where They Do a Good Brow

Best of the best: Renew MediSpa 23B Crystal Avenue in Derry, renewmedispa.com, 931-4345
Pellé Medical Spa 159 Frontage Road in Manchester, pellmedicalspa.com, 627-7000
Art of Eyebrows 449 Amherst St. in Nashua, 888-2186; 1500 S. Willow St., Mall of New Hampshire, in Manchester, 624-1414; Pheasant Lane Mall, 310 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Nashua, 864-8679; 1 Mall Road in Salem, 898-2444; Art of Beauty, 291 S. Broadway, Suite 3A, in Salem, 898-1212; artofeyebrows.com
Beauty Works 123 Nashua Road in Londonderry, beautyworksnh.com, 275-8672
Kriss Cosmetics 145 S. Main St. in Manchester, krisscosmetics.com, 624-2333

Where They Make Your Nails Look Fabulous

Best of the best: Glossy Nails 1 S. River Road in Bedford, 935-8383; 655 S. Willow St. in Manchester; glossynails.net
Exotic 9 Nails 30 Crystal Avenue, Suite 6, in Derry, exotic9nails.com, 425-7731
Chill Spa 1224 Hanover St. in Manchester, chillspa.com, 622-3722
9 Nails and Spa Salon 7 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, 9nailsandspasalon.com, 216-1668
Beautiful Nails 1525 S Willow St., Suite 2, in Manchester, 232-4700, find them on Facebook

Best Tattoo Shop

Best of the best: New Inkland Tattoo Co. 1358 Elm St. in Manchester, 518-7493, find them on Facebook
Tattoo Angus 179 Elm St., Unit C, in Manchester, tattooangus.com, 935-9398
Underworld Tattoo Co. 282 Main St. in Salem, 458-7739, find them on Instagram or Facebook
Capital City Tattoo 8 N. Main St. in Concord, capcitytat.com, 224-2600
Wayne’s Tattoo World 6 West Broadway in Derry, waynestattooworld.com, 432-4828

Best Workout Space

Best of the best: Collective Studios 4 Orchard View Dr. in Londonderry, thecollective-studios.com, 216-2345
Executive Health and Sports Center 1 Highlander Way in Manchester, ehsc.com, 668-4753)
Dynamic Strength & Conditioning 115 Northeastern Blvd. in Nashua, dynamicsc.com, 882-2348
The Workout Club 18 Orchard View Dr., Unit 2, in Londonderry, theworkoutclub.com/londonderry, 434-6565 (there are also locations at 16 Pelham Road in Salem and 35 Hamel Dr. in Manchester)

Hampshire Hills Athletic Club 50 Emerson Road in Milford, hampshirehills.com, 673-8123

Shopping

Best Place to Buy Jewelry

Best of the best: Bellman’s 1650 Elm St. in Manchester, bellmans.com, 625-4653
Princess Jewelers 55 Crystal Ave., Unit 5, in Derry, princessnh.com, 247-3773
Day’s Jewelers 66 March Ave. in Manchester, 641-0034; 567 Amherst St. in Nashua, 595-2780; daysjewelers.com
Jonathan’s Jewelers 460 Route 101 in Bedford, jonathansjewelers.com, 471-2828
Richters Jewelry & Design Studio 4 Orchard View Dr., No. 16, in Londonderry, richtersjewelry.com, 437-2655

Best Independent Shop to Buy Clothes or Shoes

Best of the best: Alec’s Shoes 1617 Southwood Dr. in Nashua, alecs-shoes.com, 882-6811

Gondwana and Divine Clothing 13 N. Main St. in Concord, gondwanaclothing.com, 228-1101

Alapage 25 S. River Road in Bedford, alapageboutique.com, 625-5601
Joe King’s Shoes 45 N. Main St. in Concord, joekings.com, 225-6012
George’s Apparel 675 Elm St. in Manchester, georgesapparel.com, 622-5441

Best Secondhand Store

Best of the best: Corey’s Closet 1329 Hooksett Road in Hooksett, coreyscloset.org, 722-2712
M&C Clothing and Gifts 135 Route 101A in Amherst, mcclothingandgifts.com, 886-6727
Kelly’s Kloset in Hooksett, kellysklosetllc.com
Lilise Designer Resale 7 N. Main St. in Concord, liliseresale.com, 715-2009
Outfitters Thrift Store 394 Second St. in Manchester, fitnh.org/outfitters, 641-6691

Outdoors

Best Farm for Pick Your Own

Best of the best: Sunnycrest 59 High Range Road in Londonderry, sunnycrestfarmnh.com, 432-9652
Mack’s Apples 230 Mammoth Road in Londonderry, 432-3456, macksapples.com
Lull Farm 65 Broad St. in Hollis, 465-7079, livefreeandfarm.com

Brookdale Fruit Farm 41 Broad St. in Hollis, 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com
Celebrating 177 years! Seasonal PYO: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, 19 varieties of apples and pumpkins. Check our website for the latest picking options.

J&F Farms 108 Chester Road in Derry, 437-0535, jandffarms.net

Best City Park

Best of the best: White Park 1 White St. in Concord, 225-8690, concordnh.gov
Livingston Park 244 Hooksett Road in Manchester, 624-6444, manchesternh.gov/parks
Benson’s Park 19 Kimball Hall Road in Hudson, 886-6000, hudsonnh.gov/bensonpark
Greeley Park Concord Street in Nashua, 589-3370, nashuanh.gov
Mine Falls Park Whipple Street in Nashua, 589-3370, nashuanh.gov

Best State Park

Best of the best: Pawtuckaway State Park 128 Mountain Road in Nottingham, 895-3031, nhstateparks.org
Bear Brook State Park 61 Deerfield Road in Allenstown, 485-9869, nhstateparks.org
Odiorne Point 570 Ocean Blvd. in Rye, 436-7406, nhstateparks.org
Wellington State Park 614 W. Shore Road in Bristol, 744-2197, nhstateparks.org
Hampton Beach 160 Ocean Blvd. in Hampton, 227-8722, nhstateparks.org

Best Bike Trail

Best of the best: Derry Rail Trail traillink.org, 3.6 miles of paved trail
Londonderry Rail Trail, londonderrytrails.org, 4.5 miles of trail
Windham Rail Trail windhamrailtrail.org, 4.1 miles of trail
Goffstown Rail Trail Goffstown, goffstownrailtrail.org, 5.5 miles of trail
Nashua Rail Trail Nashua, 12.5 miles of paved trail

Best Hike in Southern New Hampshire

Best of the best: Mount Monadnock 169 Poole Road in Jaffrey, 532-8862, nhstateparks.org
Mt. Major in Alton, nhstateparks.org
Pawtuckaway State Park 128 Mountain Road in Nottingham, 895-3031, nhstateparks.org
Pack Monadnock in Miller State Park, 13 Miller Park Road in Peterborough, 924-3672, nhstateparks.org
Mine Falls Park Whipple Street in Nashua, nashuanh.gov, 589-3370

Best Spot for a Long Run

Best of the best: Mine Falls Park Whipple Street in Nashua, nashuanh.gov, 589-3370
Goffstown Rail Trail in Goffstown, goffstownrailtrail.org, 5.5 miles of trail
Londonderry Rail Trail londonderrytrails.org, 4.5 miles of trail
Windham Rail Trail windhamrailtrail.org, 4.1 miles of trail
Massabesic Lake area Rockingham Recreational Rail Trail, 27.3 miles of trail from Auburn to Manchester, nhstateparks.org

Best Lake to Canoe or Kayak in

Best of the best: Lake Massabesic Off Londonderry Turnpike in Manchester, manchesternh.gov, 642-6482
Pawtuckaway Lake Pawtuckaway State Park, 7 Pawtuckaway Road in Nottingham, 895-3031, nhstateparks.org
Newfound Lake Wellington State Park, 614 W. Shore Road in Bristol, 744–2197, nhstateparks.org
Lake Winnipesaukee in Belknap and Carroll counties intheLakes Region, lakewinnipesaukee.net, which says it is the largest lake in New Hampshire
Squam Lake located in Grafton, Carroll and Belknap counties, lakesregion.org/squam-lake

Best Ski Hill

Best of the best: Pats Peak Ski Area 686 Flanders Road in Henniker, 428-3245, patspeak.com,
Loon Mountain 60 Loon Mountain Road in Lincoln, 745-8111, loonmtn.com
Gunstock 719 Cherry Valley Road in Gilford, 293-4341, gunstock.com
McIntyre Ski Area 50 Chalet Way in Manchester, mcintyreskiarea.com
Cannon Mountain Ski Resort 260 Tramway Drive in Franconia, 823-8800, cannonmt.com

Personalities

Most Inventive Chef

Best of the best: Chris Viaud at Greenleaf 54 Nashua St. in Milford, 213-5447, greenleafmilford.com
Bobby Marcotte at The Tuckaway Tavern and Butchery 58 Route 27 in Raymond, 244-2431, thetuckaway.com
Corey Fletcher at Revival Kitchen & Bar 11 Depot St. in Concord, 715-5723, revivalkitchennh.com
Scott Ouelette at Canoe Restaurant and Tavern 232 Whittier Hwy. in Center Harbor, canoecenterharbor.com
Shawn Harris at Prime at Sky Meadow Country Club, 6 Mountain Laurels Dr. in Nashua, 888-9000, skymeadow.com

Restaurant with the Friendliest Staff

Best of the best: The Stumble Inn Bar & Grill 20 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, 432-3210, stumbleinnnh.com
Prime at Sky Meadow Country Club, 6 Mountain Laurels Dr. in Nashua, 888-9000, skymeadow.com
The Nest Family Cafe 25 Orchard View Dr., Unit 1, in Londonderry, 404-2139, thenestfamilycafe.com
Troy’s Fresh Kitchen 4 Orchard View Dr., No. 6, in Londonderry, 965-3411, troysfreshkitchen.com
Smoke Shack Cafe 226 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, 404-2178, smokeshackcafe.com

Butt-kicking-est Fitness Instructor (in the Good Way)

Best of the best: Biliana Mihaylova is currently an independent instructor in Concord. You can message her via instagram.com/pop.kween.
Claudia Michel of The Collective Studios Apple Tree Shopping Center, 4 Orchard View Dr. in Londonderry, 216-2345; 125 S. River Road in Bedford, 782-3321; thecollective-studios.com
Leah Heath of The Collective Studios Apple Tree Shopping Center, 4 Orchard View Dr. in Londonderry, 216-2345; 125 S. River Road in Bedford, 782-3321; thecollective-studios.com
Tricia Hoyt at Journey Fitness 333 27 Buttrick Road, No. 6, in Londonderry, 247-9334, journeyfitness333.com/Londonderry
Ashley Oberg at Barre Life 944 Elm St., No. 23, in Manchester, barrelifenh.com

Best Barber

Best of the best: Traci Evans at Tooky Village Barbershop 12 Maple St., Unit 1, in Contoocook; 746-2170, tookyvillagebarbershop.net
Benny D’Ambrosio at The Polished Man Barbershop & Lounge 707 Milford Road, Unit 3A, in Merrimack, 718-8427, thepolishedman.com
Juliet Lord at Clean Cut Jewels Barbershop 604 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack, 657-6376, cleancutjewels.com
Erica Juneau at Juneau The Barber 1802 Elm St. in Manchester; find Juneau the Barber on Facebook, 490-2421) Josh Craggy at Lucky’s Barbershop and Shave Parlor 50 S. State St. in Concord, 715-5470, luckysbarbershop.biz

Best Hair Stylist

Best of the best: Jessica Moll at Lightened & Lifted 22 Greeley St., Suite 10, in Merrimack, lightenednlifted.glossgenius.com
Mariana Bortolossi at Mari Lossi Hair Studio 40 S. River Road, Unit 63, in Bedford, 782-3908, marilossihairstudio.com
Aaron Losier at Hairpocalypse 904 Hanover St. in Manchester, 627-4301, hairpocalypse.com
Tashia Landry at Studio 22 1191 Hooksett Road in Hooksett, 703-7418, vagaro.com/hairbytashia
Amanda Noonan at Topknot Salon 1 Nashua St. in Milford, 213-6863, topknotnh.com

Friendliest Dentist

Best of the best: Danielle London of London Family Orthodontics 502 Riverway Place in Bedford, 622-2100, londonfamilyorthodontics.com

Dr. Elizabeth Spindel and Dr. Victoria Spindel Rubin at Spindel General and Cosmetic Dentistry 862 Union St. in Manchester, 669-9049, elizabethspindel.com
Thank you for voting us the friendliest dental office in NH for 16 years in a row!

Leonard M. Attisano, D.M.D. 700 Lake Ave. in Manchester, 668-0227, leonardattisanodmd.com
Dr. Nicholas C. Rizos at the Office of Dr. Nicholas C. Rizos, D.M.D. 103 Riverway Place in Bedford, 669-4384, drnickdmd.com
Charles Pipilas, D.D.S. 280 Main St., Suite 311, in Nashua, 881-8280

Friendliest Mechanic

Best of the best: Chris McNeil in Concord St. Motors 15 Concord St. in Nashua, 882-8642, find them on Facebook
Bill Morin at Morin’s Service Station 1091 Valley St., Manchester, 624-4427, morinsservicestation.com
Sean Roaf at In Tune Automotive 4 Lafayette Road in Hampton Falls, 926-6910, intuneauto.net
Jason Ux at Proficient Automotive 546 Mast Road in Goffstown, 361-4514
Pete Koster at Second Car Center 181 Rockingham Road in Derry, 432-4200, secondcarcenter.com

Best Local Musical Act

Best of the best: Jennifer Mitchell The next events on her calendar are JMitch Karaoke on Friday, March 29, at 7 p.m. at Penacook American Legion Post 31; Good Vibes Music Bingo on Monday, April 1, at 6 p.m. at Salona in Manchester and Tuesday, April 2, at 6 p.m. at Backyard Grill Burgers & Wings in Manchester, and then Jennifer Mitchell Solo Acoustic on Friday, April 5, at 7 p.m. at Hill Top Pizza in Epsom, according to jennifermitchellmusic.com.
Justin Jordan According to his Facebook page, you can next find Justin on Thursday, March 28, at the Copper Door in Salem from 7 to 10 p.m. and on Friday, March 29, at Luna Bistro in Salem from 7 to 10 p.m.
Nicole Knox Murphy See her Saturday, March 30, at the Bristol House of Pizza in Bristol from 6 to 8 p.m., according to nkmsings4u.com.
Small Town Stranded Catch the band Saturday, March 30, from 8 to 11 p.m. at the Derryfield in Manchester, where they will return on Friday, May 10, from 8 to 11 p.m., according to their Facebook page.
Ramez Gurung A regular at area restaurants; see his Facebook page, facebook.com/ramezmataz, for updates on his shows.

Best Local Comedian

Best of the best: Bob Marley Bob Marley lives in Maine and regularly performs in New Hampshire — he’ll next be here Thursday, April 11, through Sunday, April 14, during a run of five shows at the Palace Theatres in Manchester. See bmarley.com.
Juston McKinney McKinney lives in New Hampshire, according to justonmckinney.com, where you can find his schedule packed with New Hampshire and New England shows. Up next is a performance at the Park Theatre in Jaffrey on Friday, March 29, at 7:30 p.m. He’ll return to New Hampshire for a show at the Colonial Theatre in Laconia on Saturday, May 25, at 8 p.m.
Paul Landwehr Check out Landwehr’s Instagram for new comedy clips. He’s scheduled to be at the Rex Theatre in Manchester on Friday, April 5, at the 7:30 p.m. comedy show and the Saturday, July 20, Tupelo Night of Comedy at the Tupelo Music Hall in Derry at 8 p.m.
Matt Barry See Barry Saturday, March 30, at Main Street Grill & Bar in Hillsborough; Thursday, April 4, at the Stone Church in Newmarket and Saturday, May 4, at Chunky’s in Manchester, according to mattbarrycomedy.com.
Queen City Improv This Manchester-based comedy troupe performs regularly, with upcoming shows at Stark Brewing in Manchester on Monday, April 1 (the first of several first-Monday-of-the-month shows slated at Stark Brewing) and Chunky’s in Manchester on Friday, April 19, according to queencityimprov.com, where you can also find information about their upcoming six-week improv intensive starting April 3.
Jimmy Dunn Dunn is now Frasier’s Jimmy Dunn, landing a role on the Paramount+ reboot of the sitcom. He is a fixture of the Hampton Beach Comedy Festival, slated for Aug. 14 through Aug. 18, according to jimmydunn.com.

Living Here

Coolest Historic Site or Monument You Can Visit for Free

Best of the best: New Hampshire Statehouse (107 N. Main St. in Concord, gencourt.state.nh.us) Self-guided tours are generally available between 8:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m., when you may also be able to get a docent-led tour if one is available. For groups of 10 or more, see the website for information on booking a tour.
Robert Frost Farm Historic Site (122 Rockingham Road in Derry 432-3091, robertfrostfarm.org) opens the New Hampshire home of Robert Frost to visitors from May to October. Admission costs $4 for adult New Hampshire residents and is free for residents who are 65+ or under 17. The grounds and trails around the house and barn are open from dusk to dawn all year, according to nhstateparks.org.
Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park (139 St. Gaudens Road in Cornish, 675-2175, nps.gov/saga) is a 190-acre park featuring the preserved home, gardens, studios and works of American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens (who stayed there during the summers from 1885 to 1897). The park grounds, outdoor monuments and sculptures, gardens and wooded trails are free to visit and open to the public year round, from dusk to dawn. The visitors center and museum buildings are open, with guided tours available, from Memorial Day weekend to Oct. 31. Admission is free for children age 15 and under and for all visitors on Entrance Fee-Free Days (which for 2024 are June 19, Aug. 4 and Sept. 28). Regular admission for adults costs $10.
Stark Park (550 River Road in Manchester, starkpark.com) is a 30-acre tract that was once the site of the Stark family farm in Manchester’s North End. The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Look for a concert series in July and August and see the website for information on sculptures in the park and the Walk in the Woods map.
Madison Boulder (in Madison Boulder Natural Area, 473 Boulder Road in Madison, nhstateparks.org) “is a huge granite rock measuring 83 feet in length, 23 feet in height above the ground, 37 feet in width, and weighs upwards of 5,000 tons” that was deposited on the site by a glacier, according to the state parks site.
The Old Man of the Mountain (Franconia Notch State Park, Exit 34B off Interstate-93, Franconia, oldmannh.org) Get a sense of what was at Old Man of the Mountain Profile Plaza, which recreates the Old Man profile.
Memorial Arch of Tilton, which is actually on Elm Street in Northfield, was erected in 1882 by Charles Tilton, is made mostly of granite and was modeled on the Arch of Titus in Rome, according to an archives document available at nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com.

Attraction Worth Visiting Again and Again

Best of the best: Aviation Museum of New Hampshire 27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, aviationmuseumofnh.org, 669-4820
Canobie Lake Park 85 N. Policy St. in Salem, 893-3506, canobie.com
Flume Gorge (852 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Lincoln, nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks flume-gorge) is a natural gorge extending 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty.
Mount Washington (1598 Mt Washington Auto Road in Sargent’s Purchase, nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/mt-washington-state-park) is the highest peak in the northeastern U.S.
Currier Museum of Art 150 Ash St. in Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org
Castle in the Clouds 455 Old Mountain Road in Moultonborough, 476-5900, castleintheclouds.org
Strawbery Banke Museum 4 Hancock St. in Portsmouth, 433-1100, strawberybanke.org

NH Organization You’d Give $1 million to if You Won the Lottery

Best of the best: Aviation Museum of New Hampshire 27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, 669-4820, aviationmuseumofnh.org
The New Hampshire Food Bank a program of Catholic Charities NH, 700 E. Industrial Park Dr. in Manchester, 669-9725, nhfoodbank.org
Manchester Animal Shelter 490 Dunbarton Road in Manchester, 628-3544, manchesteranimalshelter.org
CASA of New Hampshire 138 Coolidge Ave. in Manchester, 626-4600, casanh.org
Animal Rescue League of NH 545 Route 101 in Bedford, 472-3647, rescueleague.org

NH Person, Place or Thing You Want to Say Thank You To

Most thanked: Gov. Chris Sununu, who will finish his fourth term as governor in January 2025
Readers’ moms and/or dads
Justin Spencer of the band Recycled Percussion and the TV show Chaos & Kindness
Jeff Rapsis, executive director of the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, who also performs live music to accompany screenings of silent films (see silentfilmlivemusic.blogspot.com) (and is a Hippo associate publisher)
All first responders
Journey 333 — “Tricia and Janice at Journey Fitness 333 in Londonderry, N.H., for helping me gain my confidence back and being the sweetest people!” said one reader
The Old Man of the Mountain — “Thank you for looking over us for so long. Rest in Peace!!!” said one reader
Tupelo Music Hall — “for keeping music alive,” said one reader
Fritz Wetherbee, who appears on WMUR’s New Hampshire Chronicle

Your Favorite New Hampshire Fun Fact

Most favorite: That our motto is “Live Free or Die”

New Hampshire has the shortest coastline of any coastal U.S. state
We (still, mostly) have the first-in-the-nation presidential primary
The one-time existence of the Old Man in the Mountain (RIP)
We have no sales or income tax
Chicken tenders were invented here
First man in space Alan Shepard was from New Hampshire (born in Derry)
Elm Street in Manchester is the longest dead-end street in the U.S.
New Hampshire had the first free tax-supported public library in the nation (as explained by peterboroughtownlibrary.org).
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was created in New Hampshire (in Dover, where there are public markers about the Turtles’ creation including a manhole cover, dover.nh.gov).

Things We Forgot to Ask About

Best NH Food Product

Laurel Hill Jams and Jellies (laurelhilljams.com) offers a wide variety of flavors: fruit (such as strawberry rhubarb, Marvelous Multiberry, Raspberry Lavender), Summit Wines (Rosé, Pinotage, Moscato), tea (Earl Grey, chamomile) and spirits (Captain Banana’s Jam, Screwdriver Jelly). In 2023, Rachel Mack and Sara Steffensmeier took over from founder Sue Stretch. See the website for all the offerings.

Best Children’s Birthday Party Business That Comes to You

Party Palace features more than 45 costumed characters and offers live character entertainment at a variety of occasions including business events and children’s parties, where the mission is to empower children “through fun and engaging activities,” according to the business’s website, apartypalace.com.

Best Dance Studio

Dimensions in Dance (84 Myrtle St. in Manchester; dimensionsindance.com, 668-4196) offers camps and classes for the youngest dancers (“Twos in Tutus”) through adult. Dimensions is also the home of Ballet Misha, a dance company that presents productions such as the run of The Nutcracker that was performed at the Dana Center in December.

Best of 2024

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