Author: Matt Ingersoll

Special meals and sweet treats for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, so if you’re looking for a local spot to dine out with your special someone, or you want to give the gift of gourmet chocolates or sweet treats, check out this list of New Hampshire businesses to help you mark the occasion.

With Feb. 14 falling on a Monday this year, some local eateries are open for business on the weekday when they would normally be closed. Others are choosing to offer special menus on other days throughout the preceding weekend. We’ve indicated the exact dates for each of those celebrations where applicable. Chocolatiers and bakers with special offerings are also included. Be sure to contact each establishment directly for the most up-to-date availability.

Do you know of a special Valentine’s Day dinner, menu or other special gift-giving opportunity in New Hampshire that is not on this list? Let us know at food@hippopress.com.

• Angela’s Pasta & Cheese Shop (815 Chestnut St., Manchester, 625-9544, angelaspastaandcheese.com) is taking orders for multi-course dinners to go for two, featuring she-crab bisque or herbaceous citrus salad, your choice of an entree (aged short ribs, rosemary halibut or brined Statler chicken), two sides of herbed red bliss potatoes and roasted haricot verts, and four-inch chocolate strawberry mousse cake for dessert. Complementary wines are also available a la carte. The cost is $89.95 per dinner for two, or $49.95 for one. Order by Feb. 4. Pickups will be on Saturday, Feb. 12, or Monday, Feb. 14.

• Atkinson Resort & Country Club (85 Country Club Drive, Atkinson, 362-8700, atkinsonresort.com) is offering a special “romantic rendezvous” package for Valentine’s Day, which includes a dinner for two featuring a cup of soup or shared appetizer, a dinner entree and a choice of dessert, as well as a one-night resort stay and a complimentary bottle of Champagne with a cheese and fruit platter. Rates vary depending on the day of the week. Call to book.

• The Bakeshop on Kelley Street (171 Kelley St., Manchester, 624-3500, thebakeshoponkelleystreet.com) is taking orders for a variety of specialty items for Valentine’s Day, including milk, dark and white chocolate-dipped strawberries, cannolis, chocolate chip heart cookies and Valentine’s cakes. New this year is a chocolate dessert “charcuterie” board, featuring a selection of cookies, cake bites, fudges, cannolis, fruits and more. Pickups will be on Sunday, Feb. 13, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Monday, Feb. 14, from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) will serve a special four-course prix fixe menu in its dining room on Monday, Feb. 14, with seatings from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Options will include your choice of an appetizer (Cape Cod oysters, veal meatballs, yellowfin tuna tartare, confit duck leg, or Caprese soup); a salad (red oak and arugula or lamb’s lettuce and baby mizuna); an entree (Madeira-braised pork shank, grilled filet mignon, Dunk’s mushroom cannelloni, sesame-crusted yellowfin tuna, roasted garlic-marinated Vernon Farm chicken Statler, or oven-roasted lamb rack, lamb shoulder and merguez cassoulet); and a dessert (chocolate profiteroles, mille feuille, mandarin lingonberry sorbet, galette frangipane, chocolate marquise, a dessert collection to share for two featuring chocolate-covered strawberries, orange rosemary shortbread cookies, red velvet whoopie pies and crispy Nutella bars, or a sweetheart chocolate bar to share for two featuring dark chocolate Godiva mousse, ladyfinger sponge cake, raspberry mousse, raspberries, raspberry coulis and chocolate sauce). The cost is $95 per person and reservations are required. A Champagne brunch is also scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Bedford Village Inn’s Great Hall. Tickets are $95 per person and will include unlimited mimosas and access to a brunch buffet with a raw bar, a chef-attended omelet station, a grand dessert buffet and more (event is 21+ only).

• Birch Wood Vineyards (199 Rockingham Road, Derry, 965-4359, birchwoodvineyards.com) will serve a special four-course Valentine’s wine dinner on Thursday, Feb. 10, at 6 p.m., featuring items like burrata cheese ravioli and pomegranate salad with a maple cider vinaigrette. The main entree will include your choice of one of four options, including a surf and turf plate with New York sirloin and creamy garlic shrimp, chicken oscar with white asparagus, lobster meat and hollandaise sauce, seafood Newburg served in a puff pastry, or a vegan eggplant Napoleon, layered with zucchini and summer squash and served over quinoa. The cost ranges from $70 to $110 per person, depending on which entree you choose and whether you opt for the wine pairings for each course. Reservations are required.

• Bistro 603 (345 Amherst St., Nashua, 722-6362, bistro603nashua.com) will serve a special Valentine’s Day features menu from Friday, Feb. 11, through Monday, Feb. 14, in addition to its regular dinner menu. Reservations are highly recommended.

• Boston Bakes (Goffstown, find them on Facebook @bostonbakesnh) is taking orders for four-inch mini cakes for two, in addition to multiple flavors of macarons, full-sized cakes, sugar cookies, honeycomb truffle pieces, cupcakes, chocolate-dipped strawberries and marshmallow pops. Order by Feb. 8.

• Buckley’s Great Steaks (438 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-0995, buckleysgreatsteaks.com) will be open on Monday, Feb. 14, from 4 to 9 p.m., serving some Valentine’s Day specials in addition to its regular dinner menu.

• Buckley’s Market & Cafe (9 Market Place, Hollis, 465-5522, find them on Facebook @buckleysmarketcafehollis) is taking orders for Valentine’s Day takeout dinner boxes for two, featuring a shrimp cocktail, a surf and turf entree with pan-seared filet mignon and crab cake, roasted potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, Madeira demi-glace and remoulade, a strawberry cheesecake bar with chocolate ganache and Oreo crust, and a bottle of Prima prosecco. The cost is $110 per box. Order by Feb. 9.

• Candy Kingdom (235 Harvard St., Manchester, 641-8470, candykingdom.shop) has a variety of specialty treats available for Valentine’s Day, like chocolate-dipped strawberries, chocolate red-foiled hearts and assorted heart-shaped boxes of chocolates.

• Caroline’s Fine Food (132 Bedford Center Road, Bedford, 637-1615, carolinesfood.com) is taking orders for special dinners for two, featuring options like beef tenderloin, roasted duck breast, horseradish-encrusted salmon, and pan-seared chicken breast with porcini cream, all of which come with shallot whipped potatoes and a vegetable like sauteed broccolini or roasted asparagus. Each also includes your choice of pot de creme or baby lemon cake for dessert. Order by Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. Pickups will be available through Monday, Feb. 14, at 6 p.m.

• Cava Tapas & Wine Bar (10 Commercial Alley, Portsmouth, 319-1575, cavatapasandwinebar.com) is taking reservations now for its annual eight-course aphrodisiac tasting menu, which will be served during dinner service from Saturday, Feb. 12, through Monday, Feb. 14. Items include yellowfin tuna, scallops and saffron, cherries and figs and more. The cost is $75 per person.

• Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker, 428-3281, colbyhillinn.com) will serve a special three-course prix fixe menu for Valentine’s Day from Saturday, Feb. 12, through Monday, Feb. 14, with seatings between 4 and 8 p.m. each evening. The menu will include your choice of a first course (roast butternut squash and apple cider soup, lobster bisque, heirloom beet salad, endive salad, potato, roast garlic and goat cheese pierogi, or Dutch meatballs); an entree (roasted hen in citrus and bay leaves, Burgundy braised lamb shank, seared tenderloin, heirloom squash and goat cheese maultaschen, or pan-roasted Faroe Island salmon); and a dessert (passion fruit panna cotta, caramelized pineapple brown butter cake, a chocolate trio featuring Mexican-spiced chocolate pot de creme, mini chocolate brownie and cherry parfait and chocolate-dipped strawberry, or a sorbet trio featuring pineapple ginger, strawberry, and blood orange and olive oil sorbets). The cost is $75. The Colby Hill Inn will also serve a chocolate lover’s brunch on Sunday, Feb. 13, for $45 per person, with seatings between 9 a.m. and noon.

• The Common Man (25 Water St., Concord, 228-3463; 304 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 429-3463; 88 Range Road, Windham, 898-0088; Lakehouse Grille, 281 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-5221; 10 Pollard Road, Lincoln, 745-3463; 21 Water St., Claremont, 542-6171; Foster’s Boiler Room, 231 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2764; 60 Main St., Ashland, 968-7030; Lago, 1 Route 25, Meredith, 279-2253; Camp, 298 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-3003; Italian Farmhouse, 337 Daniel Webster Hwy., Plymouth, 536-4536; Airport Diner, 2280 Brown Ave., Manchester, 623-5040; Tilt’n Diner, 61 Laconia Road, Tilton, 286-2204; 104 Diner, 752 Route 104, New Hampton, 744-0120; thecman.com) is taking orders for “Sweetheart Suppers To Go,” or three-course Valentine’s Day dinners for two, featuring crab cakes with roasted red pepper remoulade, tender short ribs and garlic butter shrimp scampi, and red velvet cake for dessert. Optional add-ons include four chocolate-covered strawberries or one of four Common Man wines (chardonnay, cabernet, merlot or pinot grigio). The cost starts at $74.95. Order by Feb. 6. Pickups will be on Sunday, Feb. 13, or Monday, Feb. 14.

• Copper Kettle To Go (39 Main St., Wilton, 654-2631, copperkettletogo.com) is taking orders for special Valentine’s “date boxes,” which come with your choice of either a bottle of Champagne or a four-pack of craft beer, plus all the ingredients you’ll need to make gnocchi in alfredo sauce with spinach and two slices of cheesecake. The cost is $84.95 per box. All boxes will be ready for pickup on Saturday, Feb. 12.

• Cotton (75 Arms St., Manchester, 622-5488, cottonfood.com) is taking reservations now for Valentine’s Day — they’ll open at 4 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 14, with their last seating at 8:30 p.m. Food and drink specials will also be served during dinner service on Friday, Feb. 11, and Saturday, Feb. 12.

• The Cozy Tea Cart (Brookline, thecozyteacart.com) will hold a Valentine’s Day afternoon tea tasting on Sunday, Feb. 6, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Gatherings at The Colonel Shepard House (29 Mont Vernon St., Milford). In addition to the teas, available items will include tea breads, tea sandwiches and sweeter options like chocolate-covered strawberries and milk chocolate tortes with Assam tea ganache. The cost is $39.95 per person and reservations are required.

• CR’s The Restaurant (287 Exeter Road, Hampton, 929-7972, crstherestaurant.com) will be holding a weekend-long Valentine’s Day celebration, serving various specials in addition to its regular menus. The restaurant will be open on Friday, Feb. 11, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5 to 9 p.m. (with live music from 6 to 9 p.m.); Saturday, Feb. 12, from 5 to 9 p.m., and Monday, Feb. 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 to 9 p.m.

• The Crust & Crumb Baking Co. (126 N. Main St., Concord, 219-0763, thecrustandcrumb.com) is taking orders for cinnamon buns, scones, muffins, cupcakes, whoopie pies, frosted brownies, quiches (bacon cheddar or spinach, tomato and feta), cakes (chocolate strawberry mousse, french vanilla layer, double chocolate red velvet layer, flourless chocolate torte or cheesecake with fresh berries); and pies (apple streusel, chocolate cream or key lime). Order by Feb. 8. Pickups will be on Saturday, Feb. 12.

• Cupcakes 101 (132 Bedford Center Road, Bedford, 488-5962, cupcakes101.net) is taking orders for chocolate-covered strawberries, chocolate-dipped Oreos, cake pop bouquets, hot cocoa bombs and other sweet treats, which will be available for pickup on or before Feb. 12.

• Dahlia Restaurant (dahlianomadic.com) is teaming up with Loon Chocolate of Manchester for a special multi-course dinner that will be served at the shop’s new location at The Factory on Willow (252 Willow St., Manchester) at select times on Friday, Feb. 11, and Saturday, Feb. 12. Tickets are $145 and reservations are required. Go to dahlianomadic.com/events to book.

• Dancing Lion Chocolate (917 Elm St., Manchester, 625-4043, dancinglion.us) has various bars, boxes, drinking chocolate sets and other items that can make great Valentine’s Day gifts. Online orders are usually shipped within three to five business days.

• Daydreaming Brewing Co. (1½ E. Broadway, Derry, daydreaming.beer) is organizing a “Beer My Valentine” Derry brewery crawl on Sunday, Feb. 13, which will kick off at the brewery at 11 a.m., followed by visits to Kelsen Brewing Co., From the Barrel Brewing Co. and Rockingham Brewing Co.

• Firefly American Bistro & Bar (22 Concord St., Manchester, 935-9740, fireflynh.com) has reopened for business as of Jan. 31 following a temporary closure due to interior renovations. They’ll be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 14, serving their full lunch and dinner menus in addition to some Valentine’s Day specials. Reservations are strongly recommended.

• Flag Hill Distillery & Winery (297 N. River Road, Lee, 659-2949, flaghill.com) will serve a special three-course Valentine’s Day dinner on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m., including a wine pairing with the entree. The meal will include strawberry feta salad, your choice of a main course (pastrami-crusted bistro steak, roasted crab-stuffed sole or black bean street corn zucchini), accompanied by sweet potato and carrot puree and roasted asparagus, and a tangy goat cheesecake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream for dessert. Dinner reservations are $50 per person.

• Frederick’s Pastries (109 Route 101A, Amherst, 882-7725; 25 S. River Road, Bedford, 647-2253; pastry.net) is offering several specialty treats for Valentine’s Day, like conservation heart cakes, double chocolate chunk cookies with hearts, fresh strawberry tarts, heart whoopie pie cakes, strawberry cake truffles and more.

• Fresh AF Bakeshop (34 Church St., Unit 4, Kingston, freshafbakeshop.com) is taking orders for chocolate, strawberry or red velvet heart cakes, assorted Valentine’s Day macarons, cupcakes and cookie platters, chocolate-covered strawberries, and jumbo strawberry shortcake stuffed doughnuts. Order as soon as possible for pickup on Sunday, Feb. 13, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Gauchos Churrascaria Brazilian Steak House (62 Lowell St., Manchester, 669-9460, gauchosbraziliansteakhouse.com) is offering a Valentine’s weekend special from Friday, Feb. 11, through Monday, Feb. 14 (Gauchos is normally closed on Mondays but will be open on Feb. 14, from 4 to 9 p.m.). The special is $159 per couple and includes dinner, a long-stem red rose, a box of chocolates from Van Otis and a glass of Champagne for each person.

• Giorgio’s Ristorante & Bar (270 Granite St., Manchester, 232-3323; 707 Milford Road, Merrimack, 883-7333; 524 Nashua St., Milford, 673-3939; giorgios.com) will be open extended hours on Monday, Feb. 14, at all three of its locations, from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., serving their regular menus in addition to some Valentine’s Day specials.

• Granite State Candy Shoppe (13 Warren St., Concord, 225-2591; 832 Elm St., Manchester, 218-3885; granitestatecandyshoppe.com) is offering a variety of specialty chocolates and candies for Valentine’s Day, like milk, white or dark chocolate heart boxes, Valentine malt balls, chocolate-dipped strawberries and more.

• Greenleaf (54 Nashua St., Milford, 213-5447, greenleafmilford.com) is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a special four-course prix-fixe menu, to be served on Friday, Feb. 11, Saturday, Feb. 12, and Monday, Feb. 14. Courses will include scallop crudo, mushroom ricotta ravioli, roasted ribeye and a black sesame brownie, for $125 per person. Greenleaf’s regular dinner menus will additionally be available that weekend, on Feb. 11 and 12 only.

• Huckleberry’s Candies (293 Lafayette Road, Hampton, 926-5061, huckleberryscandies.com) has a variety of specialty chocolates and candies for Valentine’s Day, including milk chocolate red foil lips or sour gummy lips, milk, white or dark chocolate heart pops, “cupid bark,” and chocolate “charcuterie” boards filled with assorted sweet selections.

• LaBelle Winery Amherst (345 Route 101, 672-9898, labellewinery.com) will host “A Night of Romance,” a special three-course Valentine’s dinner, on Saturday, Feb. 12, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in its Great Room. The meal will include a baby spinach salad with roasted acorn squash, crumbled goat cheese, pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and Seyval vinaigrette; your choice of an entree (baked stuffed haddock with shrimp stuffing, or molasses-braised short ribs with herbed beet polenta cake); and a dessert course featuring chocolate pot de creme, chocolate-covered strawberry, chocolate baton and chantilly cream. A glass of wine will be served with the first course, and a full bar will also be available for purchase throughout the evening. Tickets are $80 per person plus tax. LaBelle’s Amherst location is also hosting a “Valentine’s Day Experience” dining package on Monday, Feb. 14, with reservations slots opening at 4 p.m. ($50 per person), and a special wine and dessert pairing class for chocolate lovers on Wednesday, Feb. 16, from 6 to 7 p.m. featuring white chocolate mousse, milk chocolate pot de creme, dark chocolate brownies and chocolate cayenne truffles. Tickets to that event are $40 per person plus tax and reservations are required.

• LaBelle Winery Derry (14 Route 111, 672-9898, labellewinery.com) is offering a “Valentine’s Day Experience” dining package on Monday, Feb. 14, with reservation slots opening at 4 p.m. Americus Restaurant’s full dinner menu will be available, in addition to Valentine’s Day specials, and there will be wine toasts, floral arrangements, and an opportunity to check out LaBelle Lights, the ongoing festive light display on LaBelle’s Derry property, after your meal. The cost is $50 per person for the full experience, or $15 if you just want to experience LaBelle Lights. LaBelle’s Derry location is also hosting a special wine and dessert pairing class for chocolate lovers on Wednesday, Feb. 9, from 6 to 7 p.m. featuring white chocolate mousse, milk chocolate pot de creme, dark chocolate brownies and chocolate cayenne truffles. Tickets to that event are $40 per person plus tax and reservations are required.

• La Cascade du Chocolat (109 Water St., Exeter; 214 State St., Portsmouth, 777-5177; lcdcnh.com) is offering several seasonal sweets for Valentine’s Day, like bonbons, dark chocolate hearts, solid dark chocolate flower bouquet bars, and limited-edition roses and strawberries chocolate bars.

• Martingale Wharf Restaurant & Bar (99 Bow St., Suite W, Portsmouth, 431-0901, martingalewharf.com) is taking reservations now for Valentine’s Day on Monday, Feb. 14 — they’ll serve a special dinner menu featuring options like beef short rib rangoons, togarashi tuna lettuce wraps, Delmonico rib-eye steak, Mediterranean mezzaluna pasta, vegetarian winter medley, braised pork shank, and red velvet lava cake.

• Mile Away Venue (52 Federal Hill Road, Milford, 673-3904, mileawayvenue.com) will serve a special four-course dinner menu for Valentine’s Day on Monday, Feb. 14, with seatings at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Each meal includes your choice of an appetizer (escargots with garlic butter, jumbo shrimp cocktail or fresh fruit and sorbet); a classic wedge salad with blue cheese or ranch dressing; your choice of an entree (broiled filet mignon, haddock and scallops or chicken breast stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes); and your choice of a dessert (chocolate mousse cake, lemon mascarpone cake or cheesecake with wildberry sauce), along with chocolate-dipped strawberries. Each entree is also served with a twice-baked potato and butternut squash. The cost is $100 per person.

• MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar (212 Main St., Nashua, 595-9334, mtslocal.com) will be open on Monday, Feb. 14, from 4 to 9 p.m., serving some Valentine’s Day specials in addition to its regular dinner menu.

• Nelson’s Candy & Music (65 Main St., Wilton, 654-5030, nelsonscandymusic.com) is offering a variety of specialty sweets and treats for Valentine’s Day, from traditional assorted heart-shaped boxes of chocolate to solid chocolate dinosaurs holding tiny hearts.

• Pearls Candy & Nuts (356 S. Broadway, Salem, 893-9100, pearlscandynh.com) is offering a variety of specialty chocolates and candies for Valentine’s Day, like assorted milk chocolate heart lollipops, classic conversation hearts, gummy sour candy hearts, Cupid candy corn and more.

• Presto Craft Kitchen (168 Amory St., Manchester, 606-1252, prestocraftkitchen.com) is taking orders for three-course meals to go for two, featuring your choice of an entree (sirloin Marsala with wild mushrooms over penne, filet roast over lobster risotto, heart-shaped ravioli, shrimp scampi over linguine or chicken Parmesan over penne). Each option comes with garlic bread, a Caesar or field green salad, and a half-dozen jumbo chocolate-covered strawberries for dessert. Presto’s sister company, Custom Eats & Sweets, is taking orders for giant breakable chocolate hearts, mini red velvet cakes topped with roses, Oreo cheesecake cakesicles, chocolate-covered strawberry cocoa bombs, chocolate-covered Oreos and more. Order by Feb. 6. Pickups will be on Friday, Feb. 11, and Saturday, Feb. 12.

• Raleigh Wine Bar + Eatery (67 State St., Portsmouth, 427-8459, raleighwinebar.com) will serve a special four-course dinner menu with wine pairings all weekend long from Saturday, Feb. 12, through Monday, Feb. 14. Items to choose from will include Johns River oysters, potato millefeuille, endive salad, grilled quail, mushroom and truffle cannelloni, sea bass, magret duck breast, honey and yogurt semifreddo and dark chocolate torte. The cost is $98 per person or $132 with the wine pairings.

• Red Beard’s Kitchen (968 Elm St., Manchester, red-beards-kitchen.square.site, and on Facebook @redbeardskitchennh) is taking orders for special three-course Valentine’s Day dinners to go for two, featuring marinated melon and prosciutto salad, your choice of either beef Wellington or lobster ravioli for an entree, and chocolate pate for dessert. The cost is $135 per order. Pickups will be on Saturday, Feb. 12, Sunday, Feb. 13, or Monday, Feb. 14, from 2 to 4 p.m. each day.

• Sawbelly Brewing (156 Epping Road, Exeter, 583-5080, sawbellybrewing.com) will be open on Monday, Feb. 14, from 5 to 8 p.m., serving a special seven-course tasting menu with beer pairings. Items will include persimmon carpaccio, Nantucket Bay scallop crudo, roasted beet and bresaola, grilled local oysters, French onion soup, beef osso bucco, and profiteroles with a craquelin top, butternut squash ice cream and sea salt chocolate sauce. The cost is $80 per person and reservations are required.

• Surf Restaurant (207 Main St., Nashua, 595-9293; 99 Bow St., Portsmouth, 334-9855; surfseafood.com) will be open on Monday, Feb. 14, from 4 to 9 p.m. at both locations, serving some Valentine’s Day specials in addition to its regular dinner menu.

• Sweet Treats by Emilee (find them on Facebook @emileessweettreats) is taking orders for several specialty items for Valentine’s Day, including milk chocolate-dipped Twinkies, strawberry or dark raspberry chocolate-covered marshmallow lollipops, breakable chocolate hearts filled with assorted candies, milk or dark chocolate-dipped strawberry wafer cookies, and cocoa bombs in several flavors, from milk, white or dark chocolate to salted caramel, peanut butter and cookies and cream. Order by Feb. 4, for pickup at the Manchester Craft Market (inside the Mall of New Hampshire, 1500 S. Willow St., Manchester) on Feb. 6.

• To Share Brewing Co. (720 Union St., Manchester, 836-6947, tosharebrewing.com) is offering special beer and chocolate pairings with selections from Loon Chocolate of Manchester, each day from Thursday, Feb. 10, through Sunday, Feb. 13, while supplies last.

• The Utopian (135 Route 101A, Unit A1, Amherst, 315-9197, theutopiannh.com) will serve a special four-course tasting menu with wine pairings for Valentine’s Day on Monday, Feb. 14 — items will include bacon-wrapped maple scallops, lobster bisque with cauliflower puree, filet mignon with sun-dried whiskey-soaked cherry and acorn squash risotto, and a dessert platter for two featuring chocolate-dipped strawberries, mini cannolis, key lime tartlets and red velvet cake.

• Van Otis Chocolates (341 Elm St., Manchester, 627-1611, vanotis.com) is offering a variety of specialty chocolates and candies for Valentine’s Day, like assorted chocolate gift boxes, custom chocolate-dipped Champagne bottles, chocolate tuxedo hearts and chocolate-dipped strawberries.

• Zachary’s Chop House (4 Cobbetts Pond Road, Windham, 890-5555, zacharyschophouse.com) will be open on Monday, Feb. 14, from 3 to 9:30 p.m. for dine-in service only, and will be serving a few menu specials, like filet mignon topped with lobster meat and hollandaise, served with asparagus and mashed potatoes, and tomahawk rib-eye served with roasted potatoes and broccolini. Reservations are highly recommended.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

News from the local food scene

• Meet Robert Irvine: The host of Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine will appear at the New Hampshire Liquor and Wine Outlet in Bedford (9 Leavy Drive) on Thursday, Feb. 10, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. to sign bottles of his Irvine Dry Gin and Irvine Vodka, according to a press release. Proceeds from sales of those spirits go to support military personnel and first responders, the release said.

• Ready for kickoff: The Patriots may have been eliminated from the playoffs, but if you’re still planning on tuning in to the Big Game (Sunday, Feb. 13), some local eateries have you covered. Friendly Red’s Tavern (22 Haverhill Road, Windham) for instance, is offering party packs of 24 chicken wings with sauces, 16 potato skins with sour cream and 10 pretzel sticks with cheese sauce — orders will be accepted right through noon on the day of the game for onsite pickup. Email friendlyredstavern@gmail.com or call 437-7251. At Copper Kettle To Go (39 Main St., Wilton), platters are available for pre-order featuring your choice of steak and cheese and chicken Parm egg rolls with dipping sauces, or assorted snacks like potato skins, mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers and mango habanero wings, as well as Boston cream cake bombs. Order by Feb. 9, for pickup on Saturday, Feb. 12. Visit copperkettletogo.com.

• Eat organic: Join the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire for its 20th annual winter conference, to be held via Zoom over the course of several days from Sunday, Feb. 6, through Saturday, Feb. 12. Normally a one-day event with more than 40 interactive workshops, a keynote speaker and a Q&A session, the conference switched to a series of virtual events in 2021. The theme of this year’s conference is “collaboration and self-reliance,” with workshops that will cover a variety of topics such as community food security, agroforestry, beekeeping, organic seeding, edible garden growing and more. You don’t have to be an expert farmer or gardener to take part in them — anyone interested in learning about organic food practices is welcome to attend. According to NOFA-NH program coordinator Laura Angers, registration starts at $50 and includes access to all of the workshops, in addition to their recordings for three months after the conference if you miss any of them you wanted to view. Visit nofanh.org/winterconference for the full schedule of featured speakers, topics and times.

• Mischief and cocktails: Save the date for Manchester’s Most Wanted, a special interactive event happening at the Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., Suite 103, Manchester) on Thursday, Feb. 17, from 5 to 7 p.m. Actors from the Majestic Theatre will be portraying some of the Queen City’s most nefarious pre-Victorian era villains throughout an evening that will also feature appetizers, a cash bar and more. Tickets are $25 per person or $20 per Manchester Historic Association member (event is 21+ only) and include a complimentary cocktail and souvenir shot glass. Visit manchesterhistoric.org/events to register.

• Capital City pies: After several months of construction, a new full-service dine-in restaurant featuring brick-oven artisan pizzas, appetizers and desserts made with local ingredients has arrived in downtown Concord. The New Hampshire Pizza Co. opened late last month in the former Crazy Goat space at 76 N. Main St., according to its website and social media pages, and also features local craft beers and specialty cocktails. It’s owned by Joel Harris, who also opened Dos Amigos Burritos, first in Portsmouth in 2003 and then in Concord four years later. “I’ve really come to love Concord … and I felt like full-service family-friendly brick-oven pizza would be a great addition to the city’s dining scene,” Harris told the Hippo back in August. Both traditional and specialty pies are available, in addition to gluten-free crusts and dairy-free options. The eatery is open Tuesday through Thursday, from 4 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, from 4 to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., for brunch. Visit newhampshirepizzaco.com.

Self-serve wine bar coming to Bedford

While down in South Carolina for work, Leah Bellemore was introduced to Ardoa, a wine bar featuring interactive self-serve dispensers used to sample selections by the glass.

“Immediately, I got online and tried to find out if there was anything like this in New Hampshire,” said Bellemore, who lives in Bedford with her husband, Tom, and two daughters. “It just seemed like the coolest business model that I could ever experience.”

An internet search revealed the nearest self-serve wine bar to be all the way down on the South Shore of Massachusetts, and that was when Bellemore realized she had a unique opportunity.

At Vine 32 Wine + Graze Bar, on track to open soon in Bedford Square, you’ll be able to try different wines at your own pace in a casual, relaxed environment. A total of 32 options sourced from all over the world will be available out of several Italian-made self-serve Enomatic wine dispensers, which are able to preserve them for up to 65 days.

“What’s really wonderful about it is that we’re able to offer higher-end wines … that maybe you wouldn’t be able to try anywhere without committing to a whole bottle,” Bellemore said. “Since they’ll be rotating, you can try something new every single time you come in, and really be able to expand upon what you might not even know your preference could be.”

Wine drinkers can choose from three servings of one-, four- or six-ounce pours of each. Similar to opening a tab at a bar, you’ll get a wine key card upon checking in — that key card is your tool to access the dispensers, and it even keeps track of your overall usage.

“They have a monitoring device on them,” Tom Bellemore said. “There are so many volumes per hour and we can adjust it … but it shuts them off, so we have that extra layer of security.”

Staff members known as “wine liaisons” will be on hand to help you use the machines. Leah Bellemore said they’ll also be trained to show you what to look for and offer suggestions for your next wine choice, including some of the best available wine and food flavor pairings.

“This is really more of an approachable way to just figure out what you like,” she said.

In addition to the self-serve wines, Vine 32 will offer a food menu featuring customizable charcuterie boards. Each will come with fig jam, a crusty baguette and an assorted nut blend and will have a variety of locally sourced meats, cheeses and produce, as well as items like tapenades, hummus and a nduja, a spicy prosciutto spread.

Also available will be a few flatbreads with flavors like pesto chicken and margherita, and some sweeter items, from assorted macaroons and truffles to a cookie skillet à la mode.

Vine 32 won’t require reservations to use the wine dispensers. For larger parties of eight or more, it can host everything from birthday parties to networking or corporate events. A patio is also planned for the space by the spring or summer.

Vine 32 Wine + Graze Bar
An opening date is expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Visit their website or follow them on social media for updates.

Where: 25 S. River Road, Unit 107, Bedford
Anticipated hours: Tuesday and Wednesday, 4 to 9 p.m.; Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m.; Friday, 4 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 2 to 11 p.m., and Sunday, 2 to 9 p.m. (closed on Mondays)
More info: Visit vinethirtytwo.com, or find them on Facebook and Instagram @vinethirtytwo

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

News from the local food scene

• Seniors Valentine’s luncheon: The Salvation Army of Northern New England is inviting Manchester and Bedford area seniors to attend its annual Valentine’s Day luncheon, which will take place at the organization’s Manchester Corps (121 Cedar St.) on Thursday, Feb. 10, at 11:30 a.m. Entertainment will be provided by The Sunshiners. Call 627-7013 by Feb. 3 to make a reservation, or visit nne.salvationarmy.org/manchester.

• Tastes through time: Join chef Liz Barbour of The Creative Feast in Hollis for Cooking Lessons from a Colonial Kitchen: Recipes Then & Now, a virtual event scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 30, from 4 to 6 p.m. Barbour will take attendees on a tour of her historic 1744 New Hampshire village kitchen, discussing its workings and the typical foods that would have been prepared during the colonial era. The class will then include a cooking demonstration featuring some recipes with historic roots that Barbour has adapted for today’s cooks, including rack of lamb with roasted potatoes and a mint vinaigrette. Recipe information, along with the ingredient and equipment list, will be emailed to participants shortly after registration. The cost is $20 per registrant. A link to the recording will also be emailed following the class. Register online at thecreativefeast.com. or find Barbour on Facebook @thecreativefeast.

• Flavors of the world: Copper Kettle To Go (39 Main St., Wilton) is inviting you on a year-long culinary journey with Around the World in 36 Dishes. Every month, the eatery will combine various internationally inspired dishes with its own unique hometown flair — guests will receive a culinary “passport” marked for each country visited. The month of January is celebrating Turkey. Countries to follow will include Brazil in February, France in March, Greece in April, India in May, Sweden in June, Spain in July, Argentina in August, Thailand in September, Germany in October, Italy in November and Vietnam in December. Tickets are $50 per person and cover one three-course meal for each month (items are currently dine-in only; optional add-on wine bottles are $30). Visit copperkettletogo.com.

• Wine and dine: Third-generation Argentinian winemaker Patricio Santos will be in New Hampshire for three local wine events this week – catch him at The Black Trumpet Bistro (29 Ceres St., Portsmouth, 431-0887, blacktrumpetbistro.com) and at Gauchos Churrascaria Brazilian Steakhouse (62 Lowell St., Manchester, 669-9460, gauchosbraziliansteakhouse.com), which will hold wine dinners on Thursday, Jan. 27, at 5:30 p.m., and Friday, Jan. 28, at 6 p.m., respectively. He’ll also be at WineNot Boutique (25 Main St., Nashua, 204-5569, winenotboutique.com) for a wine class and tasting on Saturday, Jan. 29, from 2 to 6 p.m. Santos is the owner of Tercos Winery and the son of Ricardo Santos, the first winemaker from Argentina to export Malbec to the United States more than 30 years ago, according to a press release.

• Chili cook-off postponed: The Amherst Lions Club’s sixth annual Fire & Ice chili cook-off and ice cream social, which had been set for Friday, Feb. 4, has been postponed due to the latest Covid surge. The goal, according to Amherst Lion Joan Ferguson, is to have a new set date for the event in mid- to late March or later in the spring. The cook-off brings together area restaurateurs and community members for a friendly competition for the best chilis, all to raise money for local charities. Visit e-clubhouse.org/sites/amherstnh or follow the Amherst Lions Club on Facebook @amherstlionsclub for updates on the cook-off.

Hare of the Dawg Bar & Grill opens in Derry

For longtime Derry couple Kevin and Lesley Decker, the restaurant business is a new venture, but their vision was simple: a local bar and grill with comfort foods, craft beers and cocktails, where the atmosphere is laid back and everybody knows each other’s names, à la Cheers.

Hare of the Dawg — or “the Dawg,” if you prefer, as Kevin Decker said some are already calling it — opened Jan. 9 in downtown Derry. The Deckers took over the space last year that had long been occupied by the C & K Restaurant and quickly began renovations, which include a 24-seat custom bar built from the ground up by local woodworker Matt Daily of Dailydoes.

The eatery’s name, Kevin Decker said, is a play on the “hair of the dog that bit you,” an old expression commonly heard in bars. The logo features a big black Newfoundland dressed in flannel garb, holding a beer-filled stein with a rabbit (or a “hare”) poking its head out of the top.

“Hair of the dog just means having another drink the day after to cure a hangover, so in other words, having some of the ‘hair of the dog that bit you’ the night before,” Decker said. “We just thought it was a cool name, and we loved the play on words, so we had a lot of fun designing the logo. … The flannel shirt … represents the theme that we wanted, kind of a blue-collar bar. We’re not trying to be a high-end restaurant. We’re trying to be a place where the locals can gather at the end of the work day and have an affordable drink and meal.”

The Deckers recruited Alan Severance, a Manchester native and veteran chef of more than 20 years, to design and oversee the menu. Severance’s culinary resume includes stints at several other local eateries, from The Foundry Restaurant and Moe Joe’s Family Restaurant in Manchester to the former DRAE and CR Sparks restaurants in Derry and Bedford, respectively.

“Kevin and I really wanted a comfort food menu,” Lesley Decker said. “Nothing is pre-made here, so you’re not going to get a frozen spring roll or a frozen mozzarella cheese stick.”

With an opening during the middle of winter, she said warm options like soups, chowders, melts and shepherd’s pie are all part of the menu’s initial lineup of items. But additional colder options, including lighter salads and sandwiches, will likely be part of the menu by the spring or summer.

Appetizers include “Rib off the Hawg” dry-rubbed and slow-roasted St. Louis-style ribs; house-made truffle fries with a shaved Parmesan cheese; and multiple flavors of fried spring rolls, from a Grecian option with spinach, artichoke and feta cheese to a “Rollin Reuben” with slow-cooked corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and a side of Thousand Island dressing for dipping.

There is also a build-your-own pizza option with nearly two dozen toppings to customize your pie with, as well as a few specialty flatbreads. The Arezzo flatbread, for instance, features a house mushroom prosecco cream sauce with sauteed spinach, mushroom, feta and mozzarella, while the “WaHuaGo” has a fig and balsamic glaze, caramelized pear, toasted crushed walnuts, and brie and honey goat cheeses. Burgers, sandwiches, sauteed plates and house entrees like meatloaf, fried haddock and beef tips round out the menu.

Hare of the Dawg’s bar features 12 tap lines of beer, and Kevin Decker said he’s aiming to have at least half of those always rotating out with local craft brew options.

“My hope is to bring in some smaller local brewers and do kind of like a craft brewers night, where we’d keep a tap open for them and people can come and sample their stuff,” he said.

A brunch menu of chef’s plates and a bloody mary bar is in the works to debut in the coming months. Lesley Decker added that a special food menu for dogs will be added once the weather is warm enough for them to open their outdoor patio.

“The doggie menu … will have a sweet potato burger that’s served on a Frisbee with our logo on it,” she said.

Hare of the Dawg Bar & Grill

Where: 3 E. Broadway, Derry
Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (closed on Tuesdays)
More info: Find them on Facebook @hareofthedawg (the website, hareofthedawgnh.com, will be live soon and will have an online ordering option) or call 552-3883

Featured photo: Rib off the Hawg (dry-rubbed slow-roasted St. Louis-style ribs). Photo by Matt Ingersoll.