8 Foodie-Recommended Restaurants in Manchester, NH
Living in Manchester, NH, affords residents a lot of perks — a thriving housing market, plenty of outdoor activities (think hiking, biking and snowmobiling), fabulous art and, the icing on the cake, a phenomenal collection of restaurants.
To properly introduce you to this city’s amazing food scene, we sat down with Chynna Potts, a local foodie who spotlights New England’s restaurant scene through her Instagram page @auntieeatsfirst.
“I got into the dining scene purely from my passion for food and going out to eat,” she says.
Here are eight of her picks, spanning a range of price points and international flavors that truly reflect the diversity of Manchester’s restaurants.
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1. Diz’s Cafe
Diz’s Cafe just opened in 2020, but it has the laid-back, comfy vibe of a longtime local fave.
“It’s family-owned, very family-forward and very popular,” Potts says.
While the affordable spot offers breakfast, lunch and supper, her favorite meal there is also the most important meal of the day: “They do a great breakfast on the weekends.”
Everything on the breakfast menu is under $20, with most of it, including build-your-own omelets, chicken and waffles and a stack of pancakes, under $13. Brunch-y options, like the Monte Cristo sandwich and Diz’s Hangover Cure Burger, are also available.
2. Alas de Frida
Named after Frida Kahlo, Alas de Frida, or Frida’s Wings, pays homage to the artist’s Mexican roots. This Manchester, NH, restaurant is “perfect for a casual lunch or a quick after-work bite,” says Potts, who points out its “unbeatable” lunch specials, which top out at just $13, and $5 happy hour margaritas. Plus, birria (a traditional Mexican stew) is in everything from burritos to ramen to tacos. It has “more of an authentic flair, and it is one of the only spots that does birria,” Potts says.
3. Puritan Backroom
Puritan Backroom’s claim to fame – the invention of the chicken tender in 1974 – garnered the eatery a James Beard Foundation America’s Classics Award in 2020 and nicknames for the city, like “Tender Town” and the “Chicken Tender Capital of the World,” Potts says. Regardless of whether the Puritan was the first to fry the tender, the spot has become a required stop for politicians on the campaign trail as well as for Manchester locals. Its iconic dish comes in spicy, regular, buffalo and coconut varieties. Potts opts for a platter that comes with the latter three.
4. Piccola Italia Ristorante
Another Manchester, NH, restaurant, the over 20-year-old Piccola Italia Ristorante still impresses diners with its traditional entrees and great service (Potts names the chicken piccata and eggplant parmesan as two of her favorites), though it’s best known for its tableside Caesar salad service. In addition to the staff’s showmanship (one server told Potts she’d made over 1,000 salads during her tenure), Potts credits fresh ingredients as a major component of the quality of the dish.
“They also call themselves a martini bar,” she says, so don’t skip the sips: “They have the best espresso and pistachio martinis.”
5. The Hop Knot
Casual taproom The Hop Knot is a BIPOC-owned, LGBTQ+-friendly spot with a laser focus on beer and pretzels.
“The atmosphere is welcoming and inclusive, with events like trivia nights and drag shows,” Potts says. “Their menu features some real standouts, including their stuffed caprese pretzel and my personal favorite, the reuben pretzel.”
Other offerings include pretzel-wrapped (knot) hot dogs and pretzel pizza, along with 20 rotating taps that focus on regional brews, ciders and seltzers.
6. Industry East
Potts dubs Industry East “my favorite after-work spot,” and one glance at the eclectic menu shows why. The beverage menu is full of creative cocktails, like the C.R.E.A.M (Potts’ fave Wu-Tang-inspired sipper, with tequila, chile liqueur, cucumber and lemon) or the Fried or Fertilized (cognac, cranberries, cinnamon, citrus and a whole egg). Bites include flatbreads and a rotating menu of over-the-top hot dogs. Wiener aficionados can upgrade to a Wagyu beef dog and swap a regular hot dog bun for a grilled cheese.
Tip from Potts: “There’s limited seating, so get there early.” No reservations.
7. 815 Cocktails & Provisions
815 Cocktails & Provisions started off as a true speakeasy. The spot required a password for entry for nearly a decade. But a 2023 renovation did away with that, and this Manchester, NH, restaurant, which Potts says serves her favorite cocktails in town, is now open to all.
“It’s very dark, sexy, with more of a gothic feel,” she says. “It’s very beautiful. It’s a place for cocktail aficionados.”
Potts loves the bar’s Aviation as well as its menu of fancy bar food, like the baby kale Caesar salad, Cubano sandwich or pimiento macaroni and cheese.
8. The Foundry Provisions & Spirits
Fine-dining restaurant The Foundry Provisions & Spirits has all the hallmarks of a farm-to-table restaurant: seasonal ingredients, local suppliers and a regularly changing menu. But Potts touts two things in particular: its poutine and Sunday brunch.
“They have been voted the No. 1 poutine in New Hampshire,” she says. “They have the best poutine gravy I’ve ever had. Get extra gravy!”
The spot’s Sunday brunch is legendary, too, so much so that it books months in advance.
“It’s $35, which is a great deal,” Potts says. “They have a raw bar with shrimp cocktail and oysters, prime rib station, omelet station, French toast, pancakes – it’s a beautiful spread and my personal favorite brunch.”
This article was sponsored by the Manchester Economic Development Office.