Portsmouth Visit

I live in town.

I would say your best bet for a Excellent dinner/beer combo would be just over the bridge in Kittery to Black Birch. Great food and a great beer list. Across from them is the corner pub. Lots of outdoor seating and a well curated can list my very close friend and one of the owners was my former VP at a tech firm I worked at for years. He left to run the pub.

As far as Portsmouth for food I would check out Barrio for great Mexican or try La Caretta. Street is a nice hidden gem to visit. Cornerstone has great pizza and tap list. Surf for sushi/seafood American on the water. The wilder is pretty good. Massimo for Italian. Moxie for fusion tapas. River house always offers a decent meal on the water as does Pocos for Mexican next door. The new Tuscan was very good the two times we went downtown. Row 34 always has some fun stuff on tap abs great food.(just opened back and was great when we went opening night) The kitchen is great too. Mr Kim’s, cure, colbys all good food. Good burgers at Brgr bar and vegan across the street at Green Elephant. Domo has excellent sushi but only to go currently. Gaslight isn’t bad. Flatbread has good pizza. Friendly toast is across from them. Jumping jays for seafood. Franklin oyster house if you want to drop some serious cash.

Thirsty moose has a large tap list (114?)

Skip D street, no matter what someone tells you.

College kid bars:
Goat
Legends
D street(dive)
TJ’s

breweries:

loaded question
Liars bench
Earth eagle
Great rhythm
Portsmouth brewery(foods pretty good)
Cisco
Smutty/smuttlabs
Empty pint


Not too far:

stoneface
Garrison city
Deciduous (to go now)
Tributary
Throwback
Chapel and main (sister brewery and restaurant to black birch)
Definitive
Woodland farms(decent)


that pretty much does it.

 

agree - best combo of food and beer in the greater Portsmouth area continues to be Black Birch cross the bridge in Wallingford Sq. - Kittery Foreside. Get there early if you go - no reservations and it fills quickly.

 

End the thread, @Jbrews has it all covered, agree with D Street blows.

 

Only thing I would add is that if the weather is nice, "The Decks" are a nice take, if not necessarily a BA Mecca. That's a series of bar/restaurant decks overlooking the mighty Piscatqqua River. Set your google maps for Martingale Wharf and go around back, you'll see what's up. They're busy but chances are you'll be able to sit out at one for a little while if you're patient/not picky.

 

yeah I just left that out since it was all weird with covid last summer. Hell riverhouse made you order before you were seated ha

 

Like @Jbrews can't say enough good things about Black Birch their menu is always stellar and veers towards fine dining without being overly expensive or pretentious. Also, its my one and only experience with Cantillon! Someone ordered a bottle by mistake while I was there and the bartender kicked it over to me free of charge that alone has it holding a special spot in my heart...food just sends it over the top.

Row 34 is killer as well. Some of the better Oysters wife and I have had in our travels.

 

Our move, pre-COVID, was to hit Franklins right at 4 when they opened for happy hour prices on oysters, brussel sprouts, and bloodies. Then walk over to Surf and put our name in. Typically a 1.5 to 2 hr wait on weekends. Walk off the Franklins and gouge at Surf when ready.

Friendly Toast is fine for breakfast. Crowded and a little overpriced but food is always good. I personally like Popovers on the Square. No frills but not too crowded and solid food, coffee, and desserts.

 

...10-15 minute walk to Tributary.

 

we walked there miles from our house to Great Rhythm today

 

What's going on at Great Rhythm anyway? Do they have any draught or is everything can pours? It's one of my favorite taprooms to hang out at on a nice day when the walls are open - but the current iteration of their website is a mess.

 

It’s been draft outside since last late spring. Open daily til around 8

 

Thanks. I'm overdue for a visit.

 

Definitely worth a stop and always pretty chill.

 

I'd head to Spruce Creek Provisions almost across from Kittery Trading Post on the way in or out of town when you can take a 2-3 mile detour. You'll get a wide selection of Maine breweries in addition to just being a nice beer store. Not a ton of cooler space but they turn stuff over fairly quickly it seems.

 

Incredibly thorough and nicely done @Jbrews ! I'll second Black Birch, my one and only. Also, if you're serious about oysters, taste advantage of $1 oysters at Row 34 everyday until 5pm. They're always superb and they have a great draft list. Lagers outside at Liars Bench before or afterwards.

I heard Great Rhythm is moving from their spot because it's being developed?

 

indeed this is true. Which is a real bummer because that outdoor space on the river is fantastic. Given the limited space in the city and fact of how nice that area was. I think they’ll struggle to find somewhere as nice or even in Portsmouth. Having talked to Dan who just left GR to peruse a beer job it sounds like production may be more of a focus for a bit. My guess is they will move out of the city. It’s not just them though. The issue was the lumber yard sold. At that point there isn’t much you can do.