11 Best Restaurants in The Monadnocks and Merrimack Valley, New Hampshire

A departure from the old-school greasy-spoon diners that proliferate in New England, this contemporary space with a white-tile and light-wood interior and a big, inviting outdoor seating area serves delicious, eclectic comfort fare that relies heavily on seasonal, local ingredients, including pasture-raised meats. Think Korean barbecue tacos with house-made kimchi and pickled carrots, or the buttermilk-fried chicken sandwich with a tangy secret sauce and dill pickles.

The owners run 105-acre Inn at Valley Farms, 5 miles away, which also offers elegant B&B accommodations.

A deceptively simple storefront bistro with sidewalk tables overlooking Keene's graceful town square, Luca's dazzles with epicurean creations influenced by Italy, France, Greece, Spain, and North Africa. There's always an extensive selection of small plates, such as almond-crusted fried mozzarella and roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and pomegranate-infused honey, plus handmade pastas and complexly flavored grills and stews.

In this handsome, high-ceilinged redbrick building on a downtown side street, foodies and revelers congregate for some of the most creative and accomplished regional American cuisine in the Merrimack Valley. Highlights, in addition to an impressive selection of whiskies and cognacs, might include an artful platter of charcuterie and New England artisanal cheeses, hearty beef and veal Bolognese with mushroom tagliatelle, and seared salmon with pancetta and olive tapenade, but the menu changes regularly.

A lively, old-fashioned tavern with Irish overtones, the Barley House is steps from the state capitol and typically buzzes with a mix of politicos, businesspeople, and tourists. The melting pot of a menu includes chorizo-topped pizzas, burgers smothered with a peppercorn-whiskey sauce, chicken potpies, beer-braised bratwurst, and Mediterranean chicken salad—all reliably prepared.

Mod lighting and furnishings lend this restaurant inside an old Amoskeag Mills building a swanky atmosphere, although on warm days you may want to have a seat on the patio, set in an arbor. The farm-to-table-inspired comfort food changes regularly but has featured pan-seared crab cakes, grilled Atlantic salmon with sweet corn and gnocchi, and Delmonico steak with a choice of sauces. There's a very good cocktail list.

Despite its prosaic setting in a shopping center a little south of Peterborough's historic downtown, this sleek, contemporary Asian bistro and oyster bar is quite welcoming once inside. Several types of fresh oysters are always available, along with such diverse offerings as ahi tuna poke, Hanoi-style pork spring rolls, Korean barbecue pork, and coconut-veggie rice bowls.

One of New England's most celebrated diners, this bustling downtown greasy spoon has been catering to students, artists, and most famously U.S. Presidential candidates since 1922. This colorful restaurant, open around the clock, is a friendly place with fresh daily specials as well as such classics as kielbasa-and-cheese omelets and triple-bun Dinahmoe burgers.

Floor-to-ceiling windows add a touch of elegance to this superb—if a bit spendy—farm-to-table restaurant in the Colonial Colby Hill Inn, which also offers well-appointed accommodations. Fresh produce takes center stage on the diverse, contemporary menu, which might offer a watermelon-tomato-feta salad or goat cheese–blueberry pierogies to start. Main dishes could include lobster swimming in a Brazilian-style coconut stew, or Korean-style lacquered duck breast with kohlrabi kimchi. It's in the charming town of Henniker, roughly midway between Lake Sunapee and Concord, on the edge of the Monadnock region.

Famous artisanal chocolatier and Walpole resident Larry Burdick, who sells his hand-filled, hand-cut chocolates to top restaurants around the country, founded this acclaimed restaurant next door to his shop in Walpole's charming little downtown. With the easygoing sophistication of a Parisian café and incredibly rich desserts, the restaurant features a French-inspired international menu that utilizes fresh, often local, ingredients and changes daily.