Editor’s Picks
Creative Chicken Tenders
As you know, Manchester is the Chicken Tender Capital of the World, and the Puritan Backroom Restaurant is the literal inventor of the chicken tender. While their tenders are the original, to be revered above all else, they’re not the only Manchester establishment serving up world-class tendies. Charlie’s of Goffstown specializes in chicken tenders with a twist; incorporating Ritz Crackers, Cheetos and even Cap’n Crunch cereal into their breading, and using a smaller, more tender cut of chicken for their meat, Charlie’s has become a Queen City-adjacent favorite for a reason. Their coconut-breaded tenders just might be their best. www.charliesgoffstown.com
Lobster Dogs
A professional cook and his son set out in 2019 to open a hot dog shack on Hampton Beach and conjured up an idea so radical that might forever change the way that lobster lovers consume their favorite white meat — the Lobster Dog! This quirky amalgam of iconic beach and baseball foods quickly gripped the imaginations of the Hampton Beach crowd and even won first place for
Lobster Roll and took the first place “Anything But” award at last year’s Seacoast Seafood Festival. Pat’s World Famous is now an embedded feature of Hampton Beach life, serving lobster rolls, lobster dogs, French fries and smoothies. And the simple world of the standard seaside lobster roll will never be the same. www.patsworldfamous.com
Readers’ Poll Winners
Barbecue
KC’s Rib Shack
Manchester
www.ribshack.net
★★★★★★★
Burger
Overall winner
Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery
Raymond
www.thetuckaway.com
Burger Concord Area
The Barley House
Concord
www.thebarleyhouse.com
Burger Concord Area Multilocation Local
T-BONES Great American Eatery
Concord
www.t-bones.com
Burger Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region
Little Brother Burger Company
New London
Facebook
Burger Great North Woods Region
Full Send Bar and Grill
Pittsburg
www.fullsendbarandgrill.com
Burger Lakes Region
Surfside Burger Bar
Meredith
www.surfsideburgerbar.com
Burger Lakes Region Multilocation Local
T-BONES Great American Eatery
Laconia
www.t-bones.com
Burger Manchester Area
New England’s Tap House Grille
Hooksett
www.taphousenh.com
Burger Manchester Area Multilocation Local
T-BONES Great American Eatery
Bedford
www.t-bones.com
Burger Monadnock Region
Papa Joe’s Humble Kitchen
Milford
www.papajoeshumblekitchen.com
Burger Nashua Area
Buckley’s Great Steaks
Merrimack
www.buckleysgreatsteaks.com
Burger Nashua Area Multilocation Local
T-BONES Great American Eatery
Hudson
www.t-bones.com
Burger Salem Area
The Copper Door
Salem
www.copperdoor.com
Burger Salem Area Multilocation Local
T-BONES Great American Eatery
Salem and Derry
www.t-bones.com
Burger Seacoast Region
Hop + Grind
Durham
www.hopandgrind.com
Burger Seacoast Region Multilocation Regional
Lexie’s Restaurants
Exeter, Portsmouth, Epping and Dover
www.peaceloveburgers.com
Burger White Mountains Region
Black Mountain Burger Co.
Lincoln
www.blackmtnburger.com
★★★★★★★
Chicken Tenders
The Puritan Backroom
Manchester
www.puritanbackroom.com
★★★★★★★
Clam Chowder
Petey’s Summertime Seafood
Rye
www.peteys.com
★★★★★★★
Crab Cakes
Surf Seafood
Nashua and Portsmouth surfseafood.com
Crab Cakes Multilocation Local
The Common Man
www.thecman.com
★★★★★★★
Family-friendly Dining
The Puritan Backroom
Manchester
www.puritanbackroom.com
Family-friendly Dining Multilocation Local
T-BONES Great American Eatery
www.t-bones.com
★★★★★★★
Lobster Roll
Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery
Raymond
www.thetuckaway.com
Lobster Roll Multilocation Local
The Beach Plum
www.thebeachplum.net
★★★★★★★
Mac and Cheese
Mr. Mac’s Macaroni and Cheese
Manchester
www.mr-macs.com
★★★★★★★
Seafood Restaurant
Surf Seafood
Nashua and Portsmouth
www.surfseafood.com
★★★★★★★
Wings
Stark House Tavern
Weare
www.starkhousetavern.com
Wings Multilocation local
Wing-itz
Hampton, Dover and Newmarket
wing-itz.com
★★★★★★★
Steakhouse
Buckley’s Great Steaks
Merrimack
www.buckleysgreatsteaks.com