Hanover Dining Guide: Local Restaurants and Cafes

Hanover is a college town, and its restaurants reflect that: busy breakfast counters, pubs that fill up after class, and a few polished dining rooms for parents' weekends and celebrations. Nearly all of it sits within a short walk of the Dartmouth Green. Whether you are visiting a student, on a trip through the Upper Valley, or hiking the Appalachian Trail through town, this guide covers restaurants Hanover NH visitors return to, from morning to night.

Hours shift with the academic calendar, holidays and the seasons, so check each restaurant's website before you go. Several take reservations, which is wise during college events.

Hanover at a glance

Hanover is a town in Grafton County, along the Connecticut River. The 2020 census counted 11,870 residents. It is home to Dartmouth College, founded in 1769 and one of the Ivy League schools, and the Appalachian Trail crosses the town.

Dartmouth shapes daily life here. Founded by Eleazar Wheelock, the college sits on a terrace above the Connecticut River and is the smallest university in the Ivy League. It is home to the Hood Museum of Art and the Hopkins Center for the Arts, so many visitors pair a meal with a museum visit or a performance. The restaurants below cluster around South Main Street and the Green, with one, Jesse's, a short drive away.

Breakfast and lunch

Lou's Restaurant and Bakery

Lou's Restaurant and Bakery has served Hanover since 1947, making it one of the longest-running restaurants in town. It is at 30 South Main Street and serves breakfast and lunch, with a bakery counter on the side.

The bakery is a destination of its own. Lou's makes cakes, pies, brownies, donuts, muffins, breakfast pastries and cookies, with gluten-friendly options, and it takes pre-orders. Cakes such as chocolate mousse, carrot and Hanover fudge make a good celebration order for a graduation or birthday. Lou's also offers takeout and catering, from continental breakfasts to lunch platters for groups.

Expect a wait on busy weekend mornings. Takeout can be ordered online if you would rather skip the line.

Pine at the Hanover Inn

Pine is the restaurant at the Hanover Inn, overlooking the historic Dartmouth College Green. It serves breakfast every day, lunch on weekdays, brunch on weekends and dinner nightly, which makes it one of the most flexible options in town.

Pine describes its menu as ever-evolving, featuring dishes from around the world without forgetting its New England roots, and says it works closely with its purveyors to find the freshest ingredients. There is also a bar menu with cocktails and draft beer. The restaurant offers private dining and takes reservations through Resy. For a parents' weekend dinner or a special breakfast with a view of the Green, it is the natural choice.

Main Street pubs and casual dining

Molly's Restaurant and Bar

Molly's Restaurant and Bar at 43 South Main Street is a casual spot open for lunch and dinner and late into the evening on weekends. It is a dependable choice for groups with different tastes, and its long hours make it one of the easier places to find a table outside the usual dinner rush. Molly's also sells gifts and merchandise, if you want a souvenir of your visit.

Molly's offers online ordering for takeout and a call-ahead seating application, which can shorten the wait on busy nights. It also runs a loyalty rewards program for regulars.

Murphy's on the Green

Murphy's on the Green at 11 South Main Street is a pub and restaurant in the heart of town, as the name suggests, right by the Green. It serves dinner on weekdays and opens earlier on weekends, and its bar stays open late every day.

Murphy's posts daily specials, offers online ordering and catering, and takes reservations. It is a good place to settle in for a long conversation over a pint after an afternoon on campus.

Asian fusion

Han Fusion

Han Fusion at 3 Lebanon Street brings Asian fusion cooking to downtown Hanover. The restaurant emphasizes fresh ingredients and also offers an authentic Chinese menu, so, as it puts it, you do not have to drive to Chinatown for authentic Chinese food.

Han Fusion offers online ordering and catering, and it posts delivery updates in the news section of its website. It is a good choice for a casual dinner or a takeout order to bring back to a dorm or hotel room.

A Hanover steakhouse tradition

Jesse's Steaks, Seafood and Tavern

Jesse's calls itself a tradition in the Hanover community. It is a short drive from downtown at 7 Blue Sky Drive. The restaurant notes the address was recently renamed from 224 Lebanon Street, so some maps and GPS systems may still show the old address.

The steaks are the focus. Jesse's says its USDA Choice steaks are house-aged and hand-cut each day just before service. It also buys fresh seafood from the Boston market and has it delivered daily. The menu goes beyond meat and fish, with vegetarian options, sandwiches, seasonal salads, appetizers and homemade desserts. At the bar, the management selects craft beers from local breweries, along with cocktails, house infusions, single malts and wine.

Jesse's offers group dining, takeout and gift cards, and takes reservations through Resy. On weekday afternoons, the bar runs a happy hour built around those local craft drafts, which makes Jesse's a good stop on the way back from a day out, or a relaxed place to wait for the rest of your group to arrive. Pine and Jesse's both sell gift cards too, a useful thank-you for a student's host or a professor.

Tips for dining in Hanover

Watch the college calendar. Commencement, reunions, parents' weekends and big sports weekends fill restaurants and hotels quickly. Book well ahead.

Walk. Most of these restaurants are within a few blocks of the Green. Park once and explore on foot.

Use takeout. Lou's, Molly's, Murphy's, Han Fusion and Jesse's all offer takeout or online ordering, which helps on busy nights.

Pair a meal with culture. Dartmouth's Hood Museum of Art and Hopkins Center for the Arts are easy to combine with lunch or dinner downtown. A performance at the Hopkins Center makes a natural reason to book an early dinner nearby, and a morning at the museum pairs well with a late breakfast.

A sample day

Morning. Breakfast at Lou's, and a box of pastries for later.

Midday. Walk the Green and visit the Hood Museum of Art.

Afternoon. Grab a pint and a snack at Murphy's on the Green.

Evening. Dinner at Pine overlooking the Green, a steak at Jesse's, or takeout from Han Fusion.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most famous restaurant in Hanover, NH?

Lou's Restaurant and Bakery, open since 1947, is the best-known breakfast spot in town.

Where can I get a nice dinner near Dartmouth?

Pine at the Hanover Inn overlooks the Dartmouth Green, and Jesse's is a classic steakhouse a short drive away. Both take reservations through Resy.

Is there a late-night option in Hanover?

Molly's stays open late on weekends, and the bar at Murphy's on the Green stays open late every day. Check their websites for current hours.

Did Jesse's move?

No. Jesse's says its address was renamed from 224 Lebanon Street to 7 Blue Sky Drive.

Sources

• Hanover, New Hampshire, Wikipedia (Grafton County; Connecticut River; 2020 census; Appalachian Trail): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanover,_New_Hampshire
• Dartmouth College, Wikipedia (founded 1769; Ivy League; Hood Museum of Art; Hopkins Center): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dartmouth_College
• Lou's Restaurant and Bakery (since 1947; 30 S Main; bakery, takeout, catering): https://lousrestaurant.com/
• Pine at the Hanover Inn (overlooks the Dartmouth Green; menu philosophy; meal service; private dining; Resy): https://www.pineathanoverinn.com/
• Molly's Restaurant and Bar (43 S Main; online ordering; call-ahead seating; rewards): https://www.mollysrestaurant.com/
• Murphy's on the Green (11 S Main; specials; catering; online ordering; reservations; bar hours): https://www.murphysonthegreen.com/
• Han Fusion (3 Lebanon St; Asian fusion and authentic Chinese menu; online ordering; catering): https://www.hanfusionnh.com/
• Jesse's Steaks, Seafood and Tavern (7 Blue Sky Drive, formerly 224 Lebanon St; steaks; seafood; bar; Resy): https://www.jesses.com/