Manchester Dining Guide: Local Restaurants and Cafes

Manchester is New Hampshire's largest city, and its restaurant scene reflects a long and layered history: Greek and French-Canadian families who came to work in the mills, a downtown that rebuilt itself around Elm Street, and a Millyard that now holds offices, apartments and dining rooms where looms once ran. If you are searching for restaurants in Manchester NH, this guide focuses on places with real staying power, from a candy shop that grew into a political landmark to a chophouse built for a special night out. All six are in our directory.

How to think about eating in Manchester

Manchester is a working city, not a resort town, and that shapes how it eats. Breakfast and lunch spots on the West Side cater to neighbors. Downtown restaurants serve office workers at lunch and theater and arena crowds at night. The Millyard, along the Merrimack River, mixes business dining with weekend dinners.

It helps to plan around the type of meal you want:

• A long breakfast or brunch: the West Side and downtown bistros.
• A family dinner where everyone finds something: a big-menu classic.
• A date or celebration: the Millyard and downtown's more polished rooms.

The city is compact enough that most of the places below are a short drive or, downtown, a short walk apart.

The Puritan Backroom: a Manchester institution

If one restaurant explains Manchester, it is The Puritan Backroom. The story begins in 1917, when two Greek immigrant families opened the Puritan Confectionery Company to sell candy and ice cream. In 1974, the next generation built a room behind the candy store to hold a restaurant, and that is the Backroom.

That same year, the restaurant began serving chicken tenders, and it claims to have invented them. Whether or not you accept every part of that claim, the tenders are the reason many people come. The menu is Greek-influenced New England cooking, and the restaurant is also known for its mudslides and its ice cream.

In 2020, the James Beard Foundation named the Puritan Backroom one of its America's Classics, an award for long-running, locally loved restaurants. It is also a familiar stop for presidential candidates during the New Hampshire primary. It still serves takeout and ice cream alongside the dining room, and the restaurant describes itself as bringing family, friends and the community together since 1917.

Good for: families, groups, first-time visitors, and anyone who wants to taste a piece of state history.

Chez Vachon: poutine on the West Side

Chez Vachon is a French-Canadian breakfast and lunch restaurant on Kelley Street on Manchester's West Side. It was founded in 1979 and has changed hands a few times since. Its calling card is poutine: French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. The menu runs from a single-person breakfast poutine of home fries, eggs, curds and gravy up to a very large shareable version.

Chez Vachon gained national attention in 1993 when Bill Clinton stopped in to eat poutine and talk with locals, and it has been a regular campaign stop ever since. Beyond poutine, the restaurant serves crepes, smoked meat and pork pie, along with diner comfort food and lighter options. The restaurant describes its approach as breakfast and lunch all day with a Canadian flair.

Good for: a hearty breakfast, a taste of the city's French-Canadian heritage, and anyone curious about real poutine.

Tip: It is a breakfast and lunch place, so plan to go earlier in the day.

Cotton: dinner in the Millyard

Cotton is in Manchester's historic Millyard District. It serves what it calls sophisticated and eclectic American comfort food along with an extensive cocktail program, in a casual upscale setting. Bon Appetit named it one of the ten best neighborhood restaurants in the Northeast, according to the restaurant, and it describes itself as both a neighborhood restaurant and a destination for diners from across central New England.

The setting is part of the appeal. The Millyard's brick mill buildings line the Merrimack River, and eating there puts you inside the district that built the city. Cotton also offers private dining and takeout.

Good for: a relaxed date night, a dinner with out-of-town guests, and anyone who wants a meal in the Millyard.

Tip: It is a dinner restaurant, and reservations are a good idea.

Firefly American Bistro: downtown comfort dining

Firefly American Bistro & Bar is on Concord Street in the heart of downtown. It opened in the winter of 2008 as the project of a brother and sister who are both New Hampshire natives, and it occupies the ground floor of an older building that keeps the character of the city's industrial past.

The menu is classic American food with contemporary twists and seasonal influences from around the world, plus a wine list, craft beer and cocktails. Firefly calls its approach comfort dining. The dining room is relaxed but polished, and the lounge is a popular after-work and pre-show spot. Firefly serves weekend brunch, and it has been recognized repeatedly by local readers' polls for its brunch and as a date spot.

Good for: weekend brunch, a pre-show dinner downtown, and a business lunch.

Fratello's: a big menu in a mill building

Fratello's Italian Grille is a casual Italian-American restaurant with two locations. The original is in Laconia, in a former bank building the owners bought in 1992. The second is in Manchester's historic Millyard.

The menu covers wood-fired brick oven pizza, steaks, seafood and Italian favorites, with desserts from an in-house bakery and a gluten-free pizza crust. Fratello's also handles events and catering, and its Manchester location has an events space.

Good for: families and groups with mixed tastes, celebrations, and a casual Millyard dinner.

Hanover Street Chophouse: the special-occasion choice

Hanover Street Chophouse is at 149 Hanover Street, a short walk from Elm Street. It describes itself as fine dining with locally sourced ingredients and an inviting atmosphere. There is a bar menu on some weeknights for a more casual visit, and live piano music on Saturday nights, and sometimes Fridays. Private dining is available.

Good for: anniversaries, celebrations, business dinners, and anyone who wants a classic steakhouse experience.

Tip: It is a dinner restaurant and closed some days of the week, so book ahead.

Building a Manchester food day

Here is one way to string several of these together:

1. Breakfast on the West Side. Start with poutine or crepes at Chez Vachon.

2. Explore the Millyard. Walk along the Merrimack River among the mill buildings. Our Manchester town guide covers the history and the museums nearby.

3. Afternoon ice cream. Stop at the Puritan for a scoop, or for an early meal of chicken tenders.

4. Dinner downtown or in the Millyard. Choose Cotton or Fratello's in the Millyard, Firefly downtown, or Hanover Street Chophouse for a dressier night.

Practical tips

Reservations. The dinner-focused restaurants on this list recommend them, especially on weekends and on nights with events downtown.

Check hours before you go. Several of these restaurants are closed on certain days or serve only some meals. Hours change by season, so confirm on each restaurant's own site.

Parking. Downtown and the Millyard have street parking and garages. Allow a few extra minutes on event nights.

Dietary needs. Several of these restaurants list gluten-free or lighter options on their menus. Call ahead if you have a serious allergy.

FAQ

What food is Manchester, NH known for?

Chicken tenders, which the Puritan Backroom says it invented in 1974, and poutine, served at West Side spots such as Chez Vachon that reflect the city's French-Canadian heritage.

Where should I eat in Manchester for a special occasion?

Hanover Street Chophouse is the classic choice. Cotton in the Millyard and Firefly downtown are good for a more relaxed but still polished dinner.

Is there good brunch in Manchester?

Yes. Firefly serves weekend brunch, and Chez Vachon serves breakfast every day it is open.

Are these restaurants open year round?

They are year-round city restaurants, but days and hours vary. Check each restaurant's site before visiting.

Sources

• Puritan Backroom, Wikipedia (1917 founding, 1974 restaurant and chicken tenders, 2020 James Beard America's Classic): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puritan_Backroom
• The Puritan Backroom: https://puritanbackroom.com/
• Chez Vachon: https://chezvachon.com/
• Our Gourmet: Chez Vachon has poutine power, New Hampshire Union Leader (1979 founding, 1993 Clinton visit): https://www.unionleader.com/nh/food/our_gourmet/our-gourmet-chez-vachon-has-poutine-power/article_afcecf4a-cb22-53b8-9ce1-b5aeba15dd93.html
• Cotton: https://www.cottonfood.com/
• Firefly Bistro & Bar: https://fireflynh.com/
• Fratello's Italian Grille: https://fratellos.com/
• Hanover Street Chophouse: https://www.hanoverstreetchophouse.com/