Lakes Region Waterfront Dining

There is a particular kind of summer evening in the Lakes Region: boats idling in to the town docks, the light going gold over Lake Winnipesaukee, and a table close enough to the water to hear it. June is when that season starts. The seasonal spots reopen, the decks fill up, and the lake towns shift into summer mode.

Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in New Hampshire. It is about 21 miles long, holds at least 264 islands, and has roughly 288 miles of shoreline. That leaves plenty of room for places to eat by the water. This guide to waterfront restaurants lakes region nh visitors love moves around the lake from Wolfeboro to Meredith, Center Harbor and Alton Bay. Menus, hours and seasons change, so check each restaurant's own site before you go.

A Little Lake Background for the Table

A few facts make good dinner conversation while you wait for a table. The name Winnipesaukee comes from the Abenaki name Wiwninbesoki, usually translated as "the land that surrounds the lake." Older explanations, like "smile of the Great Spirit," are still repeated, but they are not the accepted meaning.

The lake is also an unusual glacial lake. It once drained southeast through what is now Alton Bay toward the Atlantic. Glacial debris blocked that path, and the water now flows west through Paugus Bay into the Winnipesaukee River, which eventually joins the Merrimack. So if you finish the evening in Alton Bay, you are sitting at the lake's old outlet.

Wolfeboro: Dining at the Town Docks

Wolfeboro sits at the head of Wolfeboro Bay on the lake's eastern shore. It calls itself "The Oldest Summer Resort in America," and its downtown runs right down to the water. Several of the town's best waterfront tables are steps from the public docks.

The motto has some history behind it. In 1771, colonial Governor John Wentworth built a summer estate called Kingswood on what is now Lake Wentworth, just east of the village. It was the first summer country estate in northern New England, and Wolfeboro has been a summer colony for families from Boston and beyond ever since. The town itself is named for General James Wolfe, the British commander at the 1759 Battle of the Plains of Abraham.

Wolfeboro Dockside Grille & Dairy Bar

The Wolfeboro Dockside Grille & Dairy Bar is at 11 Dockside Street, right at the town docks. It is a summer-only spot that does two things well: seafood and casual grill fare on one side, and ice cream on the other. It is the classic Wolfeboro stop for an easy lunch or an after-dinner cone while you watch the boats come and go. Expect lines on warm evenings. That is part of the ritual.

Marker 21

A few doors down, Marker 21 at 33 Dockside Street sits on the second and third floors above the waterfront. Its two decks look out over the lake. The height is the selling point: from up there you see across the bay rather than just the dock in front of you. It is a good choice for a sit-down dinner when you want the view without the bustle at street level.

Wolfe's Tavern

Up on North Main Street, the Wolfeboro Inn is home to Wolfe's Tavern, a long-running local restaurant. It is a short walk from the docks and makes a cozy alternative when an evening turns cool.

Meredith: Two Spots on Meredith Bay

On the lake's northwest side, Meredith Village sits at the head of Meredith Bay. It is one of the lake's main resort towns, with a walkable downtown and a busy waterfront.

Town Docks

Town Docks opened in 1999 and belongs to the Common Man family of New Hampshire restaurants. True to its name, it has lakeside seating, boat tie-ups for diners arriving by water, and a tiki bar. It is about as casual and summery as Lakes Region dining gets, and it suits families, groups and anyone arriving with sandy feet.

Lago

For a dressier evening, Lago is inside The Inn at Bay Point in Meredith. It opened in 2004 and is also part of the Common Man family. The waterfront dining room and patio look out over the bay, and the setting works well for an anniversary, a celebration, or a slower dinner at the end of a long day on the lake.

Before or after a meal in Meredith, walk up to the Mill Falls Marketplace. Between 1816 and 1818, John Bond Swasey built a rock-lined canal here that redirected water from Lake Waukewan and created a 30-foot drop. That waterfall ran the village's sawmills, gristmills and cotton mills, and in 1895 the Meredith Electric Light Company. It is a short stroll from the waterfront restaurants and a nice way to walk off dinner.

Center Harbor: Canoe's Open-Air Porch

Just up the shore in Center Harbor, Canoe Restaurant and Tavern is known for its open-air dining porch with views toward Lake Winnipesaukee. The restaurant describes itself as inspired American dining. In June, the porch is the place to sit.

Center Harbor has its own place in lake history. In 1852 it hosted the first Harvard-Yale Regatta, which is considered the first intercollegiate sporting event in the United States. Harvard won by two lengths.

Alton Bay: Ice Cream at the Southern Tip

At the lake's southern end, Alton Bay is a village on a four-mile-long cove that forms the southernmost point of Winnipesaukee. It has been a resort since the steamboat and railroad era of the 1800s.

Dottie & Hazel's Bayside Scoops serves Richardson's ice cream with a view of the bay. It is the right end to a drive down the eastern shore from Wolfeboro, or a reward after a hike up nearby Mount Major, whose summit looks out over the lake.

Tips for Lakeside Dining in June

• Go early or late. Prime sunset tables fill on warm weekend evenings. An early dinner or a late lunch is easier.
• Bring a layer. Decks and porches can get chilly once the sun goes down, even in summer.
• Arrive by boat. If you are on the water, look for restaurants with tie-ups, like Town Docks in Meredith or the public docks in Wolfeboro.
• Check the season. Some dockside spots are summer-only and may still be working through shoulder-season schedules in early June.
• Plan a loop. Wolfeboro to Alton Bay is a short drive down the eastern shore, and Meredith and Center Harbor sit close together on the northwest side.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Lakes Region towns have the most waterfront restaurants?

Wolfeboro and Meredith both have several restaurants on or near the water, with Center Harbor and Alton Bay close by.

Can you arrive at Lakes Region restaurants by boat?

Some, yes. Town Docks in Meredith has boat tie-ups, and Wolfeboro's town docks sit next to several downtown restaurants.

Where can I get ice cream by the lake?

The Wolfeboro Dockside Grille & Dairy Bar at the Wolfeboro town docks and Dottie & Hazel's Bayside Scoops in Alton Bay are two lakeside favorites.

Are Lakes Region waterfront restaurants open year-round?

Not all. Some dockside spots are seasonal, so check each restaurant's site before you go.

Sources

• Lake Winnipesaukee, Wikipedia (largest lake in NH, length, islands, shoreline, 1852 Harvard-Yale Regatta in Center Harbor, Abenaki name, glacial drainage reversal): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Winnipesaukee
• Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, Wikipedia (Wolfeboro Bay, "Oldest Summer Resort in America", Kingswood estate 1771, named for James Wolfe): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfeboro,_New_Hampshire
• Wolfeboro Dockside Grille and Dairy Bar official site (11 Dockside St, summer season, seafood and ice cream): https://wolfeborodockside.com/
• Marker 21 official site (33 Dockside St, second and third floors, two lake-view decks): https://www.marker21nh.com
• The Wolfeboro Inn official site (Wolfe's Tavern, 90 North Main Street): https://www.wolfeboroinn.com/
• Meredith, New Hampshire, Wikipedia (Meredith Bay, resort town, Swasey canal and Mill Falls): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meredith,_New_Hampshire
• Town Docks, The Common Man (opened 1999, lakeside seating, boat tie-ups, tiki bar): https://www.thecman.com/town-docks/
• Lago, The Common Man (The Inn at Bay Point, opened 2004, waterfront dining room and patio): https://www.thecman.com/lago/
• Canoe Restaurant and Tavern official site (open-air dining porch, inspired American dining): https://canoecenterharbor.com/
• Alton Bay, Wikipedia (four-mile cove, southernmost point of the lake, steamboat and railroad history): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alton_Bay,_New_Hampshire
• Alton, New Hampshire, Wikipedia (Mount Major views of the lake): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alton,_New_Hampshire
• Dottie and Hazel's Bayside Scoops official site (Richardson's ice cream, bay view): https://baysidescoops.com/