Bethlehem Restaurant Tips by sarahandgareth

Woodstock Inn and Brewery: Pub Food and Microbrewed Beer

This is our most frequently-visited spot by far: it's close to many hikes (and winter skiing areas), it's pretty big, there's popcorn to munch on while waiting for your table, and both food and drink are decent. It's a pretty big spot, too, so getting a table is rarely a problem: as well as the main room, there are some side seating areas and in good weather it's lovely to sit outside.

Favorite Dish: They have a wide menu of pub favorites, with some Tex-Mex options as well; we tend to stick to the sandwiches, which are tasty and served promptly! In any case, it's all an excuse to down a couple of their fine brews.

Address: 135 Main Street, North Woodstock, NH

Comparison: about average

Directions: Exit 32 off I-93.

Phone: 1 (800) 321-3985

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 4

Theme: Pub/Brewery

Website: http://www.woodstockinnbrewery.com/

Moat Mountain Smoke House and Brewing Co.: BBQ and Beer

Located just north of North Conway (sort of Far North Conway), Moat Mountain is a great brewpub option, and they also do their own barbecue/smoked meats. They have a large selection of microbrewed beers - usually seven different options, from light tasting lagers to smoky stouts, with a seasonal option or two - and we've been consistently impressed by the quality of their brews. Although it's a little distance from our usual home base in Bethlehem, it's a good option if you're hiking in that part of the White Mountains or if you've spent the day shopping in North Conway. They have a large building on the west side of route 16, though in high season you may still find yourself waiting for a table - or even a parking spot in the lot outside!

Favorite Dish: We've tried a variety of things here, but we'll suggest you try anything they make or smoke themselves: the barbecue chicken is very tasty, and the sausages we had on one occasion were delicious.

Another good option are the nachos. They have an unusally large set of nacho options from tradional to asian inspired. We tried the special - BBQ chicken nachos - and loved them! Plus, they are served on large baking sheets which we feel make for a very good chip to topping ratio!

On the beer side, they have a great selection of rotating seasonal beers. We particularly liked the Dunkel Weiss and the Maibock on our last visit. Of their standard brews, the Bear Peak Brown has been a consistent hit.

Address: 3378 White Mountain Highway (Rt 16), North Conway

Comparison: about average

Directions: Just north of downtown North Conway, right on Route 16.

Phone: (603) 356-6381

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 5

Theme: Barbecue

Website: http://www.moatmountain.com/

Polly's Pancake Parlor: Pancakes!!

Polly's Pancake Parlor is one of the best places in the area to get breakfast. It's very popular, and not as cheap as some diner breakfasts, but the quality of the food is really exceptional. As well as a wide variety of pancakes and waffles, they also have eggs, potatoes, and wonderful meats that they prepare and smoke themselves (ham, sausage, bacon). They do a pretty good job of getting people through the restaurant, too, though on a popular morning you could be waiting up to an hour.

Favorite Dish: There's really no contest: you have to try their pancakes, which come in multiple varieties (for example, oatmeal buttermilk, cornmeal, buckwheat) and with various add-ins. You can get a sampler, and you should slather everything with one of their many maple-derived sweet toppings! We think the oatmeal buttermilk pancakes are especially good.

Address: 672 Route 117, Sugar Hill, NH

Comparison: about average

Directions: From I-93, take exit 38 (Franconia - Sugar Hill).
Turn right onto Route 18.
Take next left onto Route 117.
Polly's is located 1.5 miles up the hill on the right.

Phone: 1-800-432-8972

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 5

Theme: Breakfast

Website: http://www.pollyspancakeparlor.com/

Rosa Flamingo's: Pizza on the Patio

Just a little bit outside of downtown Bethlehem, Rosa Flamingo's is definitely worth the extra few hundred yards. It has a a bar in the basement, a restaurant on the first floor, and a very nice patio outside, so the seating options are pretty varied; we enjoy the patio in nice weather, but we've also made use of the cellar bar to watch playoff baseball once the weather gets chilly (it's a great option if you're staying in Bethlehem, much better than getting on the road late at night).

During the high season (particularly winter when the patio is closed), Rosa's can get very busy, so it is definitely worth calling ahead if you want to dine in - or you can order take out if you have another place to eat. We would love if they added some beer taps, too; they have a reasonable selection of recognizable beer names, but everything comes in bottles, which is a pity since there are some great regional beers available on draft.

Favorite Dish: We highly recommend the pizza. On our most recent trip we tried the BBQ chicken and the Greek pizza. They were very different, but both fantastic. Pizza has been our consistent favorite here; while we've occasionally branched out and tried pasta, we always go back to the pizza!

Address: Main Street, Bethlehem, NH

Comparison: about average

Directions: Rigth on the main street, just west of downtown.

Phone: (603) 869-3111

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Italian