New Hampshire is home to many famous foods, some of which you might already love. The local food scene is just as diverse as the landscape with cuisine ranging from meat to seafood to produce.
This beautiful state has things to see, do and eat for every season of the year. Let’s look at some of the most famous culinary dishes, foods, and beverages in New Hampshire.
Apple Cider Donuts
If you’re a fan of autumnal foods, the New Hampshire food scene is for you. One of the most warming, comforting sweet treats reminiscent of the fall season is the apple cider donut, which was originally invented in New Hampshire.
An apple cider donut is a cake donut that’s flavored with apple cider and coated with cinnamon sugar. It’s unclear exactly where and when these delicious confections were first created, but they are available across the state today.
The key to a good apple cider donut is high-quality cider that creates a deep, rich apple flavor. These donuts can be made at home if you’re up for the challenge, but there are plenty of places across New Hampshire where you can buy donuts with a comforting homemade taste.
Hard Cider
Sticking with the apple cider theme, there is another way to enjoy this beverage for adults only. Hard cider is a delicious alcoholic drink made from fermented apples, and sometimes other fruit. It’s naturally sweet and gluten-free, making it a popular alternative for those who can’t stomach beer or wine.
There are cideries and retailers across New Hampshire serving us this refreshing drink. If you find yourself passing through the “Granite State” in the fall, be sure to stop for a crisp hard cider and enjoy it from one of the state’s many scenic apple groves.
Maple Syrup
For fans of all things sugary sweet, there’s nothing quite like the unique flavor of maple syrup. This liquid gold with an almost candy-like flavor is enjoyed on breakfast tables and brunch buffets across the country.
New Hampshire is well known for its maple syrup and even celebrates New Hampshire Maple Month every March. Tourists can visit one of the many sugarhouses in the state and receive a front-row view of the maple-sugaring process.
Maple producers collect sap from New Hampshire maple trees and turn it into all sorts of sweet maple confections. Be sure to pack a few bottles and bring home some authentic local maple syrup on your next trip through New England.
Fried Lake Bass
Stepping away from sweet treats, the next famous New Hampshire food on the list is fried lake bass. In addition to its iconic fall foods, New England is also home to some of the most widely-known seafood in the country. Largemouth bass, which can be found in New Hampshire’s lakes, is a sweet white fish that is easy to fillet.
This soft, sweet meat can be found in restaurants up and down the state and is enjoyed by tourists and locals alike. This fish dish is simple but satisfying and has remained a longtime classic.
Clam Chowder
You’ve heard of New England clam chowder, and probably Manhattan clam chowder, but how about New Hampshire clam clowder? This hearty and filling soup is less known by its name but is famous for its rich and satisfying flavor. This cream-based soup contains clams, potatoes, onions, and sometimes pork.
This filling dish dates all the way back to the 1700s and is believed to have been created by French settlers. Although different states have their own version of a local chowder, New Hampshire clam chowder has a sweet, briny, flavorful punch like none other.
Steamers
True seafood lovers can appreciate how interactive the process of enjoying certain dishes can be. Cracking shells. Dunking in butter. Getting your hands dirty is part of the experience. If sitting down with a large bowl of steamed clams is something you enjoy, be sure to get your hands on some New Hampshire steamers. They are simply steamed clams, both hard and soft-shelled varieties.
Steamers are fairly simple to prepare. The clams are first cleaned of any sand and grit. Then they are cooked in hot, salted water. Once they’ve been prepared, pop one open and enjoy it with butter, broth, garlic, and herbs. These are the perfect summertime dish to enjoy with a large group of people overlooking the water.
Yogurt
Perhaps one of the more surprisingly famous foods on this list, New Hampshire is home to one of the most loved brands of yogurt. Stonyfield Farm, the origin of Stonyfield Organic Yogurt, is located in Londonderry, New Hampshire.
The Stonyfield origin story dates back to 1983 with two co-founders of a nonprofit organic farming school and a mission to help family farms survive. All these years later, yogurt is still produced in New Hampshire just 30 miles east of the old farm. This delicious dairy treat is a staple across the country and is enjoyed every day by many.
Maple Syrup Sundae
Circling back to New Hampshire’s beloved maple syrup, the maple syrup sundae is one of the state’s more unique creations. This rich and sweet dessert combines classic New England ice cream and sticky sweet maple syrup sauce. Pop into one of the many restaurants or ice cream shops in New Hampshire that serve this iconic dessert or assemble one of your own at home.
The maple syrup sauce is fairly simple to make. Combine and simmer maple syrup, sugar, heavy cream, salt, and butter to get the thick maple sauce. Drizzle it over ice cream and your other favorite toppings to enjoy one of these famous sundaes at home.
Mead
Another famous alcoholic drink on the list, mead is brewed and enjoyed throughout New Hampshire. Though it’s not quite as popular as beer or wine today, mead is the oldest alcohol in the world with discoveries of the drink in China all the way back to 6500 BC.
This honey-based wine is made by fermenting honey, water, and yeast. Meaderies around New Hampshire today are brewing this sweet alcoholic beverage in a wide array of varieties and flavors. If you’ve always been curious about this historic drink, be sure to try it at a New Hampshire meadery or your own local bar.
Eggs
Having a simple pantry item on a list of famous New Hampshire foods might seem odd, but New Hampshire chickens are famous for their large brown eggs. One New Hampshire chicken can produce 200-240 eggs a year, making them a popular and plentiful item at farms and markets.
There’s nothing like taking home a dozen farm-fresh eggs and tasting the difference it makes. Pop in for breakfast at a local restaurant serving up local egg omelets or take home a carton to prepare them yourself.
Apple Pie
By now you’ve probably realized how much New Hamphirites love their apples. What apple food is more famous than apple pie? Many versions of this classic dessert exist around the country, but local New Hampshire apples are what makes this one so special.
Some varieties even include another famous New Hampshire food – maple syrup. The crispy crust, hearty filling, and sweet spices come together in harmony to create a comforting dessert that’s unlike any other. You can find variations of this iconic pie in bakeries and restaurants across New Hampshire, or take home some farm-fresh apples and make one at home.
Exotic Meats
One of the results of sharing a border with Canada is that New Hampshire shares many of its culinary themes. With so many wide landscapes rich with diverse wildlife, there are a number of hearty meats that make it onto local dinner tables.
Dishes that are less common in other parts of the county like elk, bison, and venison can be found on restaurant menus across the state. Those who have an adventurous taste for wild game meat should be sure to take advantage of these famous offerings while visiting New Hampshire.
Keep in mind you won’t be able to buy any wild game in restaurants, so make friends with a local or prepare to hunt your own. The elk, venison, bison, and similar red meats are all farm-raised if you’re ordering it off the menu, but it’s still a tasty alternative and the easiest way to enjoy these flavors.
Corned Beef with Vegetables
This item is widely consumed across New Hampshire and sometimes appears on menus simply as “Boiled Dinner”. The common name doesn’t exactly sound appetizing, but this warm and satisfying dish is reminiscent of home-cooked meals and old-world charm.
Corned beef is made by curing beef brisket in brine with pickling spices. Toss in some hearty vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and potatoes and you’ve got yourself a classic New Hampshire boiled dinner. Serve this tender dish with some simple mustard sauce and enjoy it on a cold night.
New Hampshire is home to an amazing assortment of foods representative of New England. Themes of meat, seafood, and fall sweets are known throughout the state and across the country. Whether it’s a hot summer day or a cold winter night, one of these famous New Hampshire foods and drinks is sure to satisfy your cravings.
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