Our Favorite Comfort Foods for Cold, Winter Days

When you think of cozy foods, do you think of mac and cheese? A big juicy hamburger? Or maybe a cup of hot chocolate? All of these things can be comfort foods on some level. Here’s where to get the best around the state, plus information on some of the region’s coziest tea shops

December 26, 2023

Elisa Gonzales Verdi, Emily Heidt, Emily Reily,

The Barley House Concord Burger Rt — A delicious burger from the Barley House in Concord

Customers say this spot ranks high on the cheese-o-meter. Along with consistently being rated “best burger joint” in the state, their version of the classic mac ‘n cheese includes corkscrew cavatappi pasta and cheese sauce made with Guinness. The dish is topped with a browned Ritz cracker crust. Personalize your order by adding bacon, chicken or shrimp. thebarleyhouse.com

Popzup Popcorn, Dover

Popcorn should be in the comfort food hall of fame for being a warm, salty, buttery snack upon which you can put nearly any topping. Literally pop it in the microwave, watch the snow fall or catch up on your latest binge-watch. The family-owned company Popzup Popcorn has given the treat several sweet, tangy and salty makeovers to glam up movie night, including warming seasonings like Vermont maple, real butter and sea salt, salted caramel and sweet sriracha chili. The company uses non-GMO kernels, and is gluten-free and eco-friendly. popzup.com

Mrs. Budd’s

Do you need some cheering up with a chicken pot pie? Mrs. Budd’s can help. Mrs. Budd’s chicken pies, which you can find at the grocery store, are made here in Manchester. Their crust is always crispy-crunchy on the edges and soft and warm in the middle. Underneath is a healthy serving of chicken, carrot, celery and gravy. Mrs. Budd’s also makes turkey pie, shepherd’s pie, veggies and beef pie, and a gluten-free beef shepherd’s pie. With a slogan like “Live Free or Pie,”
Mrs. Budd’s takes the cake. mrsbudds.com

Duston’s Market & Bakery, Dover

Is it a sandwich? A cake? A cookie? A pie? (Its name would suggest the latter is correct, but these aren’t hard and fast rules). Call it whatever you like — the whoopie pie is a comforting New England treat. While it’s Maine’s official state treat, New Hampshire has unofficially adopted the whoopie pie as its quintessential delectable dessert. Duston’s Market & Bakery in Dover offers two types of whoopie pie: one with a “standard” amount of filling and one with “extra” filling. But we know there’s really only one choice. dustonsmarket.com

Warm up with a delicious bowl of Collins Brothers Chowder.

Collins Brothers Chowder, Nashua

Chowder traditionally has a thick, rich, creamy broth filled with chunks of potato, celery, corn and onions; and clams, fish, chicken; or any combination you like. For icy days, a warm bowl of chowder with a hunk of bread for dipping is the soup that eats like a meal. This spot is a go-to chowder dive, and an excellent place to get a primo bowl of soup. Varieties include New England clam chowder (naturally), Nantucket seafood chowder, corn and bacon chowder, and haddock chowder. For more substance, try their chicken pot pie, shepherd’s pie, meat loaf or Yankee pot
roast. collinsbrotherschowder.com

Valicenti Pasta Farm, Hollis

A farm that grows pasta? New Hampshire really does have it all. This farm offers homemade pasta galore, including ravioli, lasagna, manicotti and more. There are gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free options, and a ravioli pairing guide that suggests sauce recipes like basil and walnut pesto; caramelized apple, onion and bacon in a cranberry red wine reduction; and sautéed shallots, mushroom and thyme. Valicenti’s “red gravy” pasta sauce, made with organic tomatoes, marsala wine, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and oregano, is simply a standout. gimmiespaghetti.com

“Étagère” is French for a place to display your “loveables,” but, for Joy and Brook Martello, it also brings to mind cherished family memories. Photo by Kendal J. Bush Photography.

Étagère, Amherst

Winter is the perfect tea-sipping season. A versatile, universal beverage, tea can do almost anything — it can wake you up with caffeine; calm you down with lavender and chamomile, be earthy and grounding like sencha green, or have other health benefits. Discover wellness and a sense of calm by taking time to sip tea, to slow down a hectic day or allow for reflection on the upcoming New Year. Book a tea session, then enjoy a beauty bar appointment. Plan a get-together with friends or go alone and treat yourself. Full-service spa services include pedicures, manicures, and face and body treatments. sipshopsoak.com

Dancing Lion Chocolate, Manchester

Drinking a cup of hot chocolate can warm the soul like nothing else. “For chocolate is art. And as art, it is magnificent,” writes master chocolatier Richard Tango-Lowy, who prepares chocolate the way ancient Mayans did. He can also make a mean cup of hot chocolate. Dancing Lion’s “Chocolate Experience for 2” includes three samples of in-house, bean-to-bar chocolates, two bon bons, and either “drinking chocolate” or a rare tea. Watch for their upcoming classes for 2024, including a “chocolate adventure class.” dancinglion.us