Editor’s Picks

Elevated Comfort Food

Southern comforts meet Northeast taste at The Sassy Biscuit Co. in Dover. The goal? Bring big-city living to small-town plates. And Jilan Hall-Johnson and DeMarco Johnson do just that. The team believes in “the magnificence of the biscuit,” and brings it out through creating both savory and sweet flavors complete with a twist of innovation and bit of elevation. The menu is centered around their special recipe and unique technique for biscuits, waffles and pancakes, which you can see in items like spooned cakes, griddled cakes, pressed shortcakes and more. Pro tip: Don’t forget to check out their dinner alter-ego, Jook Nights on Thursday through Saturday from 3 to 9 p.m.

New Neighborhood Bakery

Jon Buatti had some beloved shoes to fill when he purchased Michelle’s Gourmet Pastries and Deli in Manchester. Happily, his Bearded Baking Co. is a hit, and the tradition of delicious baked goods continues at this Union Street shop. It probably didn’t hurt that not long after purchasing the bakery he made it through five episodes of “Holiday Baking Championship” on the Food Network. He may not have won the $25,000 grand prize, but his skills were on full display during his impressive run.

Macarons

Macarons are not easy to make, and even harder to make exactly right, as these delightful French confections are finicky and time-intensive. Lucky for us, Sweet! Macarons owner Lindsay LaRouche moved from Florida to New Hampshire and set up shop last February on Grove Street in Peterborough. Flavors range from the more traditional, like chocolate and vanilla, to creative, including churro, s’mores, Baileys Irish Cream, key lime pie or creamsicle. Here your imagination (and taste-bud tolerance) is the limit, as she takes special orders. An added bonus: Since they’re made with almond flour, most are gluten-free.

Confection Kingdom

A trip to Lickee’s & Chewy’s Candies and Creamery is an unforgettable, immersive experience. Just ask Igor — the dragon that guards the front door of this fantastical space in the Cocheco Mills in Dover. A magic hums throughout the place, creating an atmosphere that’s part Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, part Hogsmeade and part Walt Disney World. Immerse yourself in a fantasy world while indulging in outrageous chocolates, candy, ice cream and massive King Shakes — a range of chilled libations piled high with candy, cookies, nuts, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, chips and chunks.

Coffee for Commoners

One thing we’ve all learned from the pandemic is that we appreciate the whole concept of “normal” a lot more now. And among the many things we love that have grown far too exotic is that basic morning fuel we call the common cup of coffee. Variety is important, but so is consistency and the careful calibration of heat and coffee bean to produce a sweet, nutty, caffeine-infused moment of perfection every morning. The New Hampshire Coffee Roasting Co. has this balance figured out perfectly. Founded as Piscataqua Coffee Roasters back in 1989, the company moved to its current location in Dover and has been a family enterprise ever since, gradually becoming the default bean at many of the state’s best restaurants. You can also order it directly from them at their website. We recommend the sturdy Soprano Dark Roast and, if you insist on getting fancy, try their maple syrup-flavored roast with your pancakes.

Bakery Bread

Anyone who’s been to the award-winning Greenleaf restaurant in Milford knows how delish the bread is. So, when owner/executive chef Chris Viaud opened nearby Culture featuring his breads, it was an instant hit. The from-scratch kitchen offers fresh-baked breads, artisan sandwiches and housemade pastries. A lot of people agree with one satisfied patron who said, “So glad to have such great food without having to drive to Boston.” Why is it called Culture? Yes, it’s bread-related. Think sourdough.

Readers’ Poll Winners

Bakery

Overall winner
Harvey’s Bakery and Coffee Shop
Dover
harveysbakery.com

Overall Multilocation Regional winner
Frederick’s Pastries
Multiple Locations
pastry.net

Bakery Concord Area
Bread & Chocolate
Concord
Facebook

Bakery Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region
Blue Loon Bakery
New London
blueloonbakery.com

Bakery Great North Woods Region
Polish Princess Bakery
Lancaster
polishprincessbakery.com

Bakery Lakes Region
Yum Yum Shop
Wolfeboro
yumyumshop.com

Bakery Manchester Area
Bearded Baking Co.
Manchester
beardedbaking.com

Bakery Monadnock Region
Culture
Milford
culturenh.com

Bakery Nashua Area
Buckley’s Bakery & Café
Merrimack and Hollis
buckleysbakerycafe.com

Bakery Salem Area
Klemm’s Bakery
Windham
klemmsbakery.com

Bakery Seacoast Region
Popovers on the Square
Epping and Portsmouth
popoversonthesquare.com

Bakery White Mountains Region
Red Wagon Bakery
Canaan
Facebook

Breakfast Place

Overall winner
The Purple Finch Café
Bedford
purplefinchcafe.com

Overall Multilocation Local winner
Tucker’s
Multiple Locations
tuckersnh.com

Breakfast Place Concord Area
The Windmill Restaurant
Concord
windmillfamilyrestaurantinc.com

Breakfast Place Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region
Lou’s Restaurant & Bakery
Hanover
lousrestaurant.com

Breakfast Place Great North Woods Region
The Wilderness Restaurant
Colebrook
Facebook

Breakfast Place Lakes Region
The Farmer’s Kitchen
Farmington
farmerskitchen-nh.com

Breakfast Place Manchester Area
Poor Boy’s Diner
Londonderry
poorboysdiner.com

Breakfast Place Manchester Multilocation Regional
The Friendly Toast
Bedford and Portsmouth
thefriendlytoast.com

Breakfast Place Monadnock Region
The Riverhouse Café
Milford
damngoodgrub.com/riverhousecafe

Breakfast Place Monadnock Region Multilocation Local
The Red Arrow 24 Hr Diner
Multiple Locations
redarrowdiner.com

Breakfast Place Nashua Area
Suzie’s Diner
Hudson
suziesdiner.com

Breakfast Place Salem Area
Maddie’s
Salem
maddiesnh.com

Breakfast Place Salem Area Multilocation Local
MaryAnn’s Diner
Derry, Salem and Windham
maryannsdiner.com

Breakfast Place Seacoast Region
Big Bean Café
Durham and Newmarket
thebigbeancafe.com

Breakfast Place Seacoast Region Multilocation Regional
The Friendly Toast
Bedford and Portsmouth
thefriendlytoast.com

Breakfast Place White Mountains Region
Polly’s Pancake Parlor
Sugar Hill
pollyspancakeparlor.com

Coffee Roaster

Wayfarer Coffee Roasters
Laconia
wayfarerroasters.com

Coffee Roaster Multilocation Local
A&E Coffee & Tea
Amherst, Goffstown and Manchester
aeroastery.com

Coffee Shop

Coffee Shop Overall Winner

Flight Coffee Co.
Bedford
flightcoffeeco.com

Dover
flightcoffeedover.com

Coffee Shop Overall Multilocation Local
A&E Coffee & Tea
Amherst, Goffstown and Manchester
aeroastery.com

Coffee Shop Concord Area
Revelstoke Coffee
Concord
revelstokecoffee.com

Coffee Shop Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region
Lucky’s Coffee Garage
Lebanon
luckyscoffeegarage.com

Coffee Shop Great North Woods Region
The Granite Grind
Lancaster
Facebook

Coffee Shop Lakes Region
Wayfarer Coffee Roasters
Laconia
wayfarerroasters.com

Coffee Shop Manchester Area
Café La Reine
Manchester
cafelareine.com

Coffee Shop Monadnock Region
Union Coffee Company
Milford
unioncoffee.co

Coffee Shop Nashua Area
Riverwalk Café & Music Bar
Nashua
riverwalknashua.com

Coffee Shop Salem Area
The Grind
Derry
thegrindnh.com

Coffee Shop Seacoast Region
Adelle’s Coffeehouse
Dover
adellescoffeehouse.com

Coffee Shop White Mountains Region
Metropolitan Coffee House
North Conway
metropolitancoffeehouse.com

Chocolatier

Granite State Candy Shoppe
Concord and Manchester
granitestatecandyshoppe.com

Cupcakes

Queen City Cupcakes
Manchester
qccupcakes.com

Cakes

Jacques Fine European Pastries
Suncook
jacquespastries.com

Cakes Multilocation Regional

Frederick’s Pastries
Bedford, Amherst and North Andover, Mass.
pastry.net

Ice Cream

Ice Cream Overall Winner
Hayward’s Ice Cream
Nashua
haywardsicecream.com

Ice Cream Concord Area
Arnie’s Place
Concord
arniesplace.com

Ice Cream Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region
Sanctuary Dairy Farm Ice Cream
Sunapee
icecreamkidbeck.com

Ice Cream Great North Woods Region
Moose Alley Cones
Pittsburg
partridgecabins.com/about-us/moose-alley-cones

Ice Cream Lakes Region
Jordan’s Ice Creamery
Belmont
Facebook

Ice Cream Manchester Area
Puritan Backroom
Manchester
puritanbackroom.com

Ice Cream Monadnock Region
The Walpole Creamery
Walpole and Keene
walpolecreamery.com

Ice Cream Monadnock Region Multilocation Local
Kimball Farm
Jaffrey and Mass. Locations
kimballfarm.com

Ice Cream Nashua Area
The Big 1 Ice Cream Stand
Nashua
thebig1icecream.com

Ice Cream Salem Area
Moo’s Place Homemade Ice Cream
Derry and Salem
moosplace.com

Ice Cream Seacoast Region
Lago’s Ice Cream
Rye
lagosicecream.com

Ice Cream White Mountains Region
Bishops Homemade Ice Cream
Littleton
bishopshomemadeicecream.com

Pies

Red Wagon Bakery
Canaan
redwagonbakery.com

Pies Multilocation Local
Red Arrow 24 Hr Diner
Multiple Locations
redarrowdiner.com

Doughnuts

Donut Love
Exeter and North Hampton
donutlove603.com