What’s Fresh on the Menu in Dover
Three new restaurants are ushering in a new era for Dover’s food scene
It’s a good time to be a foodie in downtown Dover. Native son Evan Hennessey brought home the Best Chef: Northeast title from the James Beard Awards in June — New Hampshire’s first Beard outside the America’s Classics division — and it seems a new restaurant pops up in town every month.
Three of those openings are worthy of particular note. Charro’s Mexican Cuisine had its grand opening in July, bringing south-of-the-border delights to the Cocheco Mills complex. Nearby, TikTok-famous chef Taryn Merrill slings her signature cheeky café fare at Bad Batch, welcoming customers since early this year. And, in the space that housed Harvey’s Bakery & Coffee Shop for more than 90 years, baker Aubrey Blanchette will soon open Aubrey’s on Central, an eatery poised to open its doors next month.
Aubrey Blanchette stirs batter. Photo by Aubrey Blanchette
“Entrepreneurs see real opportunity in Dover,” says Christopher Parker, the deputy city manager. “And customers are eager to support new concepts.”
That has certainly been the case for Aubrey’s. In June — long before the shop even had an opening date — Blanchette launched a GoFundMe to help with café-opening expenses like a new walk-in freezer and oven. The fundraiser notched more than $3,500 in donations in just its first month, a testament to Blanchette’s deep community support.
“Even my landlords are tremendously supportive. That was partly why I was like, ‘I need to jump on this opportunity,’ ” says Blanchette, a native of nearby South Berwick, Maine. “I just love the community feel in Dover.”
Aubrey’s will mark a return to brick-and-mortar business for Blanchette, who owned Aubrey’s Coffee House + Bakery in South Berwick before pivoting to home baking.
Menu items like this parrilla monterrey from Charro’s Mexican Cuisine are full of bold Mexican flavor. Courtesy Photo
In addition to a full coffee bar and savory items like bagels and sandwiches, Aubrey’s will feature Blanchette’s large roster of homemade baked goods — many of which are gluten- free. (Her top recommendation for new customers? The Kosmic Brownie, a gluten-free riff on the beloved mass-market kids’ treat.)
At just 28, Blanchette will breathe a decidedly youthful new life into her Central Street space. Its former resident, Harvey’s, opened in 1932, only closing in 2025 when its family owners decided to retire.
“I have so many memories of going to Harvey’s with my grandfather and my parents as a kid,” Blanchette says, and she also knew one of the Harvey’s owners well through a mutual friend. “So that’s really cool that I’m kind of taking over.”
A few blocks away, Merrill and her team have also transformed a storied coffee shop for a new generation. Bad Batch occupies the Hale Street space that once housed the beloved boho café Adelle’s. The bohemian streak remains at Bad Batch — think dark moody interiors and intimidatingly cool baristas — but with a new-school twist. Those cool baristas, for instance? They call themselves “the baddiez” and have their own team Instagram.
A café steeped in Internet culture is a natural outgrowth for Merrill. She first rose to prominence last year, when drinks from her other business, Plaistow’s Fresh AF Bakeshop, went viral on TikTok. Called “baddie buckets” at Bad Batch, these lemonades and coffees feature flavored syrups, boba pearls, and “jelly confetti” punched into shapes like hearts and stars, and oh yeah: They’re served in plastic mega-cups so big they come with top handles.
Bad Batch also has regular-sized drinks, of course — its inventive and often seasonal concoctions have included “Kiss Me, I’m Chai-rish” tea on St. Patrick’s Day and “Purple Haze” lavender matcha for 4/20 — and, like at Aubrey’s, house made pastries are a specialty, too. Bad Batch is part of a downtown stretch that calls itself “Little Brooklyn,” and curling up with a latte here will quickly show you how the neighborhood earned that name.
By comparison, Charro’s Mexican Cuisine might be the most familiar-feeling of these three new eateries. The restaurant offers the kind of items you know, love and expect from a Mexican restaurant, from queso fundido and fajitas to kid’s-menu quesadillas perfect for the niños. But the classics are classic for a reason — and they’re especially appealing when paired with a drink menu that includes eight Mexican-imported beers and a whopping 10 different margaritas.
Bad Batch in Dover offers plenty of tasty sips with a side of sass (and a few sweet treats, too). Courtesy Photo
The restaurant’s Washington Street home has had a high rate of turnover in recent years: Smuttlabs, Aviation Brewing and Fire and Spice have all opened and closed there since 2019. But sit at the long, sleek bar with a michelada and a plate of birria tacos, and you’ll see why locals hope Charro’s will be the concept that sticks.
“It is especially exciting to see a new generation of business owners breathing fresh life into spaces with deep roots,” says Parker, who oversees development and strategic initiatives for the city. “These businesses are making these spaces their own and offering a glimpse of where Dover is heading.”
Aubrey’s, Bad Batch and Charro’s are hardly the only new developments in Dover. Chef Hennessey’s Topolino opened this spring down the street from the now Beard-winning Stages at One Washington, and a few blocks north, the year-old Garrison City Provisions offers gourmet grocery that would fit right into a city 10 times Dover’s size. Taken together, though, they all represent the same thing: a dynamic and delicious new chapter for this little city on the Cocheco.
Aubrey’s on Central
376 Central Ave.
aubreyscoffeehouse.com
Bad Batch Café
3 Hale St.
Instagram and Facebook
(Keep an eye out for their website!)
Charro’s Mexican Cuisine
47 Washington St.
charrosrestaurant.com
