7 New Hampshire Restaurants Located in Historic Mill Buildings

Back in the early 1800s, New Hampshire had a thriving manufacturing business, to say the least, particularly in Manchester with 40 mill buildings alone, according to the New Hampshire Historical Society.

Although some of the buildings are still standing, many of them have been transformed into gorgeous restaurants.

If you dine in a restaurant that used to be a working mill, you will probably also be able to enjoy a water view as well, as production relied on a working water wheel for power.

Here are 7 from around the state.

Cotton, Manchester, NH

Located in downtown Manchester, the name of the restaurant is a nod to the venue, a former cotton mill.  Cotton has a cool, hip, vibe with music from the 50's and 60's playing.  The artwork depicts old, long gone, classic artists.  Think Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, etc.  That would be enough for me to love to the place to be honest, but the food is delicious, but the cocktails are heavenly.

Cotton is my recommendation for anyone coming into Manchester Boston Regional Airport.

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The Foundry, Manchester, NH

Because the Amoskeag Mills had the most mills in the state during the Industrial Revolution, Manchester gets two mentions on this list.

The Foundry restaurant is huge, as these places usually are, giving the patrons a great experience.  Even on a busy Friday night, you can usually find at least a seat at the bar.

The Sunday "all you can eat" brunch is mind-blowing.  I've never seen more food in one place at a time.  Pace yourself.

The River House, Portsmouth, NH

Set in a former mill building, this beautiful restaurant overlooks the Piscataqua River.  (pronouned:  piss-CAT-tah-kwa)  The rustic setting can be either casual or fancy.  You can wear jeans, but put on a nice shirt.

Many times, I can recall "the River House" taking first place in the "Best Chowder" category at the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival.

Stages, Dover, NH

We are so proud of Stages in Dover, located in the Mill at 1 Washington Street.

It doesn't seem that long, but Stages opened in March of 2012 by Evan Hennessey and his brother Jared.  They have received a bunch of accolades including "Hottest New Restaurant in NH."   Stages was also named 100 Best Restaurants in North America for six years in a row, according to their website.

The food at Stages is seasonal and changes often.  Chef Hennessey will not serve you anything that isn't going to make your taste-buds sing.  Put on some nice clothes when you go, it's the least you can do to get some of the best food around.

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Mill Falls at the Lake

Owned by Alex Ray, of the Common Man restaurants, this beautiful property is located in Meredith, in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire.  If you don't live close to the property, you can make a reservation at the Inn and make a weekend out of it.

The Lakes Region is beautiful any time of year, but I would suggest in the late Spring, early Summer to breathe in clean air and relax.

Margarita's, Nashua, NH

This is one of my hometown favorites.  Yes, this is the same Margarita's that we have all over the state.  Same food, same drinks.

Located in an old mill building on the banks of the Nashua River, it was my go to spot for drinks after work.  (And, let's face it, appetizers too that turned into dinner for the night.)

From what I can recall, the downstairs has a huge fireplace where you can come and warm your bones.

The Common Man, Claremont, NH

This is another restaurant owned by Alex Ray, who owns the chain of Common Man restaurants as well as the Inn at Mills Falls in Meredith, NH.

Worth the drive to get away from the business of the world, this restaurant is located on the border of Vermont.  Should you want to make a night of it, you can book one of their rooms and stay over.