Eat & drink in Exeter
Don't miss the 2 Exeter happy hours we track.
Where should I eat and drink in Exeter?
Exeter has 11 local food & drink spots in our guide: Sea Dog Brewing Co. (Riverside brewpub right on the Squamscott with one…); Otis (Tiny 20-seat room on Front Street serving a weekly…); Il Cornicello (Old-world Italian on Water Street — handmade pasta…); Epoch Gastropub (The bar and dinner room inside the historic Exeter…).
Vino e Vivo
Wine Bar & Restaurant. Thoughtfully curated wine list, new wines weekly. Full menu created by Chef Paul Callahan, a 2023 James Beard Foundation semi-finalist for Best Chef-Northeast. Voted Restaurant with the Best Wine List by the readers of New Hampshire magazine. Named an Editors' Choice by Yankee Magazine. Seasonally offering outdoor dining in the Riverside Patio. Meaning "Wine and Life", Vino e Vivo features a thoughtful selection of wines, including some which cannot be found in New Hampshire. Founded by Exeter local, Tony Callendrello, who has had a lifelong passion for wine, the wine bar recreates the experience of walking down an alley in a European city and finding a wine bar frequented by locals, just steps away from views of the Squamscott River. Come in and experience the magic that is Vino e Vivo. Call to place a reservation or stop in for some delectable wines.
Visit Vino e Vivo →Food & Drink
Sea Dog Brewing Co.
$$Riverside brewpub right on the Squamscott with one of the prettiest patios in town. The 25-year-old New England clam chowder is the move, the burgers are huge, and there's live mus…
Otis
$$$$Tiny 20-seat room on Front Street serving a weekly-changing five-course tasting menu — easily the most ambitious cooking in Exeter. Book a month out, dress up a little, and let che…
Il Cornicello
$$$Old-world Italian on Water Street — handmade pastas, seasonal Northern Italian plates, and a wine list that takes the room seriously. Cozy, warm, and consistently named one of the …
Epoch Gastropub
$$$The bar and dinner room inside the historic Exeter Inn — creative seasonal small plates, a proper cocktail list, and the kind of dim, leather-banquette vibe that makes a weeknight …
Las Olas Taqueria
$Cafeteria-style Mexican counter that locals swear by — fresh-pressed tortillas, killer carnitas tacos, and one of the best burritos on the Seacoast. Fast, cheap, gluten-friendly, a…
Street
$$Globe-trotting small plates from Bangkok to Beirut — falafel, pho, bibimbap, killer burgers, and a punchy cocktail list. The patio off Clifford Street is one of the most underrated…
Fat Hen Brewing Company
$Tiny family-run brewery on Front Street pouring British-style cask ales and serving from-scratch English meat pies — there's nothing else like it on the Seacoast. Small, warm, and …
Coffee & Breakfast
Me & Ollie's Bakery & Cafe
$The downtown breakfast anchor — house-baked breads, hearty breakfast sandwiches on their own focaccia, and a coffee bar that's been the Water Street morning ritual for years. Cozy …
The Loaf and Ladle Pantry
$An Exeter institution back after a 12-year break — the Ulery brothers reopened mom's old shop in the former St. Anthony's Bakery space. Homemade soups, fresh-baked breads, and big …
D Squared Java
$Local roaster and Water Street coffee shop with seriously good espresso, house-made syrups, and a rotating single-origin pour-over program. The kind of place where the barista reme…
