Budget-Friendly Family Dining Near White Mountain Ski Areas

A day’s skiing or riding is bound to work up a hearty appetite, but the restaurants in New Hampshire’s Mt Washington Valley have you covered. Located within a few minutes of at least one of the region’s six ski mountains, these restaurants offer money-saving specials all week.

Wild Rose Restaurant

Set in the beautiful and historic Stonehurst Manor in North Conway, Wild Rose Restaurant is known for its sumptuous prime rib, but that’s only one of the entrées included in its Thursday night dinner-for-two special. For $35, guests choose any two entrées on the regular menu, which features rack of lamb, roasted salmon, seared sea scallops, house-made pasta dishes and more. Generous servings will satisfy even hungry teens and if your family doesn’t divide by two, the extra person gets the same half-price deal. On Friday nights, a three-course pizza dinner is $25, featuring wood-fired pizzas, salad and tiramisu for dessert, plus wine or beer for the adults.

Max’s Tavern

On Wednesdays, the fine-dining restaurant at Snowvillage Inn, close to King Pine ski area in Snowville, the Locals Night specials include made-from-scratch meals. There are three choices of comfort foods budget priced to attract local residents to make it a Wednesday night tradition. Don’t miss the gingerbread for dessert. This hilltop inn combines elegance with warm hospitality.

Christmas Farm Inn

A family lodging favorite for its cozy cottages, Christmas Farm Inn offers two-for-one entrées on Monday nights. Choose from the entire menu, including both continental and comfort food favorites. There’s an excellent children’s menu that includes a kid-sized steak and schnitzel with noodles all priced $7–10 for a full dinner. The inn’s irresistible signature dessert, the Chocolate Bag, is big enough to share. Christmas Farm Inn is in Jackson, on the road to Black Mountain, one of the most family-friendly ski mountains in the valley.

Chicken Piccata at Christmas Farm Inn, Jackson. Photo: Stillman Rogers

Deacon Street

A North Conway favorite close to the slopes of Cranmore Mountain

for après-ski dining, Deacon Street offers Twofer Tuesdays with two entrées for $24.95. Choose from the regular menu, including blackened salmon, fried chicken, steaks, ribs, chicken parmesan, grilled thick-cut pork chops and several pasta dishes, some gluten-free.

Lobster Trap

Order before 6 p.m. any night for Early Bird Specials at Lobster Trap

, a family-friendly restaurant on West Side Road in North Conway. The specials menu starts at $10.95 and are all served with house-made rolls, and French fries, onion rings or coleslaw. Included among the specials are the fried seafood combo of fish, native shrimp, scallops and Maine clams. Lobster rolls are only $11.95, half the usual price on the Maine coast. The kids’ menu had several choices at $3.95 and the most expensive option on it is $5.25. It’s no wonder this is a long-time local favorite for families.

Christmas Farm Inn, Jackson. Photo: Stillman Rogers

Wildcat Inn & Tavern

Every Tuesdays the Wildcat Inn & Tavern in Jackson serves two one-pound lobsters for $26.95 and, on Wednesday, the Dinner for Two menu includes a long list of the restaurant’s most popular entrées and specials. The menu changes weekly, but often lists dishes such as salmon, braised beef, chicken saltimbocca, chicken Parmesan or vegetable kabobs.

Bretton Woods

Combine after-hours skiing with dinner for only $29 with the Powder & Pasta special at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire’s largest ski area, at the northern end of the Mt Washington Valley. Ski or ride 4–8 p.m. and finish with a pasta dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. Hearty penne pasta is served with classic red Italian sauce or alfredo sauce and your choice of meatballs or grilled chicken, and fresh garlic bread.