Romantic Dining for Couples in Portsmouth, New Hampshire

The colonial seaport of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, still rings of its historic past with streets lined by stately 18^th-century homes. A romantic garden borders the harbor, where you can board cruises to nearby islands. If a couples’ getaway is in your family’s travel plans, you couldn’t pick a better spot.

Portsmouth’s reputation as a restaurant city makes a weekend there even more enticing, with romantic dining spots for every taste. For the best selection of fresh oysters, craft beers on tap and a lively vibe, choose Row 34. For a wide selection of seafood and a view of the harbor, follow Bow Street to Martingale Wharf.

For a cozier setting and a harbor view, reserve a window table at Black Trumpet. The menu features locally sourced ingredients, including pasture-grazed meats and foraged wild mushrooms. For a menu sure to delight carnivores, reserve early to score a table in the dark and intimate Cure, where American comfort food reaches new heights.

Any dinner at Ristorante Massimo becomes a special occasion, with its flawless service and romantic setting of brick walls and warm wood paneling. The menu and ambiance are upscale Italian and the restaurant’s cannoli is the best north of Boston’s North End. Comfortable, upholstered chairs invite settling in for an evening of fine dining and good company.

For lunch, a crisp croissant or a pre-dinner glass of wine, stop at the chic La Maison Navarre, a combination pastry shop and wine bar with a Parisian vibe.