7 New Hampshire Restaurants With Large Portions

A Foodie’s Quest for New Hampshire’s Most Glorious Gut-Busters

There are moments in a person’s life when a meal isn’t just a meal. It’s an event. A commitment. A pact between you and the kitchen that you will, for the next several hours, be in a state of profound, happy fullness. This is the story of one such moment, and the quest to find its brethren across the Granite State.

It began, as many great stories do, in Dover at a place that needs no introduction to locals. WOKQ reported that after a show, the author stopped at their favorite local haunt for what they anticipated would be a simple lunch. One enormous California Breakfast Burrito and a Bloody Mary later, they were questioning their ability to walk out under their own power. “I ordered lunch,” they wrote. “Apparently, I also ordered dinner, tomorrow’s breakfast, and a snack for Thursday.” This culinary awakening sparked a simple, powerful question: where else in New Hampshire can you find portions that are almost ridiculous?

The Origin Story: Fat Dog Kitchen and a Burrito to Remember

The journey starts, naturally, at Fat Dog Kitchen. If you’ve lived in Dover for a while, you might remember this local favorite from its original location at 20 Third Street, right next to The Strand Theatre. Owners Paul Coty and Stephanie Gladys opened the restaurant back in 2016, and it has been a local institution ever since. These days, you’ll find them at 99 Oak Street, inside Hot Rod City.

7 New Hampshire Restaurants With Ridiculously Big Portions — Photo: chilichili.net

And let’s be clear: the experience is about more than just the food. Great people, a great atmosphere, and food that keeps you coming back. The menu is loaded with creative options, from The Marley, a sandwich with thick-cut bacon, avocado, lettuce, fried green tomato, and chipotle mayo on toasted bread, to the Nashville Hot Chicken, featuring buttermilk-fried chicken, Nashville hot sauce, lettuce, pickles, and chipotle mayo on a grilled potato roll. Both are fantastic, but today was different. Today was the California Breakfast Burrito.

Are you ready for this? It is, in short, a monument to excess and deliciousness. “That burrito is no joke,” the author confirms. No regrets. Not a single one.” This is the ethos of Fat Dog Kitchen: enormous portions, creative food, and a feeling that you are getting your money’s worth, in triplicate.”

A Tour of the Granite State’s Most Generous Kitchens

This singular experience, however, was just the beginning. From massive breakfast burritos and towering sandwiches to hearty Italian dinners, these are the New Hampshire restaurants that know how to serve up a serious meal. The list, according to chilichili.net, includes seven establishments where you should come hungry and bring your appetite, because you won’t be surprised if you leave with tomorrow’s lunch already packed.

And that brings us back to the original, burning question. The list is growing, and the hunt is on.

As the author notes, this is just the beginning of the conversation.