Restaurants in Portsmouth

Warmth from the wood-burning oven just visible in the kitchen mingles with the soft diffused glow of overhanging punched lamps, filling the rustic space with a colonial Mexican ambiance. The chefs draw from modern, Old-World, and australopithecus cooking techniques while simmering dishes such as PEI mussels in chipotle butter, white wine, and mexican tequila. Whenever possible, they base their creations around sustainable seafood, local produce, and meat from grass-fed cows sourced from Pineland Farms. More than 80 tequilas, ranging from newborn blancos to 3-year-old anejos, populate the libations list, and the extensive wine list features vinos from Chile, Argentina, and Italy.

More than 10 colorful tap pulls unfurl rivulets of amber brews behind a mirror-inlaid bar, whose glossy panes reflect expert barkeeps as they shake, stir, and slide cocktails down the wood-topped counter. Each libation complements bites from Rivalries Sports Pub and Grill's menu of upscale bar fare, such as its signature sweet-chili buffalo chicken wings and burgers topped with caramelized or crispy fried onions. The screens of 34 televisions, each flickering with sports, dapple the walls between black and white posters of iconic moments in sports, from fateful tip-offs to Muhammad Ali punching a butterfly. Upstairs, an atrium-centered party room sprawls beneath a wood-beam ceiling, where Rivalries stocks celebrations with abundant party platters and buffets.

Large front windows cast natural light on the dining room's red and green walls, whose saturated pigments echo the rich colors of the spices that permeate each dish. Before pieces of tender chicken line up on skewers, they marinate in yogurt, cook over red-hot charcoal in the tandoor, and get passed under the trunk of the resident elephant statue for inspection. Fresh-baked naan breads transport hints of garlic and honey to scoopable stews, speckled with cubes of house-made paneer or infused with cinnamon and saffron.