Restaurants in Portsmouth

Sun brings to life the goldenrod walls and vases of cut flowers in Tavern By The Sea's dining room, which opens onto the sailboat-speckled mirror of Wickford Harbor. Crisp linens cloak tables and serve as positive role models for young ghosts, and the sizzle of oil drifts into the dining room, laden with the scent of fish 'n' chips breaded in Sam Adams. Drifting strands of steam unfurl from bowls of lobster bisque, and chowders don crowns of cracker crumbs to add textural accents to New England clams and cream. During the summer months or the reign of rogue meteorologists, the eatery's deck opens for business and fills with chatter drifting from beneath a colorful battalion of umbrellas.

The menu offers seafood, veal, pasta, and chicken prepared from time-tested family recipes. Rev an appetite engine with coconut shrimp ($11) or homemade fennel-sausage antipasti ($9) and a glass of wine, such as Beringer Pinot Grigio ($6.50) or Trivento Pinot Noir ($7). Traditional Italian entrees include lobster, shrimp, and scallop cannelloni gratineé ($16); chicken campagnolo (egg-battered medallions with prosciutto, mozzarella, sherry, and mushroom demi-glace, $19); and veal bella Napoli (sautéed veal, shrimp, asparagus, portobello, tomatoes, and buffalo mozzarella, $23). Point Judith clams with shrimp and your choice of white, red, or fiery fra diavolo sauce over linguine ($22) and shrimp and scallop della casa ($22) will make any fisherman fondly remember his finest seafood- or mermaid-catching sprees. The trattoria experience would be incomplete without dessert, so sweeten endings with crème-brûlée cheesecake, tiramisu, or spumoni (all desserts are $7).

Bebop Burrito's cuisine offers build-your-own meals, five varieties of salsas ranging from mild to seriously hot, and deliciously edible burrito casings. Step right up and start your order by choosing a giant flour burrito or quesadilla tortilla, three soft or crispy taco shells, or a Bebop bowl lined with Romaine or cilantro brown rice. Fill the delicious receptacle with shredded beef ($6.45), chipotle-marinated grilled chicken ($6.25), braised pork ($6.35), a fresh seasonal vegetable ($6.25), or veggie-friendly rice, beans, and cheese ($4.25). Shots of salsa, such as fresh corn or tomato, green tomatillo, and hot tomato and roasted chilies ($1 each), breathe fiery life into any creation. Add an extra garnish such as sour cream ($0.55), guacamole ($1.65), or crunchy citrus slaw ($0.75).

Cavalieri's Wood Street Pizza is a family-owned-and-operated cookery that has been serving up house favorites and custom creations for 18 years. While the basic variety of pizza exists ($6.75 for 10" to $16.25 for a full sheet), Wood Street's pizza menu shines with exotic topped discs, such as buffalo chicken pizza, taco pizza fiesta, and a lasagna pizza pie. Specialty pizzas are $9, $18, or $27 (or $18.25 for thin crust), depending on size. If you prefer your pizza folded into a crescenty pocket of flavor, opt for one of the 20 varieties of calzones ($2.75 for single up to $27 for a 25" giant). Wood Street also whips up appetizers, grinders ($5.75–$6.75), a soup of the day ($4.25), salads ($2.50 for a side salad, others $4.50–$7.25), and pasta creations ($6–$9.95). Check the menu for changing specials for lunch, dinner, sandwiches, soups, and pizza, such as June's chicken Caesar.

European and American flags crown Redlefsen's Rotisserie & Grill, symbolizing the cuisine that can be found within. The restaurant specializes in German cuisine, particularly wiener schnitzel. When preparing this dish, cooks observe traditional techniques: they pound out the veal with a German dictionary, and then bread, fry, and accentuate it with lemon, capers, and anchovies. Chefs also create French-inspired chicken Provence and draw inspiration from Italian and Portuguese cookbooks. To complement meals, the restaurant maintains a diverse collection of imported beer, including Leffe Blond and Warsteiner.

Every Wednesday and Thursday in October, the restaurant celebrates Oktoberfest. Accordion players fill the beer hall with traditional melodies and the Alpenblumen Bavarian dancers perform folk dances.

Le Central's classic bistro atmosphere charms visitors from the onset with black-and-white-checked floors framed by red and yellow walls. The eatery's farm-to-table approach to French fare keeps admiration flowing, and even helped garner a head-nod and Best Neighborhood Restaurant distinction from Rhode Island Monthly. Below modern hanging lights, tables populate with starters of butter and herb-roasted mussels, house-made charcuterie, and salads rife with roquefort and gruyere cheese. Entrees of locally sourced fish and traditional coq au vin steam with olive tapenade, house-cured bacon, and chili-glazed duck confit.

While sipping on a cocktail or wine at the weathered wooden bar, guests can question the bartender about the bistro's Sunday brunch crepes or the architectural possibilities of crafting a beer hat out of a classic French beret.