Boston Restaurant Talk: Portsmouth restaurants

Monday, April 10, 2017

News Elsewhere: Fire Destroys State Street Saloon in Portsmouth, NH

A five-alarm fire has wiped out a landmark New Hampshire restaurant and bar.

Seacoast Online is reporting that the State Street Saloon in Portsmouth was destroyed in a blaze which was first reported around 12:30 AM this morning, with the fire--which apparently started in the restaurant's kitchen--collapsing the building in which it resided. The article states that the remains of the structure were leveled around 7:00 AM as the remnants of the fire were being put out and that it appears all residents of the apartments on the second and third floors have been accounted for (no injuries were reported).

The State Street Saloon was an iconic spot that first opened 35 years ago in Portsmouth, offering classic American fare, beer, and cocktails. It is not yet known if the people behind the place will try to reopen it.

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Friday, March 24, 2017

Bennett's Sandwich Shop Is Opening in Boston's Fenway Neighborhood

A Maine institution that is known in part for its lobster rolls is on its way to Boston.

A licensing board page within the city's website indicates that Bennett's Sandwich Shop is planning to open in the Fenway, taking over the space on Peterborough Street where Swish Shabu had been until closing last November. Based on the name of the manager listed (Brendin McCord) and a note on its website, this is the same Bennett's that is located in Kennebunk, ME, along with a second location in Portsmouth, NH; the Kennebunk shop is a legendary place frequented by countless beachgoers and visitors to nearby Kennebunkport for its lobster rolls and other subs/sandwiches.

The original location of Bennett's first opened in Kennebunk in 1982, while the Portsmouth location opened in 2015.

The address for this new dining spot in the Fenway is: Bennett's Sandwich Shop, 84 Peterborough Street, Boston, MA, 02215. The website for the original location can be found at http://www.bennetts-store.com/

[July 10 update: Eater Boston states that Bennett's Sandwich Shop is now open in the Fenway.]

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Sandwiches from Restaurants in the Boston Area and Elsewhere in New England]