Portsmouth adds culinary incentive

The rest of America is finding out what New Englanders have known for a long time. Portsmouth, N.H., is one of the best cities of its size in the country. Its Seacoast location, historic downtown, and abundance of dining and shopping options have lured folks for decades -- we discovered it in the early 1980s and from what we can tell, it has only gotten better. Now the national honors are rolling in: No. 4 on Outside magazine’s Top 20 Towns in America; one of the dozen “Distinctive Destinations” for 2008 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation; one of “America’s Prettiest Towns” by ForbesTraveler.com. Here’s a perfect excuse to return to the “Port City”: Restaurant Week Portsmouth, from Nov. 10-16. This city of about 21,000 boasts 252 restaurants, giving it one of the highest concentrations of restaurants per capita in the nation. Restaurant Week will feature three-course prix fixe menus: $16.95 per person for lunch and $29.95 per person for dinner, which does not include beverages, taxes, or gratuity. Reservations are recommended, but not required. To book reservations, diners must contact the restaurant of their choice. For a list of participating restaurants, visit restaurantweekportsmouth.com or call 603-436-3988. Part of the proceeds will benefit Seacoast Local, Inc., a non-profit that promotes “Buy Local” and “Eat Local” initiatives. The Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth Hotel is offering a package that includes two Restaurant Week dinners in Harbor’s Edge restaurant and overnight accommodations starting at $199 (sheratonportsmouth.com). Organizers plan to repeat Restaurant Week in March 2009, but why wait?