When it comes to dining out in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the Granite State certainly boasts a plethora of restaurants to choose from at this popular seaport area located just an hour north of Boston.
Whether you are looking to celebrate a special occasion or simply want to plan a fun summer adventure, the coastal gem’s historic downtown is guaranteed to provide a memorable day trip.
One of best ways to celebrate your newfound favorite getaway is over dinner and there’s no better spot to raise a toast than at an award-winning restaurant nestled in a historic structure.
From fresh handmade pastas to dry-aged and house-butchered steak selections, Toscana Italian Chophouse & Wine Bar has become a standout in the heart of Portsmouth since it opened here back in 2020 – and for good reason.
Located in the restored New Hampshire National Bank building in Portsmouth’s bustling Market Square, the restaurant’s location in the city’s historic downtown area is worth a visit alone. The eatery is the brainchild of restaurateur Joe Faro, who continues to expand his artisan Italian empire that spans from Tuscan Kitchen to Tuscan Market.
Evidence of the bank’s history can still be detected in Toscana’s reimagined rustic-upscale interior featuring oversized windows, brick walls, exposed beams, and high ceilings.
The swanky space boasts a refined yet approachable menu that combines the perfect balance of modern steakhouse with upscale Italian eatery. Popular starters include crab cakes, crispy calamari, wood-grilled octopus, eggplant rollatini, and fresh burrata.
We recommend getting started with one of their creative cocktails with fun names like the Super Mario Bros. made with citrus vodka, Toscana’s Dirty Martini, accompanied by green olives freshly stuffed with gorgonzola cheese, or a classic Aperol Spritz.
Whether you come with a large party, with your significant other, or even opt to dine here solo, the Salumi e Formaggi board should not be missed. Overflowing with house cured salumi, imported cheeses, and mixed olives accompanied by truffle honey and crostini, the enormous sampling might be the best way to whet your appetite for what’s to come.
The shareable Tuscan meatball is an absolute must-have appetizer here and large enough to share between two guests (although you may not want to).
Served in a spicy pomodoro sauce and topped with fresh burricotta (a delicious combination of burrata and ricotta) along with fried basil, the starter was quickly devoured and every last drop mopped up with the last few slices from the basket of warm fresh bread.
Our friendly and extremely attentive server made a few suggestions for main dishes to help us navigate the menu. We took her advice and went with the Seafood Fra Diavolo, a seafood lover’s dream overflowing with shrimp, scallops, and mussels served in a spicy (and we do mean spicy) pomodoro sauce with fresh angel hair pasta.
Now we know why Toscana’s Chophouse Bolognese remains one of their signature and most popular dishes. A satisfyingly delicious combination of beef and pork in classic braised sauce arrived combined with scratch-made pasta topped with fresh Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
When it comes to steaks here, all of their chops are wood fired and seared on the outside for extra flavor. Highlights include a 10-ounce, barrel-cut filet mignon; a 16-ounce Prime dry-aged strip; and an A-7 Wagyu flat iron.
Other entrees here include grilled swordfish, pan-seared salmon, roasted duck al Limone, and oven roasted chicken.
If you save room for dessert, which we highly recommend, the rich 10-layer chocolate Zabaglione cake is worth every indulgent calorie with its layers of chocolate cake and alternating layers of chocolate mousse topped with a rich ganache. It’s even better when paired up with an Espresso Martini.
Toscana Italian Chophouse & Wine Bar is located at 3 Pleasant Street in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
