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    Ambrose

    4.5 (22 reviews)
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    Ambrose Photos

    AMBROSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Ambrose

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    Short rib
    Olga S.

    Finally, we found a place that indulges your urge to order half the menu! I love that this is a tapas-style restaurant, so you really can try a bite of almost everything. We ended up ordering 6 plates amongst the 2 of us and wow everything was amazing! Our absolute favorite was the prosciutto and burrata plate- the toasts come with a bit of drizzles honey and there's a sprinkling of slivered almonds, and the whole combination was just beyond delicious. The gnocchi was also outstanding, as was the short rib- this was melt in your mouth short rib with delicious veggies. The only plate that fell flat was the bao buns, somehow these were stale, or at least on the tough side, and they were more like mini sloppy joes instead of bao. The service was wonderful, and it was too cold to be out on the patio, but that looks super cute, I can't wait to come back in the summer!

    Cocktails were great
    Michael R.

    A true hidden gem, tucked into the Hotel at the Bandstand, and next door to another great restaurant, "Otis". Exeter is certainly having a fine dining moment with yet another great venue. The inside dining room looks a bit small, but the outdoor patio is beautiful. Service was good with the host keeping a close eye on the operation as well as the chef making the rounds to check how we were enjoying our food. Cocktails were mixed perfectly. The menu is a variety of small and medium sized plates, that I will describe as world cuisine. The chef is from El Salvador, and one the best dishes we tried was the Pollo en Chica, which we are told is a popular Salvadoran dish. The plates were all beautiful and very very tasty. They seem to still be running a bit under the radar, and a website with menu would be helpful. I'm confident that this restaurant will mature and be another great option for Exeter dining.

    Patio area
    Linda S.

    Best food we've had on our trip to Exeter/Portsmouth by far! We chose Ambrose thanks to a recommendation from a local friend. Since it was a very warm and sunny day I was a little uncertain when they suggested we be seated in the patio area, but it worked out great - at 7 PM it was completely shaded and it's gorgeous (see photo). We chose 4 of the tapas plates for the 2 of us and it was just right: dates wrapped in bacon, burratini salad, cod en papillote, and pollo en chicha. All were terrific, but if you pressed me I would say the cod was my favorite.

    The dining experience is always top notch at Ambrose. We enjoyed a relaxing meal in their backyard oasis on a beautiful summer night. Jaime, Stanley, and new server Jack were all so personable and accommodating. The food is absolutely amazing, always! They are small plates meant to be shared. We put in our whole order at the beginning, the plates were spaced out nicely, and I never felt rushed. It's always such a relaxing experience there. We had a 7pm reservation, and we were closing the place down a bit after 9pm on a Wednesday. We never felt like we were being rushed out. Jack brought us over a complementary 10 year old port after we finished our dessert. It's the little touches that make all the difference! Maybe it's a good thing we don't live closer, because we'd be there all the time!

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    4 years ago

    The food was excellent and the staff were friendly and knowledgeable. The patio is beautiful.

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    Vino E Vivo - Olives

    Vino E Vivo

    (60 reviews)

    What a lovely restaurant. Just for a tip if you find the apothecary it's down the stairs right…read moreafter it. We did have a little bit of trouble finding it but that was kind of fun. Reservations recommended we were seated at a beautiful table for two right near the bar and started off with a Pinot noir and a cabernet. Both wines were delightful. For appetizers we had the braised lamb crepe and the octopus... Both dishes were delicious, presented well with sauces to die for. Followed by the pasta dish and the duck. These were the best dinners of the year for us. The blending of flavors were fantastic and it was augmented by the owner coming over and talking to us about how the food was prepared. I won't bore you with all the details but the octopus is slow boiled for 5 hours.. complete with wine. Corks it was tender and delicious with the Mediterranean flair. We go out to eat our fair share from high end to diners anywhere. The food is well prepared and delicious... This was the top for the year! From the service to the presentation to the wine to the ambiance, everything is top notch here. I will provide a warning. You will drop a pretty penny if you partake in all the courses, but we thought it was well worth it. Thank you to the staff and ownership. We enjoyed our evening.. a true date night.

    So, we finally got to try the chef's table, or "Chef's Whim" as it's officially titled. Eight…read morecourses. In addition to the food, we added the suggested alcohol pairings. I say alcohol because it wasn't all wine but ... since it's a bit of a surprise in terms of what actually appears I'll just leave it at that. However, as to the food ... I'll give a taste, a flavor, a wisp of a whisper of the full culinary adventure. For complete details, see your local sous chef! Here's what we had. In the middle of my photo collage, a blood sausage slider with fennel/jalapeño sauce on toasted brioche bun. Then clockwise from top left - cornbread with maple glaze in a Barbie sized personal cast iron skillet; beet salad with goat cheese half spheres; a dessert tray of black apple cake with hay ice cream (yes, seriously), chamomile pot de creme and a duck fat beignet; an assortment of ice creams - fenugreek, fennel/maitake mushroom/burnt hazelnut (all tasted fabulous and in each you could taste the listed flavors); entree of duck and wild mushroom tart; white bean soup and finally a pasta dish of ravioli with two fillings. Just a note on what it would take to make it yourself. See that hexagonal white blob on the bottom row, middle pic? That's a potato foam. Forgive me for not recalling the full procedure but the prep is roughly 7 hours long. First, the cut potatoes are cooked in a sous vide for 2 hours so that no moisture is added to them. Then a succession of ricing, smoking, drying, undrying, mashing, placing in a foam machine that looked like a whipped cream dispenser and boom - a tiny dollop of potato. It tasted great. But man - that's a lot of effort for a mouthful of potato. I don't think I'll be trying it at home. Over two hours of eating and chatting. I brought a couple of my restaurant-based cartoons as my personal thanks for the meal and was shocked that Justin, their sommelier, had done a cartoon of his own ahead of time for me! Just stick to wine, Justin - I don't need any MORE competition with my magazine editors ... With Dylan ably providing the primary chef duties and Amaya and Justin handling the booze, the meal was a smashing success. The food pairings were masterfully chosen and timing of the dishes meant we were always primed for the next one. Although the succession of what I'd call dessert dishes made me start to feel like a Hobbit enjoying dessert, second dessert and then post seconds. As Anton Ego said in Ratatouille (and they have a cute Reme rat under glass on a shelf) "I shall be returning, hungry for more."

    Cava

    Cava

    (427 reviews)

    $$$

    Food and drinks are incredible. Great atmosphere for a date night. The waitress was attentive and…read morethe atmosphere was intimate. Great for dinner.

    I honestly am not sure where to start and end with my wife and l anniversary dinner at Cava this…read moreevening. My wife and I have close to or more than 1000 dining experiences in our time together. If Cava wasn't the best overall, it was an extremely close second. Our server Dan was awesome from start to finish. On point, Attentive, professional, and exceeded expectations on every level. Cava is a very intimate dining experience with a warm comfortable indoor and outdoor seating option. It is also very practical as a stop before going to the Music Hall, an important date or like us an anniversary. Cava is unlike many of the places we have visited over the years in the food category. Every course was exceptionally prepared, thoroughly thought out and professionally executed with excellent plating. I won't go into detail on every dish but suffice it to say there was enjoyment with every mouthful of every course. I ordered: Espresso Martini An Italian Pinot Grigio (with dinner) We shared the charcuterie plate First course - Mussels Second Course - Italian Meatball dish Third Course - Braised Flank Steak Fourth Course - Torte My wife ordered: A wonderful Rum with blackberry cocktail An Italian Pinot Grigio(with dinner) First Course- Warm Potato Soup Second Course- Stuffed and wrapped dates Third Course- Shrimp with Polenta Fourth Course- Blueberry Cheesecake

    Moxy - Whoopie Pie Sliders

    Moxy

    (471 reviews)

    $$

    We made a same-day reservation at Moxy, not knowing it was restaurant week. The interior was cozy…read moreand colorful, and we were seated in the upstairs area, so we had a balcony view of the bar. For drinks, I got a glass of Malbec (which was very nice), but they also had many enticing cocktails and mocktails. The restaurant week menu consisted of 4 pre-fixe courses. For the first course, I chose the Salmon Tartare, which was fresh and tasty. It wasn't very salty, which I appreciated. I also tried my friend's carrot soup, which had a nice creamy texture with crunchy peas for contrast. For the second course, I chose the Mushroom Labneh. This one was awesome! Next was the Chicken Thigh, which was so juicy and paired well with the garlic sour cream. I also loved my dessert - Griddled Corn Muffins with wild blueberry compote. Service was friendly and seamless, and we left full and happy. Highly recommend for dinner!

    Restaurant Week in Portsmouth was the perfect opportunity to try out Moxy. Plus an added bonus of…read more$42 for a 4-course meal made it more interesting. We found street parking close to the restaurant so that was great while paying close attention to the fact that street parking is not free in the area until 8 pm. I made a reservation and we were seated right away after we entered the restaurant. Our table was situated on the first floor so the area was small but we had enough space between table to have a private conversation. I started out with salmon tartare and it was my least favorite of all. I found the pita to taste somewhat stale and I ended up not eating it. Salmon was good but I did not find that cream cheese added to the dish. It might be a matter of personal preference but I wished I started out with something else from the menu. My shrimp scampi was delicious and I would come back for this dish. Pasta and sauce were great and shrimp were a nice size. I then went with the beef stew. I found the pastry to be somewhat salty but it balanced with the stew that was slightly underseasoned. Maybe it was intended to be that way. It was a decent dish overall. I loved the strawberry panna cotta. Their rhubarb chutney was beautiful and the dish was a great way to end my meal. I would come back to this restaurant in the future to try out their regular menu.

    Tavern 27 - Gluten free Mac and cheese with brisket.

    Tavern 27

    (423 reviews)

    $$

    Ventured from Southern New Hampshire to do a little Christmas shopping in the White Mountains…read more Needed a halfway point for a late lunch. Found this gem on Yelp. Old style Tavern/pub. The first thing we noticed when we walked in the door was that Christmas smacked us in the face with the best smelling Christmas Tree candle , burning in a super cute entryway. I could hardly wait to get inside to see what else this place had in store. First, there was a fireplace and a couch and a table. In the rest of the dining area, we're all high tops. Not so high that a barely over 5 foot person such as myself couldn't sit comfortably. Our waitstaff (there were two) and were great about offering menu suggestions when I shared flavor profiles I might be looking for and they were attentive and so pleasant. They had super cute Christmas decorations, and were putting up more while we were there. The vibe is super warm and welcoming, and for a short while you feel like you stepped back in time. The tiramisu martini was delicious, as was the blood orange martini. I had the cauliflower with juju sauce at the recommendation of the waitress, and it was honestly the best cauliflower I've ever had! My husband enjoyed his macaroni and cheese with buffalo and bleu as well. The owner/chef, Leslie, came and chatted with us for a little bit before we were on our way. We learned that in the summer they hold concerts, and they have a golf course. There is a distillery on site as well. Everything about this place was excellent, and we are already planning a day date to go back and try more menu items!

    Lots of fun very unique. Wonderful owners Lovely location …read more They havre their own distillery making delicious vodka.

    La Maison Navarre - Blackberry sapphire

    La Maison Navarre

    (405 reviews)

    $$

    It was such a warm and welcoming atmosphere on a cold winter morning. Pastries looked amazing and…read moreall the packaged goods on the shelves were authentic and well sourced. The delightful scent of coffee was in the air and the staff were absolutely friendly as you approached the counter. Despite a buzz of patrons trickling in and ordering, the coffee was delivered to the table shortly after I sat. The staff obviously had a strong momentum going as I watched other tables being served just as quickly. Before I could even really start sipping on my piping hot Cafe Au Lait, I was served my salad and crepe. It was fun to watch how each person worked their station passionately. The lady preparing the crepes meticulously cleaned her station as she cooked. The staff on coffee were brewing away and sending cups out to diners. Other items were coming out from the back kitchen. They worked in unison like a well oiled machine. I definitely enjoyed my coffee. My salad was generous and hit the spot. The crepe was acceptable. Would I come back? Yeah, definitely my type of breakfast spot when visiting Portsmouth again. I definitely will try their croissants next time as well as check out their wine bar in the evenings!

    While in the area and looking for a sweet treat. We came across. MN. We had 2 options. We could…read morestand in line and order and sit in the general seating. Area or opt for service at the wine bar, we chose to seat ourselves at the bar after we placed our order. There was a line when we arrived. But service was very efficient, and we were quickly helped. There was a wait for our beverages. However it was well worth it. My mother was looking for a standard drip coffee and due to none being available.An excellent option of an americano was offered and she fell in love with it immediately. The deserts were also very well crafted and had excellent flavor. Definitely a place to stop. Relax people watch and enjoy a little treat with some great coffee options.

    Granite Tapas & Cocktail Lounge - Valentine's Day Vanilla Bean Custard Desert!

    Granite Tapas & Cocktail Lounge

    (94 reviews)

    $$

    I don't give 5 stars often but when I do, I mean it from the bottom of my very being…read more Let's knock out the queer o meter. A solid 10. Nice. The location had me hesitant. It's located in a little business section off the main road. We were at the eye place and decided to go there for dinner. BOY AM I GLAD WE DID! We got the chicken sliders to start - omg. Heaven. Lightly fried tenders on small brioche buns with perfect toppings. There were 3 of them standing tall on the tray, hot and delicious. We got an order of the mac n cheese to share - again, pure perfection. Homemade with the right hints of smoked Gouda, cream and topped with crumbs. I got the bourbon steak tips with mashed and asparagus done medium. If I could go back every week I would. The only down side is this place is in NH and we live in RI. That and the seats aren't comfortable at all. That's my only con. Food wise there are none. Zip. Zilch. The staff was nice and attentive without being overly so. Oh oh wait. Ok one other con. They don't have Bloody Marys. That's ok. I was more than happy to swan dive into the mac n cheese to chase my blues away. Go here. Eat everything. And enjoy! You won't be disappointed. Cheers!!

    We went to Granite Tapas recently and were very impressed with the food. Very well prepared,…read morecreative and delicious! The drinks were good, but a little light on the pour considering the prices. Overall, it was a good experience, but we were somewhat disappointed when we got our bill. Everything was marked up by 3% if we used a credit card. Supposedly, this is in small print on the menu, but we failed to notice. I can't think of another restaurant that does this in the area and we go out to eat 4-5 times a week. It felt deceptive and like we got nickel and dimed after spending around $100. I won't say we won't be back, but didn't appreciate this tactic at all.

    Ambrose - tapasmallplates - Updated May 2026

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