Liliana Ciraulo

Upper Valley Eats!

Dartmouth is located in the Upper Valley, an area along the New Hampshire and Vermont border, where beautiful nature and small town charm can be found in every corner! Sometimes, I find myself so caught up in Dartmouth itself that I miss out on the gorgeous and unique place that surrounds us. In a recent attempt to engage with the Upper Valley more, I've been trying out various food places in the area! Towns like Hanover, West Lebanon, Lebanon, Norwich, and White River Junction offer some of the yummiest foods to try! Below, I've compiled a list of my favorite spots, categorized by breakfast, lunch, dinner, and of course, sweet treats.

Breakfast:

Although The Works exists in many towns throughout New England, its Hanover location is the newest! The Works is probably one of the most unique food places in town, since it offers bagels, wraps, salads, protein bowls, smoothies, and a variety of drinks! This is one of my favorite places to get a bagel for breakfast. You can most commonly find me at The Works on a Saturday morning, ordering a toasted everything bagel (called "The Works" bagel) with a schmear of bacon scallion cream cheese. Otherwise, I've heard fantastic things about their salads. I may just have to try one soon!

Shryl's Diner, located in West Lebanon, NH, was first introduced to me through a "diner tour" programming event that my sorority put on. As soon as I stepped inside, I was greeted with such hospitality and warmth by the staff. The prices are also unbeatable - my meal was less than $10! I thoroughly enjoyed my omelet breakfast, and I recommend this place to nearly everyone I know. It's a small restaurant, but the charm is unmatched.

4 Aces Diner has a vibe like no other. Americana regalia lines every wall, and you really feel like you've stepped into an old-school, 1950s diner! My favorite thing to order here is the eggs benedict with a coffee frappe on the side. The 4 Aces menu is expansive; no matter what you order, I guarantee you'll be satisfied. Located nearby in West Lebanon, NH, the 4 Aces is a classic breakfast spot to try during your time at Dartmouth.

Lunch:

Lalo's Taqueria, in Lebanon, NH, is my favorite place to get Mexican food in the Upper Valley. Their street tacos, topped with cilantro, diced onions, and salsa verde, are mouth-wateringly delicious. You can choose your meat filling, too - my personal favorite is the pork belly, which they only have sometimes. At first, I was wary of trying a pork belly taco, since I wasn't sure how well the flavors would mesh - but this flavor combo is something I dream about. It's life-changing.

Umpleby's Bakery and Cafe is conveniently located right in Hanover! I find that Umpleby's is severely underrated. Their sandwiches are so delicious - my go-to is The Bertie Wooster, which contains turkey, bacon, sliced apples, lettuce, cheddar cheese, and mayonnaise. I typically order this on sourdough bread, too! Umpleby's is always crowded on the weekends, but if you can find a good time to slide in, it's so worth it. The outdoor seating is one of the best spots to enjoy your delicious sandwich!

The Norwich Farmers Market, subsequently located in Norwich, VT, boasts a variety of vendors - but my absolute favorite is Griddle & Groovy. Described as a "gourmet grilled cheese business", Griddle & Groovy serves up the best grilled cheese sandwiches I've ever tasted. The menu is a bit difficult to find online, so I unfortunately can't recall which sandwiches I've had… but that just means you'll have to try them for yourself. The farmers market is only open during certain parts of the year, so go while you can!

Dinner:

Base Camp Cafe is tucked away in the heart of Hanover! They serve up Nepalese cuisine, which I'd never tried before coming to Dartmouth. I absolutely adore the momos (dumplings), specifically the chicken and spinach paneer ones. But, the star of the show is the basil chicken, served with basmati rice and the most wonderful cilantro sauce in the world! When my mom visited me at school, the #1 place I wanted her to try was Base Camp. We had a fantastic time trying all the flavorful and delicious food! I already want to go again!

When you're feeling fancy, Three Tomatoes Trattoria in Lebanon, NH is one of the best spots to go. I already love Italian food, and Three Tomatoes made me love it even more. I first came here right around move-in during my first fall, and ever since, I've declared my love and adoration for Three Tomatoes. The chicken saltimbocca is my #1 recommendation, but I promise that everything else on the menu is equally wonderful.

Taj-E India in White River Junction, VT serves up some of the best Indian food I've ever had! The first time I had Taj-E India, it was through a free food event that my residential housing community, School House, put on. I instantly fell in love with the samosas, saag paneer, and aloo matar, and loaded up my plate! Taj-E India's menu is chock-full of delicious food, and I'd highly recommend everyone to try it out! They don't do any restaurant-style seating, so make sure you order or call ahead to pick up your order to-go.

Sweet Treats:

Hanover Scoops has a line out the door these days! This is my favorite place in town to get my ice cream fix. Coming from a warm place, cold and frozen desserts are my go-to! I just recently went to Scoops two days in a row, ordering the exact same thing both times: a scoop of black raspberry ice cream with chocolate sprinkles. This is a very New England order…or so I've been told. No matter what you order here, you're bound to be delighted. I also highly recommend the maple creemee (maple flavored soft serve) with maple-flavored sprinkles!

Scoops may have the reign on me in Hanover, but when I'm in Lebanon, NH, Dairy Twirl is the spot for ice cream! Like most ice cream places in the Upper Valley, Dairy Twirl is only open during certain parts of the year (something like Memorial Day to Labor Day…but I'm not entirely sure). The key feature of Dairy Twirl are the sizes! I usually get a "half small", which is still decently sized, for such a great price. From hard serve to soft serve, you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. My favorite, though, is obviously black raspberry with chocolate sprinkles.

King Arthur Baking Company in Norwich, VT, is a cafe, bakery, and store! They even offer baking and cooking classes to learn how to make bread, scones, pastries, and more. I first came here during my first fall, somewhere around move-in. My parents fell in love with the place. No, seriously. I've never seen so many boxes of scones being purchased. I can't blame them though - the pastries from this place are decadently delicious! The bread, sometimes known as KAF (King Arthur Flour) for short, can also be found throughout the Upper Valley, including Dartmouth. One of our campus cafes, The Fern, offers several sandwiches using KAF bread! Yum!

Writing this has made me so hungry! I hope you enjoyed this mini food tour of the Upper Valley - but please know that there is so much more to explore, too! If you ever find yourself visiting the area, these places will surely bring you joy (and delicious food).