Eats to go

Alan Natkiel, chef/owner of Georgia’s Northside Photo by Matt Ingersoll

Georgia’s Northside Photo by Alan Natkiel Georgia’s Northside Photo by Alan Natkiel

Takeout tonight?

For restaurants all across the Granite State and beyond, 2020 was the year of takeout. Here are eight local eateries that readers said did it the best.

1. THE PURITAN BACKROOM RESTAURANT

245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com Shortly after the onset of the pandemic, The Puritan Backroom went a step further beyond releasing a takeout menu, also posting new takeout guides and video tutorials on the takeout process on its social media accounts. The takeout menu features many of the Puritan favorites that diners have come to know and love, from its famous chicken tenders to homemade ice cream available in pre-packaged containers, as well as a party menu of sandwich platters, family-size entrees and other meals.

2. TROY’S FRESH KITCHEN & JUICE BAR

4 Orchard View Drive, Unit 6, Londonderry, 965-3411, troysfreshkitchen.com Londonderry native Troy Ward Jr. opened this health-focused eatery in the town’s Apple Tree Mall shopping plaza in June 2019. Troy’s is 100 percent dairy-free and gluten-free, offering everything from smoothies and freshpressed juices to grain bowls, grilled wraps, breakfast scrambles and other items with fresh, all-natural and plant-based ingredients in a quick-service environment.

3. UNION STREET TAKEOUT

90 Union St., Manchester, 260-7663 You can’t miss the bright pink flamingo colors of this takeout-only eatery on the corner of Union and Plummer streets in Manchester, which quietly opened its doors in January 2020 in the space long occupied by Willie B’s. Union Street Takeout offers a menu of burgers, hot dogs, chili dogs, subs and sweet treats, many of which are available as specialty meal deals.

4. GEORGIA’S NORTHSIDE

394 N. State St., Concord, 715-9189, georgiasnorthside.com A takeout-only Southern kitchen and craft beer market, Georgia’s Northside opened in late June 2019 in the space formerly housing the Korner Kupboard general store. Owner and chef Alan Natkiel posts the eatery’s always changing menu to Facebook each day, which will often include meats from buttermilk fried chicken to barbecue ribs, smoked brisket and pulled pork, plus fresh market sides like Texas caviar, potato salad, tomato cucumber salad, grilled corn on the cob or green beans with bacon and blue cheese. Prior to opening the eatery, Natkiel owned Georgia’s Eastside BBQ in New York City for more than a decade.

5. LILAC BLOSSOM

385 E. Dunstable Road, Nashua, 888-9588; 650 Amherst St., Nashua, 8868420; lilacblossom.us With two locations on opposite ends of Nashua, Lilac Blossom has been a longtime favorite for its made-to-order Chinese cuisine, featuring everything from classic beef, pork and chicken dishes to soups, boneless spare ribs and steamed dumplings.

6. GOLDENROD DRIVE-IN RESTAURANT

1681 Candia Road, Manchester, 623-9469, goldenrodrestaurant.com Open seven days a week year-round, Goldenrod has been in business since 1951, serving more than 30 flavors of ice cream plus menu staples like its burgers, sandwiches, french fries and seafood plates.

7. PRESTO CRAFT KITCHEN

168 Amory St., Manchester, 606-1252, prestocraftkitchen.com Presto Craft Kitchen is a carry-out restaurant that opened on Manchester’s West Side in July 2019, specializing in Italian pasta dinners and made-toorder subs known as “sticks.” Owner and chef Joe Grella, who had a dessert catering business known as Custom Eats & Sweets prior to opening Presto, has incorporated all kinds of unique sweet treats out of a refrigerated case at the restaurant, from his wildly popular Oreo cheesecake truffles to other desserts like cheesecake and pudding cups, cookies, cannolis and tiramisu.

8. DOS AMIGOS BURRITOS

26 N. Main St., Concord, 410-4161, dosamigosburritos.com This popular Mexican eatery has been open in downtown Concord since May 2007, and operates other locations in Portsmouth and Dover. Dos Amigos is known for its customizable options that include tacos, burritos, quesadillas, bowls and more.

Kevin Horan

Kevin Horan, voted one of the “bests” in the Best Local Music Act category, lives in Manchester and plays solo as well as with the Stone Road Band. Hippo’s music reporter Michael Witthaus called him a “talented guitarist and drummer” — Horan teaches lessons on both those instruments as well.