Hanover, NH and the Upper Valley: Co-op, baking school, market

The Upper Valley is the stretch of the Connecticut River that divides New Hampshire from Vermont, centered on Hanover and Lebanon on the New Hampshire side and Norwich and White River Junction across the bridge. Dartmouth College gives Hanover a college-town energy, and the surrounding farms and food businesses give the whole region an unusually strong food culture for its size. A weekend here can include a morning at a farmers market, lunch at a baking school cafe and dinner in a small town restaurant. Put the pieces together and the weekend plans itself.

What is Hanover like for eating?

Hanover is a small town built around the Green, with Main Street and the streets off it holding cafes, bakeries, pizza places, a few sit-down restaurants and bars. During term time, students and faculty fill the cafes, and the town is busy from breakfast to late evening. In summer and during breaks, hours shorten and some restaurants close for a week or two. Parents' weekends, graduation and fall foliage weekends are the busiest, so book early if you want a table.

What is the Upper Valley's food co-op?

The Upper Valley's food co-op is a community-owned grocery with stores in Hanover and Lebanon. Anyone can shop, member or not. The stores sell conventional and natural groceries with an emphasis on local products, and they have prepared food counters, which makes them a good place to build a picnic or grab lunch. Hours differ between the stores, so check.

What is the Norwich Farmers Market?

Across the river in Norwich, Vermont, a well-known Saturday farmers market runs in season. Expect produce, cheese, bread, baked goods, meat, flowers and prepared food, along with crafts. Check the market's own page for season and days, since markets change. It is a short drive from Hanover and a natural Saturday morning stop.

What is the baking school and cafe in Norwich?

A well-known baking company has a campus in Norwich, Vermont, with a bakery, a cafe, a retail store and a baking school with classes on bread, pizza and pastry. Visitors seek out its baked goods. Store and cafe hours are shorter than a restaurant's, with the cafe closing mid-afternoon, so go early. Classes need booking, and some sell out weeks ahead.

Where do locals eat breakfast?

The Upper Valley takes breakfast seriously. Weekend brunch lines build across the region, and the long-running local diners fill first. Weekends fill from 9 a.m. Try a weekday morning if you can. Look for maple syrup, local eggs and cider donuts on menus in season.

How do you plan a Saturday?

• Start at the Norwich Farmers' Market if it is in season.
• Visit the Norwich bakery and cafe for coffee and a pastry.
• Drive to Hanover for a walk around the Green and lunch.
• Stop at the Co-op for picnic supplies.
• Spend the afternoon at a lake or on a trail.
• Eat dinner in Hanover, Lebanon or White River Junction.

Do Upper Valley restaurants keep short hours?

Upper Valley restaurants work with narrow margins and staffing problems, and a high cost of living makes it hard to hire. The practical effect for diners is that some restaurants have shorter hours or close a day or two a week, so look at the restaurant's own page before you drive. Supporting local restaurants matters in a small market.

How do you get there?

Hanover is off Interstate 89 and Interstate 91, about two hours from Boston. There is a bus service from Boston and from New York City to Hanover. A car is easiest to reach farms, the baking school and the market. Parking in Hanover is limited at peak times, so use the public lots.

What about dietary needs?

Cafes and the Co-op have a wide range of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices. Restaurants vary. Ask when you order, and tell the server about allergies.

What are the best seasons to visit?

Fall is the busiest, with foliage on the hills and cider donuts at the farm stands. Summer is relaxed, with lake days and outdoor markets. Winter brings skiing nearby and cozy dining rooms, and spring is mud season, when some farm stands and trails are closed. Each season changes what is on menus, so ask what is local at the time you visit.

How do you eat on a student budget?

Pizza, sandwich shops and cafes near campus are inexpensive, and the Co-op's prepared food counter offers hot and cold meals at grocery prices. Market breakfasts are cheaper than a sit-down brunch. If you are visiting a student, ask them where they eat on a Tuesday night, and be prepared for a short, honest answer.

How do you remember what you tried?

A weekend with a co-op, a market and a baking school can fill a notebook. Mosey is a food-first app where diners find places by dish, mood and neighborhood and rate what they actually ate. Rate each pastry and each lunch, and your list tells you where to go back to. Make one list for the Upper Valley weekend and share it with the friends who are driving up from Boston.

This is one of many New Hampshire guides, and the Food in New Hampshire page lists them all by town.

More guides to read next:

• Manchester, NH food guide: Elm Street, the Millyard and Riverwalk
• Nashua, NH food guide: Main Street, Pearl Street and festivals
• Best breakfast and brunch in Portsmouth, NH: waits and the market

More in the US food guides and the ranked lists of places.