There’s no shortage of chains—from Friendly’s to Applebee’s—lining the roads in and around Conway and North Conway center. But there are also several good restaurants more unique to the area, such as Bellini’s Ristorante Italiano (Willow Pl., North Conway, 603/356-7000, www.bellinis.com, 4–10 p.m. daily, $16–25), where Italian specialties (like fettuccine with peas, mushrooms, and ham) and other American staples (ribs, steaks, and burgers) roll out of the kitchen at breakneck pace. The fun, boisterous room centers on a busy martini bar.

For more than three decades, Horsefeathers (2679 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway, 603/356-2687, www.horsefeathers.com, 7 a.m.–11 p.m. daily, $9–23) has been offering grazing that’s as good as the hobnobbing: The watering hole-cum-restaurant serves great onion gratinée, black-pastrami sandwiches, and a filling traditional scallop pie.

Some of the best and most original eating in the area is at The 1785 Inn (3582 White Mountain Hwy./Rte. 16, North Conway, 603/356-9025 or 800/421-1785, www.the1785inn.com, 5 p.m.–9 p.m. daily, $18–30), a dining room in a traditional New England bed-and-breakfast. The kitchen creates filling and flavorful dishes like lobster crepes and sherried rabbit, and rolls out an incredible list of homemade desserts (chocolate mousse and coffee buttercrunch pie to chocolate-strawberry cheesecake).

The 19th-century farmhouse turned dining room of 1790 Homestead Restaurant (1921 White Mountain Hwy./Rte. 16, Conway, 603/356-5900, www.homesteadrestaurant.com, 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. and 4–10 p.m. daily, $12–24) is now a rustic spot serving turkey dinners, big plates of pastas in rich sauces, and grilled steaks.