There has always been a connection between the city of Boston and the Mount Washington Valley of New Hampshire. North Conway, Glen, Bartlett, Jackson and more have been catering to folks from eastern Massachusetts for a long time.
And more than a few people in the Greater Boston area have either moved to the region or have second homes up there, making it more than just a tourist area where vacationers come for a couple of days, then leave. That’s why there are a number of restaurants, bars and other businesses that have a Boston “feel” to them.
There’s perhaps no better example than a cozy watering hole on the edge of the village of Jackson opened many years ago by a family with roots in the Boston area – The Shannon Door Pub & Restaurant indeed feels like it could reside in the city rather than in a picturesque hamlet tucked away in the shadows of the highest peaks of the Northeast.
The Shannon Door first opened in 1953, and members of the family behind it, who do come from the Greater Boston area, still run the place, which sits on a hill just off Route 16 where it meets Route 16A, a short but beautiful loop road that goes through the heart of Jackson Village just to the east.
The structure is basically a big old house, and it has all the charm you might expect from such a spot, including multiple dining areas; a comfy bar in the back; a small stage area near the bar where you might hear traditional Irish music, rock, blues country, pop and more; and a large, screened-in patio off to the side that is open from late May into October.
Plenty of knick-knacks, memorabilia and the like adorn the walls of The Shannon Door, and you may see photos of celebrities, politicians and sports figures who have visited the place over the years.
At its heart, The Shannon Door is a traditional Irish pub though its dinner menu (and yes, it’s open for dinner only) has quite a bit of variety, running the gamut from Irish fare to classic American dishes, pub grub and comfort food.
PHOTOS: Food, drink at Shannon Door
One of the most popular items here is the bar pizza, which resembles something you might find south of Boston (an area renowned for its pan-cooked, bar-style pizza), as the recipe is based on pizza that the family made years ago in the southern suburbs of the city. Bar pizza is hard enough to find immediately to the west and north of Boston, and it’s even more difficult to find in northern New England, so this may indeed be an unexpected treat for many folks in southeast Massachusetts who love this regional stye of pizza.
But there is much more than just bar pizza at the Shannon Door. Some other popular options include a delicious bowl of chili that’s heavy on the cheese; stuffed quahogs that you’d expect to find on the South Coast of Massachusetts; char-grilled steak tips of the kind that you might find just north of Boston; an old-fashioned plate of spaghetti and meatballs that is served with garlic bread; another very old-school plate containing liver and onions, which also has bacon added to it; a hearty cottage pie made with layers of mashed potatoes and ground beef along with corn and gravy; and a cheeseburger that can be ordered with lettuce, tomato and bacon, and which comes with either fries or onion rings.
Beer, spirits and cocktails tend to be the popular drink choices at The Shannon Door, and perhaps, to no one’s surprise, pints of Guinness stout tend to be among the drinks most often served here. But New Hampshire has a number of good local breweries these days, so you might also find options from the likes of Moat Mountain (North Conway), Tuckerman (Conway), Woodstock (North Woodstock) and Deciduous (Newington), along with other brews from Maine, Vermont and beyond. Irish whiskies can also be found here, of course, and the bartenders will make you any number of retro and modern drinks as well (you can also order wine by the glass or bottle).
For people living in or around Boston staying in the Mount Washington Valley and yearning for a familiar-feeling bar, The Shannon Door Pub & Restaurant may be the best option in the area — if not all of the White Mountains — which is saying a lot; there are a number of terrific watering holes in nearby North Conway.
But The Shannon Door has that homey, snug feel that so many Boston-area pubs have, and it really wouldn’t feel all that out of place in Ireland, either – it’s a bit like the homey rural pubs that seem to pop up at nearly every turn there. There’s a reason why this eating and drinking establishment has been around for more than 70 years, as it’s a true favorite among locals and visitors alike.
The Shannon Door Pub & Restaurant, 9 Spancil Hill Road, Jackson, NH, 03846. shannondoor.com
