The year 2013 was a year of plenty of business change in and around Hampton and North Hampton, particularly in terms of the places local residents like to get something to eat or drink.
Below are some of the eateries that opened or closed in 2013. Which new restaurant is your favorite, and which were you saddest to see go? Please tell us in the comments.
1. Y&E Ice Cream: The 7 High St. ice cream parlor opened in spring 2012 during an attempt to bring numerous soft serve varieties to downtown Hampton, although the business didn't reopen in the beginning of 2013 and has since been replaced by another business.
2. Bella Rose Brick Oven Pizza: Bella Rose is far from a new business, although the North Hampton pizzeria went through some big upgrades in May after its owner heeded some advice of TV celebrity chef and "Restaurant: Impossible" host Robert Irvine.
3. Ray's Lobster Landing: The owners of Ray's Seafood in Rye brought some of their lobster specialties to the old Drift Away/Abercrombie and Finch building in North Hampton, opening Ray's Lobster Landing in May.
4. Bernie's Beach Bar: Following a catastrophic pipe burst, La Bec Rouge was reborn this year into the outdoor entertainment-focused Bernie's Beach Bar.
5. Jumpin' Jill's Java: The Lafayette Road Jumpin' Jack's Java was rebranded after the owners of the Hampton Beach Jumpin' Jack's location re-purchased the building, which is their company's original location.
6. Orange Leaf: This popular dispense-your-own frozen yogurt shop opened this summer within one of the retail spaces on the bottom floor of Hampton Beach's Sea Spray Condominiums, located at 83 Ocean Blvd.
7. Logan's Run: The owner of O'Leary's Bar and Grill handed the reins over to his nephew as part of an ownership and style change that gave birth to Logan's Run in August.
8. Wild About Wine: This Hampton-based company, which started in August, focuses on giving local residents and tourists in-depth looks — and tastings — at the area's vineyards and wineries.
9. The Wicked Sweet Sugar Boutique: A mother-daughter duo well known in the area for sweet treats and baked goods brought their talents to 12 High St. in October, opening a new downtown Hampton bakery.
10. Applecrest Farm: Why is the state's oldest and largest apple orchard included in this roundup? Because it announced in 2013 during its 100th anniversary that a new farm stand, bakery and farm-to-table restaurant is coming to the Hampton Falls icon.
11. Smuttynose Brewing Company: Speaking of longstanding businesses and their expansion into the food service industry, Smuttynose Brewing Company made some big progress in 2013 in their efforts to move from Portsmouth into a new $16 million facility at Hampton's Towle Farm. The new headquarters will include a brew pub, which is expected to open in early 2014.
12. The Heritage Smokehouse: Owner Luke Wenrich opened this North Hampton eatery in September with a vision and cozy atmosphere that brought a different definition of barbecue, smoked meats and comfort food to the Seacoast. Unfortunately, though, The Heritage Smokehouse failed to gain enough traction early on, forcing Wenrich to close seven weeks in after he sold all of his assets to make the restaurant work.
13. Ray's Lobster Landing: Ray's also makes this list twice, although not because the restaurant went out of business. Ray's was originally imagined as a year-round restaurant, although that recently and abruptly changed, which caused some confusion.
Did we miss an opening or closing in this list? If so, please tell us in the comments below.
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