The Best Italian Food in New Hampshire…By a Dam Site

If you're making a list of the best Italian food in New Hampshire, this hidden gem in Bennington had better be on it.

I'm talking about Alberto's Italian Restaurant in Bennington, NH. Or Bat's, if you're a local. They bill themselves in a very tongue-and-cheek way as "Best Food By a Dam Site," due to the fact that they're a stone's throw from the Monadnock Paper Mills along the Contoocock River. They're also just a few miles down the road from Crotched Mountain Resort, which is how I happened upon them.

Years ago, I was at Crotched hosting an apres-ski party at the Onset Pub. After a day of skiing and riding with my then-9-year-old and a two-hour apres marathon, we were hungry for more than just pub grub. Someone mentioned there was a family-style Italian restaurant a few miles down the road. 9-year-olds love pizza, and so do I, so I figured it would be a safe bet.

The sign advertised "Casual Family Dining," and it delivered. Located in a rambling old country house, Alberto's boasts a clutch of cozy dining rooms and a small bar. The vibe was warm and friendly from the moment we walked in, with smiling staff serving a mix of local regulars and hungry ski adventurers like me and my kid. Bats has been at it since 1945, and that old school hospitality is on full display.

The fare is the very definition of Italian comfort food. We feasted on cheesy garlic bread, homemade pizza, green salads with house dressing, and chicken parmesan. All the standard fare you'd expect, and all delicious. The kid wanted a brownie sundae for desert, so we indulged. It was decadent: ice-cold vanilla ice cream scooped on a piping-hot homemade brownie, drizzled in hot fudge and topped with whipped cream. We left Bat's full and happy, and vowed to return the following year.

That was back in the winter of 2018. We've been back every year since. And no matter what we order, we always finish with a brownie sundae. Find out all about Alberto's here, and pay them a visit if you're in the Monadnock region. It's the best damn Italian food you'll ever have...by a dam site.

Here's a handful of family-friendly New England mountains that I can say from experience are an absolute blast to ski and ride.

I spent the bulk of the 2010's hosting apres-ski parties all over the White Mountains. Chances are, if you were at the Wildcat Pub or Ptarmigan's or T-Bars or the Cannonball Pub at some point in that decade, you caught me with the RadioBDC or indie617 Drafters. Ice-cold Coors Light beer, tons of prizes for kids and adults, and games like Cheeto-head. The Drafters are still out there, so keep an eye peeled.

Throughout that decade of all-ages debauchery, I had access to some of the best riding money can buy in the Whites (I'm a snowboarder). And I almost always had my kids along with me (they're skiers), so I can offer a pretty well-informed and well-rounded perspective on which New England mountains offer the best all-around experience, whether you're 4 or in your 40's.

My list of four focuses on the White Mountain region. I've chosen three New Hampshire spots and one in Maine. I'm telling you this ahead of time so you don't give me any flack about Vermont not being on the list. The skiing and riding in Vermont is fantastic, and I've been to Smugg's during the offseason, so I can attest to their family-friendliness. But my expertise lies in the Whites.

One more thing: support your indie mountains first and foremost. Black Mountain (who made my list) had a close call and almost closed at the end of last year. It's up to us to keep skiing and riding to keep them alive for generations to come. But make sure to show love to all these mountains and also your faves throughout New England. A lot of people's livelihoods depend on us continuing to shred.

I'll start with Black, since I was just talking about them. They've been open since 1935, and were the first in the country to boast an overhead cable lift: the Shovel Handle. They're independent, family-owned, and as far as I'm concerned they're the best pure skiing and riding experience in the Whites. Quintessential New England. Visit them here.

Skiing and riding Black is like having a friend who owns a ton of mountain land and was kind enough to put in some lifts and lay down some trails for you. The terrain speaks to all ages and abilities, the Lostbo Pub is a great hang with a cozy, rumpus room vibe and a great bar, and I can't remember a time I've ever waited in a lift line. Families everywhere, which tells you all you need to know.

Pleasant Mountain has become my family's home mountain, thanks to the fact that my folks own a log cabin about a half-hour away. I was a little nervous when the former family-owned Shawnee Peak was purchased by Boyne Resorts in late 2021 and rebranded as Pleasant Mountain, but the overall experience has only improved in recent years. Visit them here.

The Mountain has robust lesson programs. I know this because I took a one-time snowboard lesson years ago to get my legs back under me after being off the mountain for years. And my youngest took the bulk of their lessons here and has turned out to be a fine skier. Pleasant is in Bridgton, in Maine's Lake Region, and the town of Bridgton itself offers a number of dining options and activities for families of all shapes and sizes.

I had to put Crotched on the list because it's my youngest's favorite mountain. Once a year, every winter, the two of us make the hour-and-twenty-minute trek (that's a selling point, by the way: it's close by in Bennington, NH), have a great day on the slopes, then make our way a few miles down the road for dinner at Alberto's: "Best Food by a Dam Site." Home-style Italian with a hometown vibe. Visit Crotched here.

Night skiing! Crotched has a 3 p.m. to midnight pass you can buy if you're a night time skier or rider. They're owned by Vail Resorts now, but have still managed to keep that small-mountain feel so far. You'll see lots of families and college kids on the slopes, and the terrain parks are plentiful and great for all ages. A good beginners mountain, whether you're a kid or a grown up just starting out.

East Madison's own, the gem of the Ossipee Region. King Pine bills itself as "The all-ages ski area with all kinds of winter fun" and they fit that bill. Plenty of kid-friendly lifts and trails, and snow tubing for kids that don't want to ski or ride. And the terrain is diverse enough to keep adults occupied and challenged. There are tons of family lodging options in the area, too. Visit them here.

Let's see, we covered skiing and riding. And snow tubing. Oh, there's ice skating, too. And cross country-skiing as well. And did I mention snowshoeing? Because that's an option at King Pine as well. They really do a great job of catering to the "family-friendly" crowd. Things get a little crowded at the Trails End Tavern apres-ski, so make sure you get there early.