Hart's Turkey Farm vs Green Ridge Turkey Farm and others

[Trail Goer]

My wife and I just recently had dinner at Hart's Turkey Farm, we like to go a few times a year and for the first time ever, I got something on their menu that didn't involve turkey, I got their Prime Rib and was very happy with it.
I grew up in southern New Hampshire and my family would occasionally go to Green Ridge Turkey Farm in Nashua, I was little the last time we went before it closed and at the time, I didn't pay attention to the menu, I was strictly a Cheeseburger and French Fries' type of kid, so I missed out. For those familiar with Green Ridge Turkey Farm, was the menu similar to Hart's?
About 5 or 6 years ago, my wife and I got talking to someone who works at Hart's, I assume it was a manager or owner as they were delectating duties to all the employees during our conversation. They were very familiar with Green Ridge Turkey Farm, knew the last owners and expressed sadness when it closed. I remember them following up with a comment stating times haven't been too easy on "our type" of restaurants, a lot of them fell out of popularity over the years as competition with chain restaurants grew in popularity. So, I'm curious, were there or are there other similar restaurants in or close to New Hampshire?

[tummyman]

Found this on line.....

https://forgottennewengland.com/2012...arm-nashua-nh/

[Susie Cougar]

I remember years ago the Hickory Stick Farm in Laconia. They were unusual as they served duck as their main specialty.

Are you looking for restaurants like this, non-chain restaurants?

[Susie Cougar]

Yoken’s Restaurant in Portsmouth New Hampshire was quite the place.

But, the biggest and most well known restaurant, in my opinion, was the Hilltop Steak House in Saugus, Massachusetts. How many of you remember this restaurant?

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by Susie Cougar

I remember years ago the Hickory Stick Farm in Laconia. They were unusual as they served duck as their main specialty.

Are you looking for restaurants like this, non-chain restaurants?

My neighbors family (Roeder) owned this restaurant. It had quite a good reputation in the area! You are correct, Duck was their specialty and many area residents still talk about how good it was to this day!

Dan

[Slickcraft]

Originally Posted by Susie Cougar

I remember years ago the Hickory Stick Farm in Laconia. They were unusual as they served duck as their main specialty.

Are you looking for restaurants like this, non-chain restaurants?

That was many years ago, the slow cooked duck was delicious!

Alan

[Janet]

Originally Posted by Susie Cougar

I remember years ago the Hickory Stick Farm in Laconia. They were unusual as they served duck as their main specialty.

Are you looking for restaurants like this, non-chain restaurants?

Our family went to Hickory Stick Farm many times for their delicious duck. Wish it were still around.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

That was many years ago, the slow cooked duck was delicious!

Alan

I believe Hickory Stick closed in 2004 if I’m not mistaken….


Dan

[mofn]

If you are looking for an old vibe, non-chain place Strafford Farms in Dover. Not a home run, but never had a bad meal, ground rule double in baseball speak. Any place that serves grapenut custard can’t be all bad!
Also Ken’s in Natick (Rt.9) as in Ken’s salad dressings.
Fallen flags:
Second Yoken’s…sad one to see go
Hilltop…What seated 1200?, cash only until near the end, salad…one dressing, menu 2 pages huge lettering, and never have more than one drink when standing in line…were they stiff drinks!
Add to the fallen flag list:
Bishop’s in Lawrence…wow, old style, linen table cloths, table Capts., water boys etc etc.
Boy do I have a craving now for some kibbeh!!!!!!

[pondguy]

Originally Posted by Susie Cougar

Yoken’s Restaurant in Portsmouth New Hampshire was quite the place.

But, the biggest and most well known restaurant, in my opinion, was the Hilltop Steak House in Saugus, Massachusetts. How many of you remember this restaurant?

Years ago I would drive to Saugus to the Hilltop to have dinner then go into the Butcher shop with a cooler and buy meats to bring back to Meredith. I was very sorry to see them close I had been going there since I was a child living in Medford. The place was so busy they had a Baybank in the parking lot.

[Susie Cougar]

Does anyone remember the Wakitatina Restaurant in Meredith? In its heyday, it was quite the upscale place to go. There was someone coming by your table all the time with some little tidbit for you to try. It was owned by the Chase family in Meredith. It went downhill pretty fast in the 70s.

[eyenotall777]

Originally Posted by mofn

If you are looking for an old vibe, non-chain place Strafford Farms in Dover. Not a home run, but never had a bad meal, ground rule double in baseball speak. Any place that serves grapenut custard can’t be all bad!
Also Ken’s in Natick (Rt.9) as in Ken’s salad dressings.
Fallen flags:
Second Yoken’s…sad one to see go
Hilltop…What seated 1200?, cash only until near the end, salad…one dressing, menu 2 pages huge lettering, and never have more than one drink when standing in line…were they stiff drinks!
Add to the fallen flag list:
Bishop’s in Lawrence…wow, old style, linen table cloths, table Capts., water boys etc etc.
Boy do I have a craving now for some kibbeh!!!!!!

You can get some of the great food Bishops served at this restaurant in Haverhill, Ma

https://www.phoenicianrestaurant.com/about

[Janet]

Originally Posted by Susie Cougar

Does anyone remember the Wakitatina Restaurant in Meredith? In its heyday, it was quite the upscale place to go. There was someone coming by your table all the time with some little tidbit for you to try. It was owned by the Chase family in Meredith. It went downhill pretty fast in the 70s.

As kids, we always love saying Wakitatina. We also loved going to Weeks Dairy Bar in Laconia. We'd stop there for lunch on our annual trip from New Jersey to Meredith every year.

Anyone remember Basket World which was across the street from Tamarack Restaurant? The radio commercial was "Sam and Mrs. Wilson and the Wilson boys live at Basket World".

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by pondguy

Years ago I would drive to Saugus to the Hilltop to have dinner then go into the Butcher shop with a cooler and buy meats to bring back to Meredith. I was very sorry to see them close I had been going there since I was a child living in Medford. The place was so busy they had a Baybank in the parking lot.

#221 for Sioux City, I can still hear the lady that shouted out the numbers ringing in my ear!
They had a bank because back then they only took cash.

[Susie Cougar]

Originally Posted by Janet

As kids, we always love saying Wakitatina. We also loved going to Weeks Dairy Bar in Laconia. We'd stop there for lunch on our annual trip from New Jersey to Meredith every year.

Anyone remember Basket World which was across the street from Tamarack Restaurant? The radio commercial was "Sam and Mrs. Wilson and the Wilson boys live at Basket World".

I remember Basket World. Did you ever go down Roller Coaster Road when it was really like a roller coaster and your dad would hit the gas and you would fly out of your seat. Now, people probably wonder why it got that name.

[mcdude]

...........

[Susie Cougar]

mcdude, you have so many wonderful pictures! What made you start saving all these old photos? Without your contributions, it would all just be memories. Thank you.

[TiltonBB]

Originally Posted by pondguy

Years ago I would drive to Saugus to the Hilltop to have dinner then go into the Butcher shop with a cooler and buy meats to bring back to Meredith. I was very sorry to see them close I had been going there since I was a child living in Medford. The place was so busy they had a Baybank in the parking lot.

In the 80's Frank Giuffrida, the owner of the Hilltop Steak House purchased the building next door to the restaurant that had been occupied by Pandy Pontiac. He made that into a grocery store that also sold meat. At that time the restaurant was grossing about $42 million per year and the grocery/meat store was grossing about $41 million per year. Many years after that he closed the separate store and incorporated it into the back of the restaurant building.

At that time Frank lived in a large house on Main street in Lynnfield and his wife occasionally had a little trouble backing the Mercedes out of the garage. So, Frank had a turntable installed in the garage. His wife could drive in and push the button and her car would turn 180 degrees and be headed out.

Who said money can't buy happiness?

[Mr. V]

I never got to eat there but the "scion" of our lakeside family branch always spoke glowingly of Foxy Johnnie B Inn in New Durham.

[WinnisquamZ]

Hilltop steakhouse was very good. I Remember the butcher beneath the restaurant in Nashua. What happened to them?


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[Trail Goer]

Originally Posted by pondguy

Years ago I would drive to Saugus to the Hilltop to have dinner then go into the Butcher shop with a cooler and buy meats to bring back to Meredith. I was very sorry to see them close I had been going there since I was a child living in Medford. The place was so busy they had a Baybank in the parking lot.

I remember the Hilltop Steakhouse very much, I went there a few times with my family growing up.
I also remember Yokens in Portsmouth.
Another great restaurant that I would add to the list and was just recently at, is Chucks Steak House in Auburn, MA. I know technically they have 8 other locations but they got their start in the 1950's and still maintains that similar vibe of some of the old time great restaurants of yesteryear and today. It makes me appreciate restaurants like Hart's Turkey Farm that much more.

[Janet]

Originally Posted by Susie Cougar

I remember Basket World. Did you ever go down Roller Coaster Road when it was really like a roller coaster and your dad would hit the gas and you would fly out of your seat. Now, people probably wonder why it got that name.

Many many times. Also there was a stretch on Parade Road heading into Laconia that had, what we thought at the time as kids, a big hill that looked like we were launching into space whenever we got to the top of the hill. Dad would speed up as we got to the hill to make it seemed like flying. Fun roads back then.

[The Real BigGuy]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

In the 80's Frank Giuffrida, the owner of the Hilltop Steak House purchased the building next door to the restaurant that had been occupied by Pandy Pontiac. He made that into a grocery store that also sold meat. At that time the restaurant was grossing about $42 million per year and the grocery/meat store was grossing about $41 million per year. Many years after that he closed the separate store and incorporated it into the back of the restaurant building.

At that time Frank lived in a large house on Main street in Lynnfield and his wife occasionally had a little trouble backing the Mercedes out of the garage. So, Frank had a turntable installed in the garage. His wife could drive in and push the button and her car would turn 180 degrees and be headed out.

Who said money can't buy happiness?

He also had a heated driveway so he didn’t have to plow/shovel. The water would run down the driveway into the street & freeze turning the street into a skating rink.


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[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

In the 80's Frank Giuffrida, the owner of the Hilltop Steak House purchased the building next door to the restaurant that had been occupied by Pandy Pontiac. He made that into a grocery store that also sold meat. At that time the restaurant was grossing about $42 million per year and the grocery/meat store was grossing about $41 million per year. Many years after that he closed the separate store and incorporated it into the back of the restaurant building.

At that time Frank lived in a large house on Main street in Lynnfield and his wife occasionally had a little trouble backing the Mercedes out of the garage. So, Frank had a turntable installed in the garage. His wife could drive in and push the button and her car would turn 180 degrees and be headed out.

Who said money can't buy happiness?

I know very little of Frank on a personal basis, but you really gotta admire these guys who thought big, created an icon, and then lived large on their own terms. I'd put the soon to retire Kowloon family, right across the street, into the same club

[WinnisquamZ]

The staff required to operate businesses of there is enormous.


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[BroadHopper]

Came to mind. The Contigianis were excellent hosts.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by WinnisquamZ

The staff required to operate businesses of there is enormous.


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I knew a couple of waitresses that worked there at that time, it was a primo job back in the day. They made a ton of money but they worked their butts off!

[chaseisland]

Yesterday I drove by what was the Hickory Stick and was unhappy to see that the condition of the building in such disrepair. Loved their menu.

[Susie Cougar]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

Came to mind. The Contigianis were excellent hosts.

But, when Eveline opened the Beef and Bay in Moultonborough/Center Harbor, it was a complete disaster. She even had staff flown in from Florida.