Published November 12, 2023

We took the first ferry the next morning from North Haven Island back to the Rockland Ferry Services.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire was our next destination. Along the way, we decided to stop at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. This was a good rest point on our way to Portsmouth, and given my love for visiting gardens, I was excited to see what Maine’s Botanical Gardens had to offer.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

A windy road through the woods brought us to ample parking lots lined with manicured gardens even before we bought tickets and received a map of the gardens.

Besides the beautiful gardens and landscaping, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens are most well known for their wooden trolls. Our illustrated map showed walking paths that led to each troll. While visiting each troll, you would receive a clue that would help you solve the riddle / story.

We followed the wide wooden bridge over the treetops and into the gardens. The gravel and stone walking paths curled in circles, displaying overlapping arrangements of flowers, herbs, and trees. The textures and color combinations were beautiful.

We walked through a butterfly house where caterpillars, moths, and butterflies clung to the walls and ceiling and landed on people’s jackets and heads.

Past the butterfly house was the bee exhibit. Long laminated signs displayed the difference between the types of bees. A honeycomb wall shared different facts with small windows that looked out on a meadow of hives. There was even a door that you could pull open for a glass window into an active hive with hundreds of bees swarming behind it.

The day was overcast, and despite the number of people in the gardens, the pathways flowed easily and guests were orderly when visiting the trolls.

Most walkways were dirt or gravel. Golf carts for 6-8 passengers would drive people around the exhibits. We walked all of the paths, and even followed the trails through the woods so that we could see the Fairy Garden displays.

Each troll that we visited had its own name, personality, and clue. I won’t give away any spoilers, but my boyfriend solved the riddle even before we visited every troll. We stopped by them all anyway and I was impressed with their expressions, personalities, and size.

It started misting on our way back to the welcome center. We managed to visit the last of the gardens, which had lush greenery and waterfalls and ponds.

We retraced our steps past the bees and gardens and over the bridge to head to the gift shop and then our car to get back on the road.

I was thrilled that we could stop and see these wooden trolls. This was the perfect break in route to Portsmouth. The overcast weather was a nice break with all of the walking and allowed us to enjoy all of the exhibits while staying cool.

At this time of year, the gardens are preparing for more festive displays, but whether summer or fall, I would recommend visiting the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

It was a two and half hour drive from the Botanical Gardens to Portsmouth. We stopped along the way for snacks before we made it to our accommodations. We were ready for a good dinner after a day of driving and the hours we spent exploring the botanical gardens.

The Puddle Dock Restaurant

The overcast sky threatened rain as we drove through downtown Portsmouth on our way to dinner. We were on our way to The Puddle Dock Restaurant.

The Puddle Dock is across from Prescott Park which had an outdoor concert. Since we didn’t know the area, we paid for parking at 1 Harbour Place near Dutton Ave and walked down the road to the restaurant. The Puddle Dock has its own designated parking lot.

The Puddle Dock was a beautiful red home with a brick pathway lined with outdoor tables. We climbed the porch and stepped through the foyer and met the hostess stand right next to the curved bar.

We didn’t make a reservation, and unfortunately, even at this time in the early evening, there were no tables open. The hostess asked if we wanted to sit at the bar, so we claimed the last two seats directly in front of us.

Now, I don’t enjoy eating at bars, and I don’t think it offers the same service as sitting at the dining room. But I was starving and worried that other restaurants would be booked without a reservation — so, bar seating it was.

The Menu

The bartender — who would be serving us this evening, gave us The Puddle Dock’s menu , which was black leather with the gold logo carved in the front. The inside pages were organized by sections: Soup and salad, appetizers, from the docks, and from the fields. Plus, a whole drink menu.

We kept on trend for this vacation and tried The Puddle Dock’s mocktails.

Green Tea Mocktail | $8.00

I didn’t get a picture of my boyfriend’s drink. He ordered the Green Tea Mocktail, which was cold-brew green tea with lemon juice, ginger, and honey. I tried his drink and preferred it much more to mine.  

Cherry-Lime Rickey | $7.00

I ordered this mocktail because the cherry syrup caught my eyes. It also had lime juice and club soda. Unfortunately, the bartender didn’t have any more cherry syrup, so he asked if I would be fine to have the drink with raspberry syrup.

I figured raspberry syrup would be fine, but the drink was actually too tart for me, when the raspberry and the lime were combined, so I traded drinks with my boyfriend.

Appetizers

Devils on Horseback | $17.00

I’ve never had this appetizer before, so I was excited to try it. These were dates stuffed with (what I believe to be) goat cheese, wrapped in bacon, and cooked until crispy.

The outside of the bacon had a sweet caramelized texture which reminded me of the bacon we had at Tucker’s. It was divine, especially with the sauce.

Yorkshire Pudding | $18.00
I ordered the Yorkshire Pudding mostly to have the popover. This appetizer also had a red wine braised short-rib and mushrooms. 

The red wine sauce on the plate was delicious and the short rib was cooked perfectly. The popover was airy and seasoned and tasty for soaking up the sauce on the plate. I would’ve loved this dish as a meal. 

The bartender was busy. A single guest at the very end of the bar ate an entree and drank a few tumblers of amber liquid. A couple in the center of the bar shared an entree and several glasses of wine. Parents with their adult daughter claimed the three open seats near us, and ordered their own wine and salads to start.

In the dining room next to me — a table of four finished their meals and the tables were separated into two-tops. One larger group of what looked like businessmen were still eating their meals. Two large windows looking out onto the park brought in natural light. Twinkle lights draped from the wooden beams in the ceiling, drawing your attention to the high ceilings and black iron chandelier. There was even more seating in the back of the restaurant and upstairs.

The room was thoughtfully designed with little touches like the vases of fresh flowers, which reminded me of the arrangements at Nebo Lodge. The tables were wooden with black chairs. Dim sconces and lanterns hung from the walls. Diagonal us was a huge black fireplace with a wooden boat displayed on the mantle.

I heard the evening shift at the hostess stand say how overbooked the restaurant was. They were concerned they wouldn’t be able to time the reservations. I was relieved that we managed to get a seat at all.

Entrees

Shepherd’s Pie | $31.00 

We both ordered the shepherd’s pie. While I was tempted to try the cider-glazed pork belly, I was in the mood for something warm and comforting. 

The shepherd’s pie had lamb, caramelized onions, carrots, parsnips, and a cheddar-chive potato crust. It arrived in a massive bowl that was burning hot.

I enjoyed the seasoned crust, which was crunchy compared to smooth mashed potatoes for sheperd’s pie. I was glad I selected this entree and the portion was more than enough for dinner.

Dessert

Cinnamon-Rum Bread Pudding | $12.00 

We loved the dessert we had at the Nebo Lodge, so when we saw a similar bread pudding on The Puddle Dock’s menu, we knew we had to try it.

This was a cinnamon custard bread pudding with vanilla ice cream and a rum caramel. The rum caramel was my favorite part of this dessert. It was also piping hot and had a nice balance between the cinnamon-y bread pudding and cold ice cream.

My Recommendations 

I give The Puddle Dock a 10/10 for the following:

• Decor and Design

  • I enjoyed The Puddle Dock’s style. It nodded towards the old colonial style with its wood and black iron details and lanterns but modernized it with a beautiful bar, minimal decorations, string lights, and colorful flowers. The branding was carried through from the entryway with the Puddle Dock’s sign, and across the dining experience, from the menu to the napkins.

• Service

  • Our bartender was wonderful and he worked hard, not only serving the guests at the bar, but providing drinks for the waitresses for the rest of the dining room. I was also grateful that we were able to be squeezed in, despite the busy evening and the overbooked reservations.

• Food

  • I loved everything about our meal. The dishes were thoughtfully arranged and always hot. The menu had unique pairings and familiar classics with a spin. I would definitely visit The Puddle Dock again to try even more of their menu.

Exploring New Hampshire

Stay tuned for my next post, where we explore downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

In the meantime, feel free to explore my other travel reviews and restaurant recommendations here.