Salt Kitchen & Bar

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Contemporary American Fare in a Storied Setting

Salt Kitchen & Bar sits inside Wentworth by the Sea, a historic resort on New Castle Island just outside Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The restaurant earns its place on any serious dining itinerary through a combination of considered contemporary American cooking, a genuinely versatile all-day format, and a wine program that earned Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence in 2024.

A Room That Changes With the Light

The space does something relatively rare: it shifts convincingly from one mood to another across the course of a day. Mornings bring a bright, welcoming atmosphere suited to an unhurried breakfast. By evening, the room transitions into a sleek fine dining destination — banquettes under the rotunda, a lounge with live piano music, and a bar where guests can watch chefs work a live-fire oven producing fresh flatbreads. The seafood bar adds another focal point, giving the dining room an energy that stays lively without tipping into noise.

The Food and the Cellar

The kitchen leans into the strengths of the New England coast. Seafood features prominently — the imagery from the restaurant's own kitchen makes that clear, with towers of shellfish and chefs working with fresh catch. Steak and frites round out the menu alongside desserts that hold their own as a course worth staying for. The all-day menu means the kitchen is running from 7 a.m. straight through to the evening, with the lounge extending things further.

It's the beverage program, though, that drew formal recognition. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence reflects a cellar curated to complement contemporary American cuisine across a full day of service — no small task given the range from breakfast through fine dining dinner.

Part of Something Larger

Salt is the dining centerpiece of Wentworth by the Sea, itself part of the Opal Collection of independent hotels and resorts. That context matters: the kitchen has the infrastructure of a serious resort behind it, but the restaurant operates with a distinct identity — its own name, its own rhythm, and its own reason to visit even if you're not staying on property.