For Starters

Caf Carleo, North Conway

At the corner of Route 16 and Mechanic Street in North Conway sits the recently opened Caf Carleo where guests can order simple sandwiches, soups, or on Nicole Carleo's good days, a hearty Italian dish. Carleo, owner and cook, says she has always enjoyed cooking Italian food and thought that opening a small business where she could share that love with the public would be fun.
"I've never worked in the hospitality industry. In fact, I come from a medical sales background. But I was skiing here last winter, saw the For Sale sign in the building's window and thought it would be the perfect venue for what I had always imagined doing," Carleo says.
She has made only a few minor changes, which she says were to make the place comfortable for people that were just looking for a bite to eat.
"This is my first time doing anything like this, so I just want to ease in and introduce things as the business gets smoother, and I am feeling more comfortable," she says.

Hart's Turkey Farm, Manchester
The well-established Hart's Turkey Farm is expanding into the Queen City. The new location just off Route 293 in Manchester will not will disappoint loyal customers of Hart's, according to Manchester general manager, Brandon Crosby.
Crosby says while the new branch is similar to Meredith; Manchester includes a splash of modernity. Whereas Meredith has no booths, about half of our seating is in the booths. We want the country restaurant to fit in with the city atmosphere, and that was our goal when we began," he says.
From the bathroom sinks to the kitchen ovens, the new location (formerly Hooters) was gutted completely, and has been refurnished with new appliances and decor. Crosby also says the menu is smaller that that used in Meredith.

Crosby says, "We will have featured specials that are not regularly on the menu. We are even toying with the idea of having a brunch, so it's all very exciting to bring a new angle into this long-standing business."

La Bec Rouge, Hampton
The Coletta Family has long served in the hospitality industry, from hair salons to the restaurant business, and they have recently assumed ownership of the well-established La Bec Rouge in Hampton.
Frank Coletta says that the family had been customers of La Bec Rouge for years. "We really loved the atmosphere, the people. It has three different levels that have very different personalities and it suited everyone in my family very well, so we decided to buy it after a long time of loyal patronage," he says.
The benefit of purchasing such a beloved restaurant, Coletta notes, is that there was nothing about the business he wanted to change. All of the interior, exterior and kitchen fixtures are staying the same, which also resulted in a seamless transition.
"It's got a great clientele base. The upper bar has more mature live music and attracts more of a middle-aged crowd, the bar down under also has live entertainment, but has a really cool feeling about it, so it attracts a younger crowd. And the dining room has everything in between from couples in their 80s to those in their 30s and families with very young children, Coletta says.
While Coletta is the primary owner, he says his entire family including his son, mother and cousins are involved with running the enterprise.
"It's a really great feeling that is made, I think, because it's one of from our family to yours, and people seem to truly appreciate that," he says.