The Seacoast’s vibrant dining scene continued to evolve in 2011

Restaurants come and go, but there are always plenty of options for good food on the Seacoast. The year 2011 brought newcomers The Kitchen, Street, The District, Surf, The Exchange, The Black Birch and other dining destinations.

The Kitchen opened in May in the former Celebrity Sandwich location at 171 Islington St., offering deli lunches and dinners including salads, sandwiches, fresh pasta with house-made sauce, grilled flatbread pizza and burgers. Recently, they started serving breakfast on Saturdays and there are plans to expand it to Sundays, said co-owner Matt Greco.  

He described the signature breakfast dishes as “funky.” An example is the “brioche French toast” topped with seasonal fruit chutney, rum maple syrup, and whipped lemon thyme butter.

The overall concept is a different take on the New York-style deli, giving a gourmet flavor to the food typically found in the delis where the owners grew up. 

Plans are underway to dim the lights in the evenings and transition the lunch counter into a bar, said Greco. They already have a full liquor license.

Street, in Gallagher’s Plaza off Islington Street in Portsmouth’s West End, opened in mid-May. Founded by Fresh Local owners Josh Lanahan and Michelle Lozuaway, the menu expands on street food tastes from around the world in a casual, urban-inspired setting. They’ve got American, Mexican, Italian, Middle Eastern, Cuban and Vietnamese flavors.

Also in the spring, the Upper Crust moved into its remodeled 41 Congress St. location, replacing Anello’s Gluten-Free Café. Salads, pizza and pasta are available for dining in, taking out or delivery. The Boston-based pizza company has more than 15 locations.

The Beach Plum opened a second location at 2800 Lafayette Road in Portsmouth in a renovated former Wendy’s building. The original North Hampton restaurant got attention for its “larger than life” lobster rolls and even larger portions of ice cream.

Chinese restaurant Pink Bamboo opened at 128 Penhallow St. in Portsmouth after about a year of renovations to the space. Under the ownership of Andy Wang, who also runs Greenleaves in York, Maine, the space was transformed to include tables with heat plates for hot pot dining and a small bar.

Clemento’s Pizzeria & Brew opened a second location in Durham after a year and a half of success with its Rochester business. This one is much larger and is ideal for a college town with room for live music, dancing, pool and darts. Owner Andrew Clement offers a Manhattan-style pizza and a large selection of draft beers.

The District opened over the summer in the former location of Pesce at 103 Congress St., with a new concrete bar at the focal point of the space. It serves contemporary American cuisine and offers expanded outdoor seating in warm weather. Owner David Takis calls it a “neighborhood restaurant” and keeps the doors open until midnight.

Surf opened its second location in a spacious, modern room with a view of the river at 99 Bow St. in Portsmouth. The original restaurant has been in Nashua for about 10 years, serving creatively prepared seafood.

Tulsi Indian Restaurant recently moved from its previous site at 2 Government St. to a more spacious building at 20 Walker St., former location of Enoteca Italiana, which has relocated to Pepperell Road.

Tulsi’s prior spot, next to Buoy Gallery, is now occupied by The Black Birch. Owners Ben Lord and Gavin Beaudry revamped the space to create a casual atmosphere with natural wood furniture and a bar to match. There’s an impressive, rotating draft list of craft beers and the menu dresses up comfort food with a full range of serving sizes and prices.

Aaron Jones recently brought The Exchange to a newly renovated space at 95 Brewery Lane in Portsmouth. The bartenders shake up a selection of specialty martinis, including a signature drink made from Ty-Ku Liqueur, Absolute Oriental Apple Vodka, Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur, and a splash of green apple. They also serve classic cocktails, light appetizers and small plates, such as Truffle Fries with shaved Asiago, sherry vinegar, sea salt, garlic and truffle aioli for $9.

In South Berwick, Maine, Isidor on the Rocks Tavern opened at 18 Portland St. in November, offering entrees like lobster macaroni and cheese and grilled lamb porterhouse and flatbreads cooked in a wood-fired brick oven, plus soups, salads, appetizers, sandwiches and kids’ meals.

Teatotaller Tea House is now open at 109 Main St. in Somersworth, the former Akasia Restaurant space, with finger sandwiches, cakes, pastries and more than 24 varieties of loose tea. The venture is owned by Emmett Soldati, son of former Somersworth mayor Lincoln Soldati. He used Kickstarter, an online platform that seeks pledges from the community to fund creative projects, and received pledges both locally and globally. The business draws from British traditions, Far Eastern tea drinking, and contemporary styles.

A number of other restaurants shut their doors for good in 2011. Chef’s Cove Café in Kittery closed in October after more than four years in Wallingford Square, but the business still offers catering, and its goods are still available at the York Farmer’s Market.

Taking the café’s place at 40 Wallingford Square will be Mojo’s BBQ Grill & Tavern, which plans to open its second location there in February.

Foobar lasted less than a year in Portsmouth after opening in the Congress Street location that previously housed The Muddy River. The doors shut in mid May.

The year began with the loss of Taipei & Tokyo, an Asian eatery formerly on Woodbury Avenue in Portsmouth, and Slim’s Tex Mex Saloon in downtown Rochester, both of which closed on Jan. 3.

In late spring, the area temporarily gained Portsmouth Baking Co. at 121 Congress St. But, despite an admirable effort, the store closed in November. According to a letter from the owners, an “exciting new restaurant” will take over the former space early next year, as the restaurant scene continues to develop in 2012.