Unearth The Voyage
More than two decades after opening, this Hampton Falls restaurant has built a loyal following with generous portions, family recipes, and some of the most praised Lebanese and Mediterranean food on New Hampshire’s Seacoast. Locals return for favorites like shawarma, kebabs, hummus, and house-made specialties that have earned hundreds of glowing reviews over the years.
What makes this place stand out is its consistency. The food remains affordable, the portions are substantial, and guests are treated like regulars whether it is their first visit or their fiftieth.
That combination has helped turn a modest roadside restaurant into one of the area’s best-kept dining secrets.
The story behind the restaurant is just as compelling as the menu. Keep reading to learn how one family built a local favorite and which dishes keep customers coming back week after week.
A Family Story Behind Every Plate
Some restaurants are built on business plans. Martha’s Restaurant at 153 Lafayette Road, Hampton Falls, New Hampshire 03844, was built on something more personal than that.
Joseph and Martha founded the place over 25 years ago with a simple goal: serve honest Lebanese food made the way it should be made, with fresh ingredients and real care.
When George took over in 2018, he kept every bit of that spirit intact. He still checks in with customers at their tables, walks first-timers through the menu with genuine enthusiasm, and treats regulars like extended family members who just happened to stop by for dinner.
That continuity is rare in the restaurant world, and you can feel it the moment you walk through the door. The food carries the weight of a tradition that nobody here is willing to let go of, and that is exactly what makes every meal feel personal.
The Setting That Surprises First-Time Visitors
Nobody would call this place fancy, and that is honestly part of its appeal. From the outside, Martha’s looks like a compact roadside spot with a modest storefront and plenty of free parking out front.
There are a few tables inside, kept simple and clean, and when the weather cooperates, picnic tables outside offer a casual spot to eat under the open sky.
The setting is informal, and a few visitors have noted the traffic noise from Lafayette Road as a minor trade-off for the outdoor seating. But here is the thing: the food is so good that most people stop noticing the surroundings within about three bites.
The atmosphere inside carries a warmth that has nothing to do with interior design and everything to do with the people running the place. It feels like the kind of neighborhood spot that every town wishes it had but most never get.
Hummus That Genuinely Steals the Show
Ask almost anyone who has eaten at Martha’s what they remember most, and there is a strong chance the hummus comes up within the first ten seconds.
The classic version is smooth and well-balanced, but it is the spicy hummus that has developed a reputation all its own. It is creamy with just the right amount of heat, the kind of dip that makes you want to order a second round of flatbread just to finish every last bit of it.
The Syrian bread served alongside it comes fresh and soft, and the combination is simple in the best possible way. Some guests have admitted to visiting multiple times in a single week just to get back to that hummus, which says everything you need to know about how good it actually is.
The sweet pita chips dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar are another house specialty worth grabbing a bag of on the way out.
The Lamb Dishes That Keep Regulars Coming Back
Charbroiled lamb is one of the things Martha’s does better than almost anyone in the region, and the regulars here will tell you that without hesitation.
The lamb kabobs arrive tender and juicy, threaded with onions and cooked over an open flame to get that slightly charred edge that makes the flavor sing. They come with rice pilaf, a fresh garden salad, and a generous stack of Syrian bread on the side.
The lamb dinner plate has been a favorite for years among people who make the drive specifically for it, and the medium-rare preparation is exactly as good as it sounds. There is also a lamb special with green beans that has earned its own quiet fan base among the regulars.
The portions here are not small, which means leftovers are almost guaranteed, and reheating them at home the next day is a pleasure rather than a disappointment.
Chicken Shawarma and Kabobs Worth Crossing Town For
The chicken options at Martha’s hold their own in a menu full of standout dishes. The chicken shawarma is a consistent crowd-pleaser, with well-seasoned meat that has been praised by both longtime fans and first-time visitors who stumbled in by chance.
The chicken kabob wrap is another reliable order, packed with fresh ingredients and wrapped tightly enough to eat on the go without making a mess of your shirt. Both dishes reflect the kind of careful seasoning that only comes from recipes that have been refined over many years.
First-timers who are new to Lebanese cuisine often find the chicken dishes a natural starting point, especially with the staff on hand to walk them through the menu and suggest combinations they might enjoy.
And if you have never tried zaatar fries as a side, consider this your introduction. They are a surprisingly addictive addition to any meal and pair well with just about everything on the menu.
Falafel, Babaganoush, and the Vegetarian Side of the Menu
Meat lovers tend to get most of the attention at Lebanese restaurants, but the vegetarian options at Martha’s are quietly excellent and deserve their own spotlight.
The falafel is crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, with a flavor that comes from herbs and spices rather than anything artificial. One reviewer traveling up the coast described it as fantastic after stopping in on a whim, which is the kind of compliment that lands harder when it comes from someone with no prior expectations.
The babaganoush is smoky and rich, made with roasted eggplant that has been blended into something deeply satisfying. Stuffed grape leaves round out the vegetarian highlights, arriving plump and well-seasoned with a filling that holds together beautifully.
Together, these dishes make a compelling argument that the best way to experience Martha’s menu is to order a spread of smaller items and work through them slowly, sharing everything at the table.
Kibbe, Kofta, and the Dishes Worth Seeking Out
Beyond the dishes that appear in every review, Martha’s menu holds a few deeper cuts that reward curious eaters willing to explore a little further.
Kibbe, a traditional Lebanese preparation made from ground meat and bulgur wheat, is one of those dishes that separates a genuinely authentic Lebanese restaurant from one that is just going through the motions. Martha’s version is made with care and served at a price point that makes ordering seconds feel completely reasonable.
The kofta has developed its own devoted following among regulars who describe it as addictive in the most complimentary way possible. Seasoned ground meat shaped onto skewers and charbroiled to order, it has the kind of depth that makes you want to figure out every spice involved.
The Khoussa, a Lebanese zucchini dish, is another option that surprises guests who order it on a whim and end up talking about it long after the meal is finished.
Baklava and the Sweet Finish
A meal at Martha’s that ends without dessert is a meal that ends too soon. The baklava here is the kind of finish that makes you sit back and take a quiet moment to appreciate what just happened.
Layers of thin pastry, honey, and crushed nuts come together in a way that is sweet without being overwhelming. It is a classic preparation done with the same level of care that runs through every other part of the menu.
The sweet pita chips with cinnamon and powdered sugar are another option for anyone who wants something lighter but still wants to end on a high note. They are the kind of snack that disappears faster than expected, which is why grabbing a bag to take home is always a smart move.
Dessert at Martha’s is not an afterthought. It is a natural extension of a meal built around the idea that every part of the experience deserves the same level of attention.
Prices That Make the Whole Experience Even Better
Great food at fair prices is a promise that a lot of restaurants make and very few actually keep. Martha’s keeps it, consistently, and that reliability is a big part of why the loyal customer base here has grown steadily over more than two decades.
Most meals fall in the ten to twenty dollar range per person, which is a genuinely reasonable number for the quality and quantity of food that arrives at the table. The portions are generous enough that leftovers are common, effectively stretching the value of each meal even further.
There is also a loyalty bonus program in place that rewards customers when they spend a certain amount, a small but meaningful gesture that reflects how much the people running this place value the people who keep coming back.
Catering is available as well, and the prices are reportedly reasonable enough that families have used Martha’s to cater events like baptisms and still come away impressed by both the food and the total bill.
The Near-Perfect Rating Across Every Platform
A 4.8-star rating on Google across more than 420 reviews is not a fluke. It is the result of years of consistent food, reliable service, and a genuine effort to make every customer feel like the visit was worth their time.
The numbers hold up across platforms as well. Uber Eats shows 4.7 stars, Facebook sits at a perfect 5 out of 5, and Trip and Postmates both land at 4.6.
That kind of consistency across multiple review sites tells a story that a single rating cannot.
What makes the rating even more impressive is the nature of the reviews themselves. People are not just leaving stars; they are writing paragraphs about specific dishes, specific staff members, and specific moments that made their visit memorable.
That level of emotional investment from customers is something most restaurants spend years trying to earn. Martha’s has clearly figured out the formula, and the numbers reflect exactly that.
How George Runs the Show Today
George took over Martha’s in 2018, and by every account, the transition has been handled with the kind of care that the restaurant’s founders would appreciate. He is the kind of owner who does not disappear into the back of the house and hope for the best.
He is out front, checking in with tables, answering questions about the menu, and making sure that every person who walks in feels like their visit matters. That hands-on approach is something customers mention repeatedly, and it clearly makes a difference in how the whole experience feels.
The staff he has built around him reflects the same energy. Employees are consistently described as happy, welcoming, and genuinely enthusiastic about the food they are serving, which is not something you can fake for very long.
The restaurant has also expanded its reach with dine-in, takeout, and delivery options, making it accessible to a wider audience without losing the personal touch that makes it worth visiting in the first place.
Planning Your Visit to Martha’s Restaurant
Martha’s Restaurant is open every day of the week, which makes fitting a visit into almost any schedule surprisingly easy. Monday through Thursday the kitchen runs from 11 AM to 8:30 PM, Friday and Saturday hours extend to 9 PM, and Sunday wraps up at 8 PM.
The restaurant sits at 153 Lafayette Road in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, with free parking available right out front, so there is no circling the block or feeding a meter to deal with. The phone number is 603-929-5092 if you want to call ahead, and online ordering is available through the Toast platform for anyone who prefers to plan before arriving.
Takeout is a popular option here, and the food travels well enough that the drive home does not diminish the experience. Whether you eat in, take out, or have it delivered, Martha’s has spent over 25 years making sure the food arrives tasting exactly the way it should.
