Unearth The Voyage
Some restaurants offer great food. Others offer great beer.
This longtime New London destination has built its reputation by doing both, pairing a scratch-made menu with house-brewed craft beer that has attracted loyal fans for decades.
What began as a small grille has grown into one of New Hampshire’s most popular brewpubs, complete with an on-site brewery and a menu known for everything from hearty comfort food to crowd-favorite chicken tenders. With mountain views, a welcoming atmosphere, and beers brewed just steps from the dining room, it’s the kind of place that keeps visitors coming back season after season.
A New London Classic With Deep Roots
The Flying Goose Brew Pub and Grille sits at 40 Andover Rd, New London, NH 03257, right in the heart of the Lake Sunapee region of New Hampshire. It is not a new kid on the block.
The place opened its doors back in 1993 under the name Four Corners Grille, which means it has been feeding locals and travelers for well over three decades.
That kind of longevity does not happen by accident. A family-run operation from the start, the Flying Goose has built its reputation on consistency, community, and a genuine love for the craft of both cooking and brewing.
The building itself carries a warm, lived-in energy that you notice the moment you arrive.
It feels like a place that has been around long enough to know exactly what it is and what it does well. And honestly, that confidence shows on every plate and in every pint poured at this beloved New Hampshire institution.
The Mountain View That Stops You Mid-Sentence
Few brew pubs in New England can claim a backdrop quite like this one. From the dining room and the outdoor porch, guests get a direct, unobstructed look at Mount Kearsarge, one of New Hampshire’s most recognizable peaks.
The view shifts with the seasons in a way that feels almost theatrical.
Spring brings lush greenery and the early growth of hop vines climbing along the property. Summer keeps things vibrant and full.
Fall is where things get truly dramatic, with the foliage painting the mountain in deep oranges, reds, and golds. Winter offers a snow-dusted version that feels like something off a postcard.
Outdoor seating is available for those who want the full experience without glass in the way. Sitting on that porch with a warm meal in front of you and Kearsarge in the background is the kind of simple pleasure that tends to stick with a person long after the drive home.
The view alone earns the trip.
New Hampshire’s First Solar-Powered Brewery
Back in 2011, the Flying Goose made a move that most restaurants were not even thinking about at the time. It became New Hampshire’s first solar-powered brewery, a distinction it still holds with quiet pride.
That forward-thinking decision says a lot about how the family behind this place approaches everything they do.
The solar setup powers the brewing operation below the main dining room, where Brewmaster Rik Marley works his magic. Marley has earned the affectionate title of the Mad Scientist in the Basement, and it is easy to see why once you look at the range and creativity of what comes out of that brewery.
The environmental commitment here is not just a marketing angle. It reflects a genuine care for the region, the land, and the community that surrounds this place.
For visitors who like knowing that their meal comes with a side of thoughtful choices, this detail adds a satisfying layer to an already enjoyable experience. The hops growing outside are just the beginning.
Twenty Taps and a Mad Scientist Behind Them
Twenty handcrafted brews on tap is not a small feat for any brewery, let alone one tucked into a small New Hampshire town. Brewmaster Rik Marley keeps the selection rotating and interesting, balancing year-round favorites with seasonal surprises that reward repeat visitors.
The year-round lineup includes some genuinely fun options. The Rookie Lager is a crowd-pleasing entry point, while the Ragged Mountain Red Ale brings more depth and character.
The Long Brothers American IPA satisfies hop-forward fans, and the Chipmunk Love Story Oatmeal Stout is exactly as smooth and comforting as its name suggests. Even the names alone are worth a conversation.
For those who want to bring something home, the Flying Goose offers eight to twelve varieties of four-packs to go, along with a selection of bottles, cans, and hard ciders. Whether you are a seasoned craft enthusiast or someone who just wants something cold and delicious with lunch, there is something on that tap list with your name on it.
Quite possibly a very fun name.
The Chicken Tenders That People Cross State Lines For
There is a dish on this menu that has developed something close to a cult following. The beer-battered chicken tenders at the Flying Goose are the kind of thing people talk about on long drives home, and apparently, some guests have been making special trips from out of state just to get them.
That is not a rumor. That is a pattern.
The tenders arrive golden and crispy on the outside, with the house honey mustard doing serious work as a companion. The portion is generous, the flavor is clean and satisfying, and they consistently show up in conversations about what to order first when someone new walks through the door.
One fair heads-up worth mentioning: the tenders do include the pectineus muscle tendon, which some diners notice and find unexpected. It does not seem to stop most people from ordering them again, but it is worth knowing before you sit down.
The honey mustard, for what it is worth, is genuinely excellent and deserves its own fan club.
A Menu That Goes Way Beyond Bar Food
The menu here is the kind that takes a few minutes to read through properly because there is genuinely a lot going on. Classic tavern comfort food anchors everything, but the range is wider than most people expect from a brew pub in a small New Hampshire town.
Appetizers include the Famous Nachos, Artichoke Dip, Homemade Fried Pickles, and the Basket O’ Rings, which earns its place on the table every single time. Entrees stretch from Fish and Chips and New England Haddock to House Smoked BBQ Pulled Pork, Shrimp Scampi, and even a Vegan Pesto Ravioli for plant-based guests.
The grass-fed burgers are a consistent highlight, cooked to preference and served in generous portions that often lead to a to-go box. The seasonal menu keeps things fresh throughout the year, so regular visitors always have a reason to see what is new.
There is also a solid kids’ menu, making this a practical choice for families heading out after a day of hiking nearby.
The Onion Rings That Taste Like a Memory
Some dishes at the Flying Goose have taken on a life of their own in the conversations of people who have eaten here. The onion rings are one of those dishes.
They are thick, properly battered, and taste like what onion rings were always supposed to be before most restaurants started making them look and taste like hollow dough circles.
The rings here have real onion inside, real crunch outside, and the kind of flavor that makes you reach for another one before you have finished the first. They pair well with just about everything on the menu, and they show up regularly in the descriptions people give when recommending this place to friends.
Sweet potato fries are also available for those who want something a little different, and they arrive thick-cut, similar to steak fries, with a satisfying density that holds up well. The appetizer section of this menu is strong enough to build an entire meal around if you are in the right mood, and many people clearly do exactly that.
The Warm Atmosphere Inside the Dining Room
The inside of the Flying Goose is the kind of space that immediately makes you want to take your coat off and settle in. There is a fireplace that anchors the room during colder months, and the overall feel is rustic without being rough around the edges.
It is clean, organized, and comfortable in a way that feels genuinely cared for.
The layout offers both a dining room and a bar area, with bar stools, regular tables, and enough space between guests that you can actually hold a conversation. The dining room is spacious enough that it never feels cramped, even on busy weekend evenings when the place is running at full capacity.
Accessibility is handled thoughtfully as well. The restroom facilities include options for families and wheelchair users, which is a detail that matters more than it often gets credit for.
The mountain view from inside the dining room adds a natural focal point that keeps the space from ever feeling like just another pub interior. It earns its own kind of warmth.
Shrimp Scampi, Meatloaf Wellington, and Other Surprises
The menu at the Flying Goose has a few entries that catch first-time visitors off guard in the best possible way. Shrimp Scampi showing up at a New Hampshire brew pub might raise an eyebrow, but it earns its place on the menu and gets ordered regularly.
The same goes for the Meatloaf Wellington, which sounds fancy and delivers on that promise.
The ale and onion soup is another quiet standout, rich and satisfying in a way that feels perfectly matched to the setting. The Haddock Casserole brings a New England sensibility to the table that locals appreciate, and the summer salad with balsamic glazing offers a lighter option for those who want something fresh alongside their heartier choices.
The kitchen also turns out desserts worth saving room for. The upside-down toffee cake and the chocolate cake have both earned strong praise from visitors who were not necessarily expecting dessert to be a highlight.
Surprises like these are exactly what keep people coming back to explore a little more of the menu each time they visit.
What to Know Before You Go
The Flying Goose Brew Pub and Grille is open seven days a week, which is a welcome detail for anyone planning a trip around the area. Monday through Saturday hours run from 11:30 AM to 9:00 PM, and Sunday wraps up a little earlier at 8:00 PM.
The kitchen stays active throughout those hours, so a late lunch or early dinner both work well.
The price range falls in the moderate category, with most meals feeling fair given the portion sizes and quality. That said, busy weekend evenings can bring a wait, and calling ahead for a reservation is genuinely worth the thirty seconds it takes.
The phone number is 603-526-6899, and more information is available at flyinggoose.com.
The daytime crowd tends to be a bit more relaxed, and the bar staff during afternoon hours has earned consistent praise for being knowledgeable and welcoming. Visiting after a hike on Mount Kearsarge has become something of a local tradition, and it is easy to understand why once you are sitting down with a cold drink and that mountain view right in front of you.
A Spot Worth Driving an Hour to Reach
A four-point-four-star rating across more than 2,100 reviews is not something that happens without a real reason. The Flying Goose has built that reputation one meal at a time, one pint at a time, and one genuinely warm interaction at a time.
Guests regularly mention driving an hour or more just to eat here, and most of them say they would do it again without hesitation.
The combination of factors that makes this place work is harder to replicate than it looks. A scenic mountain view, a solar-powered in-house brewery, a menu that covers serious ground, and a family-run spirit that keeps the whole thing feeling personal rather than corporate.
That is a rare mix anywhere, let alone in a small New Hampshire town.
First-time visitors often describe the experience as stumbling onto something they did not expect to be this good. Regular visitors describe it as a place they simply cannot stay away from for too long.
Both groups tend to leave with the same thought: they are already planning when to come back.
