Market Square is the heart of downtown Portsmouth, a handsome open space surrounded by Federal-period and 19th-century commercial buildings housing the city's best collection of independent restaurants, cafes, bookshops, and galleries. The North Church steeple rises at one end; the Portsmouth Athenæum occupies a Federal building at the corner. On summer evenings the outdoor seating spills onto the pavement and the square has the feel of a prosperous small-city gathering place.
The square anchors the city's restaurant scene. Within two blocks are some of the best restaurants in New Hampshire. The concentration of quality within such a small area is one of Portsmouth's genuine surprises — the food here is good enough that people drive from Boston for dinner.