SkiNet

Dining: Common Man Restaurant

There’s a reason the Common Man family of restaurants has been wildly popular since the first one opened in nearby Ashland 35 years ago, and it’s not portion control—except maybe in the inverted sense. At the Lincoln branch, as elsewhere, they load you up with bounteous all-American fare in an old-timey tavern setting. Sneer if you will, but the tourists are onto something: The C-Man’s lobster corn chowder is superb, and the roast duck with blueberry-balsamic reduction is as tasty as any to be found in a four-star restaurant. $11–21; 603-745-3463

Dining: Gypsy Cafe

Every town ought to have a restaurant like Lincoln’s Gypsy Cafe, where a casual night out invariably becomes a memorable event. The walls are painted wild colors and decorated with stylish Southwestern art. The world-ranging menu spans shrimp spring rolls with a four-chile dipping sauce and lamb chops jazzed up with spicy balsamic vinaigrette and mint pesto. The dessert not to pass up is the Cuban flan. Fresh margaritas in 10 enticing guises keep spirits warm, and the prices are as gentle as the atmosphere is festive. $15–$23; 603-745-4395

Dining: Tim-Bir Alley

New Hampshire, generally speaking, has been slow to catch up with culinary advances common in the rest of the country. Not Tim Carr, whose restaurant, Tim-Bir Alley, recently relocated from Adair to Main Street in Littleton, just north of Franconia. The name combines his name with that of his wife, Biruta, the gracious hostess. The menu changes weekly—he’s a committed seasonalist—but there’s one thing you can count on: skilled and exuberant cuisine. Entrees $18–$29; 603-444-6142

Lodging: Common Man Inn

Located just south of the Notch and within easy reach of its mountains, the Common Man Inn is an exercise in instant kitsch. An old wood mill has been divided into 37 spacious rooms decorated in rustic camp style. There’s not a hint of froufrou. Pluses include a steakhouse, a spa and a health club with sauna and pool. Most rooms have fireplaces. Five are even pet-friendly. $102–$236; 866-843-2626; thecmaninn.com

Lodging: Mountain Club

If you’re one of those types who hates to miss a minute of skiing, the obvious solution is Loon’s Mountain Club, a 254-room slopeside complex. It boasts all of the expected facilities—restaurant, health club with pool, outdoor hot tub—plus the indulgent Viaggio Spa, whose signature treatments include an invigorating pear and green apple sugar scrub. $86–$723; 800-229-7829; mtnclub.com

Lodging: Sunset Hill House

Set on a ridge overlooking Cannon’s west side, Sunset Hill House in Sugar Hill (five miles northwest) looks like a grand hotel but was only the servants’ quarters for one, long gone. All 29 rooms have great views (some in both directions). Some boast four-poster beds and whirlpools. A seven-course chef’s tasting menu is offered, but we prefer the honest heartiness of the tavern menu. $80–$399; 800-786-4455; sunsethillhouse.com

Lodging: Adair Inn

Predating Cannon’s oldest trail by six years, Adair, a 1927 Georgian Colonial Revival manse set on 200-plus acres in Bethlehem, about 10 miles north of Cannon, exudes the kind of timeless country-house graciousness that mostly crumbled with the Crash. All is still well and posh here: nine spacious bedrooms (many with fireplaces), a restful living room adorned in a subdued, WASPy style and a granite-walled basement with vintage pool table and big-screen TV.

Dining and Lodging in Lincoln/Franconia, NH

Hunker down on either side of the granite gash that is Franconia Notch—still breathtakingly scenic even without the Old Man—and you’re in easy reach of three sizable resorts: family-scale Waterville Valley; big, bustling Loon, with its new terrain; and rugged, state-owned Cannon. Tidy lodgings and good food abound, too, if you know where to look.