Want to dine at the oldest restaurant in New Hampshire? You’re in luck – the site just reopened in Hancock.

Originally opened in 1789 as a stop for travelers on trade routes between Boston and Vermont, The Inn at Hancock is the state’s oldest inn and restaurant, according to Thrillist.

The Hancock has remained a place to stay and dine since its opening over 200 years ago, drawing crowds from all over to experience the historic New England charm – including former U.S. President Franklin Pierce.

However, the inn temporarily closed for renovations in 2022, staying closed for two years. Now, as of the end of 2024, The Inn at Hancock is reopen for dining with a new chef, a reimagined menu and two unique dining spaces. Here’s what to know about eating at New Hampshire’s most historic restaurant today.

About dining at The Inn at Hancock

While the restaurant at The Hancock was previously named The Fox Tavern, the reopened inn features two new dining spaces – The Hunt Bar and Scullery, a casual tavern with light fare and live piano jazz, and Pinks Lounge, a lush dining room overlooking the back patio with an a la carte menu and raw bar.

The Inn at Hancock’s new menu blends classic continental and contemporary cuisines while incorporating sustainable, seasonal ingredients from local farms. Menu options range from upscale comfort food like braised lamb and mushroom wellington to seafood classics like grilled halibut and shrimp cocktail.

Dine here too: The oldest restaurant in MA is over 300 years old. Here’s how to eat there

How to eat at The Inn at Hancock

The Hunt Bar and Scullery is open for dinner from 4-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 4-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. At Pinks Lounge, brunch is available from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, and dinner is served from from 5-9 p.m. Thursday and 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

Reservations for both spaces can be made online. The inn is currently only open for dining, with construction work ongoing in the guest rooms.

The Inn at Hancock can be found at at 33 Main St. in Hancock, NH.

While on an innocent New Year’s Eve ski trip at Cranmore Mountain in New Hampshire, a 12-year-old boy was tragically killed in an accident on the mountain.

According to authorities, the young boy was skiing down the Bandit Trail, a route for intermediate skiers, shortly before 11:00 a.m. when the incident occurred.

Witnesses reported the incident, and the North Conway Fire and Rescue team deployed to assist. Upon their arrival, the boy was unconscious and had already been transported to the mountain’s base. Although CPR was performed by the Cranmore Ski Patrol team, all efforts were unsuccessful.

He was then brought to the MaineHealth Memorial Hospital in North Conway via ambulance.

Due to the extent of his injuries, the boy was unable to recover and passed away while in the hospital.

The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) 2024 Fatality Fact Sheet states, “The primary cause of fatal incidents are collisions with trees and the snow surface itself. Collisions with trees were the major cause of fatalities during the 2023/24 season, making up nearly half of all fatalities.”

Cranmore mountain is situated in North Conway, a village in New Hampshire widely known for its outdoor recreation. The White Mountains, home of the northeast’s highest peak, Mt. Washington, are only thirty minutes from where the boy was skiing.

The boy’s name has not been released to the public at this time. An investigation is in progress.

“On behalf of Cranmore Mountain Resort, our thoughts and prayers go out to the family,” a spokesperson from Cranmore Mountain said in a statement. “The entire Cranmore family grieves this tragic loss.”

Christopher Mattei, Conway Police Chief, also released a statement expressing condolences.

“On behalf of the Conway Police Department, and all the first responders who assisted, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the family members of thee 12-year-old boy,” he wrote.

After learning about the fate of Peanut and Fred, Representative James Spillane took action to make sure their story isn’t repeated in the Granite State. This legislative session, the Deerfield Republican is proposing legislation that would allow the ownership of some squirrels and raccoons.

“It gave a black eye to New York and we don’t need to get a black eye in New Hampshire,” he said.

“My fear is somebody’s going to move into the state with a pet, and we’re going to tell you, ‘You can’t get veterinary care, and you’ve got to pretend you don’t have that pet,’” he said.

Spillane said his bill, which has the backing of several other Republican lawmakers, provides two paths to legal ownership of pet raccoons and squirrels, including for people who move into New Hampshire from states that permit the animals as pets, and allowing them to become pets after being rehabilitated by NH Fish and Game.

But, Spillane said, his bill stops short of making all ownership of pet raccoons and squirrels legal. It still wouldn’t allow people to purchase the animals at a pet store, to breed them, or to capture them from the wild.

“We’re in the same position with these as we were with ferrets about 15 years ago,” Spillane said.

Raccoons and squirrels aren’t the only critters lawmakers are eyeing in 2025. A proposal from

Democratic Senator Donovan Fenton of Keene would proclaim the Virginia opossum as New Hampshire’s official state marsupial.

The nocturnal critter, which is already the official state marsupial of North Carolina, can be found in New Hampshire and throughout much of North America.

This story first appeared in Globe NH | Morning Report, our free newsletter focused on the news you need to know about New Hampshire, including great coverage from the Boston Globe and links to interesting articles from other places. If you’d like to receive it via e-mail Monday through Friday, you can sign up here.

Amanda Gokee can be reached at amanda.gokee@globe.com. Follow her @amanda_gokee.