Forty Six

Route 9N in Keene, on the Dartbrook Lodge campus, which means dinner here pairs naturally with a stay at the cottages next door or at one of the Keene Valley inns. The dining room is small and considered, the kind of setting where a couple lingers over a four-course rather than flips through a menu for a quick burger. The kitchen rotates the menu with the seasons, which in Keene means the late-summer plates lean on local farms and the winter card moves to game, root vegetables, and warmer compositions. Plating is precise rather than rustic, which is the unusual call for a Keene restaurant; the surrounding category is mostly tavern-style rooms feeding the High Peaks hikers. Reservations are essentially required on weekends and through foliage season. Dress trends to smart casual or better. Best for High Peaks travelers who want a real dinner rather than a brewery night, and for couples on a non-hiking evening. Walk-ins fill the bar; the dining room is booked. Year-round; the spring and fall menus are the standout seasons.