The four course meals are perfectly portioned and the service was speedy. Highly recommend!

Great spot for lunch on a nice day. The outdoor seating was very nice, and the quite alley make for a great place to get outside the hustle and bustle of Portsmouth. The mezze plater along with one sandwich is perfect for a relaxed meal for 2. Everything was fantastic (eggplant was only okay). read more

In terms of original tapas fare, I have to say that cava pulled each of it's dishes off with flying colours. It's a nice and cozy wine bar with dishes that draw on basque and traditional Spanish cuisine but prepared with modern methods. We first ordered the chick pea fries served with a cucumber yogurt sauce. The texture was smooth and the cucumber was subtle, as it should be. Honestly, perfect execution. The next dish was a series of Bocadillos topped with a creme fraiche Dijon sauce, Serrano ham, and a slice of manchego cheese. The difficulty with such a simple dish is to balance the strong flavor of the manchego and Dijon with the acidity of the creme fraiche. Again, Cava pulled it off. The third dish I tried was a falafel with an Ethiopian sauce. To be honest, this was the weakest dish. The falafel itself was very well prepared but the sauce lacked flavor and the pairing was unoriginal. The final dish of the meal was a fried pork belly and watermelon salad. The watermelon gives the rich pork belly a refreshing end note, and the slight hint of spiciness adds much depth to the belly (which often suffers from being too rich and drowning out other flavors). For me, this was the highlight of the meal. Featuring a nice wine list and very solid execution of dishes I will happily give Cava a 4.5/10. read more

I'm not a foodee by any means. I enjoy eating, but tend to frequent places that have food I am used to eating - and I was unfamilar with "Tapas" before visiting Cava. I had walked by it a number of times and thought it looked cool. It is situated in downtown Portsmouth, just off Market Street, and it lloked like a great place for a romantic...place to have...wine and...whatever tapas is? So, with the right date, on a Sunday afternoon, it was the right time to try the place. I still can't tell you what "tapas" means, but I think it stands for Tiny Appetizing Portions Artistically Shown. The food was truly excellent. We started witht eh Basque Olives and Marcona Almonds, which were absolutely delicious. We then moved to Spring Lamb with Hummus and pomegranate. Each item was in its own bowl, and they brought us pita triangles so we could make our own little sandwiches. Then we had the Mezze, was similar except there was Baba Ghanoujh, Hummus and freshly made Tabbouleh, served again in little dishes with pita triangles. We finished things off with the Flan. The food was delightful:tasteful, well proportioned, and light for a nice lunch experience. I asked for the house red wine, which fit the food and the mood perfectly. The service was fine; attentive without being intrusive. The setting was amazing. We sat outside, where the walls are decorated by hanging gardens. It felt private, airy and private all at the same time. The setting and food meant that our conversation was enhanced, rather than inhibited. I'll be back. T read more

Excellent service, waiters were very friendly and willing to explain the menu and the dishes as they brought them out. Would highly recommend the chickpea "fries". read more

We came here for girls night dinner, party of 6 and sat outside . The outside patio have a very nice brick wall and unique box flower pot. The restaurant is located in hidden alley. The service and food was awesome. They have a very unique dishes and its tapas so everything are small portion. I especially enjoy the mix drinks . read more

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Try the chick pea fries. Nice bars on both levels. Basement area feels a bit like that, a basement. I'll be back. read more

The wine was amazing and there was an ample list to choose from. The tapas were well prepared and fantastically presented. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. read more

Cava - Wine! - Mediterranean Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Great little tapas place tucked away in Portsmouth. Delightful gazpacho shooters in the summer

Great staff, great cocktails, great variety of food. The owner is constantly checking in to see how the place is running and will bend over backwards to make the customer happy. They often have specials and events and fun things like that to make coming back repeatedly into a new experience each time. read more

This is by far the best place in Portsmouth and that is saying A LOT. Portsmouth is known for its amazing food scene and Cava nails it every time. I lived in California for the last 3 years and whenever I came out I made sure Cava was on my stop list. Expect some unique foods, small plates, and be ready to share! read more

Despite two very good dishes, we had a very disappointing evening here. We had the pork belly, which we couldn't even finish because the sauce was disgusting. It was plated with some kind of crunchy nuts that had a gross texture and taste. We also had the duck, which was in previously frozen pastry cups and the meat was so dry. Horrible. On a brighter note, the dates and the croquettes were good, not great though. It seems like there so many other restaurants in Portsmouth that I wish we would have tried somewhere else. read more

We've been going to Cava for a while now and I've been meaning to write a review because for us is definitely one of the top 5 restaurants we've visited around the world! We normally make reservations on the chef's table, what an unique experience. We have gotten to know all of chefs, what a nice and talented bunch. We can see how the food is prepared and the chef's will be delighted to answer your questions while they're busy making such delectable plates. Everything is made from scratch. You can see how fresh the ingredients are. The chefs tell us that they create their menus using ingredients that are in season. The flavors and the combinations are fantastic, you want to keep the food in your mouth to flavor it forever!! We've probably tried everything in the menu by now and we absolutely love it all. They also change their menu often so we're always looking forward to taste their new creations. Some of my favorites: The pineapple with lime and molasses, the paella of the moment and the churros with hot chocolate, mmmm, to die for!! Keep it up Chef Gregg and the gang, you are too awesome! read more

Whatever is on the Chef's tasting menu, eat it. You will not regret it. I have been here twice: the chef's tasting menu was different each time but absolutely perfect. Just the right amount of food, perfectly flavored and perfectly timed. The wine was delicious and the service was great. Getting a seat is a challenge at times but it is worth the wait. read more

Very pretentious (four little things on a large rectangular plate kind of pretentious) but excellent. Even better than Black Trumpet, I'm forced to admit. And yes, I loved the churros for dessert - crunch on the outside and creamy on the inside. Many of dishes are really meant to be shared, so it's best to go with people you know or are prepared to be casual with. read more

Loved the chickpea fries! Wonderful atmosphere and delicious wine. We sat at the bar for dinner and had a wonderful experience. The bartender was very helpful in choosing a bottle of wine to have with our dinner. Everything that came to us was fantastic, great flavor and very fresh. read more

Cava - Wine was a perfect match to our meal. - Mediterranean Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Wonderful four course meal with wine pairings suggested by the bartender at Cava tonight ! Have been wanting to try this place for years - usually in Portsmouth during the daytime and they are mostly a dinner place. In the mist of COVID they have done a fantastic job of adapting with a price fixe menu with great choices. 1st course I enjoy a Burrata and heirloom tomato salad that was delightful. My hubby enjoyed the Gazpacho with lobster that was delicious! A must ! Second course I had the artichoke hearts and hubby had the stuffed Piquillo Peppers - again both good but the peppers were fantastic! Hubby is winning so far - but I am still a sucker for a good Burrata. Third course was Paella for me and hubby had the Sirloin - both prepared very well and enjoyed. Dessert was Manchego Cheese with tomato marmalade and Churros with Chocolate. Again Hubby won with the Cheese course. And with two Ports it was great ! We will definitely be back. So glad they are open and busy !!! read more

Loved the ambience food and the service . Would be great to have few more vegetarian choices . The meze plate of falafel tabouli was very authentic and delicious but the portions were to small for the price . The warm pita bread was great also The out door seating is quaint and beautiful read more

Outstanding food, quiet and attentive service, and given the quality of the food, reasonable prices -- these qualities make Cava one of the best places to dine in Portsmouth. I've visited twice in the past month. My first visit was to explore it for a birthday dinner with friends; my second for the birthday itself. On each occasion, we chose the four-course prix-fixe dinner ($58), which offers several choices for each course. My guests and I especially enjoyed the butternut squash soup with an unlikely flavor combination, the Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and pumpkin seeds, the char-grilled baby octopus, and the pan-roasted cod with romesco and fennel. The only disappointment was the house paella, which I thought was greasy and lacking texture. All portions were tapas size, but after four courses, no one was left feeling hungry. Wine, from a pleasant list, was available by the bottle or the glass. For our party of six, we had asked to be seated downstairs with at a table with banquettes. The speaker for background music was over our table and we asked to have the sound turned down, as one member of our party is slightly deaf. The waitress thoughtfully turned it off, contributing to a memorable evening. read more

Finally found the best, by far, restaurant in Portsmouth! I am not sure what took us so long, maybe because it is referred to as a wine bar. The wine selection is huge too and our waiter helped with great choices. Everything was amazing and although tapas are supposedly small plates these didn't feel small. Three of us had the chef's combination and added a couple things. We are beyond stuffed but didn't want to leave anything behind! If you order the chefs combo we recommend you don't order other dishes, as there was so much, and nothing there we wouldn't order again! read more

I was really looking forward to coming here. It is super cute with outside seating in a little alley. The food was good, tons of saffron used as garnish. I think I was expecting a more traditional tapas bar with elements in Spanish. I will say that the croquetas were amazing, but everything else was...ok. People raves about the churros and chocolate, and they were good, some were s little raw inside, but maybe they were in a rush? The server was friendly. read more

Would love to give more stars to this restaurant as their food is always good but it is as consistent as the chilly attitude we get when there and making reservations. We skip going a lot as we do not like how we are treated a lot of the time. Just trying to make reservations during restaurant week the not so friendly voice on the phone caused me to cancel. I'm not sure we will go back anytime soon. Too bad...... read more

Ridiculously amazing. Sat at the chef's table for our meal a month ago and everything was creative and fantastic. Homemade blueberry hot cakes with foie gras is pure insanity. Our first meal here in March 2011 included a chef's special of seared duck breast complemented by licorice root ice cream. I'm not sure which galaxy Chef and Owner Gregg Sessler comes from, but it must be the most delicious and though provoking galaxy in, well, the entire galaxy. Their staple starters are equally satisfying: hummus fries and ham wrapped dates with a subtle pepper oil that is out of this world. To say that I could draw a warm bath with this pepper oil would be an understatement. Cava could easily gain a diehard following in Los Angeles, San Francisco or New York. Luckily we have Cava all to our lonesome here in Portsmouth and we should truly feel blessed. read more

I am hesitant to give any restaurant 5 stars, but I feel Cava warrants such a rating. I have been eating at Cava for almost a year now. I discovered it accidentally with a friend one night and have been coming back on a weekly basis since. The funny thing about my love affair with Cava is that before my first discovery of this wonderful restaurant, I would never have willingly tried most of the things on the menu because I'm not that adventurous of an eater. But Cava has opened my eyes and made me somewhat of a food snob within the last year. I compare everything in Portsmouth to this restaurant. I usually get the paella, which on most nights is made with the most tender chicken and tasty chorizo. Every once and a while Chef Sessler will change it up. I can eat the serving of paella and feel satisfied. But often I'll throw a few other tapas items into the mix - the tuna (served on a salt block which adds the perfect salty blend), the asparagus when in season, the patatas bravas. All are exquisitely prepared and presented. I have never had a bite here that wasn't delicious. I also love their wine menu. I find types of wine on their menu I have never seen around. And Cava has a retail license so sometimes I will go in and just buy a bottle of wine and take it home with me. The staff is friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. I have my favorites, but they are all good. The atmosphere is very modern and beautiful. I enjoy sitting downstairs in their wine cave where it's darker and more reminiscent of my favorite restaurants in NYC. I recommend you call ahead for a reservation. They do fill up quickly, especially during the warmer months. You can also make reservations for their outside patio which is a nice treat. I have yet to sit at the chef's table, but it is on my to-do list. You can watch the chef prepare your food while chatting with him at the same time. Pretty cool! read more

After reading glowing reviews on Yelp for this place we decided to try it out on a recent trip to this charming city. We made reservations by just walking in at mid afternoon and scoring a couple of spots at the bar for later in the evening. The bartender was friendly and helpful throughout our dining experience. The food was impeccably presented. We ordered Patatas Bravas, Chick Pea Fries, Roasted Carrots with crispy Kale, and the Monkfish stew for small tapas. And we also had the Chicken and Sausage Paella for a larger tapas course. The Chick Pea Fries was the star of the show with a lot of different flavors. The Roasted Carrot dish was a little on the bland side. We could have used a little more seasoning on most of these dishes. The dessert we had was the Churros (kind of like Spanish donuts) with chocolate dipping sauce. The outside of the churros was crispy and delicious but the inside tasted a little soft and underdone. I'm not sure if that's the way they are supposed to be served. Having a good view of the restaurant and staff, it was obvious that they worked very well together, from the host making reservations to staff filling water glasses, they all pitched in to make it a great dining experience. This place fills up fast so I'd make a reservation or use their call ahead seating to make sure you get in. I'd definitely try this place again and maybe try dining outside in the warmer weather. read more

The best restaurant in Portsmouth, hands down. I've been to Cava many times and have never been disappointed with the food. I usually love the tasting menu, it gives you a selection of the best items at a reasonable price. I was disappointed with a recent tasting menu change, so hopefully they go back to the usual tasting menu format. Danny, the bartender, is one of the best on the seacoast -- friendly, interesting and a master chemist when it comes to shaking beverages. Greg, the co-owner and chef, is a brilliant chef. The flavors he comes up with are perfect. I have not had the best experiences with John, the other co-owner and head of house, but I don't envy the job of someone who has to keep tables moving in such a small restaurant. If you're looking to try one restaurant in Portsmouth, make it Cava. It's tapas, so expect a bunch of small plates for sharing, not one giant entry meal. If you go in with that expectation, you're in for a treat. read more

Wow! The wait staff guided my family through the diverse wine menu. The tapas were incredible. Our favorites were artichoke and Cornish hen. And I would like to say the moskow mule in the appropriate glass was exceptional! read more

Excellent food. The scallops were delicious. The portion size is small- you get to try a few things which gives u more options. Definitely recommended. Hope they come up with a branch in Boston. read more

What an amazing experience. It had been a long week and I was looking to treat myself to a spectacular dining experience. Cava fulfilled that need. The ambiance is right out of Spain. You walk through the gorgeous outdoor dining area into a quaint open kitchen and bar area. There are a few tables along with the bar seating and also a cool 4 seat space, like a chefs table in bar top form overlooking the open kitchen. Downstairs is the dining room. It is a great feel for dining alone, with friends, romantic night or a special occasion. Drinks were creative, delish and well presented. Now onto the food! I like the tapas tradition. You get a taste of so many options. Tapas meaning small plate. These Tapas were very generous. I started with Marcona almonds and beautiful petite Spanish olives with bits of orange zest and fried rosemary. Fantastic. I then ordered Mushroom Escabeche. A lovely mix of local mushrooms, fried herbs, black garlic and pickled blackberries and a little sprinkle of popcorn. One word WOWZA. Now onto CROQUETAS DE JAMON SERRANO . Essentially, the best ham and cheese croquettes you will ever have. Jamon is a Spanish cured ham. They had a touch of saffron aioli on top. They were crispy on the outside and oh so creamy inside. These exceeded all expectations. Salty, savory and a touch of creamy cheese to finish. The grand finale was short ribs that MELTED in your mouth and served over a lovely truffle salsify cream. OUTSTANDING One cannot leave Spain with out Churros. Hot, light...qty FOUR. I shared with bar neighbors. The wines are clearly hand picked to compliment your tapas. THE STAFF...Brilliant. Very well versed, attentive and down to earth. No pretentious attitudes here. Cava is a Winner. read more

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Cava provides an outstanding dining experience. I ordered a delicious glass of cava along with the chickpea fries, croquetas with saffron aioli, and the duck. They were all perfect. For dessert I had an exceptional port wine that paired perfectly with the chocolate dessert. The overall dining experience was fantastic and I will definitely be back. read more

When was the last time you went to a restaurant and came away singing its praises so thoroughly that it was a challenge to find a fault? There is no such thing as perfection but Cava in Portsmouth NH gets pretty close. The experience begins by the immediate comfort provided by the soft ambiance. We were greeted very warmly and enthusiastically. As we headed down to the "Wine Cave" (intimate bar and 2 tables) we were struck by the joy in the building - wait staff and customers alike were all smiling and chatting it up. When you see couples at the end of the bar gently smooching and giggling between sips of wine...you know you are in a good space. Five of us sat at a very comfortable table in the corner of the "Cave". Our server was Lulu and she was a delight. On the one hand she was very attentive to my food allergies as she efficiently guided us through the menus. On the other hand she made us feel especially welcome with her sense of humor. Well done Lulu! Eating at Cava could be a little daunting if you are not experienced in tapas dining. Here are my suggestions: for a simple couple of cocktails or wines, pick a couple of items to share and then order more as your stomach requires. Or if you are committed to a full meal, select the "Tastings" prix fixe approach. You will spend about $29 per head and be enormously satisfied both in pleasure and quantity. The quality and artistry of this little parade of food is exceptional. The cocktails were very nice (they have Ciroc vodka!) and the wine list is just great. Be sure to call ahead if you want a table. This is truly a "wine bar" as one might find in Italy. It's small, cozy, intimate and it's alley setting is a perfect lead in to the restaurant. To the owners and managers: congratulations, you have figured out how to deliver a superior experience. The evening we were there was a "special birthday" for my wife. We were unanimous: it was a special night. We'll be back with friends. read more

Excellent food. Good price too. Try to get the chef's table. You can see the chef cooking and ask questions. We had a great time. read more

We stopped in Cava on the way through Portsmouth on a weekend up to Maine. This is one of the best dining experiences I've had in a while! Although it was an impromptu trip and the chef's table was unavailable (we had been recommended this by a friend) , we were seated downstairs. My wife and I both had the $29 tasting menu, which was superb value for 8 courses. Service was excellent and the ambience of the place was really great too. Highly recommended. read more

What a fantastic experience! First of all, the ambiance is fantastic - cozy little restaurant and wine bar nestled in a private side street in the heart of Portsmouth. Second, the food was innovative and very tasty. We sat at the Chef's table and thoroughly the food, preparation, and interaction with the sous chef. The wine pairings were spot on as well. Third, the service was excellent - very attentive and efficient, with a high ratio of servers to customers. If I could own / run a restaurant, this is a great blueprint to follow. We'll be back the next time we're in Portsmouth! read more

Let's start with my husband and I drove 4 hours, stayed the night in a hotel JUST to try this place and it was worth it. We came back a second time and it was outstanding then as well. The flavors and freshness you get here as well as the flavor pairings are just so good. Well done Cava. read more

Best restaurant in downtown Portsmouth! We make special trips from our place which is 2 and a half hours away. We get seats at the chef's table and the food is amazing. Drinks are original and nicely paired with the food. The most memorable plates: 1. Butternut squash soup- has chocolate brushed on the bottom of the bowl with a light marshmallow top. 2. Beets with goat cheese. They are delicately layered with some greens. 3. Brussel sprouts with a maple and bacon Every plate is delicious so you have to check this place out of you are a foodie and want a special night out. read more

Most of the flavors were great. The portions were much too small even for tapas. Probably wouldn't go here again.

Called about a month ahead to make a reservation for a birthday dinner for my fiance. The man on the phone, who turns out to be the owner, was a real jerk. Should have been the first clue to dine elsewhere. When he told me hr had one opening on the day we wanted to come he basically told me that I would be charged if we did not show and asked if we really wanted to book it or think about it some more. We went ahead and made the reservation anyway. Having arrived on the day of the birthday dinner, the owner stuck us in the corner at the worst table in the place. The waiter, who turns out to also be the bartender, takes our order after explaining how the courses worked and stated he would space them out so we wouldn't be rushed. Sounds good. While we waited for the food, we watched the second bartender/waitress down alcohol for each drink she poured for customers. She seemed to be having quite a good time. Then we got to the last course, dessert. The waiter had gone missing in action even though the place was about half full for a Safurday night. I told him that we wanted to have coffee with our desserts when he asked us, but that I wanted to finish my wine before he brought out the dessert and coffee so that it wouldn't get cold. Well, here comes the coffee right after I asked him not to being it yet. He said that they were on a reservation party, whatever that means and was quite rude. Then the owner, the idiot from the phone reservation comes over and told us that we were over our time limit and the next guests were there so we would have to pay and leave. Mind you, the friggin place is still half empty. He also told us that when he spoke to us on the phone that he told us we had to be done by a certain time. Another blatant lie. This guy is probably the most douche bag person I have ever encountered while dining out. He was making dirty faces at other guests throughout the night and was dirty, setting new place settings after he bussed tables and had crap all over his hands. Pretty embarrassing to have to endure for a birthday dinner. Will never be back and would recommend this place to no one. The only decent part was one food course was good. Ciao. read more

Fabulous location and even better food. My husband and I ordered the manchego stuffed dates, patatas bravas, artichoke hearts, rabbit sausage, and croquetas de jamón serrano. Each item was absolutely delicious and carefully prepared. No extraneous ingredients, fresh herbs and spices. The croquetas were my favorite and the patatas bravas were his favorite. Make sure you don't skip on dessert. The churros and chocolate were phenomenal. read more

I went for the first time Thursday night and was blown away by how friendly and attentive the staff was, and how delicious the food and drinks were. Instantly one of my favorite restaurants. I was part of a large group that had additional unexpected guests, and they grew to accommodate us. I had the medjool dates stuffed with manchego and serrano ham, the pork tenderloin with mojo picon and salt wrinkled potatoes, and the beef short rib with chanterelle mushrooms, barley, and porcini truffle broth. For a beverage, I had an espresso martini. Yes, everything was as good as it sounds. read more