New restaurant and bar open at Smuttynose Brewing Company campus

Hampton Union, March 1, 2015

[The following article is courtesy of the Hampton Union and Seacoast Online.]

Hayseed bartender Ashley Murach sets a selection of Smuttynose drafts on wood pallets during lunch hour on Saturday, opening weekend for the farmstyle restaurant. [Ioanna Raptis photo]

HAMPTON — It may have been serendipitous that Hayseed, the new restaurant on the campus of Smuttynose Brewing Company, opened during Portsmouth Beer Week, but it didn't hurt the new eatery and bar's first weekend.

"It worked out well because we also missed most of the snow," said Kieran Kelly, the restaurant's manager.

Patrons packed the renovated house, with its natural light, open dining and long silver bar top with more than 20 draft beers on tap.

The new restaurant was opened by Peter Egelston, who also owns the Portsmouth Brewery in Portsmouth, along with Joanne Francis.

The restaurant also features a diverse, locally inspired menu, ranging from a beer cheese dip appetizer to a royal grilled cheese sandwich made with beer-soaked cheese and house pickles, to a roasted root vegetable pot pie, complete with Old Brown Dog gravy, peas and pan-fried chickpeas. Hayseed's head chef is Kevin Hahn, formerly of Pepperland Cafe in South Berwick, Maine.

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