Where To Eat, Drink, Shop & Be Merry This Holiday Season

PORTSMOUTH & WHEELERSBURG, OHIO

    The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, for most of us, is filled with seemingly non-stop preparations for the big day. In Portsmouth, there not only exists an abundance of businesses ready to help, but the town also puts on a huge event that should remind you to relax and enjoy the best parts of the holiday season.
    Friends of Portsmouth's Winterfest at Market Square is only an infant – just turning two this year – but it’s already become a huge deal in Portsmouth and beyond. And just like a two year old, it is rapidly growing and expanding. Portsmouth has a new partner for this year's festivities too. It was recently named an official 2019 Hallmark Channel Hometown Christmas Town and this year’s edition will be a month long, with many more activities and attractions (see Be Merry section for specifics).
    A visit (or two or several) to Winterfest can also include stops to fill your stomach and your shopping list with holiday goodies. Listed are some suggestions popular with residents of Portsmouth and
Scioto County.

EAT

    Market Street Café is a must-stop for many people during the holidays. The quaint counter-serve offers a variety of reasonably-priced hot sandwiches (including make-your-own panini), wraps, salads, smoothies and flavored coffees. The restaurant sits right on the Winterfest site and also offers a selection of books and gifts from local artists and authors, as well as holiday music many days. Reservations aren’t needed.

• „    212 Market St., Portsmouth, 740.354.6020. Open 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Monday - Friday and 9:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday.

Port City Pub, located on nearby Chillicothe Street, is inspired by the warmth and camaraderie of Irish pubs and features a great mix of classic pub fare, including fish and chips, bangers and mash, and the ever-popular pub pretzel appetizer. Everything on the menu is generally priced below $10. The Pub also has a fully-stocked bar with a large selection of import, craft and domestic brews. Evenings include live music, open mic poetry and music, as well as the entertaining Pub Quiz night every other Thursday.

• „    424 Chillicothe St., Portsmouth, 740.355.9015, www.portcitypub.com. Open: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - midnight Friday, and 4 p.m. -  midnight Saturday. No reservations required.

Pastor’s Pantry Cooking School in Wheelersburg is an opportunity for a great meal, cooked right before your eyes, with all the instructions on how to make it yourself at home. Chef and local pastor Sam Peters teaches how to cook a variety of dishes ranging from Asian and Italian to Cajun and Creole. The small venue (8-20 people) is perfect for date night, girls night out, or for your own private holiday event. Reservations are needed, and cooking classes cost around $35. The business also sells Patter Fam Sauces.

• „    8019 Hayport Road, Wheelersburg. 740.352.2008, www.patterfamsauces.com. Open Saturdays from 9 a.m. - noon in December; cooking class schedule is online.

DRINK

7 Pour O Bewery, Portsmouth’s newest local brewery, is located on Second Street, in the historic Boneyfiddle District. The name pays tribute to the Portsmouth area code where it all began. The brewmasters there continually try new combinations to invent flavors that appeal to all beer lovers – there’s a new beer every weekend! Not only can you enjoy your beer, and perhaps a board game, in this pet-friendly environment, you can also take your favorite canned beer home with you.

• „    631 Second St., Portsmouth, 740.876.4180, www.7pour0brewery.com. Open Thursday from 5 - 10 p.m., 2 p.m. - midnight Friday and Saturday, and 1 - 7 p.m. Sunday.

    The Portsmouth Brewing Company (PBC) is the region’s oldest brewery, first opening in 1843 by the Esselborn family, which grew it to a 20,000 beer barrels a year operation. The brewery closed during Prohibition and its equipment was sold, but local restaurateur and homebrewer Steve Mault reopened it in 1995. PCB sells its well-known craft beers, including Pourthsmouth Pilsner and Red Bird Ale, by the pint onsite or in to-go glass growlers. There’s also a full restaurant offering “American comfort food.”

• „    224 Second St., Portsmouth, 740.354.6106, www.portsmouthohbrewing.com. Open from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon - 9 p.m. Sunday.

    Oscar’s Lounge is a relaxing establishment when you are more in the mood for wine or cocktails. They serve the classics – Martini, Old Fashion, Manhattan and Cosmopolitan, as well as the more adventurous, like the Blow Pop (cherry, blueberry, raspberry and chocolate flavored liquor). The lounge, located in the Holiday Inn with its adjacent restaurant, is stylishly decorated with comfy seats, cool lighting and even a fireplace for those wintry days.

• „    711 Second St., Portsmouth, 740.354.7788, www.holidayinn.com/Portsmouth. Open from 4 - 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 4 - 11 p.m. Saturday.

SHOP   

     When holiday shopping in Portsmouth, be sure to check out the gift shops at Southern Ohio Medical Center and the Portsmouth Welcome Center for a wide selection of unique gifts, many made locally.
    Ghosts in the Attic Antique Mall, one of many antique shops in Boneyfiddle, is probably the one people mention most often, due to its size (three stories) and constantly changing selection. There are more than 50 dealers on-site and hidden treasures throughout, including old records, collectible glass, holiday decorations, jewelry, vintage clothing and sports memorabilia. There are also many items of local and regional interest. Great for that hard-to-shop-for person on your list.

• „    58 Second St., Portsmouth, 740.353.6111. Open from 10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon - 5 p.m. Sunday.

    Pinspiration Workshop and The Happy Pot are two locally-owned businesses that let you create your own unique work of art – a great gift idea. At Pinspiration, you can choose from dozens of the trendiest DIY projects and make a reservation to create on your own schedule – no hassle and no mess. Groups are welcome and can bring in their own food and drinks.  Just a block away, The Happy Pot is a paint-your-own pottery studio that can accommodate 40 artists at a time. When you arrive (after washing your hands, of course), simply pick your bisque, choose your paint and create. The store will then glaze and fire your piece, which will be ready to pick up in about a week. Holiday classes include Griswold Christmas on December 14.

• „    Pinspiration Workshop, 603 Second St., Portsmouth, 740.988.8323. To book a workshop, send a message on Facebook.
• „    The Happy Pot, 522 Second St., Portsmouth, 740.370.0193, www.thehappypot.com. Open from 11 a.m - 6 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 1 - 5 p.m. Sunday.

BE MERRY

    Winterfest transforms Portsmouth’s Market Square into a winter wonderland, complete with ice skating, carriage rides, a living Nativity, live music, a Vendor Village, Santa’s workshop and decorations galore. It began Friday, November 29, and  will run, through December 29.
    “Winterfest is a fun-filled family experience that will build memories to last a lifetime,” promised Bryan Smith, assistant director for Friends of Portsmouth (FOP), which organizes the event. Smith is the only FOP paid employee. Hundreds of volunteers put in thousands of hours of work to make Winterfest come to life.
    The skating rink this year will have real ice – not the synthetic Glice(R) from last year. (A chiller will keep the ice frozen when the outside temp reaches as high as 72 degrees.) Don’t be surprised if you’re joined by characters from "Star Wars" or "Frozen" while you are gliding around
the rink.
    Also new this year, and expected to be extremely popular, is a dual racing snow-tube ride. Two horse-drawn carriages will take people on tours of Second Street and the Portsmouth Murals; Santa will be in his workshop; and the picturesque Vendor Village will be full of holiday gift-giving ideas.
    Many Portsmouth businesses near Winterfest join in the holiday-themed festivities, including the town’s two escape rooms, Deadbolt Escape Room at 309 Jefferson Street and Mr. Boneyfiddle’s Riddle Room, 815 Gallia St. The latter will have its mobile escape room onsite each day of Winterfest where visitors can "Fight the Frost:" Jack Frost has cast his wintry spell over downtown Portsmouth in an effort to ruin Winterfest. Mr. Boneyfiddle is loading up his team to fight the frost and thaw out the town in order to save Christmas.

• „    Winterfest Hours: 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 3 p.m. - 9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. There are 21 events – check the Friends of Portsmouth Facebook page for dates and times.