Paddle Inn

Which Newburyport restaurant do we recommend for cool, casual atmosphere with exceptional food, drinks and service? The team behind Cambridge’s Trina’s Starlite Lounge, Parlor Sports and Audubon opened The Paddle Inn in Newburyport’s waterfront cultural district at 27 State Street. Executive Chef Suzi Maitland, Beau Sturm and Josh Childs are best known for creating beloved, neighborhood restaurants that become part of their community. As avid beach lovers and surfers, the menu highlights comfort food from coastal communities around the world – from Thailand to Jamaica and Chef Maitland’s family home off Florida’s Gulf coast.

With Newburyport roots and their hearts at the beach, the menu at The Paddle Inn focuses on classic comfort food dishes in popular beach communities around the world. Pulling from her southern upbringing and training across popular New England eateries including The Metropolitan Club and Olives, Chef Suzi Maitland’s casual menu offers snacks, sandwiches and composed plates with a focus on umami-centric ingredients designed to satisfy the craving for crunchy, savory snacks after a long day on the water.

Seasonal cocktails by bar veterans Beau Sturm and Josh Childs are offered alongside craft beers on draft and in bottles. Drinks are the team’s interpretation of coastal favorites with a twist, such as The Drunken Monkey, made with their three-rum blend, dry orange curacao, almond syrup, velvet falernum and lime. Beer taps will be dedicated to hyper-local brews such as Newburyport Brewing, River Walk, Notch and Clown Shoes. The value-driven wine list pulls from Greece to Oregon and emphasizes a selection of rosé available year round.

The Paddle Inn’s design incorporates nautical elements with nods to 1970s surf and skateboard culture. The 14-seat bar features a zinc bar top with small rivets, and ship cleats for hanging purses and coats underneath. Hardwood floors stained a weathered gray are contrasted by original brick walls. Wood beams across the ceiling of the dining room add warmth to the space, while backlit picture boxes featuring original photography of the ocean by Nicholas Childs grace the walls. The bar shelving was handmade to resemble skateboard decks and surfboard racks. The back shelves house a turntable and record collection, which the team intends on using with frequency.

The team has won a series of awards at their current restaurants, including Esquire Network’s Best Bars in America and Bon Appetit’s “10 Best Places for Fried Chicken” for Trina’s Starlite Lounge. Audubon has been honored as the Best Bar to visit before or after a game at Fenway Park in the Improper Bostonian’s annual Boston’s Best Awards, and Parlor Sports was the 2013, 2014 and 2016 winner of Boston Magazine’s Best of Boston Award for the Best Sports Bar category. In addition, Chef Suzi Maitland has appeared as a contestant on the Food Network’s hit show Guy’s Grocery Games.

The Paddle Inn is the ultimate Newburyport neighborhood restaurant featuring lively atmosphere, delicious comfort food dishes, creative cocktails and exceptional service.