You’ve seen the sign. If you’ve ever driven through the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, specifically at the junction of Routes 3 and 104, you’ve seen that iconic red-and-white sign for Hart’s Turkey Farm Meredith. It’s basically a local landmark. For some, it’s a nostalgic pitstop on the way to a rental cabin. For others, it’s where you go when you’re craving a massive plate of stuffing and gravy but it's only a random Tuesday in April.
Honestly, there aren’t many places left like this. It’s a 500-seat behemoth that somehow still feels like your grandmother’s dining room, provided your grandmother owns a thousand decorative turkey platters.
The 12-Seat Start and a New Jersey Move
The story doesn't start with a massive restaurant. It starts in 1946. Two brothers, Larry and Russ Hart, moved their families from the New Jersey suburbs up to Meredith. They had been vacationing in the Lakes Region since the 1920s and just decided to make it permanent. They started as a literal farm, selling produce and meat out of a truck.
By 1953, they went all-in on turkeys.
The restaurant itself didn't open until 1954. It was tiny. Just 12 seats. Back then, you’d sit down for a turkey sandwich and could probably hear the actual turkeys gobbling outside on Ladd Hill. That changed in 1965 when Russ Hart realized he couldn't keep up with both the farming and the skyrocketing demand for the food. He stopped raising the birds himself to focus on the dining room, but he kept the standards high.
Today, it's still in the family. Sam Willey, a member of the Hart clan, runs the show now.
What to Actually Order at Hart’s Turkey Farm Meredith
Most people go for the "Jumbo Turkey Plate." It’s a bit of a legend. You get over a pound of turkey. It comes with the staples: stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce. They also serve a specialized "carrot relish" that people either obsess over or have no idea what to do with.
👉 See also: Finding Marbella on a map: Why location is everything for the Costa del Sol
But if you want to eat like a local, you look at the weird stuff.
- Turkey Nuggets: It’s exactly what it sounds like. Fried turkey chunks served with duck sauce or cranberry.
- The Turkey Sampler: This is for the indecisive. It’s got turkey nuggets, turkey tempura, a turkey pot sticker, and a turkey croquette.
- Turkey Livers: Sauteed with onions and bacon. It’s a polarizing dish, but they sell a ton of it.
- The Turkey Gobbler: A sandwich that’s basically a Thanksgiving leftovers dream—turkey, stuffing, cranberry, and mayo on a roll.
They make their own ice cream, too. If you have room after a pound of bird, the peppermint stick or the ginger ice cream are usually the smart moves.
More Than Just a Restaurant
It’s easy to write this place off as a tourist trap because of the "NH Made" gift shop and the bus tours. But Hart’s does a lot of heavy lifting for the Meredith community. They have these apartment buildings for their staff to keep rent affordable—which is a huge deal in a resort town where housing prices are insane.
They also do massive catering. We're talking weddings at Castle in the Clouds or corporate gigs all over New England.
There was a moment in 2018 where a tanker truck actually rolled over right in front of the building. It caused some damage, but they barely missed a beat. That’s sort of the vibe there. It’s a "keep moving" kind of place. Even through the pandemic, the locals kept them afloat with takeout.
Is It Still Worth the Trip?
If you're looking for a farm-to-table bistro with tiny portions and foam on your plate, you’ll hate it. Hart’s is about volume and consistency. On a busy day, they go through a ton of turkey—literally 2,000 pounds. They peel a thousand pounds of potatoes. They pour 40 gallons of gravy.
It’s a machine. But it’s a machine with soul.
The walls are wood-paneled. The staff is often made up of people who have worked there for decades. It feels permanent in a world where everything else is changing.
Actionable Tips for Your Visit:
- Check the Wait Times: On weekends or during leaf-peeping season, the line can go out the door. Use their online ordering if you’re just passing through and want to eat in your car.
- Try the Tempura: The turkey tempura is a weird, crunchy highlight that most first-timers skip.
- Visit the Gift Shop: It’s one of the best spots in the Lakes Region for actual New Hampshire-made products, not just cheap plastic trinkets.
- Go Hungry: The portion sizes are not a joke. Even the "Small Turkey Plate" is usually enough for a normal human.
If you find yourself in Meredith, just pull over. It’s one of those New Hampshire experiences you sort of have to have at least once, if only to see the 1,000+ turkey platters on the walls.