Muddy River Smokehouse rises again: Owner to revive popular restaurant in Newfields

NEWFIELDS — Muddy River Smokehouse is making a comeback after closing more than a decade ago in Portsmouth, but this time it's located in Newfields.

Original owner Dan Posternak recently purchased the space that formerly housed Fire and Spice Bistro at 70 NH Route 108 in April. He said once renovations are complete, the return of Muddy River will offer close to 100 seats with a "local feel" ambiance.

“We’re going to be smoking everything on site every day out back, we’re going to have fire pits, indoor (and) outdoor seating, and TVs in the lounge area upstairs and downstairs,” he said.

Kurt Devay, former executive chef at Cure Restaurant in Portsmouth, will oversee the restaurant.

Posternak said Devay is currently “fine-tuning” the menu to include old favorites with new offerings. Those old favorites include country nachos, deep-fried pickles, fowl balls (smoked chicken wrapped in bacon) and pork belly stackers. There will also be beers served on tap and blues music, a popular combination at the previous location, he added.

“It’s gonna be a fun place with great food,” he said.

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Why does Dan Posternak want to revive Muddy River Smokehouse?

In 1994, Posternak opened Muddy River at its iconic Congress Street location, which now houses the Thirsty Moose Taphouse. He ran the restaurant for more than a decade until he sold it to Anthony Schena in 2006 to focus on his catering business, Chill Catering.

Under new ownership, Muddy River Smokehouse’s popularity, however, started to decline. By 2010, the new owners transformed the smokehouse into a seafood restaurant. The rebrand didn’t take off, and the restaurant closed within a few years.

Posternak, who currently owns the Roundabout Diner by the Portsmouth traffic circle, said he doesn’t know what made him want to reopen Muddy River after selling it nearly two decades ago.

“I don’t know, I’m crazy,” he joked. “I’ve done seven restaurants, and every time I do one, I say, ‘This is going to be my last one,’ but it never is. I’ve been at the Roundabout (Diner) for 15 years, and I think I just got the itch to do something.”

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Posternak said he chose to locate the revived Muddy Rivers in Newfields because of the town’s “really cool neighborhood” and potential for future growth.

He said his experience with the town officials has been pleasant, solidifying his decision to bring his business to Newfields.

“They’re all gung-ho about it because they feel that it (Muddy Rivers) can be like their own neighborhood type of place where they can go after work, have a drink and socialize,” he said. “You’ll have your regulars there every day, and if you want to take your family out and sit outside by the fire and have some ribs and a beer, you can do that, too.”

Another attraction of the Newfields location, he added, was the open space on the property. Posternak said the space will allow him to host functions and events for up to 200 people.

"That was the first attraction, was to have a catering facility, and then the restaurant came secondary," he said. "But now that we're moving along, we're putting all our emphasis on the restaurant to get that to open, and then we're going to focus on the catering aspect of it."

Posternak said renovations are set to be completed within the next month, targeting an opening date for Muddy River between mid-July and early August. He hopes his restaurant will provide customers with a wholesome experience.

“We’re going to set up cornhole games while the fire pit is going, and they can see and smell the smoke while it’s going and see the pigs roasting or the pork smoking,” he said. “It’s really going to be a fun venue, and I think people will travel to come for the experience … I’m really excited about it.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Muddy River Smokehouse of Portsmouth fame reopening in Newfields