Inside The Hill in Manchester NH -- Hospitality, Food, and Experience

Some people just have it.

And when I say it, I mean that combination of experience, instinct, creativity, calm under pressure, and the kind of hospitality that makes people feel taken care of the second they walk through the door.

That is Neville Pereira.

I was SO happy to finally sit down with him on Beyond the Plate because Neville is one of those people in the restaurant world who has truly done it all. And not in a flashy way -- in a real way. He has built, rebuilt, created, led, tasted, fixed, adjusted, and kept going for decades.

And honestly, sitting and talking with him reminded me why I love doing this show so much.

Because behind every restaurant people enjoy, there is usually a story like this one -- a whole lot of hard work, a whole lot of vision, and someone behind it who really, truly cares.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLpaKVyOoOM

One of my favorite parts of this conversation was hearing how quickly The Hill actually came together.

Ross at McIntyre came to Neville and basically said, what do you think about opening a restaurant here for the summer?

And Neville, being Neville, put together the plan in two weeks.

Two weeks!

O M G I don’t think I realized it happened that quickly. I knew it came together fast, but hearing him tell that story made me laugh because it is also just SO him. A normal person might take months. Neville had a vision, made the plan, and got it going.

And then Ross handed him the credit card and said, make it happen.

Honestly -- that is either the beginning of something amazing or the beginning of a nervous breakdown. In this case, it was something amazing.

The Hill opened during COVID, which means it started as an all-outdoor concept.

I had honestly forgotten just how much of that period was picnic tables, lawn seating, outdoor-only service, and all of us trying to figure out how to make hospitality still feel warm during such a strange time.

And somehow, The Hill worked.

Not only did it work, it really connected with people.

I think part of that is because the setting is just beautiful. When you go there, you almost forget you are right in the middle of Manchester. It does not feel like the middle of the city. It feels open. It feels relaxed. It feels safe. And that matters.

Especially if you are going out to eat with family, meeting a friend, having a date night, or just wanting to sit somewhere that feels a little removed from the noise.

When I think of The Hill, yes, I think of the patio right away. I think of the lawn. I think of the views. I think of families sitting outside while the kids run around and play cornhole and roll around in the grass and somehow become instant best friends with the kids from the next table over.

I love that.

But what I really loved hearing from Neville is that they are working just as hard on the indoor experience too.

Because the truth is, a lot of people still think of The Hill as “that great place to go when the weather is nice.”

And yes -- it absolutely is.

But it is also a really comfortable, welcoming indoor restaurant.

The bar is great. I love the U-shape of it. The seating is comfortable. The room feels open. The windows are beautiful. The lighting is warm. It just works.

And now they are doing trivia, music bingo, ladies nights, paint nights, special events, live music -- all the little things that help build a place into more than somewhere you just go eat.

It becomes somewhere you go be.

And that is always the goal, right?

Another thing I really loved in this episode was hearing Neville describe the food.

He called it comfort food, and that is exactly right. It is not trying too hard. It is not complicated for the sake of being complicated. It is food people actually want to eat.

And now apparently a lobster roll that is absolutely flying out of there.

Which, honestly, I am not surprised by at all.

And then there is the Wagyu burger, which Darryl is definitely going to want to try because he is 100% a burger person.

What I love about Neville is that even when he is talking about specials, he is always thinking about balance. Flavor, yes. Quality, yes. But also price. Also value. Also what people are really looking for when they go out.

That is the difference between someone who just knows how to cook and someone who truly understands restaurants.

That is a gift.

I also learned something I did not know -- that Neville grew up in restaurants in Africa and that his father was a master chef.

I LOVE hearing things like that because suddenly so much makes sense.

You can feel when this life is in someone’s blood.

And with Neville, it absolutely is.

From the Chateau days in Manchester, to Capital Grill in Concord, to Ignite and Hooked and everything that came after -- this is not someone who just happened into hospitality.

This is someone who has lived it from every angle.

That kind of lived experience matters.

A lot.

One of the things I really appreciated in this conversation was hearing Neville talk about Hanover Street and that whole period when Manchester was growing into what it is now.

Because for anyone who maybe does not know that history -- people like Neville were not just opening restaurants. They were helping shape the city.

They were taking chances.
They were seeing possibility.
They were creating energy.
They were giving people reasons to come downtown and stay downtown.

That does not happen by accident.

And I think sometimes people enjoy what a neighborhood has become without realizing how much work, vision, and risk went into getting it there.

Neville was part of that.

And I love that he says it plainly. He should.

Toward the end of the episode, we started talking about why people always say they want to open a restaurant.

And wow -- this part really hit home for me.

Because people see us in the dining room smiling, talking to guests, making people happy, and they think, “That looks fun. I want to do that.”

And yes -- it is fun.

It is rewarding.
It is energizing.
It is meaningful.

But wow, it is also hard.

Long days.
Huge responsibility.
Constant problem-solving.
Watching every detail.
Listening to every complaint.
Fixing things quickly.

That is the real work.

And that line again -- earning it.

Every day.

That is hospitality.

If you are sitting there right now trying to decide where to go this week, I will make it easy for you -- go to The Hill.

Go because it is beautiful.
Go because it feels welcoming.
Go because you can bring your family.
Go because it is great for a date night.
Go because the inside is just as lovely as the outside.
Go because the food is comforting and well done.
Go because Neville knows what he is doing.

And go because places like this matter.

They matter to Manchester.
They matter to local dining.
They matter to the people who want somewhere that feels both relaxed and special at the same time.

And honestly, I just love seeing a place like that doing well.

This episode reminded me of something I have known for a long time -- really good hospitality is never accidental.

It comes from experience.
It comes from standards.
It comes from paying attention.
It comes from caring enough to fix what is off, listen when something is wrong, and keep building.

Neville has done that for years.

And now he is doing it at The Hill in a setting that really is one of the nicest in Manchester.

So yes -- if you have not been yet, shame on you. Get over there.

And when you do, sit outside if the weather is perfect.
Sit inside if you want the full cozy bar-and-grill experience.
Order the Bang Bang Shrimp.
Try the burger.
And if that lobster roll special is still on -- do not miss it.

You are going to love it.

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ABOUT CAROL ERICKSON

Carol Erickson has owned Red Arrow Diner since 1987 -- four locations across New Hampshire, open 24/7. She started Beyond the Plate to tell the real stories behind the people who make New England's food and hospitality scene what it is. Not just what's on the menu. What's behind it.

Red Arrow Diner: redarrowdiner.com  |  @redarrow24diner