The Puritan Backroom, a longtime Manchester restaurant, is receiving fresh national attention after a survey ranked the chicken tender — which the restaurant says it first served in 1974 — among the top homegrown American food inventions.
Local origin story gets national notice
Food site Lovefood.com collected more than 90 entries from across the United States to identify the most memorable dishes born in each state. The chicken tender, attributed to the Puritan Backroom in Manchester, placed 8th on that list.
The Puritan’s origin story, long told in Manchester dining circles, holds that cooks at the restaurant took the chicken tenderloin — the specific cut known as the tenderloin — battered and fried it, and introduced a now-ubiquitous menu item in 1974. The claim has become part of the restaurant’s identity and part of the city’s food lore.
Why it matters locally
For Manchester residents, the ranking is more than a novelty. It underscores how a locally rooted dish can travel with people and appear on menus nationwide, reflecting New Hampshire’s small but visible contributions to regional and national food culture.
- Origin: Puritan Backroom, Manchester
- Year: 1974 (as reported by the restaurant and noted by food writers)
- National ranking: 8th out of more than 90 U.S. food inventions
"We all know that America has some amazing food," one write-up said, noting the Puritan's role in creating what it called the chicken tender.
What locals can expect
Those curious about the claim can visit the Puritan Backroom to try the dish that helped build this local reputation. The restaurant is also known locally for pairing the tenders with a signature Mudslide — a combination that fans cite as part of the full Puritan experience.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Restaurant | Puritan Backroom (Manchester) |
| Dish | Chicken tender (made from the chicken tenderloin) |
| Year attributed | 1974 |
| National ranking | 8th among 90+ homegrown U.S. foods (Lovefood.com) |
Whether you view it as local legend or culinary fact, the Puritan Backroom’s connection to the chicken tender is now part of Manchester’s public story. The ranking offers a moment for residents to reflect on how small-city kitchens can leave a larger mark on American dining.
