Dining at The Carriage House.
Perhaps it’s the rich history – the two-story restaurant first opened in 1931 as Swenson’s Grill, later becoming Carpenter’s Carriage House, Michael’s Carriage House, and finally The Carriage House for 35 years after Paul Mackey purchased it in 1983.
Or perhaps it’s the restaurant’s picturesque location across from the beach, where guests can enjoy the serenity of the oceanfront any time of year.
Where History and Passion Blend Perfectly
For Owners RJ Joyce and James Woodhouse, high school friends who purchased The Carriage House in 2018, the magic is both of those elements – and that they can do what they love every day.
Their shared philosophy on dining and service includes being fun, creative, and original – while always respecting and infusing the community’s history and traditions. They each spent time in restaurants throughout New England and the U.S. Virgin Islands, returning to Portsmouth to open Louie’s Restaurant in Portsmouth before expanding to The Carriage House in Rye.
JAMES WOODHOUSE
James’s passion for food runs all the way back to his New Hampshire childhood. Having grown up in a family where cooking up a delicious meal was seen as a special gesture toward one another, James knew he wanted to pass on that feeling of a home-cooked, meaningful meal. However, it wasn’t until James moved to the U.S. Virgin Islands with Louie’s co-owner R.J. Joyce in 2002 that the idea for opening a restaurant began to take shape. After a decade on the islands, James was drawn back to his native New England and settled in the Seacoast. He immediately became immersed in Portsmouth’s local restaurant scene, and eventually he and R.J. turned their idea into a reality.
R.J. JOYCE
A native to the New Hampshire Seacoast, R.J.’s love for the area began in childhood and has only grown since. Working both on his family’s farm and as co-owner of Louie’s, R.J. has been able to fill all aspects of his life with his passion for cooking–including frequently serving up backyard bbq feasts for family and friends. After spending a decade in the U.S. Virgin Islands with childhood friend and Louie’s co-owner James Woodhouse, the duo dreamed up Louie’s as a way to merge their mutual desire to make their love of cooking the center of their careers. For R.J., the joy of cooking comes from trying new combinations of ingredients to create truly unique dishes. His talent and taste for flavors that amaze elevate the Louie’s dining experience.