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Inquisitive about what to eat in Halifax, Nova Scotia? Whereas Atlantic Canada’s largest metropolis is legendary for its limitless coastlines, East Coast appeal and historic museums, it’s additionally obtained an unbelievable meals scene.
I’ve been coming to Halifax for years and all the time love being within the salty Atlantic Coast air.
However I’ve by no means actually paid a lot consideration to the meals past its well-known lobster rolls and the shocking official dish of town, the Halifax donair.
Not too long ago I found there’s much more must-try Halifax meals past lobster rolls and donairs!
So whether or not you’re stopping in on a Canada & New England cruise, heading to the Acadian Shores or are staying awhile to discover different areas of Nova Scotia, learn on to find the finest meals in Halifax and the place to seek out it.
These are the important eats so as to add to your itinerary together with must-try Halifax eating places on the waterfront, finest new eating places and informal locations to eat downtown.
1. Dave’s for the Finest Lobster Rolls in Halifax
Locals prefer to say that selecting a favorite lobster roll place is like selecting a favorite baby.
However should you ask round, and particularly should you ask lots of people who’ve lobster of their blood (who come from generations of lobster fishers) Dave’s title tends to pop up.
Open seasonally (Could to October), this lobster shack on the Halifax waterfront (Google Map) serves the rolls proper: chilly with lobster mayo and celery or heat lobster with butter, lemon and garlic.
And with a facet of Atlantic Canada’s Lined Bridge potato chips.
2. Browse the Halifax Seaport Farmer’s Marketplace for Blueberries
Take a stroll on the Halifax waterfront and also you’re certain to see scores of individuals popping out of the weekend farmers’ market at Pier 21, with Tupperware containers stuffed with blueberries.
Farmers with stalls on the market present the containers and the scrumptious fruit that Nova Scotia grows so completely.
If it isn’t sensible to take blueberries dwelling with you, then you definately’ll need to refill on jars of luscious blueberry jam.
The Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market takes place on Saturday and Sunday. However Saturday is the day you need to go.
Sunday is a watered-down model of the market, targeted extra on crafts than meals.
🌟 Professional Tip: To essentially dive into Halifax road meals tradition, take an Eat Halifax Road Meals Tour that mixes sightseeing with noshing within the rising foodie sizzling spot, the historic Hydrostone neighbourhood, dwelling to its personal artisanal market.
This widespread Halifax meals tour contains transportation.
3. Head to the King of Donair for a Well-known Halifax Donair
If you wish to style Halifax’s “official snack” head to the pizza store. That’s the place you’ll discover the Halifax donair, a tasty however messy pita sandwich stuffed with spit roasted shaved beef, tomatoes, onions and donair sauce.
How did this Greek-Turkish late night time road snack turn out to be synonymous with a metropolis that’s recognized for lobster boil ups? It’s an immigrant story.
Greek-born Peter Gamoulakos began promoting Donairs at his pizza store within the Nineteen Seventies, ultimately tweaking the recipe to please the palate of Haligonians.
The Halifax model of the Donair’s sauce is slightly shocking: It’s made with three components, sweetened condensed milk, vinegar, and garlic. (It tastes method higher than it sounds.)
Immediately, you’ll discover Halifax Donairs in most pizza outlets, and snack bars throughout town.
Everybody has an opinion about the perfect, however we expect it’s the one at King of Donair (or KOD as locals name it).
🌟 Professional Tip: Be a part of a Halifax Harbourfront Strolling Tour and pattern contemporary oysters, a lobster roll, a donair, seafood chowder and dessert together with the sights. This small group tour is an effective way to expertise essentially the most well-known Halifax meals in a single enjoyable afternoon!
Examine charges and availability of the Halifax Harbourfront Meals Tour on Viator.com.
4. Sip Craft Cocktails and Small Plates at Peacock Wine Bar
In slightly below a 12 months, a number of cooks from throughout North America have moved to Halifax and opened new eating places.
They’re creating show-stopping, ethically-sourced dishes utilizing produce picked at farms down the highway and seafood pulled from their yard, aka the Atlantic Ocean.
One of the vital thrilling new eating places in Halifax, Peacock is a just-opened wine bar and restaurant within the waterfront space of Queen’s Marque (Google Map) with an especially properly crafted and progressive cocktail program.
The Birds’ Phrase cocktail contains components like inexperienced juice and absinthe.
As properly, heading the kitchen is younger chef Moira Murray, a Nova Scotia native who has completed excursions within the kitchens of Toronto and New York.
She’s particularly modern in relation to small plates.
A dish of fermented and contemporary native greens, or a summer time squash and hasp salad, so simple as they sound, are revelations.
5. Sip Nova Scotia Wine on a Scenic Harbour Cruise
To find much more about Nova Scotia wines, take a 2.5 hour Sundown Wine and Cheese Yacht Cruise.
You’ll depart Halifax Harbour at sundown and sail alongside the shoreline having fun with artisanal cheese and sampling 4 native wines.
A harbour cruise in Halifax additionally provides you a chance to see town’s landmarks from a singular perspective.
You’ll cruise previous locations just like the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 and George’s Island, studying about Halifax’s maritime historical past alongside the best way.
It’s a relaxed and pleasant method to soak up the sights and be taught concerning the metropolis’s previous whereas having fun with some native eats.
Examine charges and availability of a Sundown Wine and Cheese Cruise on Viator.com.
6. Inventory Up on Artisanal Chocolate at Peace by Chocolate
And Halifax is, after all, an immigrant hub. A few of the nice new meals tales are tales of immigrants.
In, 2012, the Hadhad household moved to the small Nova Scotia city of Antigonish, refugees from warfare torn Syria. Their household had a profitable chocolate manufacturing unit in Damascus.
Ultimately they had been capable of begin a brand new enterprise manufacturing the standard, artisanal sweets they’d made a reputation for themselves with within the Center East.
They named their new Canadian firm Peace by Chocolate.
In 10 quick years they’ve turn out to be considered one of Canada’s finest recognized chocolate makers and gained awards for his or her product in addition to their group’s hearts.
Their story has even impressed a Hollywood film.
The household have simply opened a classy new brick and mortar within the Queens Marque district inside simple strolling distance of the cruise ship port.
You’ll be able to choose up considered one of their fancy chocolate packing containers or a bar with flavours like darkish chocolate and blueberry, and milk chocolate and potato chips.
The bars, with their vibrant wrappers that say Peace in several languages, are artfully displayed of their gallery-like store.
7. Dine on Hodge Podge Stew at Drift Restaurant
On the subject of must-try new eating places in Halifax, Drift is a eating sizzling spot.
Helmed by Toronto star chef Anthony Walsh and Jamie MacAulay, it’s situated within the fashionable new Muir Resort.
The eating room overlooks the harbour in downtown Halifax and the Tidal Beacon, an thrilling new out of doors artwork set up.
Drift’s vibe is informal and the meals provides a classy tackle coastal meals, with components from the ocean simply outdoors their window.
One dish on the menu you don’t need to miss is hodge podge.
The restaurant’s model of this basic Nova Scotia vegetable stew elevates it, including wax beans, root greens, vibrant scallops and contemporary haddock.
You additionally don’t need to miss the MaryAnn’s brown bread dinner rolls in the event that they’re out there.
They’re sweetened with molasses and served with natural honey butter and may be among the best belongings you ever tasted.
8. Strive a Scoop of Moon Mist Ice Cream at Sugah Confectionery & Ice Cream Emporium
This waterfront sweet store is a useful place to strive the ice cream flavour that’s been the unofficial deal with of Nova Scotia since three dairies began producing it on the identical time within the Nineteen Eighties.
Moon Mist ice cream is a lovely to have a look at and surprisingly scrumptious flavour mixture of banana, grape, and bubblegum.
The purple, yellow, and blue colors are simply so cheery particularly when eaten (or Instagrammed) towards a backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean.
Making a cease at this widespread ice cream emporium is without doubt one of the finest issues to do in Halifax with teenagers and tweens.
It’s such an icon of town, that one Halifax hairdresser even makes a speciality of dying hair Moon Mist colors.
9. Dive into Seafood Pasta at The Bicycle Thief
The Bicycle Thief is a full of life, award-winning restaurant on the Halifax waterfront with a tough to snag reservation.
Its title pays homage to the nice Italian neorealist movie and the menu is Italian with Atlantic Canada influences.
Whereas the lobster roll is all the time a smart alternative, the Spaghettini ai Frutti di Mare is excellent. Its creaminess pairs superbly with a glass of Tidal Bay, Nova Scotia’s signature wine.
If you happen to’re in search of the finest waterfront restaurant in Halifax, you gained’t be disenchanted with The Bicycle Thief (Google Map). It’s a beautiful place to have an extended leisurely lunch overlooking the ocean.
The Fireplace and Ice Champagne Bar is a welcoming deal with within the winter. Warmth lamps and out of doors fireplace glows maintain you heat and toasty outdoors and bubbly retains you heat and fizzy inside.
Along with lobster rolls, you’ll be able to pattern lots of the meals Halifax is thought for right here. The dinner menu options native oysters, scallops, seafood chowder, Atlantic haddock, salmon and extra.
10. Go for the Finest Fish and Chips
An iconic fixture on the Halifax eating scene. John’s Lunch was an old-fashioned place within the neighbourhood of Dartmouth that served wonderful fish and chips.
Whereas it closed in fall of 2023 after 54 years in enterprise, it’s nonetheless potential to get fish and chips ready in the identical basic, old-school method.
The 2 brothers Fatouros who personal Nice Road Diner labored at John’s Lunch for many years. So that they’ve obtained the within scoop on what it takes to make good fish and chips.
Their menu focuses on haddock but additionally provides every kind of informal seafood dishes like clams and scallops.
In addition they do burgers, Greek salad and deli sandwiches like Montreal smoked meat on rye however true Bluenosers come for the contemporary battered fish served with crispy fries.
🌟 Professional Tip: Halifax Transit provides two ferry companies. There’s one from the Halifax waterfront to Alderney Touchdown in downtown Dartmouth and one other from the Halifax waterfront to Woodside wharf, a 30 minute stroll from Nice St. Diner (Google Map).
Word that Nice St. Diner is closed Sundays.
11. Find out about Afro-Canadian Historical past at The Africville Museum
The town’s Afro-Canadian group has additionally formed Halifax’s meals scene. They helped rework then throwaway meals, comparable to lobster and eel, into the delicacies we all know at this time.
To achieve higher understanding of the Afro-Canadian historical past of Nova Scotia and to strive generations outdated recipes (comparable to Sunday boil), cease by the Africville museum. and buy a duplicate of the cookbook The Africville Kitchen: The Comforts of House.
The cookbook is a set of historic recipes handed down by generations from the precise residents of Africville.
Africville was a primarily Black group situated on the south shore of Halifax that began within the mid nineteenth century and lasted till it was demolished within the 1960 in what was an act of racism.
It was dwelling to a blended inhabitants of previously enslaved folks, Maroons, and Black refugees from the Warfare of 1812.
In 2019, the mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality apologized for the demolition and a museum was constructed. Africville is now a Nationwide Historic Web site of Canada.
12. Dine With Historical past at Henry Home Pub
Contributed by Gary Crallê
Some meals are unapologetically timeless and finest consumed wherever. However should you’re in search of environment to match the dish, Henry Home, among the best eating places in Halifax matches the invoice.
Positioned in downtown Halifax close to the waterfront, the two.5 storey stone construction with its gable roof and attic home windows is a primary instance of a method of residence widespread within the nineteenth century among the many elite.
In-built 1834, Henry Home (La Maison Henry) is designated each a Nationwide Historic Web site of Canada and Nova Scotian Provincial Heritage Property.
It earned these accolades as between 1854-1864 it served as the house of William Alexander Henry, one of many Fathers of Confederation and a distinguished Halifax citizen.
Since 1968, the constructing has been dwelling to the Henry Home Restaurant and Granite Brewery Pub.
Whether or not draught, bottled or canned, home or imported, beer is the beverage of alternative right here. The meals menu provides numerous collection of dishes from Nova Scotia salt cod truffles to creamy seafood chowder with soda bread to British Pub Fare echoing the delicacies of early European colonists.
🌟 Professional Tip: To absorb essentially the most of this historic environment, select a desk on both the primary flooring or the basement.
13. Rejoice Canadiana Tradition (and Baking) at Cabin Espresso
If you happen to can’t get to Canada’s cottage nation then making a cease at Cabin Espresso is the following neatest thing.
One of many oldest family-owned espresso outlets in downtown Halifax (Google Map), it celebrates the distinctive identification of Canada in each decor and meals. Sink into one of many outsized leather-based armchairs by the stone fire and take in the spirit of Canada’s wilderness.
With its kitschy Canadiana decor of moose to hockey skates, you’ll really feel as if you’ve been magically transported to a country log cabin within the woods.
Order considered one of Cabin Espresso’s well-known old school cinnamon buns and the image is full.
14. Be taught About Lobster Fishing on a Lobster Boat Tour
To be taught extra about Atlantic Coast tradition and delicacies, take a day journey from Halifax to Nova Scotia’s southwest coast.
Right here you’ll be able to take a tour with Bay of Fundy Scenic Lobster Excursions on a working lobster fishing boat whereas sightseeing previous points of interest such because the well-known Balancing Rock and Boar’s Head lighthouse.
Alongside the best way you’ll be taught concerning the lobster fishing business and even have the chance to band a lobster!
Excursions happen between June fifteenth and Sept. fifteenth. Bay of Fundy Scenic Lobster Excursions operates out of Tiverton Port close to the village of Digby, a 2.5 hour drive from Halifax.
15. Pattern a Traditional Seafood Chowder
No journey to Nova Scotia is full with out sampling a bowl of seafood chowder. So it’s positively a must-try in relation to Halifax eats!
At its finest, seafood chowder is a creamy and hearty dish, generously loaded with contemporary clams, shrimp, scallops, tender potatoes, savoury bacon or salt pork, and fragrant greens and herbs like onions, celery and thyme.
It often comes paired merely with saltine crackers or a tea biscuit.
Whereas variations of this basic abound, the essence of this iconic dish stays constant. It’s a comforting bowl of goodness that pays homage to Halifax’s culinary heritage and its shut connection to the ocean.
Get pleasure from it with liberal quantities of fresh-ground black pepper.
Halifax Meals and Journey Planning
The place to Keep in Halifax (Luxurious Resort)
The Muir Resort within the Halifax’s new waterfront district of Queen’s Marque is considered one of Canada’s most fashionable new motels. With visitor rooms overlooking the harbour, it’s adorned with lovely fashionable Atlantic Canada furnishings.
For food-focused explorations you’ll be able to’t go mistaken with the Muir Resort’s location. You’re inside simple strolling distance to a number of of the perfect eating places in Halifax.
Examine charges and availability on the Muir Resort Autograph Assortment in Halifax, Nova Scotia on Reserving.com
The place to Keep in Halifax (Mid-Vary Resort)
You’ll be shut sufficient to get a birds-eye view of the Halifax Citadel Historic Web site at this upscale lodge in downtown Halifax.
Get pleasure from gorgeous views plus a simple stroll to the waterfront, eating places and bars. It provides wonderful worth.
Examine charges and availability on the Sutton Place Resort Halifax on Reserving.com
Getting Round
You’ll have to hire a automobile if you wish to go exploring past Halifax independently. Examine automobile rental availability and costs at Discovercars.com. They examine automobile rental offers from many corporations so typically supply the perfect offers on automobile leases from Halifax Airport and Halifax Port.
Weekend in Tatamagouche
One other tasty day journey from Halifax is to take a highway journey to Tatamagouche on Nova Scotia’s Northumberland Shore.
There are many issues to do in Tatamagouche however foodie highlights embrace sleeping in a classic prepare on the Prepare Station Inn and sampling Jost Tidal Bay wines on the vineyard’s round wine bar.
Weekend in Digby
For a food-focused weekend getaway from Halifax, head to the city of Digby, dwelling to a big lobster and scallop fleet. The very best place to remain in Digby is the Dockside Suites Resort on the waterfront.
Not solely will you be steps to the quaint outlets and village sq. however the fashionable visitor rooms have implausible views, espresso makers and loads of house.
There’s an added bonus of a keep right here. Fundy’s, the onsite restaurant, is the place to go for a standard native breakfast that includes the well-known native Digby scallops.
Examine charges and availability on the Dockside Suites in Digby, Nova Scotia on Reserving.com.
Official Tourism Web sites
Uncover Halifax: Get maps, occasion listings and tips about markets and native meals in Halifax.
Tourism Nova Scotia: The official web site for the province provides a one-stop useful resource for planning a visit to Nova Scotia.
Yarmouth & Acadian Shores: Go off the overwhelmed path in Nova Scotia and uncover tradition, delicacies and a great deal of out of doors journey alongside the southwest shores of Nova Scotia.
This text was initially written by Karen Burshtein in 2022. It was up to date with new data and images by each Gary Crallé and Michele Peterson in 2023 and 2024 following onsite visits.
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Karen Burshtein is an award-winning journalist writing typically concerning the Center East, France, Italy, Finland, South Africa, and her native Canada for publications throughout the globe. She is equally concerned with historical historical past and up to date tradition.
