Restaurants in Halifax

Haligonians and their visitors love to eat out. Restaurants here always seem to be in flux—new chefs, new trends, and hot spots changing at a frenetic pace.

And the Halifax waterfront is no exception. The new-in-2024 mixed-use Cunard development near Bishop's Landing, has six notable eateries including a wood-fired restaurant from local celebrated chef Colin Bebbington, whose resume includes multiple Michelin-star kitchens; the city’s first pan-Asian dining experience, Asia Restaurant  and Bar (tel. 902/932-9900); a tapas bar; and the third location of much-loved local favorite Vandal Doughnuts.

Several of Halifax’s hotels have very good fine-dining restaurants tucked within them, among them Drift (tel. 902/407-6042) in the Muir Hotel, which offers a spin on traditional Maritime dishes like hodge podge and halibut pie, along with waterfront patio seating and an excellent C$35 two-course prix fixe lunch on weekdays; the Prince George Hotel’s award-winning Gio  (tel. 902/425-1987) at 1725 Market St., which serves up inventive dishes like charcoal grilled wild boar, kataifi shrimp with sea parsley chimichurri, and foie gras burgers; and Cut Steakhouse and Urban Grill (tel. 902/429-5120) at the Courtyard Marriott at 5120 Salter St., which boasts the best steak in town and has received the 4-Diamond AAA/CAA Award and Wine Spectator Award of Excellence every year since opening in 2006.

Given its five universities, Halifax has a reputation as a town that, shall we say, likes its adult beverages, so it’s not surprising that it has its fair share of brewpubs, cideries and more traditional pubs and taverns, many offering top-notch and inspired grub along with their hoppy drinks. The Henry House (tel. 902/423-5660) at 1222 Barrington St. is the granddaddy of the brewpub movement, founded in the mid-1980s, and still brewing its beloved Old Peculiar beer on the premises. Gus’s Pub & Grill at 2605 Agricola St., a boxy garden-variety tavern next to a dockyard is known for its live music and bustling atmosphere. If cider is more to your liking, Chain Yard Urban Cidery and Taproom (tel. 902/407-2244) at 2606 Agricola St. is lauded as much for the food coming out of its Unchained Kitchen as it is for its thirst-quenching ciders, with an everchanging and amusing seasonal menu of appetizers like wild mushroom arancini or buffalo-style cauliflower tacos topped with tangy tahini.

Coffee emporia have also cropped up throughout Halifax over the last decade, just as they have in urban areas everywhere. Many also stock sandwiches, pastries, and light snacks in addition to the java. A few of the best downtown options are the Birds Nest Café (tel. 902/423-4282), at 1547 Barrington St., with wonderful coffee and amazing sandwiches on baguettes, paninis, or croque madames; Cabin Coffee (tel. 902/422-8130) at 1554 Hollis St. with its Bohemian feel and good espresso and cappuccino; the Wired Monk Coffee Bistro (tel. 902-422-2219) at 5147 Morris St., a cozy spot with good java and snacks; and the dependable Canadian chain that seems to appear every few blocks, Tim Hortons.

Spring Garden Road and its tiny side streets happily mix upscale fare with more basic grub, and over in the north end of town there are several great coffee and lunch spots like The Nook (tel. 902/425-3087) at 2118 Gottingen St., notable for satisfying coffee and a wide selection of dishes for plant-based eaters (along with the usual café fare); and Café Lara (tel/ 902/406-5272) at 2347 Agricola St., a bright, airy spot that serves expected coffee shop grub like sweets, salads, and sandwiches along with local beers on tap.

The Brewery complex, on the uphill side of Lower Water Street just above the docks, is a fun, one-stop shopping and dining experience. Originally the site of the Alexander Keith brewery—North America’s oldest—the space has been redesigned and renovated to enclose courtyards from the weather, link the various structures of the abandoned brewery, and create an interior market of shops and restaurants

The Saturday morning farmer's market held within the Brewery's walls is a weekly highlight for Haligonians, rain or shine. It's Canada's oldest such market -- and possibly its most interesting. The market runs from 7am until just 1pm each Saturday, so go early in the day for the widest selection of donuts, fruits, vegetables, coffee, baked goods, smoked meats, crafts, Greek pastries, wine and chocolate samples, dynamite crepes -- and many other items.