Eating Out

Halifax boasts plenty of congenial, tasty places to grab a bite or a beer, including:

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Birmingham Bar & Grill: 5657 Spring Garden Rd. Casual dining.

C'est Si Bon: Barrington St in the core of the downtown. Coffee shop with good, hearty lunches and to-die-for cinnamon buns.

The Chickenburger: Across from the Sunnyside Mall in Bedford, on the #2 highway. The chickenburgers are made with real chicken and gravy. Jukebox, original '50s decor, and picnic tables outside in the summer. A landmark.

Chives: Barrington St. Dress up or dress down for fine dining. The food is always perfect. Reserve ahead if you want to eat in the bank vault (the restaurant is located in an old bank building; the vault's door has been removed).

China Town: 375 Bedford Hwy.  Chinese, Canadian, lounge and marina. It retains some 1960s Chinese resaurant atmosphere. 

Curry Village: 5677 Brenton Street. People used to British curries may find their dishes bland. 

Da Maurizio: 1496 Lower Water St. Excellent Northern Italian cuisine. Very pricey.

Dio Mio: 5670 Spring Garden Road. Many varieties of Italian gelato & sorbetto. A cheery retreat for shoppers.

Dofsky's Bar & Grill: 1583 Brunswick St. Casual dining.

Doraku: 579 Dresden Row. Sushi bar, Japanese BBQ, Sukiyaki.

Economy Shoe Shop: 1663 Argyle Street. Don't actually sell shoes. Best mussels in the city, and have some unusual dishes like mango papaya salad.

Enfield Big Stop: Highway 2, Enfield. 24-hour truck stop. Go for the bathroom facilities, stay for the lemon meringue pie.

The Fireside: 1500 Brunswick Street. Best martinis in the city, and try their raspberry kuchen. Allow lots of time for your meal though.

Fong's: 1241 Cole Harbour Road. About as authentic as it gets in Halifax. Ties with China Town for best Chinese food.

Granite Brewery: 1222 Barrington St. In historic Henry House. British pub style food & wonderful micro-brewed beer.

Hing Wing: 187 Pleasant Street. Fairly priced restaurant. Great stop for Chinese take-out.

Il Mercato: 5475 Spring Garden Road. Somewhat pricey, but excellent, Italian restaurant famous for its luscious desserts.

John's Lunch: 352 Pleasant Street. Legendary maritime fried seafood in a vintage diner. A local favorite.

La Cave: 5244 Blowers St. Romantic spot with lots of tiny cubicles and candles. Award-winning cheesecake. Try the three-cheese manicotti.

La Perla: 73 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth. A bit pricey, but worth it. Excellent pastas.

MacAskill's: 88 Alderney Drive, attached to the ferry terminal building. Best view of the harbour. Pricey but worth it.

Maxwell's Plum: 1600 Grafton Street. One hundred and sixty brands of beer! Unconvincing Britsh pub decor. The food is not good but cheap. Free peanuts! Kitchen open until 2AM.

McKelvie's: 1689 Lower Water St. Seafood.

Mexicali Rosa's: 5680 Spring Garden Road. California-style Mexican.

Rogues Roost: Spring Garden Rd. Not-to-be-missed microbrewed beer. Varied and well priced menu. Relaxed, candle-lit atmosphere. 

Salty's On The Waterfront: 1869 Water St. Best seafood in the city. In Historic Properties with wonderful view of the harbour.

Satisfaction Feast: 1581 Grafton Street. Best vegan restaurant in town. Also serve vegetarian meals.

Smitty's: Tower Road at Spring Garden. Dependable family chain restaurant. Famous for pancakes!

Taj Mahal: 5175 South Street. Sublime Indian cuisine. Pricey and romantic.

Tom's Little Havana Café : 5428 Doyle Street. Cozy little cigar bar and restaurant.

Your Father's Mustache: 5686 Spring Garden Road. Popular pub with a deep-fried menu. Busy balcony in summer.