Must-see restaurants in Nova Scotia

  • Red Shoe Pub

    Cape Breton Island

    The Red Shoe is the place to catch a bit of Celtic music as you mosey down the Ceilidh Trail. The homey, ramshackle pub hosts at least one gig seven…

  • Wild Caraway Restaurant & Cafe

    Nova Scotia

    Local products and seasonal cooking underpin the menu at this superb coastal cafe, in a little house with a view of the driftwood-strewn beach of Advocate…

  • Black Spoon

    Cape Breton Island

    If you ask a local where to eat in North Sydney, they'll point you straight to the Spoon. It's a small space that goes big on flavours – hazelnut-crusted…

  • Bar Kismet

    Halifax

    Impeccable small plates of seafood have made this tiny bar-bistro a favorite among foodie North Enders, and deservedly so: dishes zing with surprising…

  • Canteen

    Nova Scotia

    This pared-back bistro has become Dartmouth's dining hot spot for its fresh, flavoursome dishes: big bowls of mussels, panzanella salad, lobster…

  • Field Guide

    Halifax

    At this hipster diner you order according to hunger level (from 'Sorta Hungry' starters to 'Still Hungry' desserts). It's a gimmick, but the food is first…

  • Edna

    Halifax

    At the edge of the North End, this hipster diner has strong competition but is still many people's first choice. It's bare bones as far as decor goes: a…

  • White Gate inn

    Nova Scotia

    This beautiful heritage inn is by far Chester's swishest place to eat. The sophisticated menu features the likes of rack of lamb, lobster pie and chicken…

  • Biscuit Eater

    Nova Scotia

    This is many people's dream come true: a vintage bookstore that doubles as a cafe, serving homemade soups, burgers and all-day breakfasts, not to mention…

  • Gaia Global Kitchen

    Nova Scotia

    This little restaurant takes a surprisingly pan-global trip on its menu, which includes everything from Jamaican jerk chicken to dhaba curry, Lebanese…

  • Brooklyn Warehouse

    Halifax

    It's aptly named: there's definitely a New York flavor to this neighborhood eatery, with its worn wood, tobacco-yellow walls and chalkboard menus. The…

  • Lincoln Street Food

    Nova Scotia

    This smart, contemporary bistro is a sign of the town's changing times: stripped back in style, with exciting dishes such as halibut with charred-cucumber…

  • Mateus Bistro

    Nova Scotia

    The Bratislavan-born chef has made this little restaurant into a real destination address: people drive to Mahone Bay just to eat here. The food is really…

  • Main Street Restaurant & Bakery

    Cape Breton Island

    Come breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner, Ingonish's friendly diner is the place most people head for when they're feeling hungry. Chunky BLT sandwiches,…

  • Baddeck Lobster Suppers

    Cape Breton Island

    In Baddeck's former legion hall, this local institution offers your choice of lobster, salmon, snow crab or strip loin with all-you-can-eat mussels,…

  • Charlotte Lane Cafe

    Nova Scotia

    This colorful cafe is everyone's top tip; evening reservations are highly recommended. Swiss chef Roland Glauser serves a varied menu of seafood, meat and…

  • South Shore Fish Shack

    Nova Scotia

    There are two main reasons to swing by this place: to eat the best fish-and-chips in Lunenburg and to enjoy the view from the deck. Chuck in great lobster…

  • Salt Shaker Deli

    Nova Scotia

    This friendly downtown diner is where everyone, local or tourist, heads for a meal in Lunenburg: crispy-crust pizzas, piles of mussels, salmon cakes and…

  • Antojo Tacos

    Halifax

    This downtown taco joint is equally popular for a midday lunch or a late-night mescal-fueled feria. Tacos are the star, of course: zingy chipotle chicken,…

  • Highwayman

    Halifax

    You could be in a backstreet of Barcelona at this moody tapas joint, which specializes in Spanish-inspired small plates and Basque-style pintxos: manchego…

  • Chives Canadian Bistro

    Halifax

    Proper, formal Canadian fine dining in the heart of downtown is on offer at Chives, one of the city's longest-running restaurants. Seasonally driven,…

  • enVie: A Vegan Kitchen

    Halifax

    Halifax's roster of vegan restaurants is growing fast, but enVie is one of the first and best. It serves exactly the kind of food you'd want: delicious…

  • Dobbit Bakehouse

    Nova Scotia

    Come chat with the friendly baker, a font of local knowledge, at this wonderful country bakery, which boasts rustic fresh breads and baked goods free from…

  • Black Rock Bistro

    Nova Scotia

    New owners have brought fresh flavors to this downtown bistro, pretty much the pick of Parrsboro's eating places. Steak-frites, handmade burgers, slow…

  • Flavor on the Water

    Cape Breton Island

    Sydney's swankiest restaurant, this high-ceilinged bistro in a large waterfront complex serves upscale plates of salmon, blackened cod, strip loin and…

  • La Cuisine Robicheau

    Nova Scotia

    This is the most elevated Acadian cuisine on the French Shore. The rappie pie (meat pie topped with grated potato), seafood lasagna and chocolate pie are…

  • Dancing Goat

    Cape Breton Island

    When a place this out of the way is this busy, it's gotta be good. Everything is homemade, most ingredients are local, and the hearty breakfasts are the…

  • Studio East

    Halifax

    Asian fusion of the first order: sticky hoisin-braised ribs, pork- and fish-curry ramen, Thai salads and Japanese 'Karaage' chicken dinners, with pickles,…

  • Harbour Restaurant

    Cape Breton Island

    A reliable stalwart in central Chéticamp, with windows looking onto the strait and a slightly alarming slope in the floors at low tide. Seafood's the…

  • Kiju's

    Cape Breton Island

    Based at Membertou Heritage Park, this restaurant provides the rare opportunity to try Mi'kmaw-inspired dishes, such as four-cent bread, cedar-plank…

  • Old Apothecary

    Halifax

    For a sweet fix, a superb croissant and probably the best baguettes in the city, this downtown bakery is the place. It's decked out like a junk shop, with…

  • La Boulangerie Aucoin

    Cape Breton Island

    If you've never tried an Acadian meat pie, this fine little bakery, founded in 1959, will happily oblige. It also has fresh home-style breads (including…

  • Governors Pub & Eatery

    Cape Breton Island

    Governors is easily the most popular place in Sydney. Stop by to mingle with the after-work crowd for drinks, dine on gourmet pub grub or just sink a beer…

  • Gabrieau's Bistro

    Nova Scotia

    Fine dining inspired by classic French and Italian cuisine is chef Mark Garibeau's stock-in-trade, and his restaurant is far and away Antigonish's top…

  • Half Shell Oyster Bar

    Nova Scotia

    A long ice bar loaded with such seafood goodies as snow-crab claws, chilled lobsters, littleneck clams and, of course, freshly shucked oysters is the main…

  • Heartwood Bakery

    Halifax

    Everything feels as though it's doing you good at this fantastic veggie-vegan restaurant, which became so popular it now has a second location (at 3061…

  • Press Gang

    Halifax

    This is one of the city's old-school supper spots, in more ways than one. The building (erected in 1759) is one of the oldest stone structures in downtown…

  • Board Room Game Cafe

    Halifax

    There's a choice of 500 board games, from classic to contemporary, at this fun hangout, with wraps, pizzas, good coffee and craft beers to guzzle as you…

  • Mull Cafe

    Cape Breton Island

    A convenient stop along the Ceilidh Trail, this roadside eatery has a varied menu taking in burgers, chicken dishes, seafood, pasta and veggie options…

  • Kiwi Café

    Nova Scotia

    Friendly as anything and serving comforting food cooked with love by an NZ-born chef, this is exactly the kind of community cafe you'd hope to find in a…