Here are 13 of the Best Restaurants in Halifax, NS, Canada

Halifax, Nova Scotia, is a thriving waterfront city that is home to many very good restaurants. Most of these restaurants utilize locally sourced ingredients, and a wide variety of fresh seafood items are regularly available.

Presented here are brief profiles of the 17 best restaurants located in Halifax, NS, Canada.

The Press Gang Restaurant and Oyster Bar

$$$

5218 Prince St, Halifax, NS B3J 3X4, Canada

+1 902-423-8816

Housed in a restored 18th-century building, the Press Gang Restaurant and Oyster Bar is a favorite dining spot for both local residents and visitors to the area. 

The raw bar at this Halifax establishment normally features a huge selection of fresh oyster varieties. Meal starters here include seafood chowder, warm spinach salad, torched oysters, and beef tenderloin chunks with bacon and blue cheese.

Among the dinner choices are chicken and gnocchi, seared Atlantic halibut and seafood risotto.

Open Wednesday through Saturday, the Press Gang provides full bar service, and live music on the weekends. 

McKelvie's Restaurant

$$$

1680 Lower Water St, Halifax, NS B3J 2Y3, Canada

+1 902-421-6161

For more than 30 years, this waterfront restaurant has been serving impeccably fresh seafood, and mouth-watering steaks. Housed in a century-old former fire department building, McKelvie's serves lunch Monday through Friday, and dinner service is offered on weekends.

The lunch menu here features a range of seafood appetizers, soups, salads, burgers, tacos, lobster rolls and grilled seafood.

On McKelvie's dinner menu, the selection of dishes includes shellfish fettucine, Nova Scotia lobster, Black Angus NY strip steak, breaded scallops and braised lamb shank.

Full bar service is available at this Halifax restaurant, and an attractive, outdoor beer garden is on the premises.

Salty's

$$

1877 Upper Water St, Halifax, NS B3J 1S7, Canada

+1 902-423-6818

This downtown Halifax restaurant consistently offers excellent food and drink options, along with spectacular views of Halifax Harbour. Hungry diners come from near and far to partake of the steamed mussels and oysters on the half shell that Salty's is famous for.

Some of the outstanding dishes served at Salty's include seafood casserole, fried shrimp, crab cakes, pan-fried haddock, whole lobsters, lobster risotto and bouillabaisse.

Full bar service and free Wifi are offered at this Halifax eatery, which is open seven days a week. Indoor and outdoor seating is available at Salty's.

Ristorante a Mano

$$

1477 Lower Water St, Halifax, NS B3J 3Z4, Canada

+1 902-423-6266

At this large trattoria on Halifax's waterfront, patrons regularly enjoy large portions of delicious Italian-style food. 

An ample selection of soups, salads and appetizers are on the menu at Ristorante a Mano, and a dozen pasta dishes are available. There are nine varieties of pizza, and numerous types of entrees rounding out the menu.

Prosciutto-wrapped pork tenderloin, chicken parmigiana, pistachio-crusted tuna, rack of lamb and beef short ribs are just some of the great dinner entrees served at this restaurant. Lunch and dinner are served Monday through Saturday, and full bar service is provided. 

Sea Smoke Restaurant & Bar

$$

1477 Lower Water St, Halifax, NS B3J 3Z2, Canada

+1 902-406-1051

This upscale, Asian fusion restaurant is located at Halifax's Bishop's Landing complex. The large interior dining area here features a modern look, and the outdoor dining section is right on the waterfront.

Lunch highlights at Sea Smoke include raw bar oysters, Korean fried chicken sandwich, seafood and corn chowder, smoked pork ribs and chili scallops.

Among the outstanding dinner choices are sticky lemon chicken, lobster stuffed mushrooms, beef tenderloin and their seafood tower.

An array of sushi and sashimi items are served at Sea Smoke, and the bar there produces a wide variety of cocktails. Open daily. 

The Keg Steakhouse + Bar

$$$

1712 Market St, Halifax, NS B3J 2E3, Canada

+1 902-425-8355

Customers at the Keg Steakhouse will discover a wide variety of delicious steaks as well as several chicken, ribs and seafood options. Steak-lovers here will appreciate being able to choose from New York strip, sirloin, filet mignon, top sirloin, rib steak and prime rib varieties.

The menu at the Keg Steakhouse also features a pleasing assortment of salads, appetizers, burgers and vegetarian items.

A casual atmosphere is in place at this Halifax steakhouse, and full bar service is provided. Open seven days a week.

Henry House

$$

1222 Barrington St, Halifax, NS B3J 1Y6, Canada

+1 902-423-5660

The Henry House is a warm and comfortable, British-style pub that serves a broad spectrum of food items. 

Pear & goat cheese salad, Reuben sandwich, smoked salmon club sandwich and salt cod fish cakes are just some of the menu highlights at this Halifax restaurant.

The selection of burgers at this Halifax restaurant includes beef, beef and brisket, black bean and lamb varieties.

Pub-style dinners at the Henry House include steak & kidney pie, chicken curry, Shepherd's pie, fish & chips and British bangers and mash. Open Wednesday through Sunday, the Henry House also offers a huge assortment of beers and cocktails.

Stories Fine Dining

$$$

5184 Morris St, Halifax, NS B3J 1B3, Canada

+1 902-444-4400

Stories is an upscale restaurant located in the elegant Halliburton Hotel in downtown Halifax. Known for its elegant atmosphere and excellent service, Stories is open Wednesday through Saturday.

For meal starters, this Halifax restaurant has crab cakes, sea scallops, a house-cured charcuterie and a goat cheese plate.

The main dish selection at Stories includes grilled Ahi tuna, Faroe Islands salmon, a vegetable gratin plate and braised short rib cap.

An extensive selection of beers, wines and cocktails are available here, as are several elegant desserts. Private dining rooms are also available for special occasions at Stories.

Le Bistro By Liz

$$

1333 South Park St, Halifax, NS B3J 2K9, Canada

+1 902-423-8428

This attractive and comfortable bistro has been serving tasty, French-inspired cuisine since 2011. Serving lunch and dinner every day, Le Bistro By Liz features an on-site atrium, open kitchen and live entertainment four nights per week.

The lunch and dinner menu here features soups, salads, crepes, large plates, desserts and more. Standout menu items include mussels with wine sauce, chicken curry pasta, braised lamb shank, seafood risotto and  beef tenderloin with red wine sauce.

A large assortment of desserts is available at Le Bistro, and full bar service is offered. On weekends, an a la carte brunch is featured here.   

Edna

$$$

2053 Gottingen St, Halifax, NS B3K 3B2, Canada

+1 902-429-2550

Edna is a small restaurant that serves supper Wednesday through Sunday, and brunch on the weekends. The brunches here are very popular with local residents and tourists alike. 

Some of the appetizer highlights here include beef tartare, tuna poke and corn & scallion fritters. Seared scallops, gnocchi and squash and rib eye steak are just some of the entree choices at Edna.

For dessert, diners here can choose from espresso pannacotta, cheesecake square, sticky toffee cake and hot chocolate pot de creme. An extensive, rotating selection of wines is available at Edna, along with full bar service.

The Stubborn Goat Gastropub

$$

1579 Grafton St, Halifax, NS B3J 2C3, Canada

+1 902-405-4554

Located in downtown Halifax, the Stubborn Goat is a popular establishment that offers a pleasing menu of upscale comfort foods.

Among the small plate options here are harvest vegetable succotash, tenderloin beef tartare and cinnamon-lime chicken wings. The large plate options include burgers, a lobster club sandwich, portobello Wellington and half-a-dozen varieties of macaroni and cheese.

Another highlight here is the delightful, a la carte brunch served on Saturday and Sunday mornings.  

Open Wednesday through Sunday, the Stubborn Goat features full bar service, and an extensive wine list. During the warm weather months, the restaurant also operates an outdoor beer garden.

Da Maurizio

$$$$

1496 Lower Water St, Halifax, NS B3J 1R9, Canada

+1 902-423-0859

Located in Halifax's Brewery Farmer Market, Da Maurizio has been serving high quality Italian cuisine since 1988. Serving dinner only, this upscale restaurant is open Monday through Saturday.

Some of the appetizer options here are foie gras, bruschetta and cinnamon-rubbed lamb chops. Entree choices include grilled veal chop, Angus beef tenderloin, herb-crusted salmon and many pasta dishes.

For dessert, Da Maurizio features chocolate hazelnut mousse, cannolis, tiramisu, ice cream and gelato. 

A large wine selection and full bar service are provided at Da Maurizio.

The Mercantile Social

$$$

1579 Hollis St, Halifax, NS B3J 1V3, Canada

+1 902-425-8682

Offering indoor and outdoor seating, the Mercantile Social is an upscale eatery that serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday.

The lunch menu at this upscale eatery features items such as tuna tartare, an onion ring tower, pork tacos and chicken and waffles. Dinner choices here include poached halibut, roasted pork tenderloin, braised beef short ribs and beef tenderloin.

A large bar area is in place at the Mercantile Social, and their wine list is very comprehensive. The Mercantile Social is also a favorite spot for holding private events, with three private rooms available. 

Hostess Crunch Donuts : A Tasty Treat That's Sweet to Eat

If you haven't tried them already, Hostess Crunch mini Donuts are one of the half-dozen varieties of Donettes mini donuts offered by the snack cake giant.

A few weeks ago, I purchased a bag of these mini-donuts at a local Walgreen's store, and I was impressed enough to buy another bag of them when I returned to Walgreens last week.

Presented here is an honest and objective review of Hostess Crunch mini Donuts.

Size

The net weight of the standard-sized package of Hostess Crunch mini Donuts is 9.5 ounces, and each bag contains approximately 14 donuts.

Price

The regular retail price charged for one 9.5 ounce package of Hostess Crunch Donuts at Hartford, Connecticut-area retail stores is about $3.99. Based upon an average of 14 donuts per bag, that works out to roughly $0.29 per donut.

Texture/Consistency

These crunch-flavored treats feature a somewhat moister texture than the other Hostess Donette varieties, and they seem denser than their Donette counterparts. Although their name may say "crunchy," the donuts are actually just as soft as the other varieties.

The toasted coconut flakes add a pleasing, coffee cake-like complexity to the texture, and they would be a great accompaniment to a hot cup of coffee.

Nutritional Facts

Hostess Crunch Donuts contain 240 calories, with 11 calories from fat, per three-donut serving. The donuts also contain 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 22 grams of sugars and 2 grams of protein per serving.

Taste/Flavor

While the basic flavor of Hostess Crunch Donuts is quite pleasant, they are also very sweet. With the chocolate frosted and powdered sugar varieties, I can easily eat four Donettes in five minutes.  Because these donuts are so sweet, I usually eat just two of them at a time. 

Although they do feature a coating of toasted coconut flakes, I detected very little coconut flavor in these mini donuts. The basic flavor of these treats is definitely quite good. If they were not so sweet, they'd be even better.

On a flavor scale of one through ten, I would give these mini donuts a rating of "8."

Overall Rating

All things considered, Hostess Crunch mini Donuts are a tasty addition to the crowded snack cake landscape. While the "crunch" part of these donuts is evidently a coating of semi-moist, toasted coconut flakes, they are, for the most part, sweet, flavorful snacks that are fun to eat. 

In addition to the Crunch flavor, Hostess Donettes are available in glazed, strawberry cheesecake, chocolate frosted, double chocolate and powdered sugar varieties.

When Playing the Lottery, it Helps to Keep Your Expectations Low

 

Are you a regular CT Lottery player? If you are, you have plenty of company. Every day, legions of people across the state plunk their money down, in search of a dream. 

 According to ctlottery.org, their many types of tickets are now available at more than 2,800 retailers across the state. As of 3/19/22, there are 72 different scratch, or instant lottery games being sold in Connecticut.

When it comes to drawn-numbers lottery games, the State is offering daily and nightly Play 3 and Play 4 games, a nightly Cash 5 game, Classic Lotto, Mega Millions, Keno, Lucky For Life and Powerball.

For approximately 15 years now, I've consistently been playing the numbers 918 and 164 in the nightly Play 3 drawings. My wager-type is $0.50-cent Box, which means I'm betting $0.50 cents on each number. With this type of bet, the three digits can come in in any order, and the payout is $41.50.

Many weeks can go by with neither of my Play 3 numbers being drawn, but then there are times when there may be two winners in the span of just several days.

In all of the years I've been playing these numbers, I've missed getting tickets for a drawing only a handful of times. On one of those occasions, maybe eight or nine years ago, one of my numbers came in. Ever since then, I've been purchasing the two numbers in seven-day tickets.

When you play the same CT Lottery numbers every day, it adds another little dimension to your life. Even though, in reality, you're probably losing money, there's a certain little thrill that comes with playing. The payouts are small, but they can cover the cost of some of my frequent trips to fast food restaurants.

My Father was an accountant for many years, and he saw lottery games as a waste of money. Another family member, however, won a good amount of money from a single Quick Pick ticket.

Some of the most valuable advice I ever received came from my AA sponsor Wild Bill. He says it's best to wear life like a loose-fitting garment, and to keep one's expectations low.

By keeping your expectations low, it's easier to be grateful for winning anything at all. Perhaps it comes with age, but I've found that thinking about winning big money in the lottery is pretty useless and self-defeating.

If you're a regular CT Lottery player, I reccomend that you visit ctlottery.org. The website contains a vast amount on information, including a listing of all the winning numbers from every game, going back several years.

Even though I may be losing money overall, it still helps to keep expectations low. Doing so allows me to see any winnings that may come as gravy, and are appreciated even more.

Have You Visited Downtown Hartford Recently?

Have you visited downtown Hartford recently? The business center of the city still looks largely the same as it did decades ago, but when one looks closer, it becomes evident that much has changed.

Effects of the Pandemic

The effects that the coronavirus pandemic have had on

the downtown area can be seen in the empty storefronts and closed restaurants that you can't help but notice. The hustle and bustle of weekday business activity has been replaced by the slowed-down pace of life that downtown used to have only on Sundays. 

There's still some vehicular traffic on the cavernous section of  Main Street from the Traveler's headquarters up to Capital Community College, in the former G. Fox department store building. The makeup of the traffic is different from pre-pandemic days, however. There are far fewer commercial vehicles engaged in commerce there these days, and the overall pace of things seems to be much slower.

The large fleet of CT Transit buses still regularly rolls in and out of downtown Hartford, but the crowds of workers waiting for commuter buses are absent. The pedestrian traffic is lighter than it used to be, and there is less of a sense of urgency in the air.

While at a crosswalk in the heart of the downtown business section, at the intersection of Main and Pearl Streets today, a somewhat-disheveled-looking woman walked by me and asked if I had a dollar. Being a longtime city resident, my financial-defenses instantly spring into action when strangers ask me for money on the street. 

While it's often recommended to avoid giving panhandlers cash, I tend to be compassionate, yet wary. After I gave her a dollar, she thanked me, then went on to ask the other people at the corner if they could also give her money.

A few minutes later, I was waiting at a crosswalk across the street, and the woman who asked me for a dollar was approaching cars stopped at the busy intersection's red traffic light. Because it was a warm day, the windows were open on many of the vehicles, and the woman was actually leaning-in the windows of some of them, and appeared to be receiving donations. 

 

Longtime Connections

For most of my adult life, I've had various connections to Hartford's downtown section. Through the years, I cooked and prepped at classic eateries such as the Marble Pillar, Frank's, the Brownstone, Mad Murphy's and Civic Cafe on Trumbull.

As a bass player and guitarist in the Rock Velours punk band, I helped to assault the ears of the weekend bar patrons at Song Hays restaurant on Asylum Street for several years. On numerous occasions, I've attended live music shows by local and national acts at different downtown venues, and have dined at many of the restaurants located there.

My paintings have also been exhibited at a few downtown venues, including an art gallery that was housed in The Richardson/G. Fox shopping center. These downtown connections are not mentioned to toot my own horn. Rather, they are examples of a vital business district providing the public with attractions and events that make them want to visit and/or live there.

Whether the city will be able to return to such pre-pandemic levels of activity certainly remains to be seen.

Sorely-Missed Delis

Before the pandemic began, I looked forward to visiting Max Bibo's deli across from the XL Center, and Church and Main Deli at the corner of Church and Main Streets. Each of these delis consistently offered top-rate deli foods, and had lots of regular customers.

On more than one occasion, my primary reason for visiting downtown Hartford was to pick-up lunch to-go from Max Bibo's or Church and Main Deli. Max Bibo's menu offered an assortment of cleverly named deli sandwiches, with their Reubens and cold roast beef with lettuce, onions and mayo being personal favorites.

Downtown sections need accessible eateries where anyone can order a fresh deli sandwich, salads, tasty pizza slices or a hot entree. At Church and Main Deli Cafe, all of those options were available.

The upscale Dish restaurant is yet another economic casualty of the pandemic. Housed in the center of the business district, on Main Street, Dish was a popular spot for power lunches and romantic dinners.

Now, these popular restaurants are but culinary memories, and their respective locations are sadly vacant.

Keep on Rolling

Across Main Street, Sorella's Italian restaurant is still open for business, as are Brown Thompson and Company, Vaughan's, Peppercorn's, Max Downtown and Black-Eyed Sally's. 

There don't seem to be as many deliveries being made downtown recently. It's been quite a while since I've seen seafood, meat or vegetable trucks delivering to the restaurants there. The beer delivery trucks, and the Coke and Pepsi tractor trailer delivery trucks must be delivering to other businesses these days.

Pedestrian traffic is but a fraction of what is was pre-pandemic, but at least there are people downtown. One can't help but notice the huge reduction of men and women wearing office attire making their break-time runs to Dunkin' Donuts, or the cigarette smokers grabbing a few puffs in front of their places of employment. 

When I stopped at the old Main Street Market location at the corner of Asylum and Main, a group of young men were sharing a joint, and on Pearl Street, a man was passed-out in the doorway of a vacant, high-rise office building.

Brave New World?

With a large percentage of downtown Hartford's workers now working at home due to the pandemic, there's an abundance of high-rise buildings there that still need to regularly be cleaned and maintained. The thousands of people who worked at those buildings provided much of the financial lifeblood that the downtown restaurants and small businesses need to survive.

What about nightlife in downtown Hartford? In the small state of Connecticut, Hartford's downtown section has long been the site of countless, entertainment-related activities and events. The number of downtown nightspots, particularly live music venues, was already increasingly diminished prior to the pandemic.

There are plenty of expensive apartments available for rent throughout the downtown area, but lower and mid-range-priced apartments are hard to come by. A couple of places downtown still advertise their single room rentals, but those rentals fill up quickly.

With yet another variant of the virus starting to rear its ugly head now, news reports are already mentioning an increase in cases in some places. While some people will still head to Hartford's downtown section for entertainment, there are many more, I think, who will stay away until the coronavirus situation is more firmly resolved.

Rays of Light

Last week, I saw news stories related to new downtown Hartford business openings on both FOX-61 and WVIT-30 news. Local news media has been reporting that a new sneaker shop opened on Pratt Street in early March, and a new bake shop, and a new sports bar and restaurant will be coming to Pratt Street later in the year.

Mind Over Matter* A Quick and Easy French Toast Variation, and French Toast Flavored Popcorn Seasoning

Updated in September 2022

Sensuous and exciting, yet traditional and comforting, French toast is one dish that works well as a breakfast, lunch or dinner item. As much as I love eating French toast, I don't always have the time or motivation to prepare and cook it.

For years, I had seen frozen French toast sticks in supermarkets, but never bought any until approximately six months ago. These frozen treats really do make it easy to have a quick and satisfying, hot breakfast.

Ever since I discovered Stop & Shop French toast sticks and French toast bites, I've been looking forward to breakfast more than ever. Not only do I love the flavor and texture of these frozen treats, but the tantalizing aroma they generate is incredibly appetizing.

While I still eat the Stop & Shop French Toast Sticks pretty regularly, I've also been purchasing Food Club brand and Murry's brand French toast sticks. As you can see, I really do like eating French toast, and each of these brands offers very good products.

While frozen French toast sticks and bites are convenient items, I've discovered a super-quick method of preparing a decent variation on French toast that is very easy to make.

This variation does not contain any eggs or milk, but you still get the basic flavors and textures of bread, cinnamon and maple syrup.

To prepare this cheater's version of French toast, simply toast a piece or two of bread, then top it with bread or margarine spread, a generous sprinkling of cinnamon and maple syrup.

Although this French toast variation is not as appealing or flavorful as the real thing, it serves well when you're limited for time.

Speaking of French toast, I recently came across a product on Amazon that seasons popcorn with French toast flavoring. The Wabash Valley Farms Ooh La La French Toast Popcorn Seasoning is available in a 5.6 ounce shaker bottle.

The French toast popcorn seasoning contains 0 calories, and is fat-free. In the description of the product, it's mentioned that the seasoning adds great flavor to different types of vegetables. On the package label, there is an illustration of a couple of pieces of bread/toast. This reminds me of the French toast alternative described above.

The price on Amazon for one 5.6 ounce container of Wabash Valley Farms Ooh La La French Toast Popcorn Seasoning is $10.84.

*Inspired by the late, great blues musician Johnny Winter.

Mint Chocolate Chip Klondike Bars are Cool and Delicious Treats

https://hubpages.com/food/Mint-Chocolate-Chip-Klondike-Bars-Are-Cool-Refreshing-And-Delicious-Treats 

Entenmann's Mini Rich Frosted Donuts are Giving Hostess Donettes a Real Run For the Money

                                         

It's so easy to rationalize eating four, five or six chocolate mini-donuts while one is watching reruns of the King of Queens. Due to their small size, pleasing texture and appetizing appearance, these tiny treats can be quite addictive.

A couple of weeks ago, I ordered a bag of Hostess chocolate-covered Donettes as part of a Stop & Shop grocery delivery. Because the Donettes were out of stock, the store substituted a box of Entenmann's Mini Rich Frosted Donuts

Approximately a year ago, I purchased a box of the Entenmann's Mini Rich Frosted Donuts for the first time, and I thought they were pretty good. Having devoured the entire box that was recently delivered, I figured an honest consumer review of the product could be of assistance to other consumers.

Size

The net weight of the regular-sized box of Entenmann's Mini Rich Frosted Donuts is 14 ounces. Each box contains 12 donuts, and the donuts are roughly 1.5 times the size of Hostess Donettes.

Price

The regular retail price of one 14 ounce package of  Entenmann's Mini Rich Frosted Donuts at Hartford, Connecticut-area supermarkets averages about $5.19.

Texture

When I bite into an Entenmann's Mini Rich Frosted Donut, I'm glad to see that the chocolate coating offers a slight "snap" or resistance when it is bitten into. The center of the donut consists of soft yellow cake that complements the chocolate shell very well.

Although I'm a huge fan of Hostess Donettes, I have to say that the texture of these Entenmann's treats is maybe just a little more appealing. The different textures of the yellow cake and the chocolate coating merge together to produce an outstanding mouth feel.

Nutritional Facts 

According to the package label, one of the Entenmann's Mini Rich Frosted Donuts is considered one serving. Every time I've tried to eat just one of these donuts, my plan failed. Inevitably, I caved each time, and ended up eating at least one more.

Each one of the Entenmann's Mini Rich Frosted Donuts contains 170 calories, with 12 grams total fat. There are also five mg of cholesterol, 0 grams of dietary fiber, nine grams of sugars, eight grams of added sugars and one gram of protein in each of these delicious chocolate orbs.

Flavor

When it comes to flavor, the Entenmann's Mini Rich Frosted Donuts score very high. The chocolate coating on these donuts marries well with the yellow cake center, and they don't taste too sweet.

Every time I've eaten one of these donuts, my taste buds seem to detect a faint suggestion of a citrus-like flavor. There are no citrus products included in the list of ingredients, but natural and artificial flavors are listed.

On a flavor scale of one through ten, I would give this product a rating of nine.

                                         

Packaging

Entenmann's Mini Rich Frosted Donuts are packaged in an easy-to-open white and blue cardboard box, that features a see-through window.

Overall Rating

All things considered, Entenmann's Mini Rich Frosted Donuts are a great alternative to Hostess Chocolate Donettes. Not only are the Entenmann's donuts just as tasty as Hostess Donettes, but they're considerably larger, and offer a very pleasing texture.

While I'll always enjoy eating Hostess Chocolate Donettes, I'm not sure which brand I'll choose if both brands are available while I'm grocery shopping. To be honest, I'll probably choose the Entenmann's Mini Rich Frosted Donuts.