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Halifax Dining

t’s easy to eat well and cheaply in Halifax. There’s a wide selection of downtown cafés, diners, café-bars and restaurants within easy walking distance of Grand Parade with particular concentrations along Spring Garden Road from Queen Street to South Park, Argyle Street, and Granville Street north of Duke. All three of these areas largely cater to locals, whereas the more touristy spots are clustered in the Historic Properties. At the majority of restaurants, a substantial meal will only set you back about $15-20, excluding drinks. Seafood is the leading local speciality, with lobster being a particular favourite - expect to pay about $25 for a medium-sized specimen. Bear in mind also that most kitchens start to finish up at around 9.30-10pm and that many restaurants close on Sunday, sometimes Monday too.

They say Halifax has more bars per head than anywhere in Canada, except St John’s Newfoundland, and although cafés and café-bars have made inroads, there are still several good bars, and most of them offer pub food. Incidentally, bars and restaurants sometimes occupy different floors of the same premises, which can be a little confusing.

Cafe Bars and Diners

Big Life House , 5220 Blowers St. Lively, informal café with good, wholesome snacks and speciality coffees. New Ageish. Open Mon-Sat 9am-9pm, Sun 11am-3pm.

**The Bluenose **, 1824 Hollis at Duke St. Something of an institution, this long-established diner serves filling and fairly tasty meals until 10pm. Lobster, in various guises, is the speciality.

Caffe Roma , 1572 Argyle St. Fashionable, pastel-painted coffee house offering tasty salads and doorstep sandwiches, all at inexpensive prices.

Daily Grind Café , 5684 Spring Garden Rd at South Park. Easy-going, amenable coffee house where you can browse a vast selection of newspapers and glossy magazines.

Economy Shoe Shop Café , 1663 Argyle St. Everything here is imaginative - from the name and the decor through to the menu, offering tapas to Italian. One of a cluster of fashionable café-bars on Argyle.

Grabbajabba Fine Coffee , 5475 Spring Garden Rd at Queen. This excellent coffee house sells great coffees and delicious pastries - the cheesecake is especially delicious. Also a branch at 1791 Barrington St.

Mediterraneo , 1571 Barrington St. Inexpensive downtown café serving tasty Lebanese dishes. Popular spot with a youthful clientele. Between Sackville and Blowers.

**Midtown Tavern and Grill **, at Prince and Grafton. One of the most enjoyable places in town, this blue-collar favourite serves up tasty steaks at amazingly reasonable prices. It’s a far cry from the tourist-industry niceties down on the waterfront, and none the worse for it. Closed Sun.

Steve-o-Reno’s , Brunswick St, just off Spring Garden Rd. Fashionable café-bar with pastel decor and angular, modern furnishings. Great food - everything from Thai noodles to Italian - and great prices too: many main courses for just $5.

Bars

Granite Brewery , 1222 Barrington St at South. In the style of a British pub, this charmingly intimate bar occupies a nineteenth-century stone building not far from the train station. Most of the ale is brewed on the premises - try the “Peculiar”, a fair approximation of the sultry grandeur of the legendary British Theakston’s.

Peddlers’ Pub , Granville St at Duke. Occupying part of an old commercial block at the pedestrianized northern end of Granville St, this pub has a pleasant outside area and a big and breezy bar.

Rogue’s Roost Brew Pub , 5435 Spring Garden Rd at Queen. Upstairs brewpub decorated in brisk, modern style. A student favourite.

Split Crow , 1855 Granville St at Duke. Another supposedly English pub. Very central, often featuring live Maritime fiddle music.

Your Father’s Moustache , 5686 Spring Garden Rd at South Park. Good range of ales with frequent live acts - blues a speciality. Seasonal rooftop patio.