There is a long tradition of companies benefiting from travel giving out culinaryawards. It makes sense. How many of us judge our travel experiences by the quality of the food we enjoyed? The Michelin Guide is undoubtedly the world’s most recognized authority on restaurants, with its coveted one-, two- and three-star ratings regarded as globally […]
Food
Posted inFood + Drink
Frabjous: Where gourmet comes with a story
When Inge Kiss and her husband, Marshall Parker, boarded a flight to Croatia a decade ago they had no idea the trip would reshape their lives. At the time, both were busy professionals in Boston: Inge working as Chief Sales Officer for a French engineering consultancy covering North America and Asia-Pacific, and Marshall as financial […]
Posted inFood + Drink
The Pint Public House: More than I expected
I’ll admit it: I didn’t expect to be at Argyle Street’s The Pint Public House. Perhaps I’m stuck in decades gone by, but it’s hard for me to get past visions of beer-filled evenings in my early 20s at The Argyle Street Bar & Grill, which long occupied the large space The Pint now calls […]
Posted inFood + Drink
Hook, line and sinker: HRM’s best fish and chips?
There’s something beautifully simple, and endlessly debatable, about who makes the best fish and chips. Is it the freshness of fish, the batter or the combination of fish, fries and accompaniments like coleslaw and tartare sauce? I personally place greatest on the former, although great home cut fries do have a way of swaying me […]
Posted inFood + Drink
Casa di Stefano: A slice of suburban passion
Driving into a busy strip mall on Cobequid Road in Sackville at six o’clock on a Wednesday, I admit I was puzzled. Why was the parking lot full? The answer became clear as soon as I stepped through the doors of Casa di Stefano—the space was buzzing. Couples leaned in over glasses of wine, families […]
Posted inFood + Drink
Less is more: Italy’s culinary philosophy finds a home in Halifax
I’ve been to Italy almost too many times to count. Crafting food and wine experiences there is a pleasure—if not a stroke of genius—as every corner of ‘the Boot’ has its own unique and wonderful food culture. It makes tour planning easier there than in most places around the world. At the root of Italian […]
Posted inFood + Drink
Five independent cafés to support this weekend
Halifax has long had a love affair with coffee. As a port city with deep maritime roots and a growing population of students, creatives, and remote workers, it’s no surprise the café culture here runs strong. Whether it’s a morning ritual before heading to campus, a post-lunch meeting spot, or a cozy refuge on a […]
Posted inFood + Drink
Pazzo Ristorante: Big city dining in the heart of Halifax
There’s something undeniably metropolitan about Pazzo. Tucked into a historic building on Barrington Street, the space doesn’t whisper “Italy” so much as it channels the buzzy energy of a modern New York eatery. Exposed brick, old-growth beams, and high ceilings form the backbone of a room that feels equally suited to date nights and downtown […]
Posted inFood + Drink
The Mystique of Mystic
Long before Mystic opened its doors beneath the Rise Again Stairs in Halifax’s Queen’s Marque District there was an air of mystique about the restaurant that would occupy this now iconic symbol of Halifax’s waterfront. Whispers of Michelin star aspirations were already wafting through the local hospitality community. Could Halifax one day be home to […]
Posted inFood + Drink
First look at Reta’s, the Hydrostone’s newest fine-dining favourite
Steph Ogilvie has worked in her share of high-end kitchens. The Halifax chef and Top Chef Canada finalist has done pop-up dinners at Montreal’s Ratafia wine bar, cooked at Toronto’s Michelin-recommended GEORGE and joined the kitchen crew at Newfoundland’s famed Fogo Island Inn, where Gwyneth Paltrow and David Letterman have stayed. But none compare to […]
Posted inFood + Drink
Two If By Sea Cafe joins Best of Halifax Hall of Fame
Seventeen years ago, amateur baker-turned-entrepreneur Tara MacDonald picked up a new hobby when she moved from Ottawa to Dartmouth: Baking croissants. It wasn’t always a fun hobby. “Temperamental little buggers” is how she referred to her rich and flaky viennoiseries, which she would labour over in her home kitchen, tinkering with butter, salt and flour. […]
Posted inFood + Drink
Nova Scotia restaurant awards celebrates excellence at annual gala
A night out at a restaurant is about so much more than just the food put on the plate—it’s the service and atmosphere that can take a culinary experience from good to great. The best of the best in Nova Scotia’s service industry was honoured Monday, Jan 27 in a gala celebration held at the Westin […]