Scanway’s coming at ya, Grafton Street
You miss pressing your face against Scanway Catering & Pastry’s Quinpool Road storefront to get a closer look, don’t you? This summer marks the return of Scanway to the food and retail scenes, it’ll be taking over 1567 Grafton Street right next door to its new sibling the Stubborn Goat Gastropub (1579 Grafton Street). “I’m…
Thanks for letting us go ahead, Westjetters!
A big shout-out to all the nice people Westjetting on March 25 at 6:30 in the morning. Not one of you hesitated to let us go ahead, and we will always remember your kindness! You showed us just how wonderful Nova Scotians are! Hope you all had a wonderful time wherever you went! We sure…
Jogger Blues
To the north end front porch drug dealers and roving packs of leering military trainees—go fuck yourselves (or each other please). You really should be arrested for the shit you say to me while I jog by. Next time imagine I’m your mom or your sister—have a self-aware moment, and realize you are representing the…
VLT Losers
Don’t tell me how much you’re wining or losing, I really don’t care. Don’t ask which machines are paying, they all rape the same money over time. Don’t spend $800 chasing a $500 bonus and expect me to have even a shred of pity or respect for you. Don’t cash a ticket unless you are…
Worry about the “Chemtrails” going up your nose!
To all those people on Facebook who go on and on about what chemicals are in our food and/or air but continue to do hard drugs every weekend…what do you think will kill you first? -Head Shaker
Get Off My Lawn
Hey all you ball players: I don’t care that you have a tournament or whatever. The Halifax Commons is NOT A PARKING LOT. You park your cars on the grass when it’s wet, it gets torn up and HRM has to replace the grass. That’s me paying for your parking, AND the part of the…
An apology nine years in the making
We met in 2004. I was dating someone, but you were single. I should have ditched the guy I was dating. I know that we saw each other regardless of that, and I am thankful for the short time we had together, it was amazing. If I had done that one thing, I don’t think…
It’s easy to remember
When everything I do reminds me of you. My first thought when I wake up, clasping onto memories of you every night when I go sleep (thoughts of you hoarded under my pillow). I miss you, will be home soon (probably, hopefully, maybe not soon). -Elephants Never Forget
Sweet Potato
You maki me happy, love you soy much! -Al B. Wooding
Delusional 5/10
To the dumb bitch who thinks her looks are a nine: Maybe after the fourth rejection in the last two months you received from male 9s and 10s, you’ll become more humble and actually look in a realistic mirror. Tall, dark and handsome male model look-a-likes will never want you. But honestly though, can someone…
My job sucks
And so does yours, but at least I get to spend part of the shift with you now. You are the reason I don’t mind my job so much now. We laugh like fools, at the stupidest things; we have deep conversations; we get along great—I wonder if we would get along like that outside…
I See You In The
Forget-me-nots. Forget me not? – The Flower Thief
I’m getting lots of sex and you’re not
Why don’t you admit that your mad that you’re not getting laid? You are a crappy roommate and you treat me like shit. And you seem to be more of an asshole right after you hear me have sex. The other day, I was laying in bed with my hunny after we just finished banging…
The Crappiest Invention of All Time
I hate the fact that people are so lazy and indifferent towards public hygiene that auto-flush toilets need to exist. Is it so inconvenient to flush? Are you so busy that you can’t take two seconds to push a lever? Do you abstain from flushing at home too? If you don’t like to touch things…
A Real Gentleman
Thank you to the man on Fenwick Street who offered to carry my grocery bags. You saw that they were heavy and said you didn’t mind helping. In a city whose culture can be cool and indifferent, your caring brought me warmth and made me feel like I mattered. -A Lady
Insecure woman
You have issues, and you need to deal with them. Just because all the losers in your past behaved a certain way doesn’t give you the right to plaster me with accusations as a result of you not being able to handle genuine kindness. I am not, was not and never will be these losers…
Mommy-to-be
I’ve been with you for almost a year now, and our unplanned surprise is so close to being here it’s beyond exciting. I picture you, the man of the house (such a strong, handsome, perfect man), being the Daddy you want to be and it makes my heart melt. I constantly hear you tell others…
Canadian Radio – Martha and the Muffins
I hate Martha and The Muffins’ “Echo Beach” so much, it physically compelled me to write this bitch, so people will know, that this band and song is torture. Seriously, a terrible, TERRIBLE song. Halifax plays it so much, Martha and The Muffins are probably retiring on the royalties they get from NS alone. Martha,…
Shay Interiors wants to beautify your home
“I always think there aren’t enough rooms,” laughs Shay Ingram discussing her love of decorating and design. A longtime employee at M Home, she branched out on her own after its downsize in early 2014, bringing her classic-meets-fun style to Shay Interiors. “What I’m sort of gearing towards is drop-in decorating, making it beautiful without…
I’m not your fucking peach
You paint a nice picture, doll, ya really do. But I see you as clear as day, and no amount of pet names (which, btw, are fucking annoying) will make me see you as anything less than a narcissistic, cheating scumbag. I hope she finds everything out. I want to see you crash and burn.…
Cat Samaritans
To the woman and two men who found my cat Max dying in the street on Wednesday night after being hit by a car, and stayed with him—I don’t know who you are but I want to thank you. I heard that you, the woman, stroked his fur until he was gone, and the guys…
Worry About Yourself
You know who sucks? People who think they are better than others because of what they wear on their legs or their preference in delicious tortilla chips. Worry about yourself first, what’s that mirror saying today? -The Man Of Many Names
I miss your floor
I miss our mess, the nights on the couch…the endless chats all day, the fun, flirty days. Things changed, this will all end soon and you feel the need for distance to break away more easily….you just need to know what you do to me, how you make me feel, how this summer will be…
Far Away Love
I don’t think there will ever be a day that you don’t cross my mind, a day when I don’t wish you could hold me again. Your smile, Blue (Grey?) Eyes—that will always be everything. -Too Long Gone, Come Back Soon
Alderney Landing Canada Day lineup announced
Alderney Landing’s annual free Canada Day concert announced its lineup this week. They managed to wedge in three whole women this year (a personal record) in members of July Talk and The Belle Game, but the Sam Roberts Band is definitely all dudes. Ben Caplan and the Casual Smokers offer local support, with another act…
I miss you
We fell in love. You said it first. You went; to run away. Do so and I’ll clear your path and be waiting when you want to come back. We were a perfect fit. I miss you so much. We cried to each other. I want to hold you so much. You are a gorgeous…
The Crusher
Want to pin you and win you. -XxX
Local North End Clothing Store
This, when you first look at the title, would think to believe it is yet another bitch about a certain local north end clothing shop. Said clothing shop just received some bad feedback from a woman which spread like wildfire across the inter-web (of course as it does). One would think I would be bitching…
Congrats to the Atlantic Book Awards winners!
So many bright and creative literary minds converged in PEI last night for the Atlantic Book Awards ceremony, including our 2013 Literary Issue cover subject Stephanie Domet. The eleven award-winning books, publishers and authors/illustrators are: 1. Ann Connor Brimer Award for Children’s Literature Nix Minus One, by Jill MacLean, published by Pajama Press 2. Atlantic…
Did you buy a mobile speedbump?
If you did, peel the frigging sticker off the back before you drive it around like a douchebag, speeding and cutting off other cars. A. The irony is too much. B. The huge yellow bumper stickers make your car much easier to identify to the cops (yes, it was that trashy Neon heading towards Tantallon…
My Macchiato
I’ll wait. Probably forever. -Gimmit
Halifax bitch
Halifax has too much municipal dogma. That’s because people are too lazy to say Halifax Regional Municipality. How can this Halifax govern when it was formed by force and not by the people, and has to be an urban and rural place? One hundred and forty-some farms, where are they in Halifax? And that logo—my…
No Thanks For Forgetting Us
You married my son without us being there. You had this planned all along, so you can go through a “loophole.” Thank you for hurting the person I love the most—my wife. Now I have to deal with her pain as she (and I) was deprived our son being married. We are just as disappointed…
Ready To Take The Plunge
This is strictly hypothetical. Let’s say you know a person of a certain age who admits that they’ve never tried marijuana, doesn’t smoke, but is interested in, again hypothetically, trying this much-talked about substance, what would be the best method of trying it? -Cheech
Where did you go
You just came back into my life and just like that you’re gone again. I thought summer would never come. I miss your laugh and sparkling eyes. -Summer Lover
The meh heard round the world
Fuck the king! -What the Hound said
Hot chick on elevator
WTF?!?!?! You go to town with a paint-peeler fart, then expect a smile and a giggle will get me to forgive you? You are a swine, I wouldn’t touch you with a 10-ft pole. -Gassed
“Thank you, have a nice day”
Dear homeless drug addict on Spring Garden: I ignored you. I didn’t make eye contact. I didn’t say anything to you. I didn’t give you anything. Next time, fuck off with the ass-kissing remarks. -Get A Job Licking Stamps, Loser!
Bus Bender on Robie
I witnessed a bus cut off a one-tonne pickup with a flatbed. The guy in the flatbed stopped, instead of getting out of the way. So the flatbed did a world of hurt on the side of the bus between the back wheel and the bumper before he took off. The bus driver may have…
On the 52
Sat across from you on the 52 today. You were wearing a blue jacket with anchors on the sleeves and I couldn’t get over your beautiful curls. Rock on! -Admirer
Q&A with Twin City Wrestling host Adria Young
Sometimes someone you work with is doing something so cool you just can’t ignore it. So at the risk of saying I only cover my friends (which is 100% completely true by the way. That’s why I have so many friends and never ever EVER spend nights alone binge-watching Orphan Black and eating microwave popcorn,…
Shawarma feelings
It’s a sunny Sunday afternoon and a small group sits in the dining room of Mezza Lebanese Kitchen, where a guide from Local Tasting Tours regales them with the sweet and spicy story of the Halifax donair. Moments later they are given samples of something a little more savoury, and the “oooh”s (“ewws”?) over the…
Best New Bar
Gold Winner Stillwell Beer Bar Silver Winner Stubborn Goat Gastropub Bronze Winner Lion & Bright Cafe Wine Bar Spend one evening at a packed-to-the-rafters Stillwell, sipping on the very best in local beer, chowing down on a bowl of duck-fat popcorn and some Atari fries while the buzz of conversation competes with whatever record’s spinning…
Best Food Truck
Gold Winner The Food Wolf Silver Winner Habaneros Gecko Bus Bronze Winner The Nomad Gourmet This is a food truck that foodies make a point of stalking, and with just cause. The Food Wolf takes your favourite snack foods and reinvents them with a fusion flare—think jerk chicken tacos, Korean-inspired hotdogs, Chinese meatloaf sandwiches or…
Best Tea
Gold Winner World Tea House Silver Winner Sawadee Tea House Bronze Winner DAVIDsTEA, Spring Garden Road World Tea House steeps in their golden victory. Tali’s Masala Chai, Chocolate Monkey and White Coconut Creme are a few top selling sippers. Philip Holmans, owner of the small Argyle Street tea shop, says he only imports teas from…
Best Pub Food
Gold Winner Henry House Silver Winner The Old Triangle Irish Ale House Bronze Winner Your Father’s Moustache Henry House is the gold standard when it comes to traditional pub food. The meat pie pastry is made by hand; the batter is whipped up using local craft beer. “We’re a from-scratch kitchen,” says co-owner Jessica Alsop.…
Best Barista
Gold Winner Zane Kelsall, Two If By Sea Cafe, Dartmouth Silver Winner Laura Arsenault, Java Blend Coffee Roasters Bronze Winner Emily McCarthy, Smiling Goat Organic Espresso Bar If you ask Zane Kelsall why he loves coffee, he’ll respond with, “How long do you have?” As co-owner of Two If By Sea and passionate java lover,…
The Word Exchange
Publishing industry insider Alena Graedon’s debut novel The Word Exchange invokes modern Luddite disgust with Facebook and paranoia about Google Glass. Advertised as “a dystopian novel for the digital age,” Graedon pens a high-data NYC satire depicting industry and cultural wars between high-tech behemoth Synchronic and The North American Dictionary of the English Language. Synchronic,…
X-Men Days of Future Past
Nobody worries about the space-time continuum in X-Men: Days of Future Past, in which Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) goes back to the ’70s to stop Raven (Jennifer Lawrence, playing one awful note) from killing a scientist (Peter Dinklage), thus creating super-robots who roll up in coffins to kill everyone now. Kitty (Ellen Page) does some reiki…
Best Diner
Gold Winner The Armview Restaurant & Lounge Silver Winner The Ardmore Tea Room Bronze Winner John’s Lunch The Armview is a bit of a throwback. The look and feel of the place is of another time—it’s a cool, chill spot Don Draper would totally take Sally for lunch—but its tastes have evolved. What’s great about…
Best Breakfast
Gold Winner Ardmore Tea Room Silver Winner The Coastal Cafe Bronze Winner Cora, Halifax Halifax has spoken. This year bragging rights for best breakfast in Hali was snagged from The Coastal, five-year reigning champ. New winner The Ardmore is committed to the classic comfort breakfast, which means bacon and eggs for days. It’s no surprise…
Beyond tolerance
It sounds like the makings of a Law & Order episode—18-year-old Aidan David Cromwell is walking home with his girlfriend late one winter night in Fairview when 25-year-old Marc Bernard Tremblay spots them and begins to follow and verbally harass them. From there you have conflicting accounts—either Cromwell charged Tremblay purposefully knife in hand or…
Best Ribs
Gold Winner Boneheads BBQ Silver Winner Bearly’s House of Blues, Burgers and Ribs Bronze Winner Mic Mac Bar & Grill Southern comfort lives in the heart of Halifax. Boneheads BBQ dishes out mouthwatering, meaty magic in the form of ribs, fit for any carnivore. You can order a full slab of these baby-back beauties, or…
Best Bartender
Gold Winner Shane Beehan, Field Guide Restaurant and Bar Silver Winner Jeff Van Horne, The Bicycle Thief Bronze Winner Katrina Roberts, Morris East, Halifax New to the craft, Shane Beehan has only been bartending for a year and a half. “I’m completely humbled,” he says. “I thought I hadn’t been doing this long enough to…
Jimmy Rankin
“Nobody said it was gonna be easy,” Rankin sings in “Falling So Hard.” He could be describing his solo career. Of course he’s celebrated here at home. However, the goal is to be on country radio all over, because with this album he deserves it. The first single, “Cool Car,” panders a bit. The title…
The Grand Seduction
Tim Riggins Goes A-Doctorin’, B’ys, in this folksy adaptation of the decade-old French film by Jean-François Pouliot. Directed by Don McKellar (confusing), this Seduction stars Taylor Kitsch as a Toronto doctor (the hotshot is implied) who is tricked into spending a month in the depressed Newfoundland town of Tickle Head. If he agrees to stay,…
Best Family Restaurant
Gold Winner Athens Restaurant Silver Winner Palladium Family Restaurant Bronze Winner Tom’s Family Restaurant Athens knows how to keep it in the family. The restaurant has been run by the Panopalis family since 1982 and plans to keep passing the tradition on. From their famjam to your plate, Athens prides themselves on creating a tight-knit…
Best Brunch
Gold Winner The Coastal Cafe Silver Winner Mic Mac Bar & Grill Bronze Winner EDNA What makes brunch here special is the zany cultural mergers happening in your plate. The Coastal takes morning classics and reinvents them using (among others) Mexican, Indian and French cuisines. Take the Naan-Cheros, featuring fried eggs, butter chicken and onion…
Best Burger
Gold Winner Ace Burger Company, Gus’ Pub Silver Winner Darrell’s Restaurant Bronze Winner Cheese Curds Gourmet Burgers + Poutinerie All hail Ace Burger. And hail Halifax did, giving Ace Best Burger for the second year in a row. Co-owner George Christakos attributes Ace’s juicy success to what he calls “guilt-free fast food”—but no one’s counting…
Best Salad
Gold Winner Pete’s, Halifax Silver Winner 2 Doors Down Food + Wine, Kale Caesar Bronze Winner Norbert’s Good Food Pete’s salad bar knows there’s no such thing as the perfect salad, which is exactly why it continues to reign over this category. Here, salad-eaters of Halifax can choose their toppings unapologetically, from a selection that…
Best Server
Gold Winner Amber MacLean, Morris East, Bedford Silver Winner Alissa Maloney, Brooklyn Warehouse Bronze Winner Moriah Rose, EDNA “Good service can turn a good meal into a great meal,” says Halifax’s favourite server, Amber MacLean. With 15 years experience in the industry, learning the tricks of the trade from both the kitchen and the front-of-house,…
Pink Mountaintops
Was 1987 really “The Second Summer of Love” and does it deserve a resounding homage? “Dropout girls smoking Export A’s?” Really? Pink Mountaintops assembles its own war stories from the suburban teen experience. Surging hormones live again as reverb. There is so much echo on Get Back, it is the lasting impression to the point…
Best Fine Dining
Gold Winner The Bicycle Thief Silver Winner Chives Canadian Bistro Bronze Winner daMaurizio Fine Dining The Bertossis bring old-world Italia and jazz it up with a little new-world to create the prime spot for a meal that’s truly a treat. The Bicycle Thief’s throwback decor is reminiscent of the swanky spots in Italy, where fancy…
Best Burrito
Gold Winner Burrito Jax, Blowers Street Silver Winner Habaneros Modern Taco Bar Bronze Winner Dee Dee’s Ice Cream Ah, the burrito—a savory escape from the Pizza Corner slice on a Saturday night. Taking the gold again this year, Burrito Jax packs in all your favourite fixings and their house made sauces and salsas. With four…
Scotia Festival enters the 35th chamber
Halifax loves its summer festivals. Halifax Jazz, Multifest, OBEY, Fringe—as soon as patio season starts, we’re ready for music and theatre and dancing in any number of our parking lots/festival sites. One of the oldest of these festivals (and one that appreciates atmosphere and the value of comfortable seating) is the Scotia Festival of Music,…
Best Sandwich
Gold Winner Indochine Banh Mi Silver Winner Pete’s, Halifax Bronze Winner Italian Market We’re a far cry from the baloney and cheese-slice sandwiches you grew up with. Think more along the lines of citrus mayo, pickled carrots, fresh cilantro and chili, those just a few of the reasons Indochine’s sandwich scores big. A serious love…
Best Atmosphere
Gold Winner Agricola Street Brasserie Silver Winner Stillwell Beer Bar Bronze Winner EDNA The north end’s newest addition welcomes you with an understated exterior and a shockingly vibrant interior that is as warm as it is modern. “We surprise people,” says Peter Goneau. “There’s just a ‘wow’ when people walk in and see the size…
Sharon Van Etten
One of America’s most adept heart-stompers comes roaring back after the success of 2012’s Tramp with an even bigger, braver artistic achievement in Are We There (that lack of punctuation is no accident). Presented as 11 pieces of a doomed relationship Van Etten can’t sort out for the life of her—look at the titles: “I…
Best Hotel Restaurant
Gold Winner Gio Silver Winner Tempo Food + Drink Bronze Winner Redwood Grill Gio at The Prince George wins gold again. Despite being part of a hotel, food and beverage manager Shawn Lewis says that 60 to 70 percent of its customers are locals. “We’ve always maintained a standalone restaurant feel,” says Lewis. Chefs incorporate…
Best Chicken Wings
Gold Winner Bubba Ray’s Sports Bar Silver Winner Halifax Alehouse Bronze Winner Your Father’s Moustache At Bubba Ray’s you can go coated or naked—not in the streaking-after-the-game way, we’re talking about chicken wings here. In this sports bar the wings are so fresh they basically fly off the plates. With a 60-wing sauce selection, and…
Best Chowder
Gold Winner The Esquire Restaurant Silver Winner Acadian Fish & Chips Bronze Winner Evan’s Fresh Seafoods Grab a spoon and dunk into a steamy bowl of comfort. Earning the title again this year, The Esquire knows home-cooked chowder pleases any true Maritimer. This diner’s plenty-of-fish chowder makes the trek down the Bedford Highway worth it.…
Best Seafood
Gold Winner The Five Fishermen Restaurant & Grill Silver Winner John’s Lunch Bronze Winner Evan’s Fresh Seafoods The Five Fisherman has caught our love and reeled in the gold again this year. Fine dining on the top and casual on the bottom, this restaurant features our favourite goodies from the sea. Their eclectic menu pairs…
Best Campus Eats
Gold Winner Pete’s ToGoGo, Dal SUB Silver Winner The Dawgfather Bronze Winner The Gorsebrook Lounge Campus food is crucial to students who are on a crunch for time, cash and healthy options. With the addition of Pete’s ToGoGo to the Dal Student Union Building last year, buying an apple or a banana is no longer…
Ziggy Marley
At 45, Ziggy is nine years older than his father, Bob Marley, was when he died in 1981. Though he does have a similar vocal style, the tone is more upbeat than uprising. Ziggy’s songs dart in and out of what purists would call reggae, dangerously close to a Disney version. The title song, with…
Best Bedford Restaurant
Gold Winner The Chickenburger, Bedford Silver Winner il Mercato Trattoria Bronze Winner Morris East, Bedford Don’t be chicken when you’re eating here—bring a pocket full of quarters so you can shake your tailfeathers jiving to the jukebox. A crowd favourite for 70 years, The Chickenburger brings guests from all over, hungry for a tasty burg…
Best Donair
Gold Winner King of Donair, Halifax Silver Winner Tony’s Donair & Pizza Bronze Winner Mezza Lebanese Kitchen, Halifax Bow down, Halifax. The King of Donair is taking home Best Donair—again. Beneath the tinfoil and pita, the King has found the holy grail of meat-to-sauce ratio. It’s had a lot of time to get it right,…
Best Desserts
Gold Winner Sweet Hereafter Cheesecakery Silver Winner The Middle Spoon Desserterie & Bar Bronze Winner Little Red Kitsch’n, Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market Let them eat cake, at Sweet Hereafter. The Quinpool cheesecakery has 121 cheesecakes in its repertoire. There are always nine cakes ready for consumption, including vegan and gluten-free options (peanut butter chocolate and…
Best Use Of Local Ingredients
Gold Winner Chives Canadian Bistro Silver Winner The Wooden Monkey, Halifax Bronze Winner 2 Doors Down Food + Wine Chives uses local to “showcase the best of the Maritimes,” says chef and co-owner Craig Flinn. He also believes eating local to be more ethical while offering a higher calibre of quality. The roast lamb from…
Best Late-night Food
Gold Winner Willy’s Fresh Cut Fries & Burgers Silver Winner Freeman’s Little New York, Quinpool Bronze Winner Burrito Jax, Blowers Street After a night of drinking and shenanigans all bar-hoppers and party-goers retire to their respectful homes for a good (mediocre?) night’s sleep—but not before hitting up good ol’ Pizza Corner. The aroma of fries,…
Best Clayton Park Area Restaurant
Gold Winner Brewdebaker’s Tap & Grill, Clayton Park Silver Winner Mexico Lindo Bronze Winner Flipburger, Clayton Park Three reasons to mow down at Brewdebaker’s Tap & Grill: spinach and artichoke dip, baby back ribs and chipotle lime fajitas (and if you need more reasons, there are lots on the menu). The restaurant’s sleek fireplace and…
Best Shawarma
Gold Winner Mezza Lebanese Kitchen, Halifax Silver Winner Tarek’s Cafe, north end Bronze Winner Kababji Lebanese Cuisine, Dartmouth Seven years of blowing the competition out of the water proves whether it’s served by Venus or Mezza, the shawarma here is an unmatched delicacy fit for our Best of Halifax Hall of Fame. Click here for…
Best Fish & Chips
Gold Winner John’s Lunch Silver Winner Evan’s Fresh Seafoods Bronze Winner Phil’s Seafood There’s no secret here: just fresh fish. Co-owner and fried-fish authority Fotis Fatouros says, “If something doesn’t satisfy my eyes, I don’t sell it. I’m very fussy about quality.” With fresh catches delivered six days a week, it’s no wonder the people…
Best Brew Pub
Gold Winner Rockbottom Brewpub Silver Winner Rogues Roost Bronze Winner Henry House It’s never tasted so good to hit Rockbottom. This pub masters the craft of micobrews—with six casks carrying their house-made creations. Greg Nash, the brewmaster of almost three years, takes great pride in what he does. “He uses only the finest ingredients,” says…
Best Place To Watch The Game
Gold Winner Bubba Ray’s Sports Bar Silver Winner HFX Sports Bar & Grill Bronze Winner The Oasis Bar & Grill Bubba Ray’s scores gold again this year, upping the ante with bigger, louder and prouder spot for sports fans. No team is left behind with almost 50 jerseys up in the rafters and 130 sports…
Best Dartmouth Restaurant
Gold Winner Mic Mac Bar & Grill Silver Winner The Wooden Monkey, Dartmouth Bronze Winner Cheese Curds Gourmet Burgers + Poutinerie Dartmouth digs its comfort food. The Mic Mac Bar & Grill has been a Dartmouth staple since 1963, grilling up killer breakfasts and great steaks seasoned with their secret spice. If you love mozza…
Best Vegetarian-friendly Restaurant
Gold Winner enVie – A Vegan Kitchen Silver Winner The Wooden Monkey, Halifax Bronze Winner Heartwood This chic vegan kitchen serves up meatless and wheatless meals for the herbivore at heart. Not yet a year old, this restaurant snags the gold by keeping their menu “innovative with a modern edge.” enVie steps into the animal…
Best Fish Cakes
Gold Winner Emma’s Eatery Silver Winner Edible Matters Bronze Winner Mic Mac Bar & Grill There’s something fishy at Emma’s Eatery—its famous cakes. Chef Kim Stacey says the fish cakes “use a lot of fish in proportion to the rest of the ingredients.” Also, the fish is all fresh and local, and Emma’s customers can…
Best Milkshake
Gold Winner Darrell’s Restaurant Silver Winner The Chickenburger, Bedford Bronze Winner Dee Dee’s Ice Cream Oreos and milk: the perfect romance—and Darrell’s just introduced their love child, the Oreo milkshake. This south end burger joint is not only known for its peanut butter burg and delicious Darrell fries, it also excels at the classic diner…
Best Patio
Gold Winner Your Father’s Moustache Silver Winner The Argyle Bar & Grill Bronze Winner The Bicycle Thief Sitting in the sun on the patio at Your Father’s Moustache feels more like a resort than a downtown resto. “It’s an oasis in the city,” says manager Shane Robilliard. If the sun is out in Halifax, the…
Best Sackville Restaurant
Gold Winner Chef’s Menu Silver Winner Tom’s Family Restaurant Bronze Winner Burrito Jax, Sackville Chef’s Menu is a great place if you want to step it up a notch. While Sackville has lots of cozy family restaurants (like our silver winner, Tom’s), Jim Gill of Chef’s Menu says their introduction of casual fine dining filled…
Best Beer Selection
Gold Winner Stillwell Beer Bar Silver Winner The Maxwell’s Plum Bronze Winner Stubborn Goat Gastropub “One thing for us is beer styles,” says Stillwell’s Christopher Reynolds. “It’s about having a broad selection but keeping it focussed and small.” With a strong taste for local craft creations and no shortage of one-offs and cask brews, there’s…
Best Fries
Gold Winner Ace Burger Company, Gus’ Pub Silver Winner Stillwell Beer Bar Bronze Winner Cheese Curds Gourmet Burgers + Poutinerie There’s nothing special about the fries at Ace—that’s what makes them so damn tasty. A good fry comes down to the freshness, and at Ace potatoes are punched twice a day (or as many times…
Cool for Jack’s Cats
“It’s the sum total of all the skill and experience and music that we love,” is how Jack Malmstrom describes Low Down Dirty Swing, Live, the new album by his jazz band. “It’s a really accurate record of what it’s like to hear a live Jack’s Cats performance.” And while that might seem obvious given…
Best Food Blogger
Gold Winner Eat Halifax Silver Winner Feisty Chef Bronze Winner Kelly Neil You want to learn how to get creative with a menu? Try heading into the woods, and feeding a team of tree planters for months on end. Kathy Jollimore’s food obsession started there in the bush, but it was during her off months…
Best Chinese Restaurant
Gold Winner The Great Wall Restaurant Silver Winner Jean’s Chinese Restaurant Bronze Winner 9 + Nine Chinese Cuisine Great Wall is the perennial winner of Best Chinese honours, it’s won every single year this award has existed. Whether you’re looking for battered, sweet-and-sour Canadian Chinese food or an authentic experience, these guys deliver it. Try…
Best Craft Brewery
Gold Winner Garrison Brewing Company and Cold Beer Store Silver Winner Propeller Brewing Company Bronze Winner North Brewing Company Local leader in creative and seasonal beers, everybody can find a flavour to love at Garrison—last year alone it released over 20 styles. A perennial favourite is the raspberry wheat ale, but don’t discount quirkier varieties…
Best Ice Cream / Gelato / Frozen Yogurt
Gold Winner Dee Dee’s Ice Cream Silver Winner Humani-T Cafe, north end Bronze Winner Cherry Berry Yogurt Bar, Halifax Haligonians scream for Dee Dee’s Ice Cream. This north end shop started as a simple shack in Peggys Cove. Thankfully now you can get their creamy scoops of heaven all year round. Co-manager Jessie Wright says…
Best Smoothie
Gold Winner Pete’s, Halifax Silver Winner Steve-O-Reno’s Cappuccino Cafe Bronze Winner Fruition Raw Foods There’s something in the smoothies over at Pete’s. It could be an extra shot of wheatgrass that makes the customers go crazy, or maybe it’s just the freshness of the ingredients blended in front of your face. If you’re looking for…
Best Gluten-free Friendly
Gold Winner Schoolhouse Gluten-Free Gourmet Silver Winner The Wooden Monkey, Halifax Bronze Winner enVie – A Vegan Kitchen This bakery is a hit with everyone, celiac or not. For the second year running team Schoolhouse, AKA Jennifer Laughlin and Aidan Brunn, are taking home top honours for their baked goods, which have become a hit…
Best Greek Restaurant
Gold Winner Athens Restaurant Silver Winner Estia Restaurant Bronze Winner ela! Greek Taverna, Bayers Lake “We were the pioneers of Greek food in Halifax,” says owner Evangelos Panopalis. Athens serves up authentic offerings, so you can enjoy a hefty taste of Greece, a hop and a skip away, for a fair price. Panopalis says he…
Best Cocktails
Gold Winner Field Guide Restaurant and Bar Silver Winner Noble Bronze Winner The Middle Spoon Desserterie & Bar Speakeasy concoctions are rising in popularity. Dedicated to intricate combinations that tickle your sophisticated palate, it’s no wonder Field Guide seizes the gold. Head bartender Shane Beehan and mixologist Jeff Van Horne collaborate every month to craft…
Best Cookie / Cupcake / Doughnut
Gold Winner Susie’s Shortbreads, downtown Silver Winner Layers Cakes Bronze Winner Little Red Kitsch’n, Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market Coconut, sprinkles, sparkles, icing and gumdrops equal a cupcake overload. Locally owned Susie’s Shortbreads is a vision of everything a sweet shop should be, from the striped pink awning to its checkerboard floor. Your sweet tooth will…
Best Bakery
Gold Winner Julien’s Patisserie Bakery & Cafe Silver Winner Boulangerie la Vendéenne Bronze Winner Gingerbread Haus Bakery Julien’s Bakery brings carb love to a whole new level. Tucked neatly into the Hydrostone Market, this is your stop for anything baked with butter, covered in cocoa or dusted lightly with icing sugar. Coveting poppy seed bagels?…
Home is where the Doom is
The first thing that comes up when talking to Doom Machine member Bill Arsenault is what the heavy metal community is like in the Annapolis Valley. Seemingly everywhere you go in Nova Scotia you’ll find tiny pockets of metal kids, keeping everything heavy and dark alive in their tiny metal loving hearts. “The valley scene…
Best Indian Restaurant
Gold Winner Dhaba Casual Fine Dining and Express Silver Winner Curry Village Bronze Winner Grand Taj Restaurant There’s no resisting the buffet of assorted curry that Dhaba hosts every Saturday afternoon. And if you want to try dishes that aren’t the typical Indian restaurant fare, don’t miss its Sunday brunch. The founding vision for Dhaba…
Best Caesar
Gold Winner Brooklyn Warehouse Silver Winner Tom’s Little Havana Bronze Winner Your Father’s Moustache Building on the savoury flavours of the classic Caesar, these guys are kicking things up a notch. How is it possible to improve the already heavenly clam and tomato combo? Add some wasabi and garnish with some pickled snow peas. “It’s…
Best Lunch Specials
Gold Winner Cha Baa Thai Restaurant, Halifax Silver Winner Piatto Pizzeria + Enoteca Bronze Winner Dhaba Casual Fine Dining and Express Work-goers know there is nothing more satisfying than finding that perfect little resto that is as inexpensive as it is delicious—a place to retreat to when you were just too damn busy to pack…
Best Butcher Shop
Gold Winner Getaway Farm Butcher Shop Silver Winner Highland Drive Storehouse Butchery and Local Produce Bronze Winner Sweet William’s Country Sausage, Seaport Farmers’ Market There’s no cellophane in sight at this Seaport Market stall. Getaway’s grass-fed meats are some sweet eats—guilt-free. Carved fresh daily by skilled tradespeople and gingerly wrapped in brown paper, you can…
Free Will Astrology
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Gemini (March 21-April 19) During the next 12 months you will have exceptional opportunities to soak up knowledge, add to your skill set and get the training you need to pursue interesting kinds of success in the coming six to eight years. What’s the best way to prepare? Develop an exciting new plan…
Under the Skin
Most directors since Ghost World have just pointed their cameras at Scarlett Johansson and let her butt do the rest—especially, disappointingly, Sofia Coppola; especially, unsurprisingly, Woody Allen—an apex you’d think was reached with Black Widow’s catsuit, but has Jonathan Glazer (Sexy Beast) got a challenge for you. In a script so wordless it makes Gravity…
Best Restaurant
Gold Winner Brooklyn Warehouse Silver Winner The Bicycle Thief Bronze Winner The Wooden Monkey, Halifax “For us, it’s all tethered to that wholesome meal you’d have at your grandmother’s house,” says Brooklyn’s George Christakos. He’s talking about his grandmother, Georgia, but he’s talking about yours, too. After seven years, and four consecutive Best Restaurant wins,…
Best Italian Restaurant
Gold Winner Ristorante a Mano Silver Winner The Bicycle Thief Bronze Winner il Mercato Trattoria Maurizio and Stephanie Bertossi have been dishing out award-winning tastes of Italia for years. Their simplistic, yet detailed approach to presentation, decor and flavour earn all four of their restaurants an authentic trattoria experience. Risorante a Mano looks to bring…
Best Martini
Gold Winner The Bitter End Silver Winner The Fireside Bar/Restaurant Bronze Winner The Bicycle Thief Got a bad case of the Monday blues? Fear not, The Bitter End’s got your happy hour martini shaken not stirred. The lounge invites the cozy couples, martini guzzlers and party people to gather. So why not celebrate surviving the…
Best Pasta
Gold Winner Vinnie’s Pasta Bar Silver Winner Ristorante a Mano Bronze Winner il Mercato Trattoria Vinnie’s has been the underground pasta favourite for a long time, and this year it finally unseated the competition. Hidden in a residential area of the south end, you have to already know about Vinnie’s in order not to miss…
Best International Grocer
Gold Winner Pete’s Frootique & Fine Foods, Halifax Silver Winner Ratinaud French Cuisine Bronze Winner Mid-East Food Centre & Cafe There’s nothing better than a freshly stocked fridge of groceries—except maybe a fridge of groceries from Pete’s. Something about the artisan, gourmet or just plain awesome food at Pete’s makes it almost too good to…
Halifax is a slamming city
Imagine stepping onstage and performing an original piece of poetry from the heart for an audience. Once the applause is finished, you hear the MC read out the scores from the five randomly selected judges. “A 7.5, an eight, an eight, a six, a nine and a 9.5” amid the cheers and jeers of the…
Something in the stationery
Why do you think in such a digitally-driven time that hard-copy invites, save the dates and thank-yous are still a relevant wedding tradition? People still love getting something in the mail. You get that warm and fuzzy feeling opening something that’s not a bill. I don’t think that will ever change. The digital world is…
Best Cafe
Gold Winner Two If By Sea Cafe, Dartmouth Silver Winner Java Blend Coffee Roasters Bronze Winner Lion & Bright Two If By Sea came into being from what co-owner Zane Kelsall describes as “romantic visions of living beside the ocean.” Neither he nor co-owner Tara MacDonald were born on the east coast (Kelsall’s from Alberta…
Best Middle Eastern / Persian Restaurant
Gold Winner Tarek’s Cafe, north end Silver Winner Mezza Lebanese Restaurant Bronze Winner Cafe Istanbul Finally, healthy food that doesn’t feel like a chore to eat. Tarek’s offers up Mediterranean dishes that burst with freshness and flavour. Sandwiched in a tiny strip mall on Robie Street, it’s an unlikely place to find such high-quality food.…
Best Wine List
Gold Winner Obladee, A Wine Bar Silver Winner The Bicycle Thief Bronze Winner Chives Canadian Bistro The delightfully eclectic wine list here is the brainchild of brother-sister duo Heather and Christian Rankin. Because people come to Obladee explicitly to sample their vintages they “can get away with more obscure varieties and weirder blends,” says Heather,…
Best Pizza Pie
Gold Winner Salvatore’s Pizzaiolo Trattoria Silver Winner Mother’s Pizza Bronze Winner Morris East, Halifax Kneading, topping and signature saucing your ’za, it’s safe to say Salvatore’s knows how you like your pie. The trattoria snags the title again this year, with a pizza it’s proud to call all its own. “We’re purists,” says owner Chris…
Best Liquor / Wine Store
Gold Winner Bishop’s Cellar Silver Winner Premier Wine & Spirits Bronze Winner Port of Wines Once upon a time, specialty wine shops were seen as snobby, a domain where only the initiated were allowed. It’s places like Bishop’s Cellar, where staff are patient and enthusiastic to help even the most unschooled wine drinker, that have…
A hole new world
Q I am a genetic male with recurrent questions about my gender identity. Straddling desires to maintain my stature in the professional world, keep my wife at my side and become who I feel like I am, I have experimented with crossdressing, chastity, antiandrogens and, prior to all that, steroids. While the matrimonial veto has…
Piece of mind
What’s popular lately? This year we’re seeing quite a few more intimate gatherings (30 to 60 guests) with two- to three-tiered cakes. Styles like vintage/lace, soft ruffles, metallics, rustic (buttercream finish) and ombre continue to trend. Simple white cakes with a floral statement and soft colours are popular. Couples are choosing two or more cake flavours…
Best Bar
Gold Winner Tom’s Little Havana Silver Winner Obladee, A Wine Bar Bronze Winner The Seahorse Tavern Nestled away from the bustle of Spring Garden Road is this beauty of a bar. It’s easy to miss, but once you know about it you’ll never want to go anywhere else. Tom’s is a prime spot for first…
Best Sushi Restaurant
Gold Winner Wasabi House Silver Winner Sushi Nami Royale, Halifax Bronze Winner Hamachi House This tightly packed sushi joint serves up some tantalizing experiments with mango, banana, asparagus and sweet potato, but stays true to fresh fish, too. Maybe the reason that people love Wasabi House is the bold fish-fruit combinations, or maybe it’s the…
Best Coffee
Gold Winner Anchored Coffee, Two If By Sea Cafe Silver Winner Java Blend Coffee Roasters Bronze Winner Smiling Goat Organic Espresso Bar To some coffee is a ritual, to some it’s an escape from the reality of a busy workday and, sometimes, it’s just a good ol’ cup of joe. Two If By Sea’s gold-winning…
Best Pizza Slice
Gold Winner Sicilian Pizza, Donairs & Subs, Pizza Corner Silver Winner Bramoso Gourmet Pizza Bronze Winner Alexandra’s Pizza, Halifax Grab a seat and a slice after a long walk on the harbourfront, or stumble in from a long, boozy night on the town. The cheap eats at Sicilian are a steal when your slice is…
Best Farmers’ Market Stall
Gold Winner Getaway Farm Butcher Shop Silver Winner Fruition Raw Foods Bronze Winner Wrap So D Getaway’s meat mongers keep meeting the needs of Halifax meat eaters. Owner Chris de Waal says the Best Farmers’ Market Stall win is a special honour since the farmers market scene in Halifax is bumpin’. And Getaway deliver a…
Boy, Snow, Bird
In her latest novel, Boy, Snow, Bird, Helen Oyeyemi uses loose allusions to fairy tales and folklore to examine race in mid-century America. It’s 1953 and Boy Novak is a young white woman escaping an abusive father. After fleeing to a small Massachusetts town she marries Arturo Whitman, a local jeweler, and becomes stepmother to…
Trends with benefits
In terms of overarching themes or the general look of a wedding where do you find inspiration? My source of inspiration is my clients! It’s in what they wear, how they decorate their home and what they are most attracted to on Pinterest! It is so much fun when my clients’ taste is similar to…
Best New Restaurant
Gold Winner 2 Doors Down Food + Wine Silver Winner EDNA Bronze Winner Agricola Street Brasserie It’s been nothing short of a banner year for new restaurants in the city, and these three winners are evidence of that. “We have amazing competition,” says Andrew Farrell, chef at 2 Doors Down. “It’s been awesome to see…
Best Thai Restaurant
Gold Winner Cha Baa Thai Restaurant, Halifax Silver Winner Talay Thai Halifax Bronze Winner Gingergrass If you want to taste Thailand in Nova Scotia, Cha Baa Thai is always a safe bet. With vibrant atmosphere that’s reflective of the great land, and food that is even more authentic, you get the whole shebang in one…
Best Specialty Coffee
Gold Winner Java Blend Coffee Roasters Silver Winner Steve-O-Reno’s Cappuccino Cafe Bronze Winner Two If By Sea Cafe, Dartmouth We know you’ve got a whole lotta love for Java Blend’s cup-o-joe. It’s been roastin’ those beans in-house like bosses since 1938, so you’re guaranteed to get a perfect, piping hot cup of pick-me-up. This cafe…
Best Poutine
Gold Winner Willy’s Fresh Cut Fries & Burgers Silver Winner Cheese Curds Gourmet Burgers + Poutinerie Bronze Winner Smoke’s Poutinerie Nothing beats a mountain of French fries, tangled up in cheese curds and smothered in hot gravy. If you’re feeling fancy you can get donair poutine, or steak poutine, or cheeseburger poutine, or pulled pork…
Best Chef
Gold Winner Craig Flinn, Chives Canadian Bistro Silver Winner Mark Gray, Brooklyn Warehouse Bronze Winner Graeme Ruppel, Stillwell Beer Bar The king of cooking, Craig Flinn seizes the title once again. When the beloved Halifax chef isn’t dreaming up ideas for one of his restaurants, Chives or 2 Doors Down, he can be found scavenging…
Cousins
Slapstick is a 1976 Kurt Vonnegut novel about an outcast brother and sister who disguise their supreme synergetic intelligence and change the world by being “lonesome no more.” Yes, I think The Halls of Wickwire, the third LP from Halifax’s Cousins, shares themes with this novel. All the anxiety of being lost and alone rattles…
Go stagette
1. Private dancer Admit it—there’s a part of you that always wanted to be able to hang from a pole using only your pure unadulterated thigh strength. Well, there’s no better excuse to take a private class than with your bridal party. Toting fun, laughs and a little extra shimmy in your step, pole dancing…
“I can’t die, I have kids!”
We all just had a conversation about a hypothetical situation that if any of us were in a burning building, would any of us risk our life to drag another out if said another couldn’t help themselves. You chuckled and said “I can’t die, I have kids!” So you’re saying I’m more expendable than you…
The American (Canadian) dream
I’m a renter. Just for the hell of it I check out house prices every so often. Most houses seem to start at 300k and up. How can anyone making less than 100k a year afford something like that? There is cheap housing—it’s called a packing crate. -Phuk Anime
Carmel & Almonds
I might fit that description. Could your ‘love’ be for me? The “Ohms” threw me off. Yoga reference? I need more info, Nevertell… Please, do tell. Or at least give me more hints. -Paralegal Singer Paying Attention
