The Coast | News, events, restaurants, concerts and Burger Week for Halifax, Nova Scotia
Home of the Best of Halifax Reader's Choice Awards, the award-winning independent newspaper covers the Halifax news, politics, events, concerts, movies, restaurants, and nightlife scene.
[Image-1] So about a month ago I posted a “Love” to the Halifax Transit angel who found my wife having a seizure by the side of the road. However, I didn’t mention that there was another lady with the driver who was instrumental in taking care of my wife and waiting until paramedics came. How can…
If you want me to upload my resume, why in the fuck do I have to manually input all of my past work experience too??? WHY??? —Someone please hire me
WTF? Are you the best we got? I still remember what you said about the Hamas in 2006. How you wanted to send more money to a terrorist dictatiorship. Well, here’s your chance! —not loving it
[Image-1] Nothing can make your heart climb into your asshole quicker than watching your phone tumble and shatter. That is until you go to get it replaced, and find once you’re home that the new screen is not only on loose, but has a small ‘ding’ in the bottom… A ding which turns into a…
[Image-1] To the gentleman who helped me push my new-to-me used car from the gas station into the adjacent tavern parking lot when it died on me after 10 minutes of car ownership: Thank you so, so very much for stopping to help a stranger. I’m sorry your planned run got ruined from pushing that…
You guys are jerks, and I’m so glad to finally be rid of your petty, mean and juvenile antics. What a relief to never have to see you again. I feel so liberated! Thanks for showing me (and everyone else) your true colours. You’re awful. Good luck to you, KZ, PY, YD, ZF, and WH!…
[Image-1] Thank you to the fire marshal who evacuated my daughter’s daycare when there was a gas leak at a construction site near by. Thank you daycare staff for getting every single child to a safe place. Thank you Bell/Aliant building for being the place they went. Thank you St. Matthew’s Church/Circus School for taking…
I feel like I’m a drunk with one good eye trying to ascertain who’s on first with this new ‘best of’ issue. PS still love you, doe. —If I Started Paying a Quarter Could You Go to a Better Printer, Please?
[Image-1] You know who you are. Coming into work everyday, mooching cigarettes, money, drives, pain killers, et cetera. Just because I live comfortably and you don’t (which is 100 percent your own fault), does not entitle you to what I have earned. When I say no, don’t go behind my back and complain about me…
Earlier this week, Classified released his new jam, “No Pressure,” with a sick feature from Mr. One-Eight-Seven himself, Snoop Dogg. The original dee-oh-double-gee references Scotia and it’s tight to hear those words out of his mouth, TBH. The track comes out in advance of Classified’s upcoming album, Greatful, which will be released on January 15 via HalfLife Records and Universal.…
[Image-1] Good new for those civic-minded folks aching to do a little more shoveling this winter—HRM Halifax Water has provided a way to locate the blocked catch basins and fire hydrants in your neighbourhood. During last winter’s snowpocalypse, helpful citizens wanted to dig out buried hydrants and clear obstructed catch basins in an unprecedented show…
Last night, at the Scotiabank Centre, legendary metal gods Judas Priest were as hard as British steel. Thousands of people shouted “Priest! Priest!” as a giant banner shielded the stage until suddenly it dropped into smoke, and Rob ‘METAL GOD’ Halford, Glenn Tipton, Richie Faulkner, Ian Hill and Scott Travis hammered into the Redeemer of Souls Tour. The…
Pierre with hair says that his first bill will reduce taxes to the middle class. I’d be excited about this, but most of us aren’t middle class. —Pissed off and broke
To the total asshat who sat outside near North & Agricola Wednesday night and wolf whistled, tunelessly whistled, whistled random notes, and whistled everything imaginably annoying, YOU CAN FUCK RIGHT OFF. —Fuck off, asshole
[Image-1] No dear what’s truly shameful is people like you who allow their children to rule and want and ask for things that are not for them and you allow them to have it. No dear it is you who should be ashamed of yourself for being so ignorant, angry and self-centered and controlled by…
[Image-1] I’m not sure what you’re doing with your current partner. I know we’re both thinking the same thing, and I will be patient. —eah
[Image-1] I want to say thank you , you may not see yourself as beautiful, because as you said” your fluffy ” but that fluff only makes you more beautiful. You were not concerned when the women were saying how your tattoos were “too much” BUT I loved them all from the wings across your…
[Image-1] To the bus driver who was driving the 80 Tuesday to Halifax; You’re a jerk. My fiance got on the bus and was opening some crackers since we hadn’t eaten all day and all of a sudden we hear “BUDDY! BUDDY! YOU CANT EAT IN HERE!” Good enough, that’s not a big deal even…
For the last year or so I have been slowing selling items on Kijiji. Particularly for larger items there seems to be a trend. What has been happening is that buyers have become persistent on making their first offer a hard price?! They have the gull to first reduce the price usually by a 1/3…
I do not understand why the hell we get tests for things we did not study that weren’t in the text book in math!!! I hate all the bougey propaganda in history! I hate pretentious english teachers that think every single fucking thing has to be deep! I hate teachers that complain instead of trying…
[Image-1] At least 12 items have gone missing from the Halifax Regional Police department’s evidence control over the past three years, the result of some innocent mistakes according to deputy chief Bill Moore. “It turns out they were misplaced in the exhibit room,” Moore says. “It doesn’t appear it was an intentional thing.” According to…
[Image-1] Can we kiss secretly, i know you have a girlfriend, and i know i’m to young for you and your too old for me. But maybe we can just kiss anyways. I really like you and I want to kiss you. —Only a kiss
[Image-1] I have multiple mental illnesses. I have for most of my life, and I will for most of my life. I talk a bit about it. I talk about the warm and fuzzy parts, the kind of things you see on made-for-TV movies. I talk about the parts of my struggles that I have…
Begesus Murphy! You are backing off on your promise to resettle tens of thousands refugees in 2 months. And, whatt is your reason? It looks like your idea was so poorly thought out that the mere act of transportation is a challenge. Oh good lord! I tink wheed just elected a guberment that throws away…
I love candy, fire crackers and a brisk wind on a hot day. I don’t like cactus’s, ferrets Lionel Ritchie and head bands. I think head bands looked cool on Terry Fox but thats about it. —Jomo
[Image-1] 1. When you first get elected to the Legislature. 2. When you give absolutely zero fucks and ban fracking in NS. 3. When that personal relationship with a staffer at work gets awkward. 4. When you both probably just want the matter to go away but the police still have to lay charges against…
Today in beautiful Wolfville, Taste of Nova Scotia announced the winners of its annual Prestige Awards , which celebrate the tastemakers that made the province’s culinary scene shine this year. Making an appearance at Devour! The Food Film Festival, ToNS had a captive audience of foodies and film nerds for the big reveal. Here’s who…
[Image-1] The Halifax stadium struggle is real. A report headed to Halifax Regional Council next week is again recommending additional study is needed before HRM can commit to a sports stadium at Shannon Park. Prepared by acting supervisor of community planning Carl Purvis, the report recommends HRM continue working with the Canada Lands Company on…
Today, Noyes Records releases Moonsocket’s Eurydice, the first album by Chris Thompson (Eric’s Trip, The Memories Attack) in 18 years. The eleven tracks were inspired by his wife’s illness some years ago, and the songs venture there, equally “intimate, heartbreaking and brilliant.” Prompted by Chad Peck, Thompson put together this collection in the period after his wife’s death…
[Image-1] Cops make terrifying villains. They’re trained in the use of physical force. They know how to find people who don’t want to be found. They own, and bring home, guns. For the kind of person who craves control, it’s an attractive job. And if control is one of the main drivers behind domestic violence,…
[Image-1] Alex Roslin has been writing about this topic for a while. In 2004, his stark portrayal of the murder of Lucie Gélinas by RCMP constable Jocelyn Hotte was nominated for a National Magazine Award. Several years ago he met Susanna Hope (not her real name)—a survivor of 20 years of domestic abuse from her…
♥ On September 24th & 25th, Halifax’s Nap Eyes opened for The Constantines at Lee’s Palace in Toronto for the Annex venue’s 30th anniversary. Two videos — “No Fear of Hellfire” and “Tribal Thoughts” — appeared online yesterday via YCTV, the channel of You’ve Changed Records, the label to which both Nap Eyes and The Cons belong.…
[Image-1] Dear Andy, While the dust settles after the longest election in recent Canadian history, there’s been a palpable collective sigh of relief. We’ve finally kicked Harper to the curb. Under Harper’s “leadership,” we had a government that thwarted climate action, science-based decision-making and reconciliation with the people who are indigenous to this land. The…
For the 21st year running we turned to our readers for advice on the best people, places, restaurants, bars and shops and boy, did you ever step up to the plate. With a voter turn-out to rule them all, we spent the summer tabulating and re-tabulating the numbers and happily present to you—the 660 winners…
[Image-1] Newfoundlander Norman Crewe was a member of Canada’s Merchant Navy during the Second World War. He served in operations on the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific, but many comrades aboard these enemy-targeted vessels carrying crucial equipment and supplies never returned home. Chances of survival were slim because convoy ships weren’t allowed to stop to rescue…
[Image-1] Avi Lewis was filming This Changes Everything in nine different counties as his partner Naomi Klein wrote the book of the same name. The duo’s third film collaboration argues that climate change is fundamentally an existential crisis that can be seized upon to create a more just and sustainable economic system. Lewis spoke with…
Gold Winner Best Car Dealership Portland Street Honda Silver Winner Hillcrest Volkswagen Bronze Winner Colonial Honda How do you make buying a car fun for the whole family? Floor hockey doesn’t hurt. “We’ll clear out the floor and just play hockey or football with the customers,” says Stefano Andriani, marketing manager for Portland Street Honda…
Gold Winner Robyn Touchie, One Block Barbershop Silver Winner Derek Stanhope, Stanhope and Company Bronze Winner Kayla Erskine, The Hills Bowtique A stylist for 10 years and trained at the Aveda Institute & Academy in Toronto, Dawson City’s Robyn Touchie has been styling at One Block Barbershop since 2011. “I believe in sharing knowledge: the…
Gold Winner Hillsburn Silver Winner Ben Caplan Bronze Winner Jessie Brown & The Black Divine “Are you kidding? We didn’t even—that’s nuts!” says Rosanna Burill in shock. She’s a singer-songwriter in rookie folk outfit Hillsburn. For a new band, they’re already swinging like pros, and Burill can’t believe both Best of Halifax awards. “This year…
Gold Winner Jackie Torrens Silver Winner Cathy Jones Bronze Winner Susan Kent “Can you please spread the rumour that Ellen Page and I are in a nasty feud now that I have dethroned her?” asks Jackie Torrens. She’s joking, but there’s nothing funny about the steady and serious work she does as social worker Drucie…
Gold Winner Thrillah Kane Silver Winner Joel Plaskett Bronze Winner David Myles “I’m loving where I’m from and where I represent. Churchill Drive,” says Dartmouth rapper Thrillah (Daniel) Kane, last year’s gold winner for Best New Artist / Band, and the gold winner for Best Single (“Drop That”). In the last year, Thrillah’s been playing…
Gold Winner CKDU 88.1FM Silver Winner Radio 96.5FM Bronze Winner CBC 90.5FM Since 1985, CKDU 88.1 FM has been spinning local music and launching careers like Buck 65. “As CKDU celebrates its 30th birthday this year, it’s fitting that Haligonians once again recognize it as the best radio station in the city,” says station director…
Gold Winner Duggers Silver Winner Frank & Oak Bronze Winner RCHMND Great product, and a staff that really delivers on excellent service, that’s what owner Ross McNeil says is behind Duggers’ latest first-place finish for Best Men’s Clothing Store. “We’re brand-driven, so I think we bring world-renowned names to Halifax, world-renowned brands.” Armani, Boss, Diesel—those…
Gold Winner Tom’s Little Havana Silver Winner Point Pleasant Park Bronze Winner Board Room Game Cafe If even the words “first date” make you feel queasy (in a good or bad way), Tom’s has got you. Maybe it’s the dim lighting, the cozy corner seats, the friendly, pressure-free service—or maybe just the beer—but the beloved…
Gold Winner Chris Haley, Trendz Cafe & Wine Bar Silver Winner Alissa Maloney, Brooklyn Warehouse Bronze Winner Josh Nordin, Field Guide “I’ve been a server for 15 years and this is the best thing I’ve ever heard!” exclaims Chris Haley on his morning walk to work at Dartmouth Best Western’s Trendz, where he spends his…
Gold Winner Stillwell Beer Bar Silver Winner Durty Nelly’s Authentic Irish Pub Bronze Winner The Seahorse Tavern “I think we actually became the number one account for a bunch of local breweries and that makes me hugely proud,” says Chris Reynolds, who along with Laura MacDonald and Andrew Connell owns the perpetually packed beer bar…
Gold Winner Sushi Nami Royale Silver Winner Tako Sushi & Ramen Bronze Winner The Lower Deck Udon know great sushi until you’ve been to the Lacewood Drive’s tempur-fect Sushi Nami Royale. Maybe the shuttering of last year’s gold winner, Brewdebaker’s, helped Sushi Nami’s ascent to top spot as Best Clayton Park Restaurant this year, but…
Gold Winner John’s Lunch Silver Winner The Battered Fish, Halifax Waterfront Bronze Winner Fredie’s Fantastic Fish House Hey, batter, batter, batter! Yes it’s a saw-wing and a hit for the battered beauties at John’s Lunch. This Dartmouth eatery is a venerable institution in this town, so we’re not surprised the kings of clams and their…
Gold Winner White Point Beach Resort Silver Winner Halifax Waterfront Bronze Winner Peggy’s Cove When it’s done right, the staycation is a miracle. For minimal travelling time—with the perk of avoiding airport limbo entirely—and contained expenses without currency exchange hassles, you still get away from it all. As far as breaks from regular life go,…
Gold Winner Bishop’s Cellar Silver Winner Rockhead Wine + Beer Market Bronze Winner Harvest Wines Halifax has gotten the best in boutique booze shopping from waterfront wine, beer and spirits experts Bishop’s Cellar for 12 years. Over that stretch, the store has grown along with the the palates of Haligonians—2015 brought with it a snazzy…
Gold Winner Strange Adventures, Halifax Silver Winner Cape & Cowl Comics and Collectibles Bronze Winner Monster Comic Lounge Strange Adventures is as invincible as Iron Man in our Best Comics Store category. But with great Coast accolades comes great responsibility, and the comic purveyors are proud of their long history promoting the diversity mainstream comics…
Gold Winner Ellen Page Silver Winner Fat Apollo Bronze Winner Joel Plaskett It’s no surprise that Ellen Page was voted the best Halifamous person–she’s surpassed Halifame to real Hollywood stardom, appearing in major films like Juno, Inception and X-Men: Days of Future Past. Though the New York Times slammed Halifax as “about as far as you…
Gold Winner The Mellotones Silver Winner Neon Dreams Bronze Winner Dub Kartel Halifax’s eight-piece jazz, soul, funk and R&B band, together for 18 years now, exists precisely so you can move your body to music’s most danceable jams. “Having such a large band allows us to tackle material that most bands can’t,” says Jeffrey Mosher.…
Gold Winner Megan McDowell Silver Winner Bill Wood Bronze Winner Cher Hann “Since moving here in 2009 I’ve been given opportunities to work outside of the usual stand-up venues and to create shows that I am super-proud of,” says McDowell, your pick for funniest Haligonian. “These shows are sometimes stand-up, sometimes sit down, sometimes sketch,…
Gold Winner Stewart Legere Silver Winner Jeremy Webb Bronze Winner Rhys Bevan-John The always-busy Stewart Legere is checking in from the final rehearsals for I Am My Own Wife, the Shakespeare By The Sea production he’s starring in this week. “Halifax likes me best when I’m #anyonebutstewart,” he jokes. This year included a performance in…
Gold Winner 902 NonStop Records Silver Winner Sonic Records Bronze Winner New Scotland Records Founded in 2013 by Ally Dee, in cooperation with Ryszky Biz, 902 NonStop Records is the city’s rap and hip-hop mixtape and collaboration label and events organizer, releasing albums with the goal of getting more local artist’s on more local stages.…
Gold Winner Freshman Services Silver Winner Munden’s Moving & Storage Bronze Winner Able Movers The better you pack, the shorter the time moving and the less money you’ll end up spending, advises Carlisle Norwood. The Dalhousie grad founded Freshman Services five years ago as a co-op, which has since hired on 12 co-op students and…
Gold Winner Willy’s Fresh Cut Fries & Burgers Silver Winner Smoke’s Poutinerie Bronze Winner Cheese Curds Gourmet Burgers, Pleasant Street The city’s best poutine several years running, Willy’s Fresh Cut Fries & Burgers offers mouth-watering, waist-line expanding, outright orgasmic poutine, from the classic curds and gravy to the donair, pulled-pork and stuffing additions. There is…
Gold Winner Mainstreet, CBC Silver Winner Information Morning, CBC Bronze Winner The Bounce Morning Show, The Bounce Mainstreet has finally toppled the Information Morning dragon, just as host Stephanie Domet steps down after seven years behind the mic. “We have an amazing team over here,” she says. “We’re kind of scrappy underdogs, even though we’re…
Gold Winner Danielle Archer, The Nook Silver Winner Laura Arsenault, Java Blend Coffee Roasters Bronze Winner Jeremy Waterman, The Smiling Goat Danielle Archer’s favourite hot beverage to make is a macchiato in a Gibraltar glass, not just for the drink itself, but the challenge. “It’s kind of like a test of how good you are—pour…
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21) Is it possible to express a benevolent form of vanity? I say yes. In the coming weeks, your boasts may be quite lyrical and therapeutic. They may even uplift and motivate those who hear them. Acts of self-aggrandizement that would normally cast long shadows might instead produce generous results.…
Gold Winner Lindsay Nelson, Eat This Town Silver Winner Josh Rankin, Life of Burgers Bronze Winner Kathy Jollimore, Eat Halifax Lindsay Nelson likes to know where to find the best. It’s a big part of why she combines her loves of eating, travelling and writing to bring you Eat This Town. “I was fascinated by…
Gold Winner The Wardroom Silver Winner Board Room Game Cafe Bronze Winner The Gorsebrook Lounge The University of King’s College doesn’t have the money or acclaim of the city’s other universities. Too often, King’s is lumped in with Dalhousie or dismissed as some liberal arts carnival. Look, even if all the worst criticisms about King’s…
Gold Winner Piatto Pizzeria + Enoteca Silver Winner Cha Baa Thai, Halifax Bronze Winner Ko Doraku, Spring Garden What does $12.99 get a girl anymore? A sad solo sandwich and a cup of coffee? Not at this Napolean pizza joint. Monday through Saturday, Piatto is dishing up what is truly one of the sweetest lunch…
Gold Winner Hope Blooms Silver Winner Common Roots Urban Farm Bronze Winner Halifolks All respect to former Dragon Arlene Dickinson—who helped greenlight their community-garden-made salad dressing line—but given their drive and commitment, the inspiring folks at Hope Blooms were always destined for great things. This year the young entrepreneurs opened their own greenhouse in the…
Gold Winner Attica Furnishings Silver Winner Kept Bronze Winner The Independent Mercantile Co. “We started our store because Chris makes furniture,” Attica co-owner/co-founder Suzanne Saul says of her partner, Christopher Joyce. That was 20-odd years ago, and since then Attica has grown from a one-room furniture workshop and showroom (see also Best Furniture store) to…
Gold Winner Jenn Grant Silver Winner Quiet Parade Bronze Winner Kim Harris “Thanks for this special treat award,” says Jenn Grant. “You are correct! I’m not a super-loud singer, I like my monitors loud to hear myself, but I like my rehearsals to be really, really quiet, and this is a rare delicacy, like tiramisu…
Gold Winner Bruce & Jay MacKinnon Silver Winner Signal Hill Bronze Winner The Mellotones Together since their first weekly matinee in 2008 at Elephant & Castle, dad and son duo Bruce & Jay MacKinnon have been the regular Saturday band at Durty Nelly’s since 2011, with hundreds of songs in their repertoire. “I like playing…
Gold Winner Thrillah Kane Silver Winner Cam Smith Bronze Winner Ambition “I’m loving where I’m from and where I represent. Churchill Drive,” says Dartmouth rapper Thrillah (Daniel) Kane, last year’s gold winner for Best New Artist / Band, and the gold winner for Best Single (“Drop That”). In the last year, Thrillah’s been playing shows…
Gold Winner Rockopolis Rehearsal Studios Silver Winner Radstorm Bronze Winner Halifax Music Co-op It’s such a great jam spot, you would never know it’s there unless you asked. Rockopolis is tucked under the Olympic Community Hall, sound-proofed and fool-proofed for maximum jam potential. The rates are some of the most affordable in the city, and…
Gold Winner Stillwell Beergarden Silver Winner Gahan House Bronze Winner Lot Six Long live the Stillwell Beergarden! Summer 2015 was made all the better by the arrival of the innovative new waterfront drinkery—basically an outdoor location for Best Bar, Stillwell, which doesn’t get much summer sun in its Barrington Street location. “It was a very…
Gold Winner Point Pleasant Park Silver Winner Shubie Park Bronze Winner Lake Banook There’s no better feeling in the world than lacing up your running shoes and hitting Point Pleasant Park for a run, with over 75 hectares of harbourside wilderness and running trails of all inclines. In the summer, you can whiz past one…
Gold Winner Pete’s, Halifax Silver Winner Booster Juice, Clayton Park Bronze Winner Steve-O-Reno’s Cappuccino There’s a saying in retail that the three most important things for a business are location, location, location. Which helps explain the award-winning might of the Pete’s smoothie. The smoothie creation station is located a stone’s throw from a BOH gold-winning…
Fill up a van with your closest friends, burn some CDs (people still do that, right?) and hit the road. This weekend, November 5-8, east coasters will roll into Yarmouth from all over for the annual Nova Scotia Music Week. The fest is two-fold: concerts and conferences neatly packaged into one big week of musical…
Gold Winner Field Guide Silver Winner Noble Bronze Winner Lion & Bright Cafe Wine Bar Sipping on something stiff from Field Guide is a always a safe bet. And it’s just as much about the TLC as it is the booze at this intimate north end gathering spot. “Because we are small—both the space and…
Gold Winner Alexandra’s Pizza, Halifax Silver Winner Freeman’s Little New York, Quinpool Bronze Winner Xtreme Pizza Chris Tsimiklis at the Queen Street Alexandra’s is direct when asked why his eatery won gold in Best Food Delivery this year. “We all drive BMW M3s.” He’s joking, but when it comes to customer satisfaction, Tsimiklis understands the…
Gold Winner Mic Mac Tailors Silver Winner Daniel’s Tailors Bronze Winner Pro Tailors & Menswear “Ladies!” Mic Mac owner Mufit Halef shouts after The Coast calls him with the good news. “We just won gold again!” The Dartmouth tailor shop is no stranger to topping the podium, but Halef’s exuberance at winning has us in…
Gold Winner The Fireside Silver Winner The Bitter End Bronze Winner Niche Lounge When you think of The Fireside, you think Martini Monday. The sugary drinking tradition—where five-dollar concoctions are the name of the game—is a Halifax bar scene legend. “They’re inexpensive, the staff are terrific,” says Lynne Ferguson, who’s also co-owner of another one…
Gold Winner Octopi Computers Silver Winner Apple Store Bronze Winner PC Wizrd All due respect to the geniuses staffing the pads at Halifax’s Apple Store, but those cephalopodic shopkeepers at Octopi Computers have the coolest mainframes in town. Don’t believe us? Go and PC for yourself. Apple might download some free U2 onto your phone,…
Gold Winner Peak Audio Silver Winner Best Buy, Dartmouth Crossing Bronze Winner Glubes AVU At the corner of Almon and Agricola, Peak Audio has been providing quality hi-fi, home theatre, video panels, projectors, furniture, custom installation, advice and repairs for over 25 years. This year, the store underwent an impressive renovation, brightening and widening the…
Gold Winner Dub Kartel Silver Winner Like A Motorcycle Bronze Winner The Stanfields “Fuck yeah! This category has a special place in our hearts,” says the dance-hall band’s guitarist Richard McNeil. “I think it’s because we get so trashed that we encourage everyone to get trashed, too. We’re a party band.” The seven-person unit is…
Gold Winner Mo Kenney Silver Winner Kim Harris Bronze Winner Ria Mae The last few years have been good to Mo Kenney. Her latest album, In Dreams, is taking her all over Europe and she’s into it. “I like touring in the fall,” she says, “it saves me money on my heat bill.” When she…
Gold Winner Dumpster Mummy Silver Winner MVMNTS Bronze Winner Hellacaust Get a look inside the Dumpster on page TK.
Gold Winner Matt Mays Silver Winner Like A Motorcycle Bronze Winner Gloryhound The longtime prince of the City of Lakes has won multiple awards for his true blue Nova Scotian rock and roll. “It’s so awesome to win this award,” Mays says from France, where he’s putting the final touches on his next album, catching…
Gold Winner Gahan House Silver Winner Krave Burger Bronze Winner Robie Street Station The folks down at the waterfront’s newest face, Gahan House, didn’t campaign for this one. General manager Mike Roberts says a mix of history—35 years of Murphy’s Restaurant Group—and good ol’ island vibes might be what’s behind the Nova Scotian iteration of…
Gold Winner EDNA Silver Winner The Bicycle Thief Bronze Winner Brooklyn Warehouse “As a restaurant owner and operator, I’m in it because this is what I love to do, I love my work. You don’t think of yourself as being the best in any type of way—and you’re not doing it to be the best,”…
Gold Winner Java Blend Coffee Roasters Silver Winner Two If By Sea, Dartmouth Bronze Winner Steve-O-Reno’s Cappuccino Java Blend’s owner Jim Dikaios has seen coffee change over the years, from a commodity to something that’s treated more like wine. The business used to involve calling up some importer and ordering bags of, for example, generic…
Gold Winner Shane Beehan, Lot Six Silver Winner Jeff Van Horne, Lot Six Bronze Winner Lorne Caborn, Morris East “As bartenders, we’ve chosen our role as people who serve the public. We do what we do for the people, so to be recognized by the people—it’s satisfying,” says Shane Beehan, who left his post at…
Gold Winner Java Blend Coffee Roasters Silver Winner Steve-O-Reno’s Cappuccino Bronze Winner Just Us!, Spring Garden The true test of a pizzeria is its basic pie—sauce and cheese, maybe some basil—without the distractions of elaborate toppings and the restaurant’s ambience. By that measure, a coffee shop’s regular old cup of joe says a lot.…
Gold Winner Emma’s Eatery Silver Winner Mic Mac Bar & Grill Bronze Winner Good Food Emporium Kim Stacey is overjoyed to get the news that her little Eastern Passage restaurant’s fish cakes have yet again taken this title. But she’s not surprised. “I just think that we really work hard to keep them consistent, now…
Gold Winner Helena Darling, HFX Tattoo Company Silver Winner Amber Thorpe, Adept Tattoos Bronze Winner Lydia K., Gem Tattoo Co. With everyone from the crustiest punk to your own grandmother up for ink these days, competition has never been stiffer in the tattoo game. This year you drew an intricate line around Helena Darling at…
Gold Winner Mezza Lebanese Restaurant, Quinpool Road Silver Winner Tarek’s Cafe Bronze Winner Efendy Turkish & Mediterranean Cuisine That garlic sauce though. OK, there are many many reasons to love the menu at Mezza, but it makes sense that they sell that sauce by the bottle. The family-run Lebanese restaurant group—this Quinpool gem’s sister restaurant…
Gold Winner Jubilee Junction Convenience and Takeout Silver Winner Triple A Convenience & Pizzeria Bronze Winner Ardmore Grocery & Variety I scream, you scream, we all scream for Jubilee Junction. It’s win number fiver for the south end’s friendly neighbourhood corner store—known for its (like, could anchor a ship) ice cream sandwiches, plus the friendly…
Gold Winner Prince George Hotel Silver Winner Lord Nelson Hotel Bronze Winner The Westin Nova Scotian Consistency is the hallmark of a great hotel. No matter which room you’re checking into on which day, you want to rest easy knowing it’ll be clean, quiet and comfortable. The Prince George must be doing something right, as…
Gold Winner Dumpster Mummy Silver Winner Like A Motorcycle Bronze Winner Doom Machine See page TK for more.
Gold Winner Stephanie MacDonald Silver Winner Susan LeBlanc Bronze Winner Mary Colin Chisholm Stephanie MacDonald spent the past year performing alone and in ensembles, down in Wolfville, on Gottingen Street and over at the Dublin International Gay Theatre Festival in productions as disparate as Lee-Anne Poole’s queer comedy Short Skirt Butch, the fact-based drama Watching…
Gold Winner Halifax Pop Explosion Silver Winner Halifax Jazz Festival Bronze Winner Obey Convention With a full week of awesome music and comedy, Halifax Pop Explosion continues to be the city’s best music festival, an honour that executive director James Boyle doesn’t take for granted. “There are a lot of great events here. We get…
Gold Winner The Town Heroes Silver Winner Joel Plaskett Bronze Winner Neon Dreams It must be that Islander humour. “Me and Bruce Gillis take turns whenever we have a stupid idea. I guess we’re just good at the internet,” laughs Michael Ryan, vocalist and guitarist of the award-winning Cape Breton alt-rock duo The Town Heroes.…
Gold Winner Pacifico Silver Winner Reflections Cabaret Bronze Winner The Seahorse Tavern Follow the glimmer of spinning disco balls to find the slick source of excellent party times. It takes a lot of them to take over the top spot in this category—which has belonged to either Reflections of The Lower Deck for the last…
Gold Winner Canada Games Centre Silver Winner Long Lake Provincial Park Bronze Winner Centennial Pool Do you even slide, bro? That’s what the Canada Games Centre might say if it was a person, with a voice. Instead it just silently brags to Lacewood Drive passersby with its bright yellow waterslides, that twist out of the…
Gold Winner Wasabi House Silver Winner Sushi Nami, Dresden Row Bronze Winner Alex Oh Sushi & Rolls Again with the line-up theory, a familiar one with a lot of these Best of winning restaurants. If people are willing to line up, and wait, to eat your food—when it’s freezing cold, sweltering or just a precious…
Gold Winner il Mercato Silver Winner Finbar’s Irish Pub Bronze Winner The Chickenburger “I think il Mercato stole a little bit of Halifax’s heart,” says Bertossi Group’s John Michael Brewer of the restaurant that got its start on Spring Garden Road, but continues to blossom in Sunnyside Mall. “It’s always been a staple.” With a…
Gold Winner Yuk Yuk’s Silver Winner Laughterburner, Bearly’s House of Blues & Ribs Bronze Winner Mega Comedy Mondays, Gus’ Pub & Grill Every weekend night is a comedy night at Yuk Yuk’s, the Canadian comedy institution that can be found in every city in Canada, and down at The Westin in Halifax. On Thursdays, Fridays…
Gold Winner The Gecko Bus Silver Winner Food Wolf Bronze Winner Ol’ School Donuts Food trucks are all beautiful mechanical creatures in their own way—no matter their colour, shape or size. Even if they’re actually a lime-green school bus shaped like a lizard. A spin-off of Dartmouth’s beloved Habaneros Modern Taco Bar, the Gecko has…
Gold Winner Adept Tattoos Silver Winner HFX Tattoo Company Bronze Winner Oceanic Art For the fourth year in a row, Adept Tattoos snags the honour of Halifax’s Best Tattoo/Piercing joint. Owner—and award-winning artist—Amber Thorpe is humble about the sweep, crediting Adept’s arsenal of artists with the shop’s success. “All our artists work so hard, doing…
Gold Winner Darrell’s Silver Winner Sugar Shok Bronze Winner The Chickenburger This south-end shake shack had been bringing all the boys and girls to its yard with the city’s favourite milkshake for the last seven years. It’s a frosted treat that’s lact-oh-so-good. Sure, the unadventurous can suck back a traditional chocolate or strawberry, but the real…
Gold Winner Waye Mason Silver Winner Jennifer Watts Bronze Winner Gloria McCluskey Halifax South Downtown councillor Waye Mason scores the hat trick, winning Best Councillor for the third year in a row. “It’s a tremendous honour,” Mason says, on break from at City Hall. “It’s the little things like this that help make it all…
Gold Winner Bookmark Silver Winner Woozles Bronze Winner John W. Doull Bookseller If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. That’s what manager Mike Hamm attributes to Bookmark’s repeat wins as Halifax’s Best Independent Book Store. “We’re a small store, but we’re able to jam so many interesting books into such a small space,” he says.…
Gold Winner Dumpster Mummy Silver Winner Graboids Bronze Winner Rich Aucoin “We started playing together in 2011 and we’ve come a long way since then,” says Dumpster Mummy’s Brad Holman, adding that the metal band got its start at Monday night open-mic $Rockin 4 Dollar$. That was over 175 shows ago. Since breaking onto the…
Gold Winner Noon Gun Silver Winner Relative Happiness Bronze Winner Turbo Kid “Part of the reason we’re here talking today is because of how right from the beginning I realized I had a story that was ambitious,” says writer-director Caley MacLennan of his Halifax-set drama Noon Gun, your pick for Best Film this year. “Classic…
Gold Winner Cam Smith, “Mad Crack” Silver Winner Like A Motorcycle, “Hands” Bronze Winner The Town Heroes, “Take On The World” Based on the 1987 horror melt-movie Street Trash, directed by Dave Hung and shot mostly at Pro Skates, Cam Smith’s “Mad Crack” is a masterpiece in no-budget cinema, incorporating professional visual and special effects…
Gold Winner Joel Plaskett Silver Winner Kim Harris Bronze Winner Mo Kenney
Gold Winner The Bicycle Thief Silver Winner La Frasca Cibi + Vini Bronze Winner Vinnie’s Pasta Bar (now closed) “It’s like coming into our living room.” That’s how John Michael Brewer describes the vibe of The Bicycle Thief, a multi-winner (four to be exact) in this year’s readers’ survey. “It’s funny that the award is…
Gold Winner Locas Billiards Silver Winner Charlie’s Club Bronze Winner Oasis Pub & Eatery Pool-hall junkies and billiards buds felt their hearts sink earlier this year at the news that beloved downtown members-only club Locas was being forced out of its Doyle Street location due to redevelopment plans. Them’s the breaks. Luckily, a massive…
Gold Winner World Tea House, Halifax Silver Winner DAVIDsTEA, Spring Garden Bronze Winner Sawadee Tea House David who? That’s what tea-drinking readers thought to themselves when they cast votes in the direction of Phillip Holmans’ World Tea House. “These awards, they’re really close to our heart because it really shows community support,” says the owner…
Gold Winner Stillwell Beer Bar Silver Winner Maxwell’s Plum Bronze Winner The Stubborn Goat “I think we actually became the number one account for a bunch of local breweries and that makes me hugely proud,” says Chris Reynolds, who along with Laura MacDonald and Andrew Connell owns the perpetually packed beer bar Stillwell. “We dreamed…
Riding the ferry with honour Some time ago I came across a story about accessibility problems with Halifax Transit’s Christopher Stannix ferry. This ferry is named after an Afghanistan military fallen, a locally based reserve soldier. I have a personal connection to the naming of this ferry, and with Remembrance Day’s approach helping to put…
Gold Winner Stillwell Beer Bar Silver Winner Ace Burger Co. Bronze Winner The Stubborn Goat “I think we actually became the number one account for a bunch of local breweries and that makes me hugely proud,” says Chris Reynolds, who along with Laura MacDonald and Andrew Connell owns the perpetually packed beer bar Stillwell. “We…
Gold Winner Bobby Pedersen, ProEdge Sports Conditioning Silver Winner Mitch Benvie, Evolve Fitness Bronze Winner Devin Sherrington, 360fit “I truly love my job,” says strength coach Bobby Pedersen. The former athlete loves seeing young athletes meet their full potentials through science-based performance training, and working with his team at ProEdge is extremely rewarding. “Being a…
Gold Winner CBC Radio One, 90.5 FM Silver Winner CKDU, 88.1 FM Bronze Winner The Bounce, 101.3 FM Go fudge yourself, Stephen Harper! The Conservatives are gone and Justin Trudeau will presumably soon be turning the money hoses back on at CBC. If you think CBC is the best radio station now—and plenty of our…
Gold Winner Jollytails Inc. Silver Winner Down Home Dog Bronze Winner Oodles of Poodles Just like me, dogs like to be pampered when they’re being groomed. No rush, just an attentive, luxurious experience—that’s what Jollytails Inc. owner Tristan Flynn says is behind the success of his shop. Jollytails’ talented groomers Angela and Danielle primp, preen…
Gold Winner Fireworks Gallery Silver Winner The Vault, Spring Garden Bronze Winner House of Moda Reagrdless of how invasive or never-ending Barrington Street’s mess of construction becomes, your support of the venerable Fireworks has not wavered, no matter how many Sidewalk Closed signs you’ve had to hop over to get there. A longtime go-to for…
Gold Winner Garrett Mason Silver Winner Matt Andersen Bronze Winner Charlie A’Court One of the most recognized blues musicians from the east coast, second only to his father—the legendary Dutch Mason—Garrett is a Juno Award-nominated, Music Nova Scotia Award-winning musician whose vibrant brand of blues is often accompanied by longtime player and friend Keith Hallett.…
Gold Winner Caley MacLennan Silver Winner Thom Fitzgerald Bronze Winner Andrea Dorfman “The first thing: making art, to me, is about collaborating with people the whole time and actually enjoying the process,” says MacLennan, who after a handful of successful shorts premiered his debut feature Noon Gun—your pick for Best Film—at the Atlantic Film Festival…
Gold Winner Hillsburn Silver Winner Mauno Bronze Winner Port Cities More on the Best new kids on the block, on page TK.
Gold Winner El Jones Silver Winner Paul Vienneau Bronze Winner Evan Coole Don’t worry, Halifax, El Jones will be back. The award-winning spoken-word artist, professor and outgoing poet laureate left Canada this summer for the prestigious International Writing Program at the University of Iowa (eat your heart out, Hannah Horvath). Despite the success, the city…
Gold Winner Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History Silver Winner Maritime Museum of the Atlantic Bronze Winner Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 Longevity is the key to success at the once-again gold-winning Museum of Natural History. Between its roots—which trace back to 1868 on Hollis Street—and its long-living live exhibition Gus the 93-year-old…
Gold Winner Durty Nelly’s Authentic Irish Pub Silver Winner Henry House Bronze Winner The Old Triangle Irish Ale House See Best Caesar for more Durty Nelly’s love.
Gold Winner Brian MacKay, Rogues Roost Silver Winner Stan Selig and Ben Schulman, T-Room Bronze Winner Mark Black, Gus’ Pub & Grill After nearly 10 years of exercising brains via Rogues Roost’s Wednesday night trivia, host with the most Brian MacKay had to say goodbye to the grizzled old bar this fall. His trivia, though,…
Gold Winner The Coastal Silver Winner Ardmore Tea House Bronze Winner Mary’s Place II The best thing about The Coastal is that despite popular demand, it’s never changed. The menu? Sure, that’s always changing. Revealing new experiments with globally influenced creative comfort food to sit alongside beloved classics like The Elvis, McCoastal and the Durty…
Gold Winner Layers Cakes Silver Winner Scanway Bakery + Cafe Bronze Winner Susie’s Shortbreads, Halifax Cupcakes and wedding cakes are the name of the game at Barrington Street’s dessert boutique, Layers. The challenge? Most of the time these sweets are almost too pretty to sink your teeth into. But only almost. Whether you’re ordering a…
Gold Winner Menz & Mollyz Bar Silver Winner Reflections Cabaret Bronze Winner The Company House The north end’s dancingest bar is stoked to grab the reader-voted gold this year. “We are honoured to be voted as Best Gay Bar,” says Menz’ David Landry. “We strive to provide a clean, safe and respectful environment.” In addition…
Gold Winner @ScotiaPharmacy Silver Winner @Sack_Vegas Bronze Winner @allisomething Chances are, @ScotiaPharmacy has already gotten your attention. The ALL CAPS EVERYTHING helps, but it’s the humour that seals the deal and takes home this award for the second year running. “We have a great staff overall, but our front store staff are full of artistic…
Gold Winner Rosemary Porter Silver Winner Marco DiQuinzio Bronze Winner Robert Scanlan “It’s great to be back on top,” says Rosemary “Rosie” Porter, of her return to the gold spot—which silver winner Marco DiQuinzio owned last year. The recipe to success is pretty simple for Porter, a long time agent with Royal LePage—she’s a people…
Gold Winner Rouge Fatale Silver Winner Anya Knees Bronze Winner Eureka Love Rouge may be Fatale, but it seems like nothing can stop Halifax’s radiant, glittery drag queen of queens and her Glamazon Army. For the eighth straight year Fatale (AKA Jason Rose-Spurrell) has been draped in gold and hoisted upon the stage as our…
Gold Winner Halifax Central Library Silver Winner Keshen Goodman Public Library Bronze Winner Halifax North Public Library We’ve got some cool libraries in Halifax. We know it, you know it, The Amazing Race: Canada knows it. Coming up on his first birthday, the Central Library continues to shine. The downtown anchor is the first thing…
Gold Winner Symphony Nova Scotia Silver Winner Rhapsody Quintet Bronze Winner Bedford Brass Quintet “We truly believe it’s our responsibility, and our privilege, to perform Nova Scotia’s music for Nova Scotia’s people,” says veteran player and Symphony Nova Scotia CEO Chris Wilkinson. Selections range from traditional classical to big band, Celtic, rock tributes, film music,…
Gold Winner Hillsburn Silver Winner David Myles Bronze Winner Willie Stratton “Are you kidding? We didn’t even—that’s nuts!” says Rosanna Burill in shock. She’s a singer-songwriter in rookie folk outfit Hillsburn. For a new band, they’re already swinging like pros, and Burill can’t believe both Best of Halifax awards. “This year has been a dream,”…
Gold Winner Agricola Open Mic House Silver Winner Rockbottom Brewpub Bronze Winner Durty Nelly’s Authentic Irish Pub Every Monday night for the last several years, the denizens of Agricola Open Mic House on Agricola Street have opened their home to everyone—musicians, artists, theatrical players and more. Next to Nauss Bicycles and across from Lion &…
Gold Winner Ecology Action Centre Silver Winner Solidarity Halifax Bronze Winner South House It’s a busy time over at the Ecology Action Centre. Membership’s at an all-time high, and the gold winner spent the past year engaging on everything from genetically modified salmon to climate change. The EAC is now prepping delegates for the upcoming…
Gold Winner Your Father’s Moustache Silver Winner Gahan House Bronze Winner Stillwell Beergarden We’re already mourning the passing of another patio season, and Your Father’s Moustache’s rooftop oasis is a big part of that sadness. “We always try to go the extra mile on the patio,” says owner Shaun O’Hearn. “We dress it up and…
Gold Winner Nova Scotia SPCA Silver Winner Hal-Con Bronze Winner IWK Health Centre Volunteering is its own reward, but it doesn’t hurt if cute animals are also involved. Once again the SPCA takes top prize (for the fourth year in a row) when it comes to our readers’ choice in volunteering. The SPCA always has…
“Music is a revolution, an evolution,” says Judas Priest’s Rob Halford. “It has the power to change the world.” For the last 45 years, the Birmingham heavy metal band has made powerful, screeching head-banging music with Halford’s operatic vocals and fantastical mythologies that battle between good and evil. Last year, Priest released its 17th studio…
Gold Winner Rockbottom Brewpub Silver Winner Gahan House Bronze Winner Rogues Roost In a city that loves craft beer, it’s no wonder our handful of brew pubs are solid gold. In it’s third consecutive victory in this category, Spring Garden Road’s crafty watering hole continues to wow the masses with brewmaster Jake Saunders’ creations, as…
Gold Winner Garrison Brewing Company Silver Winner Propeller Brewing Company Bronze Winner North Brewing Company “It’s super cool to get this recognition in the city we brew and love in,” says Garrison’s Brian Titus. “We’re not the new guys, we’re in our 19th year. Business has never been better, we’ve never had more fun at…
A Two weeks ago, I announced I would be taking a nice long break from questions about miserable sexless marriages. (I don’t get questions about happily sexless marriages.) I tossed out my standard line of advice to those who’ve exhausted medical, psychological and situational fixes (“Do what you need to do to stay married and…
Gold Winner Dalhousie University Silver Winner Saint Mary’s University Bronze Winner Mount Saint Vincent University Let’s be honest, Dalhousie has had better years. Multiple scandals have plagued the south end’s palace of higher learning over the last several months—from a sexually-violent Facebook group and a culture of misogyny in its dental school, to retired president…
Gold Winner Taz Records, Halifax Silver Winner Obsolete Records Bronze Winner Black Buffalo Records At 32 years old, Taz Records has been Halifax’s premiere spot for the best vinyl, live pop-up shows and the most informed music-loving staff out there. “Really, Taz is so awesome because of how awesome Halifax is,” says co-owner Jimmy Donnelly.…
Gold Winner P’Lovers, Halifax Silver Winner Organic Earth Market Bronze Winner Nurtured First opened in 1992, P’Lovers has been at its Trillium Building spot for about four years. “It really lends itself to a creative environment, it’s dog-friendly and a great neighbourhood,” says Shelby Lendrum. “We always shop local. Natural is our priority, and we…
Gold Winner Fat Apollo Silver Winner Theodore Tugboat Bronze Winner Rouge Fatale Bedridden by a case of pneumonia, Fat Apollo was nevertheless excited to hear he’d get to keep his crown as Halifax’s Best Local Character. A testament, he says, to this city’s intertwined community. “Halifax is a tiny big city where everybody knows each…
Gold Winner Shannon Webb-Campbell, Still No Word Silver Winner Lindsay Ruck, Winds of Change Bronze Winner Graham Steele, What I Learned About Politics “My poetry book and I are humbled by the recognition,” says gold winner and longtime Coast pal Shannon Webb-Campbell from her new home in St. John’s. “Still No Word charts the mercurial…
Gold Winner The Dart Gallery Silver Winner Argyle Fine Art Bronze Winner Art Gallery of Nova Scotia For the second year in a row, downtown Dartmouth’s delightful Dart Gallery takes home the gold for Best Gallery. Owner Jane MacDougald is enthusiastic as heck about showing accessible art in a chill and comfortable environment, as she…
Gold Winner Applehead Studio Silver Winner Jack Scrine Bronze Winner Stoo Metz Passion plays a huge part in the real, and really beautiful, shots that Applehead Studio is known for capturing. “We’re making the photographs your grandchildren will pin on their wedding bouquet, in a tiny locket, 50 years from now,” says Liam Hennessey, humbly…
Gold Winner Katherine Hanlon, Zig Zag Hair Studio Silver Winner Saskia Roch, Foxy Moon Hair Gallery Bronze Winner Allison Mullins, Spirit Spa “The best part of my job by far is the people,” says Katherine Hanlon, who takes home the gold for her aesthetics skills for the fifth year in a row. “I am so…
Gold Winner Salvatore’s Pizzaiolo Trattoria Silver Winner Mother’s Pizza Bronze Winner Morris East, Halifax Fifteen years in a row Salvatore’s has won the Best Pizza Pie gold, and still “we never stop trying to improve,” says Sal’s Chris Cuddihy. Relax, Halifax. He’s not talking about tweaking the dough or messing with the sauce—which is never…
Gold Winner Boneheads BBQ Silver Winner Baton Rouge Bronze Winner Mic Mac Bar & Grill Those afraid of getting their hands a little dirty in the name of dinner should avoid Boneheads. The south end’s southern barbecue smokehouse maintains its finger-licking good status for the fifth year running, but the messy goodness doesn’t stop with…
Gold Winner Cha Baa Thai, Halifax Silver Winner Talay Thai, Halifax Bronze Winner Gingergrass Since 2007, Queen Street’s queen of curry, Cha Baa Thai, has been serving up authentic Thai cuisine—and it’s been collecting Best of accolades pretty consistently ever since. Whether delivering to your window seat in the resto, or to the comfort of…
The sandwich board advertising The Lemon Tree Restaurant sits out on the corner of Queen Street and Spring Garden, inviting you down the street to the little pink storefront in the middle of Queen Street’s eclectic Vintage Row rainbow. Entering the restaurant, we’re each warmly greeted by Muallah Gunduz, who owns the restaurant with her…
Gold Winner Craig Flinn, Chives Canadian Bistro Silver Winner Renée Lavallée, The Canteen Bronze Winner Mark Grey, Brooklyn Warehouse Chives on Barrington Street has been one of Halifax’s must-dine restaurants for locals and visitors alike since it was opened by Best Chef Craig Flinn and chef Darren Lewis. With decor inspired by the rich colours…
Gold Winner The Wooden Monkey, Halifax Silver Winner enVie—A Vegan Kitchen Bronze Winner Heartwood Making her restaurant sensitive to gluten sensitivity is something The Wooden Monkey co-owner Lil MacPherson takes very seriously. “I could see this coming for years, that people are having a hard time digesting gluten,” MacPherson says. “People say it’s a fad,…
Gold Winner Sweet Pea Boutique Silver Winner Biscuit General Store Bronze Winner Vivacious Vixen With an enchanting selection of dresses, blouses, shirts and suits for any occasion, owner of Sweet Pea Boutique, Johanna Galipeau, has a passion for fashion. Aside from Sweet Pea, Galipeau is known for its former sister shop Twisted Muse, but she’s…
Gold Winner Biscuit General Store Silver Winner Freak Lunchbox, Halifax Bronze Winner Venus Envy Biscuit’s been doing the whole curated-shop thing since before the internet was invented, let alone Pinterest. You’ve been marking it your shop-spot fave for nearly as long, loving its carefully selected lines, unique accessories and fun knick-knacks. “This is wonderful news!…
Gold Winner Estelle Thomson Silver Winner Jennifer Atkinson Bronze Winner Lee Cripps Thomson has claimed one of the more unusual double-wins in the history of this poll—it’s pretty standard for a musician to win Best Artist and Best Album, say, or a restaurant to win any number of service awards, but Thomson has been named…
Gold Winner Halifax Central Library Silver Winner Paul Vienneau, Asshole With A Shovel Bronze Winner Argyle Street pedestrian block Sure, turning Argyle Street into a pedestrian-friendly, argyle-painted walkway (a little on the nose there, people) was an all-around hit for the theatre/bar crowds. And yes, when the city froze over for months and months in…
Gold Winner Mic Mac Mall Silver Winner Halifax Shopping Centre Bronze Winner Sunnyside Mall With over 160 stores and services, from Winners and Forever 21 to Old Navy and the only Hudson’s Bay in Halifax, Mic Mac Mall is hundreds of thousands of square feet of everything you’d ever need. There’s cell phone stores, chocolate…
Gold Winner EB Anderson & The Resolutes Silver Winner Amanda Riley Bronze Winner Dana Beeler “It is a great feeling to know that the hard work we’ve been putting in is hitting home with folks,” says Bert Anderson of his country band. “Me and the boys have definitely been pushing hard in the last couple…
Gold Winner Jupiter M VV Silver Winner Alex MacAskill AKA Fish Bone Prints Bronze Winner Corey Isenor “I guess the universe is trying to tell me something,” says poster artist and silk-screener Jupiter M VV. “KEEP DRAWING POSTERS! I mean, really, how could I stop? There are blank poles all over this town!” The artist…
Gold Winner Geeks vs Nerds Silver Winner Less Than Live with Kate or Die Bronze Winner CBK Halifax “We’re in our seventh season as a show and our sixth season as a podcast,” says production manager John Roy. If you don’t already know, Geeks vs Nerds is an entertaining game-show style competition where two teams,…
Gold Winner Finer Things Antiques Silver Winner Urban Cottage Antiques & Collectives Bronze Winner Plan B Merchants Co-op “There’s really nothing in here anybody needs,” says Jack Craft of Finer Things. Go someplace else for your light bulbs and garbage bags—this is the destination for 1960s industrial light fixtures or a giant clown-head trashcan cover.…
Gold Winner Long & McQuade, Halifax Silver Winner Halifax Folklore Centre Bronze Winner Gig Street Music With a huge selection, affordable gear and instrument rentals, knowledgeable sales staff, good hours and lessons of all kinds, Halifax’s Long & McQuade location is always the place to go for your musical needs. “It is our great pleasure…
Gold Winner Point Pleasant Park Silver Winner Shubie Park Bronze Winner Long Lake Provincial Park Every year, it’s Point Pleasant, Shubie and Long Lake. Either the Halifax needs some exciting new dog-walking venues, or these three public pup places must have some enthusiastic fans. Office dog/Coast mascot Beans sure seems to enjoy PPP for its…
Gold Winner The Wooden Monkey, Halifax Silver Winner Chives Canadian Bistro Bronze Winner 2 Doors Down Food + Wine The Wooden Monkey is more than a delicious restaurant. It’s also a platform—and laboratory—for co-owner Lil MacPherson’s mission to fix the world. “From the start of The Monkey it’s always been about local,” MacPherson says, launching…
Gold Winner EDNA Silver Winner The Coastal Bronze Winner Cora, Halifax “As a restaurant owner and operator, I’m in it because this is what I love to do, I love my work. You don’t think of yourself as being the best in any type of way—and you’re not doing it to be the best,” says…
Gold Winner Mic Mac Bar & Grill Silver Winner The Canteen Bronze Winner The Wooden Monkey Uh, HELLO DARTMOUTH. Way to cover all the bases with this trio of winners. Breakfast (total Dartmouth legend, the Mic Mac), lunch (The Canteen) and dinner (The Wooden Monkey). Meat (heavenly ribs at Mic Mac), bread (so fresh and…
Gold Winner Athens Restaurant Silver Winner ela! Greek Taverna, Bayers Lake Bronze Winner The Blue Olive Greek Taverna Take a look around Athens at any given meal time and you’ll see a little bit of everything: sweatpant-wearing students, business casual lunch meetings, lengthy family feasts and cure-all hangover breakfasts. “We’re simple, we don’t try to…
Gold Winner Estelle Thomson, Dartmouth Yoga Centre Silver Winner Jodi Brake, Bikram Yoga Halifax Bronze Winner Helen Fong Thomson can hold two golds aloft this year—she’s also your pick for Best Visual Artist. You can stretch with Thomson as early as 5:45am some mornings at Cow Bay Hall, and she’s a popular teacher at Dartmouth…
Gold Winner Elsie’s Used Clothing Silver Winner Crimson Clover Consignment Bronze Winner Makenew Curated Thrift Shop After a year out of the rankings, Elsie’s has come roaring back into your closet from the sidewalks of Queen Street’s Vintage Row to take the top spot. “Two thousand fifteen has been a year of changes, discovery and…
Gold Winner Ellie Black Silver Winner Sidney Crosby Bronze Winner Nathan MacKinnon image-1] YAS QUEEN. After one of her best years yet, gymnast extraordinaire and young Olympian, Ellie Black has dethroned those millionaire Cole Harbour hockey dudes. (JK Sid and Nate. We love you and your Tim Hortons ads, too, but step aside.) The most-decorated…
Gold Winner Halifax Jazz Festival Silver Winner Halifax Pop Explosion Bronze Winner Halifax International Busker Festival There’s a reason that no matter what event is happening on the corner of Salter and Lower Water streets it’s still referred to as “the Jazz Fest parking lot.” It’s because nothing really compares to the brassy, bassy, body-moving…
Gold Winner Spirit Spa Silver Winner Remedy Facial Bar and Spa Bronze Winner ZigZag Hair Studio Spirit Spa on Hollis Street turns the spa experience into a luxurious spa dream. Blending modern design and historic views, Spirit Spa’s beauticians are prepped to primp your digits to the max. A foot massage is followed by cuticle…
Gold Winner Marina Smith, Arcane Angel Silver Winner Lily Lake Knits Bronze Winner Isabelle Pineau, An Oddity Or Two “It’s a threepeat, do I get to retire now?” jokes your favourite crafter, Marina Smith. “Am I in the Hall of Fame?” It’s too soon for Smith to be inducted, but she’s well on her way…
Gold Winner Thrillah Kane Silver Winner Classified Bronze Winner Cam Smith “I’m loving where I’m from and where I represent. Churchill Drive,” says Dartmouth rapper Thrillah (Daniel) Kane, last year’s gold winner for Best New Artist / Band, and the gold winner for Best Single (“Drop That”). In the last year, Thrillah’s been playing shows…
Gold Winner Ria Mae Silver Winner Mo Kenney Bronze Winner Rich Aucoin “It’s a great feeling to watch the first single from my upcoming album keep climbing on Billboard and Much,” says Ria Mae, the natural born pop-star whose song “Clothes Off” has gotten lots of play on the airwaves, as well. “As time passes,…
Gold Winner Sicilian Pizza, Blowers Street Silver Winner Salvatore’s Pizzaiolo Trattoria Bronze Winner Tony’s Pizza & Donair, Robie Street There’s just something about Sicilian. There’s something even better about Sicilian after 2am. The last standing pizza-maker on the Halifamous Pizza Corner has the absolutely nailed the take-away slice. A massive, droopy triangle of fresh out…
Gold Winner Chef’s Menu Silver Winner Tom’s Family Restaurant BROZNE Mezza Lebanese Kitchen Sackville has never been the city’s epicurean centre, but in between the used car lots and donair shops on Sackville Drive there’s been some restaurant gems popping up. Like Mezza Lebanese (taking home the bronze), or Chef’s Menu, which once again takes…
Gold Winner Esquire Restaurant Silver Winner Durty Nelly’s Bronze Winner 2 Doors Down Food + Wine A sixth win for the Esquire’s chowder is not really a surprise to us at this point. The welcoming and cozy diner atmosphere at the Bedford Highway beauty is known for its comfort food, and what’s more comforting that…
Gold Winner Ace Burger Co. Silver Winner Darrell’s Bronze Winner Krave Burger For the third year in a row, Ace’s non-pretentious patty has laid the smack down in the burger department. The younger sibling of Brooklyn Warehouse got its start as a pop-up burger shop in Gus’ back in 2012 and has since established itself…
Gold Winner The Middle Spoon, Halifax Silver Winner Sweet Hereafter Cheesecakery Bronze Winner Scanway Bakery + Cafe Middle Spoon co-owner Lacey Doherty was the kind of kid who spent every penny of her allowance at the candy store. Her sweet tooth’s been put to good use at her Barrington Street source of killer cocktails and…
Gold Winner Gio Silver Winner Tempo Food + Drink Bronze Winner Seasons by Atlantica Since opening in 2006, Gio has been a hell of a lot more than a “hotel restaurant”. Between its stunning, modern decor—which couldn’t feel less like a hotel lobby—its global influence and local ingredients, it remains among the city’s top dining…
Gold Winner Moksha Yoga, Halifax Silver Winner Halifax Yoga Bronze Winner Bikram Yoga Halifax Open since 2008, Moksha Yoga is hot. That’s the point. Owner Joanna Thurlow has been practicing yoga for 11 years and teaching for nine, and she loves the work she does with her teaching staff. “Moksha Yoga is a set sequence…
Gold Winner John David Shoes Silver Winner Soled Out Sneakers Bronze Winner Mahone Bay Trading Company, Park Lane Shoes have many functions—they can define a personality, they can make or break an outfit, but first and foremost, they must be comfortable. The selection of styles and high-quality brands at John David Shoes makes it the…
Gold Winner Joel Martell, Oddfellows Barbershop Silver Winner Rob Oxner, Saint Lou’s Gentlemen’s Barbershop Bronze Winner Phat Luong, Phat’s Barber Shop “Honestly, when I opened the shop, winning Best Barber in Halifax was in my three-year business plan,” says Joel Martell. “And I hit it on the first year, so you can imagine how stoked…
Gold Winner Cara Bauld, 3rd Degree Training Silver Winner Alan Dalton, Evolve Fitness Bronze Winner Peter Courtney, 360fit “After falling head over heels in love with 3rd Degree Training as a client in the founding location of Stratford, PEI, I was thrilled to share their unique program and open the first franchise in Burnside in…
Gold Winner Courtney Nickerson, Agricola Holistic Health Silver Winner Tara Patriquin, One to One Wellness Bronze Winner Kelly Donald, Yogassage Gold winner Courtney Nickerson may have magic hands, but she attributes her win and the success of her practice to her magical connections. “I have a really great client base and have good connections with…
Gold Winner Halifax Crafters’ Winter Market Silver Winner Christmas at the Forum Bronze Winner Have Yourself A Gothic Little Christmas The Halifax Crafters’ Markets in April and December have become annual destination events, and we can tell by how enthusiastically you voted for them that you enjoy those intimate social brouhaha slash shopping trips as…
Gold WinnerGypsophilia Silver Winner Anteater Bronze Winner The Wayo “It’s especially nice to win a Best of Halifax award since it’s the people who decide,” says Gypsophilia guitarist Ross Burns. “Thank you Halifax. We are honoured.” After a decade together, thousands of kilometres on tour and five albums including this year’s marvelous Night Swimming, Burns…
Gold Winner Joel Plaskett Silver Winner Daniel Ledwell Bronze Winner Corey LeRue “I am honoured,” says Dartmouth’s king of rock, Joel Plaskett. “It’s the highest compliment for me, to get acknowledged in that way. We’ve made a lot of records over the years and it means a lot to me that Halifax recognizes that. It…
Gold Winner Reflections Cabaret Silver Winner Pacifico Bronze Winner The Seahorse Tavern After a few years of uncertainty—and a north-end move thwarted by Toronto transplants in a nearby condo—Reflections has been happily ensconced in its Sackville Street home for a little over a year. The main floor space is smaller but now there’s a balcony…
Gold Winner Dr. Alan Brown, MSVU Silver Winner Dr. Laura Penny, University of King’s College Bronze Winner Dr. Randi Warne, MSVU Dear Mount Saint Vincent—do you know how lucky you are? Dear MSVU administration—do you know? This year’s best have all taught at the Mount (or still do), and their expertise has clearly made a…
Gold Winner enVie—A Vegan Kitchen Silver Winner Heartwood Bronze Winner The Wooden Monkey, Halifax Apart from convincing discerning diners that vegan food isn’t just for folks with dietary restrictions, but anyone who likes who like fresh, creative and tasty food, team enVie has had a pretty frigging major year. After two years of kicking butt…
Gold Winner Burrito Jax, Blowers Street Silver Winner Habaneros Modern Taco Bar, Pleasant Street Bronze Winner Dee Dee’s Ice Cream This city went ages without a dedicated burrito joint, but as soon as Burrito Jax came to town, it started racking up The Coast’s Best of Halifax awards, and this year is no exception. Roll…
Gold Winner The Armview Silver Winner Ardmore Tea House Bronze Winner Westcliff Restaurant & Convenience The atmosphere almost rivals the food and drink at this west end, family-run diner with an actual Northwest Arm view. The Armview has been around since the 1950s, but got a makeover—and a perfect kiss of sleek ’60s style—back in…
Gold Winner Dee Dee’s Ice Cream Silver Winner Humani-T Cafe, north end Bronze Winner Cherry Berry Self-Serve Yogurt Bar, Quinpool As the tips of our noses get colder, and the leaves crunch under our feet, we like to hope the folks at Dee Dee’s are taking time to wind down and rest up their biceps…
Gold Winner #NSFilmJobs Silver Winner Snow and ice clearing Bronze Winner Public transit Little else this past year came close to the enraged hysteria churned up by #NSFilmJobs. The Liberal government’s spring budget eradicated Nova Scotia’s film tax credit, sending the industry into a nosedive and igniting a firestorm of protests. Rarely does a crowd…
Gold Winner Spirit Spa Silver Winner Remedy Facial Bar and Spa Bronze Winner Imagine Salon & Spa As the fine Tom Haverford once said, “Three words for you: Treat. Yo. Self.” It’s a simple thing we don’t often take the time to do. Pawnee options include: Clothes. Fragrances. Massages. Mimosas. Fine leather goods. A few…
Gold Winner Sailor Bup’s Barbershop, Halifax Silver Winner Oddfellows Barbershop Bronze Winner Saint Lou’s Gentlemen’s Barbershop Just below the Halifax Citadel, there’s an old-timey barbershop that offers old-fashioned razor cuts and sleek hair fashions in a 137-year-old room. But since Sailor Bup’s won Best Barbershop, and since owner Mark Peyton nabbed Best Barber last year,…
Gold Winner The Flower Shop Silver Winner My Mother’s Bloomers Bronze Winner Props Floral Design In downtown Halifax since 1936, The Flower Shop has always been female-owned! It’s the city’s go-to for beautiful, fresh floral arrangements and the variety of flowers makes every day exciting for owner Charlotte Pierce. “Floral design changes just like fashion.…
Gold Winner The Space Age Silver Winner MVMNTS Bronze Winner Willie Stratton & The Boarding Party Rock and roll trio The Space Age released the My Own Tonight EP this spring, produced by AA Wallace at Sonic Temple, with four songs that included the title-track written by the late, great Jay Smith, which charted on…
Gold Winner Zora the Sultan Silver Winner DJ IV Bronze Winner Pineo & Loeb He might be young, but DJ Zora the Sultan (aka Saad Zora) has had an eventful year. “There were a lot of festivals over the summer. Evolve was a great time, I got to play for like, 1,000 people. And there…
Gold WinnerTragically Hip, Fully Completely, Scotiabank Centre Silver Winner Hey Rosetta!, The Shore Club Bronze Winner Against Me!, Olympic Community Hall To accompany the re-issue of their 1992 album, Fully Completely, Gord Downie and his band, The Tragically Hip, brought the Fully Completely tour to Halifax in April with the help of Sonic Concerts. The…
Gold Winner Sonic Concerts Silver Winner TMG Entertainment Bronze Winner Evan Wilder, Wilder’s “It’s been a really busy year,” says Sonic Concerts’ Erin McGuire. “More than anything, we’ve had a really great variety of things coming through, from big rock to family acts.” The city’s best concert promoter (for a few years running) brought incredible…
Gold Winner The Great Wall Silver Winner Jean’s Chinese Bronze Winner Look Ho Ho The Great Wall is over 30 years old. That’s three whole decades serving up delicious delectables and divine dim sum to the drooling mouths of Haligonians. Every year this award has existed, it’s taken top honours. Like its service, The Great…
Gold Winner The Floatation Centre Silver Winner Seven Bays Bouldering Bronze Winner Pearl & Daisy Natural Soap Company, Historic Properties Lindsay MacPhee moved west and worked as an engineer for years before Nova Scotia called her back home. This spring she introduced the concept of sensory deprivation to Halifax—remember that Simpsons where Lisa is trying…
Gold Winner Pete’s Fine Foods, Halifax Silver Winner enVie—A Vegan Kitchen Bronze Winner 2 Doors Down Food + Wine The popularity of Pete’s build-your-own salad is a sign Halifax is changing for the better. This is the town, after all, where the best option for fresh veggies at lunch used to be the tomatoes and…
Gold Winner Obladee, A Wine Bar Silver Winner The Bicycle Thief Bronze Winner Chives Canadian Bistro “I guess it just comes down to us really liking good wine and ensuring our list reflects that. We try to have something for everyone at various price points and in various styles,” says Heather Rankin of what makes…
Gold Winner Getaway Farm Butcher Shop, Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market Silver Winner Getaway Farm Butcher Shop, Hydrostone Bronze Winner Gateway Meat Market Getaway, Getaway and Gateway. Are we being Punk’d by this list of winners? The answer is a firm no. The Canning-based Getaway Farm brings people the best darn sustainable meat and grass-fed beef…
Gold Winner King of Donair, Quinpool Road Silver Winner Tony’s Pizza & Donair, Robie Street Bronze Winner Mezza Lebanese Kitchen, Halifax Norman Nahas will never reveal the secret to his amazing donairs. “We’ve been keeping that one for decades.” The Quinpool Road pizza and donair shop has been in business since 1973, “It’s the grandfather…
Gold Winner Dhaba Casual Fine Dining & Express Silver Winner Curry Village Bronze Winner Grand Taj Since summer of 2011, the Junus family—chef Faizal Junus and his wife Salma—have been welcoming diners to their table(s) for affordable, delicious and fresh Indian food. A rare local gem in the Bayers Lake big box food district, Dhaba…
For the 21st year running we turned to our readers for advice on the best people, places, restaurants, bars and shops and boy, did you ever step up to the plate. With a voter turn-out to rule them all, we spent the summer tabulating and re-tabulating the numbers and happily present to you—the 660 winners…
Gold Winner Mountain Equipment Co-op Silver Winner Cleve’s Source For Sports, Park Lane Bronze Winner Aerobics First If you’re craving adventure, but can’t actually manage to get out of dodge and find it, just follow your compass to MEC and spend an hour there. The outdoorsy plans, goals and daydreams that can come out of…
Gold Winner Cyclesmith Silver Winner The Bike Pedaler Bronze Winner Nauss Bicycle Shop With its string of gold wins broken only by the occasional silver, you might not think it could get any better for Cyclesmith. But last November the biking boutique moved from its longtime shop on Quinpool Road to a gorgeous storefront in…
Gold Winner Attica Furnishings Silver Winner Geddes Furniture Bronze Winner Statement Attica Furnishings inhabits a unique niche in Halifax, as exemplified by its two gold wins in this year’s Best of. On one hand, this local independent shop owned by Suzanne Saul and Christopher Joyce outdoes the big-box chains when it comes to big-ticket items…
Gold Winner Taylor Swift’s 1989 Tour Silver Winner Foo Fighters Bronze Winner Drake Her best gal Karlie Kloss wound up on Nova Scotia shores this fall for a windswept Vogue shoot, but we couldn’t get Swifty. Probably because what venue could even contain her #squad of mega fans? None. But let’s picture it anyway. The…
Gold Winner Neon Dreams Silver Winner Pineo & Loeb Bronze Winner Scientists of Sound Find out what makes Neon Dreams the Best on page TK.
Gold Winner Laurie the Guy, The Lion’s Head Tavern Silver Winner The Mimi Show, Bearly’s House of Blue & Ribs Bronze Winner Dave Smith, Oasis Pub & Eatery “This is my 25th year hosting karaoke and l can honestly say l still love doing it,” says the man, the genius, Laurie The Guy AKA Laurie…
Gold Winner Outtacontroller Silver Winner The Scoop Outs Bronze Winner Crossed Wires For the last few years, Halifax pop-punkers Outtacontroller have been killing it with scratchy catchy jams and sick releases like Don’t Play Dumb on their German label, P-Trash. On Halloween last weekend, the four-piece released second LP, Television Zombie. “We practice meticulously, and…
Gold Winner Todd’s Car Care Silver Winner Tom McDonnell Service Centre Bronze Winner Revolution Automotive It’s hard to find a good mechanic, which is probably why people keep going back—and voting for—Todd’s. “Every time it’s fantastic,” says Todd’s Chris Cobbs about the shop’s multiple Best Of gold wins. “It’s just proof the people love…
Gold Winner and Hall of Fame Inductee Gaudet Optical Silver Winner Ocean Optometry Bronze Winner Lang Optometry & Eyewear Here’s one glasses streak nobody’s complaining about: Gaudet is once more a spectacular hit for Coast readers as Best Optical Store. Owner Douglas Gaudet says the reasons for such high customer appreciation are crystal clear: “The…
Gold Winner The Canteen Silver Winner Indochine Banh Mi, South Park Bronze Winner Italian Market The best thing since sliced bread are the things that chef Renée Lavallée is putting in between The Canteen’s house-baked loaves of it. The wee sandwich-centric restaurant shines down on Dartmouth from above Two If By Sea, serving seasonally-inspired sammies…
It’s no surprise that opening night of Messenger at the Neptune Studio brought out a huge cross-section of Halifax’s theatre greats and political progressives. After all, the play was written by award-winning playwright and former MP Wendy Lill. Her credentials put her in the perfect position to deliver both a beautifully written family drama and…
Gold Winner Durty Nelly’s Authentic Irish Pub Silver Winner The Stubborn Goat Bronze Winner Morris East What’s the best way to wash down the city’s Best Pub Food? A Caesar of epic proportions. Whether you’re ordering off menu on any old day (that’d be the Durty Ol’ Caesar, with Jamieson, worcestershire, HP sauce, horseradish, sriracha,…
Gold Winner Athens Restaurant Silver Winner Jim’s Pizza House Bronze Winner Tom’s Family Restaurant Take a look around Athens at any given meal time and you’ll see a little bit of everything: sweatpant-wearing students, business casual lunch meetings, lengthy family feasts and cure-all hangover breakfasts. “We’re simple, we don’t try to be anything that we’re…
Gold Winner Pete’s Frootique & Fine Foods, Halifax Silver Winner Mid-East Food Centre & Cafe Bronze Winner Tian Phat Before Pete’s became the latest jewel in the Sobeys empire. Before the confident rebranding that turned Pete’s Frootique into straight-up Pete’s. Before the flagship Bedford Frootique expanded (and ended up losing some of its thunder to)…
Gold Winner Colleen O’Dea, Curtains are Open Silver Winner Kayla Short, Short Presents Bronze Winner Jack Scrine and Katie Thomas, Halifolks We’re almost at a point where the idea of a personal blog could be considered antiquated—quaint. Everyone blogs now, through whatever social media channel shines best for their brand. That’s one reason Colleen O’Dea’s…
Gold Winner Evolve Fitness Silver Winner ProEdge Sports Conditioning Bronze Winner Cyclone Fitness The best part of his job as head personal trainer, says Evolve Fitness’ owner Matt Benvie, is seeing the success of his clients. “It’s the look on people’s faces when they realize how far they’ve come, and the fact that we get…
Gold Winner The Addams Family, Neptune Theatre Silver Winner Pop Up Love Party, Zuppa Theatre Co. Bronze Winner Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare by the Sea The Addams Family’s entertainment juggernaut began to grow as a cutesy (black and white!) television series in 1964, then a few movies in the ’90s and, five years back, a…
Gold Winner MVMNTS Silver Winner The Brood Bronze Winner Oceanic After the release of debut LP Through the Air, Across the Ocean, MVMNTS straddles sonic lines somewhere between “desert rock, doom, post-metal and jazz,” says Brendan Robertovich. “The band has spent the past year composing and recording the looming Dry Land is a Myth, mixing…
Gold Winner The Carleton Bar & Grill Silver Winner The Marquee Ballroom Bronze Winner The Seahorse Tavern “I think it’s the sound, the service and the attention to detail during shows that makes us the best live music venue in the city,” says the Carleton’s owner Mike Campbell. “Credit there goes to Jon Cornwall and…
Gold Winner Roxy & The Underground Soul Sound Silver Winner Cyndi Cain Bronze Winner Unidentified Funk Object With an album that features Erin Costelo, Jessie Brown and Andrew Jackson, Roxy & The Underground Soul Sound has been bringing the rhythm and blues to Halifax for awhile now, and their friends are as inspiring to them…
Gold Winner Megan Leslie Silver Winner Peter Stoffer Bronze Winner Geoff Regan Call it bittersweet. It’s no surprise Megan Leslie once again took home Best Member of Parliament this year—she’s dominated the category during her tenure in Ottawa. What was surprising for many was the NDP incumbent’s loss to Halifax’s newest Liberal MP Andy Fillmore.…
Gold Winner Bubba Ray’s Sports Bar, Spring Garden Silver Winner HFX Sports Bar Bronze Winner Oasis Pub & Eatery Variety is the spice of life, and spicy are the variety of flavour options at Bubba Ray’s Sports Bar. Seriously, over 40 different wing sauces (ranging from buffalo and maple hot, to peanut satay and hot…
Gold Winner Halifax Central Library Silver Winner Public Gardens Bronze Winner Halifax Common Halifax’s love affair with the new downtown library appears to be far from over. Dominating this category yet again is Spring Garden Road’s instantly iconic community hub. Sure, the glass Rubik’s Cube aesthetic looks fantastic on the outside, but what really makes…
Gold Winner Agricola Street Brasserie Silver Winner EDNA Bronze Winner Tom’s Little Havana “The building has such warm bones that it was easy to work with. But atmosphere is more than just the look of a room,” says the Brasserie’s Rachel Knox of her stunner of a restaurant. “It has to do with how one…
Gold Winner Java Blend Coffee Roasters Silver Winner Two If By Sea, Dartmouth Bronze Winner Lion & Bright Cafe Wine Bar Java Blend has good coffee (see Best Coffee, gold winner). It even has great coffee (see Best Specialty Coffee, gold winner). But it also has something coffee alone cannot provide, and that’s the perfect…
Gold Winner Noggins Farm, Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market Silver Winner Getaway Farms Butcher Shop, Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market Bronze Winner Fruition, Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market How do you like these apples? A hell of a lot, it turns out. But this champ of a market stall is about way more than its glorious apples. Bringing…
Gold Winner Bubba Ray’s Sports Bar, Spring Garden Silver Winner Oasis Pub & Eatery Bronze Winner Halifax Alehouse Variety is the spice of life, and spicy are the variety of flavour options at Bubba Ray’s Sports Bar. Seriously, over 40 different wing sauces (ranging from buffalo and maple hot, to peanut satay and hot honey…
Gold Winner Ristorante a Mano Silver Winner La Frasca Cibi + Vini Bronze Winner daMaurizio Fine Dining “It’s kind of like walking into little Italy in Halifax,” says Bertossi Restaurant Group’s John Michael Brewer, of Bishop’s Landing hot spot, Ristorante a Mano. “It’s that edge that makes it the best Italian in town.” The edge…
Gold Winner Kurt Borden Silver Winner Darren Cobb Bronze Winner Tara Scudder There’s a new best bus driver in town, as Kurt Borden dethrones repeat-champion Darren Cobb. A 12-year veteran of Halifax Transit, Borden can usually be found driving the number seven route, saying hello to regulars and folks he recognizes from growing up in…
Gold Winner Bowtique Hair & Makeup Silver Winner Stanhope and Company Bronze Winner Spirit Spa Comfortable. Friendly. Honest. Those are the top three things that the talented crew at Bowtique credits for its spot at the top of this category. “I started a salon because I wanted a fun and positive place for my friends…
Gold Winner Neon Dreams Silver Winner Like A Motorcycle Bronze Winner Mo Kenney “Woo! Woo! Woo! What an honour,” exclaims the producer for Neon Dreams, Corey LeRue. “It feels great to be recognized in your hometown. It just feels great! It’s such an amazing honour! Thank you everyone who voted.” Over the last couple of…
Gold Winner Katrina Tuttle Silver Winner Lisa Drader-Murphy Bronze Winner Veronica MacIsaac Katrina Tuttle is a household name when it comes to the city’s fashion scene, and yet somehow this is her first Best of Halifax win. Known for her high-end, ready to wear women’s clothing and evening-wear—like the exclusive line she creates for Sweet…
Gold Winner Taylor Olson Silver Winner Jarett Downey-Shaw Bronze Winner Glen Matthews “This is surprising and exciting. I get to do something I love and am passionate about as an actor, and I’m stoked that people are supporting me in that,” says Taylor Olson, a standout in the ensemble drama Noon Gun. “I’m stoked for…
Gold Winner Joel Plaskett’s Down At The Khyber gear Silver Winner Doom Machine Bronze Winner Wolf Minds Collective, Grease Coast Lifestyle “I’m wearing the sweatshirt right now!” says Joel Plaskett, whose bleeding-heart campaign to save the Khyber Centre for the Arts building on Barrington Street launched a social group. Working with designer and screen-print artist…
Gold Winner Brendan Maguire Silver Winner Maureen MacDonald Bronze Winner Lenore Zann “I kinda feel like this is a joke,” says Halifax Atlantic MLA Brendan McGuire on his second straight win as our readers’ favourite provincial representative. He was equally incredulous last year. The vice chair for the Liberal government’s community services committee and member…
Gold Winner Jollytails Inc. Silver Winner Planet Paws Pet Essentials Bronze Winner Pet Valu, Spring Garden Anyone who’s seen their cat be more interested in a paper bag then a new toy, or a dog discard expensive treats for a weathered stick, knows that price isn’t much of a factor in making your best bud…
Gold Winner The Five Fishermen Silver Winner John’s Lunch Bronze Winner Evan’s Fresh Seafoods This is the reel deal when it comes to fishy dishes. If you’re asking where to take a Halifax first-timer, many fingers point in the direction of The Five Fishermen because of how it shows off the fruits of our sea.…
Gold Winner Julien’s Patisserie, Bakery & Cafe, Hydrostone Silver Winner The Old Apothecary Bronze Winner Scanway Bakery + Cafe Husband and wife team, Lana and Mike Ansari own Julien’s, and running the cafe/bakery sounds like a lot of work. But a lot of fun. “Everybody likes bread,” Lana says, especially the delicious loaves and pastries…
Gold Winner Pete’s ToGoGo, SUB Silver Winner The Loaded Ladle Bronze Winner The Gorsebrook Lounge Wake me up, Pete’s, but please don’t GoGo, because this convenient dispensary of gorgeously-prepared gourmet scrumptiousness is once again on top of the food pyramid for best campus eats. These college kids can really scarf down the grub, so it’s…
Gold Winner The Bicycle Thief Silver Winner Chives Canadian Bistro Bronze Winner daMaurizio Fine Dining “It’s like coming into our living room.” That’s how John Michael Brewer describes the vibe of The Bicycle Thief, a multi-winner (four to be exact) in this year’s readers’ survey. “It’s funny that the award is fine dining, we consider…
Gold Winner Halifax Sport & Social Club Silver Winner Anchor City Rollers Bronze Winner East Coast Rainbow Softball Association You’ll find both friendly competition and friends while honing your skills with the Halifax Sport & Social Club. Offering something for everyone and anyone—no expertise required—HSCC is a co-ed, self-officiated recreational league that’s focussed on fair…
Gold Winner Willy’s Fresh Cut Fries & Burgers Silver Winner Mezza Lebanese Kitchen, Halifax Bronze Winner Burrito Jax, Blowers Street The city’s best poutine several years running, Willy’s Fresh Cut Fries & Burgers offers mouth-watering, waist-line expanding, outright orgasmic poutine, from the classic curds and gravy to the donair, pulled-pork and stuffing additions. There is…
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