Giggles
The Dartmouth Waterfront’s hidden gem, Giggles has deep fried take-out dishes like poutine and hot dogs, but specializes in a couple dozen flaovurs of soft serve, from chocolate and strawberry to dayglo creations like tutti fruiti and crème de menthe.
2 Ochterloney Street, Dartmouth Waterfront
Polar Bear Express
Even if you don't immediately spot the tiny red shack, you can't miss the polar bear in the Hawaiian shirt at the CN Railway Museum. This place is built for hot weather, specializing in cold treats with a sprawling ice cream menu featuring Scotsburn's greatest hits, like Dinosaur Bones, Hoof Prints and Moon Mist.
8003 Highway 7, Musquodoboit Harbour
Lockside Canteen
Thursday through Sunday, Lemon Dogs will be selling its signature lemonades along with a menu of split-griddled hot dogs at the kiosk at Shubie Canal, with a new menu every week. The Dogs'll be jazzing up their lemonade in fizzy floats and have freshly brewed ice tea. Toppings for the hot dogs will run on the creative side, like the breakfast bagel dog with scallion cream cheese, tomato, cucumber and pickled red onion. And, of course, they'll also have their handmade ice pops, sundaes and dipped ice cream bars.
54 Locks Road, Shubie Park
Manual Co Dairy Bar
Opening soon, Manual anchors the South Park side of the new Stillwell Beergarden. Its debut menu will complement the black and white shack with a black sesame soft serve topped with miso caramel, puffed rice and sesame snap crunch, and sweet cream soft serve with chamomile honey, honeycomb toffee, white cake and fresh chamomile flowers. Also, nitro cold brew, cappuccinos, popsicles, floats (like this rhubarb one) and sweet steamed buns.
5688 Spring Garden Road
Coffee, Tea & Sea
This little shack is a one-stop shop for trinkets and treats, with the latter's menu featuring everything from sandwiches to Indonesian food and soft serve. Enjoy the view of the city from Fisherman’s Cove on one of the benches outside while you scarf down your cone, or try some savoury specialties like rendang (beef stewed in coconut milk), mie ayam (noodies with chicken and wieners), lumpia (spring rolls) and bakwan jagung (corn fritters).
18 Government Wharf Road
Dee Dee's
The salt air and the sugary sweet aroma of fresh waffle cones combine into the ultimate seaside experience at Dee Dee's in Peggys Cove.
Whether it's banana ice cream with the aromatic, floral notes of
cardamom, cool Mexican chocolate ice cream with a fiery touch of cayenne or the simple sweetness of mango, you'll find a delicious option.
110 Peggys Cove Road
Dave's Lobster
A spin-off of a Charlottetown restaurant, Dave's specializes in buttery buns crammed with lobster. You can have your lobster roll in its classic Maritime form—cold, mayonnaise-y lobster salad in a toasted split roll—or Connecticut-style, tossed in warm, garlicky, lemony butter, with gluten-free buns or a lettuce wrap. Or go nuts and have a lobster taco. If you hate lobster, get the hell out of Nova Scotia. Or have a grilled cheese if you must.
Queens Wharf, Halifax waterfront