Along with robins, urban deer sightings, and 20-year-old men wearing shorts and flip-flops the moment the thermostat climbs above zero, one of the most recognizable hints of spring in Canada is the return of Tim Hortons’ Roll Up The Rim. It always seems to coincide with Lent. If I were into conspiracies, I’d suggest that […]
coffee
Posted inFood + Drink
Where I work: Weird Harbour Espresso Bar
Weird Harbour Espresso Bar 1656 Barrington Street Mon-Fri 7am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm WHO HE IS From the moment you step inside this espresso bar, the sound of old blues, together with the smell of freshly ground coffee, takes you to another world. “It’s a small space to seek shelter,” says owner Dan Weir, whose travels from […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Saying so long to Steve Armbruster
It was more than the coffee. Steve Armbruster, the Steve behind Steve-O-Reno’s Cappuccino, left an impression on staff and customers that could outlast any caffeine buzz. And after over 20 years of slinging the hot stuff and cracking jokes from three locations, that’s a lot of impressions left. Armbruster—an adventurous outdoorsman and pioneering entrepreneur in […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Weird Harbour makes waves on Barrington
Two-hundred and fifty square feet is all the space Dan Weir needs to make his small business dream a reality. After spending a decade “catching the coffee bug” working in cafes in Toronto and Montreal, the Moncton native has settled on Halifax for his very own Weird Harbour Espresso Bar, which will be cozied up […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Cortado Tasting Room’s coming soon
Alex Lee loves a good cortado. To make it right, the seemingly simple drink— two ounces of espresso and two ounces of milk— requires precision pouring. “If you mess up on any variables the drink turns really bad really fast—every single aspect has to be perfect,” he says. That attention-to-detail is something Lee and his […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Unionized coffee shops grind out a future
[Image-1] Two years ago, baristas leading the push to unionize Halifax coffee shops was the grounds for many a heated discussion. In 2013, both Just Us! and Second Cup were at the centre of unionization battles fuelled by concerns about workplace conditions. Employees at both coffee shops were ultimately successful in unionizing, but two years […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Changes at Chebucto Coffee and Macchiato by Sam
There are big changes percolating in the north end coffee shop scene. Back in early March, long-time coffee entrepreneur Sam Karam decided to hand over the reins at his Macchiato by Sam (2751 Gladstone Street), but no need for jitters (caffeine-induced or otherwise), things at the cafe will stay pretty much the same. Chebucto Coffee […]
Posted inFood + Drink
Folami Jones
Owner Kwacha House Cafe, 3450 Dutch Village Road You’ll be greeted by instant warm vibes upon entering the lime green building that holds Fairview’s Kwacha House Cafe. That homelike quality has a lot to do with its decor—colourful walls, bright patterns, beaded curtains, cozy seating and African art—but its also a direct result of the […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Mid Point Cafe set for Spring Garden
The finely ground beans had barely settled at the former Second Cup (5425 Spring Garden Road) before we got word that the prime real estate had been scooped up by another coffee shop. Can Hicyilmaz, owner of the Cup’s neighbouring hookah bar Ottoman Cafe (5411 Spring Garden Road), had the space in the back of […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Cafe Brea bows out
On the weekend Dartmouth fave Cafe Brea (530 Portland Street), announced via social media that after a-year-and-a-half in business it was closing up shop, permanently. Brea, a community-centric spot known for its quality espresso, fresh-baked treats and live music, also operated a coffee kiosk, the Lock Keeper Cafe, out of Shubie Park last summer. “I […]
Posted inArts + Music
Scribbler live at The Coast
The ever-prolific Scribbler stopped by, grabbed a coffee and eased us all into a lazy Sunday. Thanks, gang!
Posted inNews + Opinion
jane’s on the Gottingen
Keep your eyes on 2053 Gottingen Street. It’s officially home to a new location of jane’s next door, the little sister and current next door neighbour of Jane Wright‘s jane’s on the common, which will close up shop in mere weeks. The to-go coffee and snacks shop, which is pretty much identical to its predecessor […]