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. […]
Just Us! Coffeehouse
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
Don’t forget your helmet
[Image-1] Cycling has its benefits. Fresh air, good exercise and eco-friendliness, to name but a few. Still, many riders we’ve spoken to are surprised to learn they’re missing out on some red hot deals all over town. Deals that are only available to bike-riding customers. Bishop’s Cellar, for example, offers 10 percent off purchases for […]
Posted inArts + Music
The Spot shines
Halifax has a notoriously hard climate for all-ages music fans, and when music and art are your lifeline to mental health, finding a safe space with understanding people becomes crucial. The Spot, run by Youth Art Connection and Connections Halifax with space donated by the city, is a free program offered to local priority youth, […]
Posted inBest of Halifax
Best Cafe
Gold Winner Two If By Sea Cafe, Dartmouth Silver Winner Java Blend Coffee Roasters Bronze Winner Just Us! Coffeehouse, Spring Garden Props must be given to ambiance of Two if By Sea. With its large winding spiral staircase, high ceilings and adorable knitted mug warmers, this Dartmouth cafe wants you to feel at home. Famous […]
Posted inBest of Halifax
Best Specialty Coffee
Gold Winner Steve-O-Reno’s Cappuccino Cafe Silver Winner Java Blend Coffee Roasters Bronze Winner Just Us! Coffeehouse, Barrington Walk into Steve-O-Reno’s on a typical morning and the smell of fresh-baked pastries and fresh brewed coffee will greet you before you can say “cappuccino.” Serving up the best in specialty coffee for over 15 years, these Americanos and […]
Posted inBest of Halifax
Best Coffee (Espresso-based)
Gold Winner Java Blend Coffee Roasters Silver Winner Two If By Sea Cafe Bronze Winner Just Us! Coffeehouse People from all walks of life come to this busy spot for their caffeine fix—from 20-something hipsters to retirees with potentially-sore hips and everything in between. It’s because Haligonians know good coffee when they smell it. The […]
Posted inBest of Halifax
Best Coffee (Regular)
Gold Winner Java Blend Coffee Roasters Silver Winner Just Us! Coffeehouse Bronze Winner Two If By Sea Cafe At Java Blend, employees keep busy roasting and packing the freshest coffee beans you’ll find in Halifax. There is equal importance placed on ethical business as there is on coffee quality and taste. The coffee shop uses […]
Posted inBest of Halifax
Best Hot Chocolate
Gold Winner Just Us! Coffeehouse Silver Winner Second Cup Bronze Winner Two If By Sea Cafe Looking for an alternative to coffee or tea? Just Us! offers three varieties of hot chocolate to satisfy the chocoholic masses: milk chocolate, dark chocolate and spicy Mexican. These delectable drinks are flavoured by fair-trade, organically-grown chocolate and made […]
Posted inArts + Music
The Crooked Brothers’ cabin fever
When they’re not touring the country, crammed in a hatchback, The Crooked Brothers (Darwin Baker, Matt Foster and Jesse Matas) fancy themselves some time in the woods. The gritty country trio spent a few weeks last fall cooped up in a cabin on Manitoba’s Falcon Lake soaking up their surroundings, and recording their upcoming sophomore […]
Posted inBest of Halifax
Best Hot Chocolate
Another victory from the good people at Just Us! for their hot chocolate, made from the same organic, fair trade cocoa beans as their popular chocolate bars, produced at the facility in Grand Pré. Sure, they’re best known for their commitment to the environment and their excellent coffee, with two cafes in downtown Halifax—on Barrington […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Go local on Spring Garden Road
Strolling down the most popular shopping district in Atlantic Canada, from Robie down to Brunswick—including side-streets bristling with boutiques—the sheer number of vital businesses provides an embarrassment of riches for Shoptalk. More than anywhere else in our fine city, we slam up against the limitation of space on this page. A street that provides a […]