Our 15 Favourite Nova Scotia Restaurants
Words by Pete Heck / Photography by Pete & Dalene Heck
We’ve now been living on the East Coast for nearly three years, and one thing is for certain: We’re truly impressed with the cuisine and the selection of quality restaurants. And it’s not just the lobster dinners, fresh Digby scallops, or seafood chowder that Nova Scotia is known for, we’ve had so many memorable meals in this tiny province, and I believe that we haven’t even scratched the surface. It seems for every one we go to, at least two or three new Nova Scotia restaurants pop-up on our have-to-go-to list.
So this post is simply our current favourites; it’s completely subjective, and will likely continue to evolve. You’ll note that many are in the Annapolis Valley (simply because we live here). I’m sure we’re missing a whole bunch that we’ll hopefully get to test soon (looking at you Edna and Bar Kismet). There are also some popular places that others may chastise us for not including — like The Bicycle Thief (Halifax), The Canteen (Dartmouth), or Le Caveau (Grand Pre) — but our single experiences there were somewhat underwhelming, and thus they didn’t make the cut.
So here are our picks for our favourite restaurants in Nova Scotia based on some of the best meals we’ve enjoyed so far.
Our 15 Favourite Restaurants in Nova Scotia
Junction Sixteen (Bridgetown)
We’re helping to wear down the chairs at Junction Sixteen, considering how many times we’ve been there. Located in the tiny town of Bridgetown in the Annapolis Valley, the restaurant now occupies the old train station and is part of the Thistle Hospitality Group (along with Whiskey Teller and Founders House). Junction Sixteen has become our go-to spot as the food is always fresh and delicious, and thankfully it’s not too far of a drive for us.
The restaurant has a distinct vibe that radiates warmth. The vintage tables, wallpaper-lined walls, and even mismatched dishes give it a lot of welcoming charm. In summer, the patio is packed and there is often live music.
As for the food, they put their own spin on Italian favourites; it’s mainly pasta and pizza dishes paired with local seafood and fare from the Annapolis Valley. Our favourites include their chicken parmesan, their wood-fired pizza, and their tagliatelle with a fennel sausage ragu (although this hasn’t been on their menu for some time, so we’re hoping to convince them to bring it back)!
Juniper Food + Wine (Wolfville)
Juniper Food + Wine won our “Best Meal of 2023” award (take note, Nova Scotia restaurants, we randomly give out awards with no fanfare at all). But this meal made us openly gasp: It was a simple truffle gnocchi — nothing extravagant — but Dalene still talks about it to this day. Juniper is in a tiny space on Main Street in Wolfville and reservations are always necessary, considering there are only 16 spots for dinner.
Opening in 2019, the chefs at Juniper endeavour to incorporate the lush ingredients found throughout the Annapolis Valley in all their dishes. They certainly put their own creative spin on them, whether it’s a Nova Scotian specialty or something unique, it’s bound to be tasty. It’s a bit on the pricey side, and for us, it’s a “special occasion” spot, but every time we’ve gone, we’ve loved it.
The Beach Pea Kitchen and Bar (Lunenburg)
Lunenburg, the bustling and colourful UNESCO site, is home to the Beach Pea Kitchen, which is easily one of our favourite restaurants in Nova Scotia. We’ve dined here on numerous occasions and always extremely enjoy it. During summer we love to sit on the back patio, but year-round, the restaurant itself is bright, airy, and welcoming.
My go-to appetizer is the grilled octopus, which always turns some heads to the open kitchen when the flame shoots up around the cast iron pan. The seafood here is always fresh and extremely tasty. Not being a seafood/fish-eater, Dalene has enjoyed the carbonara on more than one occasion. It’s very popular amongst visitors and locals, and you may even catch a celebrity dining here as we saw one of the main characters from the “Curse of Oak Island,” which films nearby. Reservations are always recommended.
Black Sheep (Halifax)
Black Sheep, across from the Halifax waterfront in the heart of the downtown, is located inside the old Alexander Keith’s building. This spot has quietly become one of our top Nova Scotia restaurants. It’s tucked away on the second level, and carries a darkly chic atmosphere that makes it a prime spot for romance and deep conversations.
Not only is the food consistently excellent (especially the burger and grilled octopus!), their fantastic cocktails and impressive selection of craft beer have always made our visits here memorable. Despite Halifax having such a wide range of restaurants to choose from, we always find ourselves back here.
Tom’s Lobster Shack (Peggys Cove)
I couldn’t write a post about restaurants in Nova Scotia and not include a place that serves lobster! Granted, we haven’t been to too many seafood restaurants since Dalene won’t touch the stuff, but that doesn’t stop me from ordering it whenever I can. I’ve had many lobster rolls throughout Nova Scotia, and without a doubt, Tom’s Lobster Shack is the best.
Right in the heart of Peggy’s Cove, there are no tables inside, and a few picnic tables outside. One of its best attributes is its simplicity: You just walk up to the window, order your roll, and wait a few minutes. They have a number of different ways to construct the roll, but for me, it’s always just the classic — toasted bun, mayo, celery, green onion, and of course, lots of lobster. Considering it’s also in one of the most picturesque locations in Canada, having a lobster roll from Tom’s Lobster Shack is truly the icing on the cake (or the mayo on the roll, as it were).
The Emerald Light (Shelburne)
We wandered into The Emerald Light for a quick lunch while on our Nova Scotia Festivals campaign. Little did we know how incredible the food would be and how much we would enjoy it. This popular, cozy restaurant is situated in the sleepy town of Shelburne. We enjoyed the spacious back patio on a hot weekday afternoon and shared a few dishes that were light and easy.
We opted for a Korean fried-chicken bowl and some house-made dips with bread and tortilla chips. The food was plentiful, fresh and everything tasted delicious. The chicken was crisp and a had a nice bite with the Gochujang spice and the dips were creamy and packed plenty of flavour. We chatted with the owner about his restaurant and how he has big plans to bring good food to Shelburne and how much he loves the town. We have to agree, it’s a great little town on the south shore, and The Emerald Light is the place we’ll come back to eat at when we visit.
Sugar Moon Farm (Tatamagouche)
Come for the hike, but make sure to stay for the breakfast! We enjoyed the forest walk on Rogart Mountain Trail, a 6.2 km trail loop, and earned our hearty brunch at Sugar Moon Farm. This restaurant revolves around one ingredient — maple syrup — and as they collect it from their own trees onsite, it is coming right from the source. The log cabin restaurant is open year-round plus there are maple sugar tours and a gift shop to take home some syrup for yourself.
I indulged in the Chef’s special which for that day was pancakes topped with pork belly and a fried egg (and drenched in maple syrup, of course). Dalene went with the classic pancake brunch topped with maple butter, their maple syrup, and a blueberry maple compote. Reservations here are necessary for brunch and for the maple farm tours. If you get a table at Sugar Moon Farm, it’s definitely worth the trip.
*Tip: You feel way less guilty if you take the 6 km before you eat here.
Jonny’s Cookhouse (Berwick)
In the heart of the Annapolis Valley lies a local favourite: Jonny’s Cookhouse. Since 2009, this takeout joint has been serving up extreme comfort food with some of the best burgers, milkshakes and poutines we’ve ever tried. The only con about this place, is that it’s only open in the summer and fall, so our cravings have to wait until the snow is gone and they reopen. But it’s so worth the wait.
My go-to is the Sweet Maria — a seasoned beef patty, grilled pineapple, crispy bacon, a sweet chili sauce, and I substitute in Havarti Cheese. Dalene alternates between the onion burger and the classic cheeseburger, because at Jonny’s, simple works. Every burger is a bit of gooey mess and best chased with a mocha milkshake!
Troy Restaurant + Grill (Wolfville)
The very first time we were in Wolfville, we stumbled upon Troy Restaurant + Grill. The menu is huge but we were immediately drawn to their mezze (side-plate appetizers to share) section. Dalene and I love to make mezze at home for supper, and enjoying these side plates reminds us of our time spent in Turkey, dining with friends at a local seaside restaurant.
Their menu has a whole page dedicated to hot and cold mezze, and it’s typically what we go for. Our go-tos include the cucumber-mint cacik (pressed yogurt with cucumber fresh mint and lemon), housemade hummus, and roasted beet cacik. But our favourite? The spicy baked feta served with grilled pita. Baked cheese? Yes, please!
Side Hustle Snack Bar (Dartmouth)
Side Hustle Snack Bar had long been on my radar and we finally we had a chance to get there for a meal recently. It’s a popular spot in downtown Dartmouth and known for its smash burger. Side Hustle’s menu is driven by the seasons, and it changes often but signature dishes (like the burger) stick around.
The night before dining there, we had burgers at home, so their famed smash burger would have to wait. With so many tempting things to choose from, Dalene and I decided to share a couple of dishes. We had the hustle fried rice topped with fresh and pickled vegetables, crispy shallots, a soy marinated gooey egg, and dressed with a spicy mayo, sweet soy, miso, and sambal oelek. We opted to add the caramel pork belly because… pork belly.
Our other dish was simply called cucumber and it was the title vegetable marinated in maple, tahini, chili crisp, and topped with crispy shallots. These two dishes alone are a reason that Side Hustle was elevated to one of the best restaurants in Nova Scotia. And we haven’t even tried the burger yet!
Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards (Wolfville)
One of the many reasons we moved to the Annapolis Valley is for the wineries; not many people know that Nova Scotia is making some of the world’s best wines. The province even has its own signature wine appellation — Tidal Bay — which is strictly non-sparkling white wines produced from 100% Nova Scotia grapes.
We have a few favourite vineyards we frequent often, and we love sitting on the outside patio having a meal at Lightfoot + Wolfville.
Their menu focuses on local ingredients found in the Valley. During the summer, their wood-fired pizzas are delicious and worth the drive. During the winter the menu is small and changes often. They also have theme nights like friday fried chicken, a rotating dinner series on Saturdays, and Sunday is a ham dinner. And best of all, we usually come home with several bottles to stock up our wine fridge.
Dickie-Baxter Taproom & Bistro (Canning)
One of the things that constantly surprises us in Nova Scotia is how even the smallest places can have such high-quality offerings. Canning is one of those towns — it’s not huge by any means, yet it has so much to offer. And the top of our list from there is Dickie-Baxter Taproom & Bistro.
We’ve been a couple of times now, once for brunch and once for dinner. The brunch was good, but the supper was outstanding. Dalene feasted on the stout-glazed short-ribs, sharing a solid portion of the plate with me. And I eagerly polished off their mozza smash burger special.
(P.S. Anytime a restaurant puts a burger on special you know it’s going to be good — nevermind a whole month dedicated to them!) It’s not surprising that Dickie-Baxter’s is quickly becoming one of our go-tos in the Valley.
La Cuisine Robicheau (Saulnierville)
Along the Acadian Shores, in the county of Clare (south of Digby), is La Cuisine Robicheau. This popular restaurant is always full of people devouring the authentic Acadian and seafood dishes. And there are two dishes that this restaurant is known for: Rappie Pie and their Creamed Lobster. I was fortunate to try both on my first visit.
Rappie Pie is an interesting and very traditional dish; you’ll find this one on many Acadian dinner tables over the holidays. The dish starts by removing the liquid from grated potatoes, then taking the remaining potato pulp and adding hot broth. It is then baked in a cast iron pan to create a crust. Finally, a protein is added in, usually chicken, clams, or even rabbit. It has a very glutinous texture that Dalene was turned off by. However, I quite enjoyed it.
But the star of La Cuisine Robicheau is their creamed lobster. The dish is simply lobster, vinegar and heavy cream. It’s deliciously sinful. The lobster is first slow cooked in vinegar and then poached in heavy cream. It’s then served on toast steaming hot. This dish is so good that I had to bring my mother-in-law to try it, and this ranked as one of her favourite meals in Nova Scotia.
CHKN CHOP (Halifax)
Both Dalene and I feel a consistent gravitational pull towards good fried chicken. And CHKN CHOP in Halifax certainly delivers. Introduced to us by our good friend Cailin from Nova Scotia Explorer; I’m not sure if we’ll go anywhere else when the craving for fried chicken hits.
We both had a fried chicken sandwich — Dalene had the “Buffalo” (buffalo hot sauce, vegetables and blue cheese dressing), while I went for the “Nashville” (Nashville style spicy oil, chipotle mayo and cheese). And we all shared a large fries at the table. Our meals were deliciously messy, which is all part of the experience and the fried chicken will keep us coming back.
Parichat’s Asia Thai Restaurant (Truro)
After spending a month in Thailand, we are very particular when it comes to Thai food. Parichat’s Asia Thai Restaurant in Truro lived up to our standard. We found ourselves returning time and time again when we lived nearby. The food was always very fresh, and the staff were always very warm and welcoming.
Dalene always orders the Pad Thai with chicken. It’s a favourite dish of hers and their method and ingredients hit the mark. I usually went with one of their curries, either massaman, green or Panang. Their spice level could have been a bit better, but I should have asked for extra super spicy. I’m sure we’ll find ourselves back here when we’re in Truro.
