Travel

Out and About in Halifax

Jan. 16 2025

At eateries new and old, Nova Scotian gastronomy is having a moment.

Queen’s Marque, the splendid new waterfront district in Halifax Harbour, has been the city’s historic centre since the British landed here in 1749. Now, an ambitious collection of nine restaurants and bars beats as its culinary heart. With chefs Anthony Walsh and Bill Osborne at the helm, Freehand Hospitality (jointly operated by Oliver & Bonacini and The Armour Group) has lit a beacon for Nova Scotian gastronomy.

MYSTIC
Recently launched, this fine dining flagship is berthed in a bow-like glass box underneath Rise Again, the public plaza’s grand stairway to sea and sky. During a sneak preview last spring, chef Malcolm Campbell (Cabot Cape Breton, Auberge du Pommier) revealed his New Nordic approach to local curiosities — invasive knotweed lightly fermented into an edible skewer for blackened apple; scallops tufted with woolly sea truffle; chicken-skin crisps smeared with sea-buckthorn koshō made from Prospect Bay salt. Tasting menus are paired with local wines and haute pantry cocktails. Tip: Reserve ringside seats at the open showcase kitchen.

DRIFT
Sexy white-and-wood nautical décor, as softly knotted and cozy as the Muir Hotel rooms above it, sets the stage for elevated spins on classic Atlantic Canadian dishes. A hodgepodge, for instance, is deconstructed from a starchy stew into a composed plate brightened with dill cream. A sublime seafood tower is stacked with juicy oysters and sweet Matane shrimp.

PEACOCK WINE BAR
Lively and eclectic with birdcage banquettes and a bustling patio, this is where locals flock for flirty date nights, after-work schmoozing, small-production wines and creative vegetable-forward sharing plates. Chef de cuisine Moira Murray (Actinolite, Dovetail) has returned home to strut her stuff.

CAFÉ LUNETTE
Jump-start the day with rich espresso beverages and excellent viennoiseries and baked goods by executive pastry chef Cori Osborne. Her canelés are custardy, caramelized perfection.

Mystic

Drift

Peacock Wine Bar

Cafe Lunette

↗ Around Halifax

HIGHWAYMAN
Raise an in-the-know toast to bar manager Keegan McGregor, the newly crowned 2024 World Class Global Bartender of the Year. Pair his winning Harmony in Hues, an orchardfruit- brine vodka highball, with tinned tuna belly and classic pintxos. The cuisine is Spanish-inspired, the ingredients firmly rooted in the Maritimes.

BAR KISMET
Dishes like chef Annie Brace- Lavoie’s raw scallops with lemongrass olive oil, brunoised radish, serrano pepper and toasted sesame seeds never leave the menu for good reason — it’s one of the most lip-smacking bites in the country. Don’t miss the bar’s veggie (from parsnip to green pea) cocktails.

THE NARROWS PUBLIC HOUSE
Move over, mortadella. The fried bologna sandwich — house-made, spitroasted, glazed and full of pickles — is messy as hell and goes down swell with a pint of hand-pumped cask ale. Available into the wee hours.