halifax hotspots

Sara Forsyth

My friend - a waiter at a popular tourist trap on the Halifax waterfront - is clearly embittered by the banality of his daily song-and-dance (Lobster! Lobster! Lobster!) Yet there is a genuine tone of pity when he muses, “Of all the great places in Halifax, why do they always come here?”

Halifax is a city overrun by those on vaycay come June 1st, each tourist looking for (I assume) an authentic experience. Usually I find they’re unaware of other (read: better) views of Halifax not listed in the city’s official tourism guide.

Gourmands should check out Pete’s Frootique. The grocery store earned its cachet by carrying nearly every fruit and vegetable under the sun. The owner, Pete Luckett, imports gourmet spices, chocolate and juices (to name a few) from around the world. Try some of the apple-smoked cheddar cheese from the deli counter (infamous for their large samples), grab a fresh whole-grain baguette and some Bing cherries, then head over to Citadel Hill – literally minutes away. Spend the afternoon lounging in the grass and taking in the view of Halifax Harbour and McNab’s Island, safe from the congestion below.

Jane’s on the Common is a relatively new restaurant that is quickly becoming a Halifax establishment. It won prizes for best restaurant, brunch, and customer loyalty in The Coast’s Best of Halifax awards this year. It’s about a twenty minute walk from downtown but well worth it. A friend once described the food as “homemade, but in, like, a gourmet restaurant.” Try the butternut squash soup and the cornbread-crusted haddock for that warm-and-fuzzy, homey feeing.

Finally, if you’re in town on a Saturday, please, please, please hit up the farmer’s market in the old Alexander Keith’s Brewery on Hollis Street. It will soon be moving to an undisclosed location where it will be open every day and probably lose much of its I-woke-up-at-9-a.m.-on-a-Saturday-just-to-buy-these-apples mystique. The brick interior and winding corridors alone are worth it. Crepes, apple cider from the Annapolis Valley, and, of course, fresh fish are three essential purchases.