My fiancé and I decided to stop in for dinner despite it being pretty late! The owner welcomed us in and said they'd still be willing to serve us but we'd be the last customers they'd be accepting. Don't be fooled by the outside of the restaurant, the inside was decorated in such a thoughtful way from the vintage wooden furniture, the bouquet of flowers on the table, and the veranda overlooking the Annapolis River. Looked like something straight off Pinterest! We also heard from locals around town that this was the only restaurant that was right on the water. Not to mention, the food was absolutely delicious. 100% home run in every regard. The waiters were very attentive and gave great recommendation on the dishes and wine. We ordered the tomato bisque and the lobster risotto as well as the chocolate torte and Porte. The owner even took care to ensure that we knew that the tomato bisque was a little less heavy and thick than the usual tomatoes bisque. But I personally prefer it that way so I loved it. The risotto was delicious and creamy and they did not hold back on the amount of lobster in our dish! We ate our delicious (and not overly sweet!) chocolate torte as we watched the sunset over the water. It was perfect. Since this was my first time in Annapolis Royal, the owner even gave us recommendations for activities around town like the nightly ghost tour. Overall the experience was fantastic and I will definitely be visiting next time I have the chance. read more

We sat out on the porch on a very pleasant evening. All 4 of us ordered lobster (2 with curry and 2 with linguini) as we all wanted a good lobster dinner while we were in Nova Scotia. Everything tasted great and the service was good, however there was very little lobster in any of the dishes, almost all noodles and very little veggies. The serving sizes were fine, not small and not too big, but all of them were mostly carbs with little protein. For what we got, we thought the price was steep. 4 entrees, 1 beer, 1 coffee, and a tip was $140 CDN. read more

We love schnitzel and always look for some when we travel. We rate Compose on the "delicious" end. Good schnitzel and veggies and a terrific team of servers. Great table right on the Annapolis River. read more

My husband and I travel frequently with our young daughter. We are lucky in that our daughter is an excellent traveler, full of smiles, and has never been disruptive. So far in her short life she has eaten in restaurants in Florida, New Orleans, Toronto, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Halifax just to name a few. These restaurants have always been welcoming with a hospitable, inclusive-to-families atmosphere and wait-staff have commented on how great our daughter is. Cafe Restaurant Compose was the opposite of that. We arrived shortly after 6pm, and having not made a reservation, waited while a member of the staff went to check if they had anything available. After a brief conference with the owner, he returned and said unfortunately they had nothing but he could give us directions to the local pub around the corner. We declined and left the restaurant, but something about the tone and demeanor of the staff when we entered had me feeling suspicious (perhaps because most restaurants will inform you of a wait time if they don't currently have space) so as soon as we were out of sight of the restaurant I pulled out my phone and called to see if I could make a reservation. I was informed by the lady who answered that they would be happy to accommodate a party of 4 people for 6:30pm. Let me reiterate...at 6:15 they had no room for anyone and less than 5 minutes later they could accommodate 4 people. So if you have children, I highly recommend you avoid Cafe Restaurant Compose and head up the street to Bistro East where the staff are warm, friendly, and inclusive and the food is five stars. read more

We walked in on Canada Day, as a family of 4 adults and one sleeping baby in a stroller. The dining room was maybe half full, and the front area where you first walk in was completely empty. We were greeted by a middle aged gentleman who seemed warm and friendly and said the dining area might not fit our stroller but we could sit out in the front area (where there were about 3 tables and definitely lots of room to fold the stroller out of the way), and then told us that one of the two available staff would seat us. There was a younger guy and girl and they both seemed so lost with us, then the girl wandered into the dining room and then came back, then the younger guy, without speaking to us, asked her if she was good "dealing with us", then as she went to get menus he whispered something to her and then she came back and told us they weren't suited to children under 10.... so we had to leave. The whole experience was strange and surreal, not to mention horribly rude. I can understand wanting to provide a quiet fine dining experience, but then advertise as such, have your staff trained so they know how to politely inform a customer of this fact UPON ENTRY rather than have them stand in your dining room for 5 minutes while you create the most awkward and confusing situation ever, and maybe have it apply to regular evenings, not 2pm on our nations most family oriented holiday?!? read more

This lovely restaurant is right on the boardwalk in Annapolis Royal. It was steps away from the cottage we rented for several nights during a week-long Nova Scotia holiday. We arrived in the adorable town of Annapolis Royal well after sunset and when restaurants were starting to close up for the evening. We looked at the menu at this place and one other, and chose this place as it seemed like a better menu. From the street, the restaurant appeared empty, and we walked in with some fear of what we were getting ourselves into. However, the main room (in the back, with a view of the water and, earlier, the sunset) was packed except for one table for two, which we nabbed. The restaurant specializes in both Austrian dishes and local seafood. I had Digby scallops (Digby is not too far away from Annapolis Royal) and they were wonderful and fresh. My boyfriend had a schnitzel recommended by the waitress of the three that appeared on the menu. We shared a bottle of Nova Scotia wine. A lovely evening. We even thought of going back the next day, as it was so good, but our desire to try a different place won out. read more