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    Field Guide

    4.2 (43 reviews)

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    Business Info

    FIELD GUIDE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Field Guide

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    Reviews With Photos

    Tequila + mezcal combination.
    Dan B.

    It's a 5 for me. Everything I have tried is great. Cool vibe. Top notch service. I think they have an edge on Lot 6 and Highway man for cocktails. It feels like a more personalized service. I had a chat with one of the bartenders here for a while. He made that tequila, mez, orgeat etc drink for me on 2 different occasions. Both times slightly different variations. I've never had a more delicious drink. Been a while. I have to go back here soon. One of my favourite places in HRM.

    Confited chicken wings.
    Murray W.

    I'd heard that Field Guide was a hipster haven, but I wasn't quite prepared for the levels to which it's been taken there. They've taken a lot of the interior design straight out of a field guide for modern restaurants - open kitchen, exposed filament light bulbs, milk bottles and jars for table water. Yellow and back reign on the palette, with some light woods and the....interesting choice of a plain chipboard panel below the chalkboard menu on the back wall. While EDNA across the street gets a mix of demographics, FG is all young and hipster, minus myself and my girlfriend, who comments that many people remind her of characters on Portlandia. I don't not like the vibe, but my strong sense of cynicism is feeling the weight of the clichés. The small restaurant runs long, and makes for diverse people watching on the corner of Gottingen and Falkland. They're well known now for their cocktail menu, but the strength of Nova Scotia's craft beer community is strongly reflected on their menu as well. Propeller, Boxing Rock, North Brewing, Hell Bay and Uncle Leo's all make appearances, as well as Vitamin O, which is a menu item with a shot of liquor, which deserves kudos. "When in Rome" though, so I went with a "whisky smash" - rye, muddled lemon, sugar and mint. It came in a tumbler with one of those huge ice cubes. I get that bar aficionados like them because they melt slower due to the reduced surface area, but I'm not a fan of getting hit in the mouth with ice went I'm finishing off the last few sips of my drink. That said, it was a good drink; tangy with just a hint of fresh mint, it went down with dangerous ease. The menu is all about sharing here, so we ordered a couple small plates at a time, starting off with the pork carnitas tacos and a chorizo and asparagus plate. Three delicious looking tacos came plated on a small cutting board, topped generously with green onion, red pepper, red onion and just a bit of cilantro. The pork was moist and had a nice pork flavour, and I appreciated that they didn't overload the tacos with the big punch that cilantro packs. The only downside was the slightly dry taco shells. Also, I'm steadfastly of the opinion that this city is in need of quality, fresh, corn tortillas. The chorizo and asparagus came with hunks of sausage, asparagus, pickled fiddleheads and arugula. The chorizo had a rougher texture than I prefer in a sausage, but it had a really nice spice to it without being overwhelming. The asparagus was cooked tender crisp and the arugula added its fresh, peppery bite. The fiddleheads were quite potent, with what tasted like balsamic vinegar taking front stage. For the next round we ordered their donair steam buns and confit chicken wings. Healthy stuff, I know. The little, folded steam buns with a meatloaf-like slab of donair meat, with chopped onions, tomato and donair sauce on them looked good but unfortunately the execution was a bit off. While the bun was light and fluffy, the meat was bland and lacking anything remotely similar to the donair flavour that Halifax knows and loves. The donair sauce was plentiful like any good donair, but was also lacking the garlicky-ness of the real thing, and only registered slightly sweet notes. Good hustle on this creative interpretation, but it definitely needs more refinement. I wasn't quite sure what to expect with the confited chicken wings. I was hoping for wings that were confited and finished in a fryer for a combination of ultra-tender and crisp. The pile of wings that we got were served with the sauce on and were crazy tender and flavourful, but alas no crispness. Still, very tasty and just as messy as a normal pub chicken wing. Service was friendly and very helpful over the course of the evening. Field Guide has some great ideas coming out of their bar and kitchen and with a little polishing, they'll be in the top levels of both in the city. Also if they cover up that chipboard wall.

    Lovely presentation on some classy beverages!
    Lara K.

    Delicious, tasty, they know what they're doing! Worth investigating, with great atmosphere. Had a grand time chatting with the bartender, who really knows his stuff. He used to work at the Drawing Room on the third floor of the Henry House. The food is fairly unique and all very locally sourced and fresh. Try the Big Boss cocktail, we tried all the house cocktails between a couple of us and that was the winner. I also requested something with citrus and gin, a little sweet, and got a lovely custom drink I'd love to recreate at home! The staff were super friendly, and I may change this to 5 stars in the future, but when we got there with a group of 4 we were told there was a wait for a table (they only seat 35 or so including 12 at the bar) so we got space at the bar and waited and ordered some things. When a table opened up we weren't shown to it, though I thought we would get one eventually. It was opening night so service was likely still getting ironed out, not a big deal. This place has loads of personality!

    DM B.

    I'm gonna try not to get all gushy about this place but ... well, too late, it's a favourite spot. Why ? Because after a dozen or so visits they consistently deliver on the food and beverages. A seemingly simple menu written out on a chalkboard offers delicious, innovative & fresh fare made from local sources. The well thought out cocktail selection is varied, offering something for everyone. The lighting is dim, the stereo plays great tunes and the staff is knowledgable & friendly.

    Oyster
    Joanna C.

    This place food is unique and interesting. I guess it's a bar, we order some tapas, the chef is taking 30 minute to make one dish, love the beef Capraccio. After an hour and half, with two little dishes, we decide to cancel our third dish and just go home. Thenoofle is too sour, don't like it.

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Awesome food. Kinda pricey but errr mah gawd the beef cheek lettuce wraps after phenomonial!!

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    Peacock Wine Bar - scallops

    Peacock Wine Bar

    2.4(5 reviews)
    1.0 kmWaterfront

    I wish we took a picture of the actual restaurant -- it was so tastefully decorated and coordinated…read morewith the name Peacock. The scallops were incredible -- crispy outside and cooked to perfection throughout. This place had a very well curated drink menu. So many choices (wish I took pictures). I'm not sure about the parking situation here because we walked from our hotel next door. But it's located on a lovely spot near the water.

    I was staying at a nearby hotel and had heard good things from a local, so I decided to check it…read moreout. Beautiful room, created a casual and sophisticated vibe. As the name suggests, it is a wine bar, so a good selection of local and imported wines. I had the steak tartar, followed by the scallops, and finished with the triamisu affogatto. The steak tartar was the stand out. It didn't come with crackers, so I ordered some foccacia. I really didn't need to. The dill pickle croutons were such a nice touch in flavor and texture. The scallops were interesting...perfectly seared, and all the components of the dish (roasted cauliflower, sour cherry, dill) are good on their own but didn't really come together to form a dish. So it is a bunch of tasty things on a plate that don't really relate to each other, but all good on their own. Finally, the tiramisu...loved the affogatto, and sabayon all worked together beautifully, and it is a large portion, very sharable! Lastly, the service was great. I was solo and felt very well taken care of

    Photos
    Peacock Wine Bar - Scallops

    Scallops

    Peacock Wine Bar - Tiramisu affogatto

    Tiramisu affogatto

    Peacock Wine Bar - Steak tartar

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    Steak tartar

    Sapori Italian Street Food - Small but mighty - the profiterole

    Sapori Italian Street Food

    4.3(19 reviews)
    1.0 kmWaterfront

    Halifax has never had a shortage of Italian restaurants, with many of them being regarded among the…read morebest fine dining places in the city for years. And while I was in exile in Ottawa for several years, just the downtown has inexplicably added several more Italian spots. Of those though, it was Sapori's casual, street-food-inspired menu that piqued my interest the most (my condolences to the regrettably-named, Sketti and Ball). One day, my wife and I popped in for dinner after work. The elongated restaurant was decently full between regular diners and an solid showing for a pizza-making class. It happened to be Dine Around, so the arancini and square pizza would have to wait, as if there's one thing I like more than street food, it's a deal! Dine Around menus are typically prix fixe with an assortment of choices, and Sapori's was no different. Choose between a few apps, mains and desserts and voila, you've got yourself a three-course meal for $30. I kept it simple and went with the classics - a Caesar salad to start, spaghetti and meatballs, and a profiterole for dessert. The Caesar was sizeable and serviceable, with no departures from the formula, but no standout twists or quality ingredients here either. Romaine, real pancetta, and crumbled parmesan, which sadly wasn't the real deal Parmigiano Regiano. It was big enough for both my wife and I, which was an unexpected bonus though. Next up was the spaghetti and meatballs, a comfort food classic beloved by both young and old. The al dente spaghetti was evenly coated in the pomodoro sauce, and the two meatballs were saucy, tender and hearty. A solid coating of Parmesan and a sprinkle of parsley completed the picture. The star of the show was a bit of a tease, because there was just one (I get it, food costs, etc), but the profiterole was excellent. The choux pastry was lightly crisp on the outside, with a wonderfully rich vanilla cream inside, and a dusting of confectioners sugar and a caramel drizzle took things up a couple notches. And by "things" I mean "my blood sugar". My next time there found me swinging by for a solo lunch, with their casual fare in my sights. Their lunch deal (slice of pizza + soup or salad + a cookie) was an unreal deal for a place that isn't one of Halifax's dicey pizza points, so I jumped on that. Feeling hungry, and wanting to support them beyond the basic deal, I also tacked on a single arancini and a can of San Pellegrino. For my slice I chose the salsciccia which comes with Italian sausage (are the wires connecting on "salsciccia"?), salami, caramelized onions, and mozza, with a drizzle of honey to top it off. It was a hefty slice, with a thick, airy crust that reminded me of focaccia. The sweet honey paired well with the savoury and salty meats, as well as the lightly sweet and acidic tomato sauce. A solid slice, for sure! The garden salad was a mix of fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and carrot, with an herbaceous vinaigrette to brighten up your palette. I enjoyed the crunch of the sizeable chunks of carrot, in contrast to the more common shredded carrot. The arancini disappeared quickly, as the crispy shell and cheesy rice within begged to be finished in as few bites as possible. A tip of the cap to Sapori for giving my lonely arancini a nice plating with a dollop of tomato sauce to hold it to the plate, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley and parm to top it off. Mid-day, mid-week staffing was minimal, and owner Luca Ferrante took mine and other customers' orders with friendly aplomb. Halifax's fine dining scene has long been dominated by Italian restaurants, but more casual fair like Sapori deserves its own place in the city and our bellies.

    Staff were very friendly, but service was somewhat slow and they weren't very busy. The portions…read morewere large and the food was cooked well, but the chicken parm and spaghetti lacked any flavor or depth. Maybe it was an off day. The sausage and mushroom risotto was great! So much sausage and mushrooms throughout.

    Photos
    Sapori Italian Street Food - View of the open kitchen

    View of the open kitchen

    Sapori Italian Street Food - Arancini

    Arancini

    Sapori Italian Street Food - Menu

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    Menu

    Dear Friend - Party Mix - Dear Friend style

    Dear Friend

    5.0(8 reviews)
    2.0 kmDowntown Dartmouth

    Decided to check out one of the top bars in Canada in my hometown of Dartmouth. Downtown…read moreDartmouth had changed so much since growing up - it's now the cool place to eat and drink as opposed to somewhat sketchy in the past. Located mid way up Portland Street. Very cozy, intimate environment with an energetic crowd the night I went. Mostly bar seating although there are about 4-5 tables - the most you could probably seat are four people. Had a couple of cocktails - amazing. Food was mostly seafood and extremely fresh, prepared well and innovative - see pictures. Price was reasonable for food of this quality. Will definitely return. Tip - you should probably make reservations. There's a patio in the Summer as well

    I'd been living in Dartmouth for a couple months before I finally made my first visit (cut me some…read moreslack, unpacking takes time!), with my wife and I stopping by after work on a Friday. I'd call it happy hour, but Dear Friend is too popular and upscale to bother offering a happy hour, so let's go with the Quebecois term, cinq à sept. I began my weekend wind-down with one of their house creations, All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down). It seemed fitting giving my age demographic, and it was one of the few specialty cocktails with whisk(e)y in it. With an ingredient list even longer than its irreverent title, it combines Jim Beam rye, Hennessey VS cognac, beef tallow (!!), cedar and bayberry leaf. After an impressive rundown from the bartender on the work that went into creating this drink, I thoroughly appreciated it's warmth and depth of flavour on a cool fall evening. The beef tallow made for a velvety smooth mouthfeel, without having globs of fat floating in the drink, and the cedar and bayberry added herbal undertones that contributed without overpowering. For some solid sustenance, we stuck to the bar bites section of the menu, although they do have bigger apps and full-size entrees. Marinated olives were an easy choice, while the falafels beckoned with their deep-fried crispness. To round out our trio, we had to go with the house Party Mix. The Party Mix came out first, and deviates from the classic chip mix by combining sweet and savoury, with caramel popcorn, spiced cashews and mini chocolate truffles. It was endlessly snackable, and great for having a drink at the bar over great conversation with your significant other. I'm not one for the standard black or green olives that come out of ungodly large food service containers, but I've been slowly warming up to higher tier olives, and Dear Friend's very generous bowl was a great bar snack, bordering on small meal. The dish that disappeared the quickest was the falafels. This was partially because they were so damn good and there waere four pieces, as opposed to the other two dishes. They came in finger-form, as opposed to the small pucks/balls that are more commonly seen, and the extra surface area allowed for an even crispier bite, while a delicious cashew tahini cream that lent to the familiar falafel flavour, but with a certain je ne sais quoi. That's right, French twice in one review - I'm fancy AF! Small bits of pickled cauliflower and a delicate layer of microgreens brought brighter flavours to play off the richer note of the falafel and tahini. It's now a local cliché to talk about how much downtown Dartmouth has changed over the past decade or so, and Dear Friend has been one of the standard bearers of that continued change these past few years with their thoughtfully crafted beverages and shareable bites.

    Photos
    Dear Friend
    Dear Friend - Tiramisu

    Tiramisu

    Dear Friend - Falafel

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    Falafel

    Field Guide - newcanadian - Updated May 2026

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