Went to Halina Cafe and Bar last night. Very friendly service. As soon as walked in we were greeted…read morewith smiles. Downstairs was full, so we were told to go upstairs. Sat on a very comfy love seat. It was so comfortable that I was struggling to stay awake. lol. We both ordered 2 piece fish and chips and pork spring rolls. The spring rolls were delicious. I would have preferred a plum sauce for dipping rather than the sauce they came with, but it was fine. The fish and chips were ok. Fries were so good! The batter was gooey on the inside, which would cause the fish to fall out when trying to get a forkful. May have been previously frozen. I don't know. It was good, but not the best I've ever had. While waiting to pay, several dishes were being brought out from the grill and they looked and smelled amazing! We will definitely be back to try dishes other than the fish and chips. We had heard such good things about the fish, so that's why we went with that option. Also, when I was leaving, I ordered 2 beef empanadas. Absolutely delicious!

Fantastic new Filipino restaurant and cafe on Chebucto Road where Fries and Company…read moreUsed to be. The owners did an amazing job renovating the place - it's so bright and welcoming. Seated promptly on the first floor - there are about three tables along with a counter. Upstairs is a much larger dining room. Had a variety of their food - soup bowls, the standard chicken and pork adobo and chicken wings and lechon kewala - all amazing. Tried their breakfast plate as well with pork tocino - comes with eggs and garlic rice. Tasty!! Super reasonable pricing, gracious hosts! Definitely worth visiting - will be back!!!

I work next door in the CIBC building and this place is just TOO easy for me to run down and grab a…read moresnack or a lunch and head back to my desk. I am usually gone less than 5 minutes. Which means I frequent this place more often than I should admit to. My fave is the cheese biscuit. Seriously. It's huge. And amazing. And you can tell it's fresh and homemade because every day it's a different size and a different shape but still full of goodness.

Hidden inside the TD building is a fabulous little sandwich bar filled with healthy treats. I've…read morebeen in four or five times now and always pick up either the sandwich of the day or the sandwich and soup of the day combo - usually around $8 for both... or sandwich of the day and a small milk is $7. Every employee there is super helpful and willing to make your experience there a great one. Between that and the food, it's a knock out punch to make me want to come back over and over again. Sit down and see the bustle outside the window or take it to go, it's a great spot to grab something good for you.

You can't talk about Vietnamese food in Halifax for long without someone bringing up the delicious…read moresandwiches and other dishes at Banh Mi A&B on Quinpool, and I finally made my way there in the summer to see what the fuss was about. Arriving in the thick of the dinner rush on a Thursday, the small restaurant was nearly full, but since I was dining solo, I was able to grab a seat by the window. It has a "counter service" kind of vibe, but it is actually table service, and I was seen to quickly after I sat down. Even though banh mi is their namesake dish, I was impressed with the variety of banh mi options, with creative flavour profiles and a wide assortment of proteins, including lemongrass grilled pork, garlic and lime chicken, sate shrimp with kimchi, and teriyaki tofu and mushroom just to name a few. I'm no banh mi scholar, but I feel like A&B's kitchen is breaking out of the mould a bit and flexing their creative muscles, which I appreciate. The menu doesn't stop there though, as there's several each of appetizers and other familiar Vietnamese mains (bun cha, pho, bun bo hue). My first time here *had* to be banh mi though, so I went for the pork meatballs banh mi, with the Viet slaw as the side in my combo. A&B's banh mi unfortunately doesn't come with paté by default, and I didn't notice that in addition to getting it for "free" if you take it as your side, you can have it added onto your sandwich for $1.50. Oh well, next time! My food came out quickly, and soon I was chowing down with the stunning view of Quinpool Centre, which despite being a visual blight on a full city block in the West End's main commercial district, it has impressively managed to avoid any sort of beautification from the Halifax Mural Festival for four years straight. Bravo, commercial real estate owners, bravo *insert sarcastic clapping* I digress though. Let's not mess around here - the fuss about Banh Mi A&B is absolutely deserved. The bread is definitely the star, as it should be in any truly great sandwich. The shatteringly crisp exterior leads to a dense, pleasantly chewy crumb that supports the delicious fillings within. The pork meatballs had a nice grainy texture that suggested they weren't just coming out of a Sysco freezer bag, and were wonderfully tender and moist, with a lightly herbaceous note to them. The usual banh mi fillings of pickled daikon and carrot, cucumber and cilantro added the texture, bright flavours and colours that are a signature of Vietnamese cuisine. The Viet slaw carried on this tradition with shredded cabbage, carrot, and onion with a peanut crumble and a dressing that enlivens your taste buds with a balanced mix of sweetness, acidity and hints of umami. It was too late in the day for me to grab a Vietnamese coffee, but a peach iced tea was just the right amount of sweet and fruity, without being cloying and dessert-like; just a refreshing drink on a humid summer day! My next time at BMAB had me trying another Vietnamese classic - their pho. Unlike the multitude of banh mi options, there's only one beef pho to choose from, and you know what? I'm cool with that. They've got their specialty, and I respect that! It was another busy Thursday evening, but I received my food in good time nonetheless. The pho comes with beef meatball and slices of brisket; I know squishy textures are a "thing" in Asian cuisine, but I grew up with mediocre, from-frozen meatballs, and they're just not *my* thing. The brisket, on the other hand, was next level compared to A&B's peers; the ultra-tender, thinly-sliced pieces of brisket were deliberately cut to have a layer of fat on top of the meat; evenly distributed on all the slices, it added an unctuous texture without having any overly fatty pieces that were hard to chew. I see you, A&B's prep cook! The highlight of any good soup is the broth, and A&B's really stood out here as well. It had a hearty beefiness, with prominent herbal notes and a velvety smooth mouthfeel, and it was so good that I didn't bother adding any sauces to it! Noodles and accoutrements were all solid standards, but the brisket and broth sealed the deal for this top tier pho. I pulled the trigger on a Vietnamese iced coffee, and true to form it was sweet, smooth and had a great punch of slowly steeped coffee. Banh Mi A&B rightly deserves all the praise it gets, from its fantastic namesake sandwiches to solid execution across the menu, that's tied together with friendly, attentive service. It's got the feel of a neighbourhood spot, but it's truly destination worthy for some of the best Vietnamese food in the city.

If you're visiting Halifax this summer and craving authentic Vietnamese food, I'd highly recommend…read morechecking out Banh Mi A&B on Quinpool Road. I've been there twice now, and both visits left a great impression. The first time, I went with a friend and we ordered the Banh Mi Chao (Egg Skillet) and the Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi. The banh mi was packed with flavor, especially with the pâté, which added a rich, traditional touch. They offer several sandwich options, but the pâté and Vietslaw versions stood out to me the most. It's not surprising that these are among their best-sellers. On my second visit, I wanted to try some of their noodle dishes, so I ordered the Beef Pho and the Spicy Bun Bo Hue. Both were incredibly flavorful, with rich broths and the kind of authentic taste that reminded me of Vietnam. Finding Vietnamese food this genuine in Canada isn't always easy, so that was a pleasant surprise. One thing I noticed was that they recently updated their drink menu and added a lot more variety. In addition to Vietnamese coffee, they now offer fresh tamarind drinks and a selection of colorful cocktails. I tried the salted iced coffee and the fresh tamarind drink, and both exceeded my expectations. The coffee was smooth and balanced, while the tamarind drink was refreshing and tasted genuinely fresh rather than overly sweet. For dessert, they serve options like yogurt with glutinous rice and caramel flan. The flan was my personal favorite, it's light, creamy, and a perfect way to finish the meal. As for parking, the restaurant doesn't have its own parking lot, but I didn't find it too inconvenient. There is usually one-hour street parking available nearby, and you can also park across the street in the Atlantic Superstore parking area. Overall, Banh Mi A&B feels like one of those local spots that genuinely cares about bringing authentic Vietnamese flavors to Halifax. Whether you're stopping by for a quick banh mi, a comforting bowl of pho, or just a Vietnamese coffee and dessert, it's a place I'd happily return to again.

Well...under newish management but service is no better. Ordered salads at the counter and I was…read moregiven a smaller size than what I requested. Was told 'no no no you paid for this size'. Never did I say I was not willing to pay for larger size. Server just looked at me as I was somewhat dumbfounded. By his comments. Someone else suggested another small and I just said ok.

We were craving food other than seafood, and found this Italian market on Yelp that offered several…read moremeal options to go. The reviews were good, but now I'm realizing they're probably based on the market and not the meals. I ordered the lasagna for $9.95 and it tasted like it had been previously frozen. You get what you pay for! It was actually lukewarm when I opened it, so I had to nuke it. It lacked flavor, to say the least. Hubby said the spaghetti with meatballs was also average, at best. The caprese salad that he ordered was the worst he's ever had. If you look at the photo of the salad, you can see that the tomatoes aren't even ripe. They also gave the wrong dressing for this salad. Typically it comes with balsamic dressing but they gave us Italian dressing instead. Next time we'll stick with an Italian restaurant.

The best deli in Burnside!!! The sandwiches are always fresh and the staff are always welcoming!…read moreThey know all thier customers by name and treat everyone like family!!

My partner in crime and I stumbled across this place on our first trip to Halifax. It caught our…read moreeye and we impulsively decided to stop in for brunch on a Saturday around noon. I ordered the corned beef sandwich with fries and coleslaw while Sandy ordered the egg salad sandwich with potato salad. Both of us really enjoyed the sandwiches. I thought they could have filled it with a little more sliced meat, but it was delicious nonetheless. Fatty and unctuous. The coleslaw was also really tasty but a small serving. On the other hand the fries were bountiful! I couldn't finish them (which is very uncharacteristic of me) even though they were very tasty. Sandy said it was possibly the best potato salad she's ever eaten and that the sandwich had a nice challah, good amount of egg, and that the flavour of red onion lingered for hours. Downsides: only serving bottled water (no tap) and cash only (no tap).

Tried again a few months ago take out and the fish was not cooked as well as I like- more lighter…read morebrown and soggish coating and the fries as well yet great customer service- Will try instore next

This was a lovely stop, while visiting Halifax. It was April and still very cold, so it was…read moreespecially inviting and at first glance I knew this place was going to be special. I had a Latte and a Pistachio Pain au Chocolat. It tasted really fresh and was absolutely delicious. The service was also really good. The service was fast, efficient and friendly. I highly recommend a visit!

Another cog in the Bertossi Group chain of restaurants. On a busy corner of Spring Garden and…read moreQueen Street this place is always full! On Summer days they have nice outdoor seating and a gelato cart. Unique location that is round with wrap around windows with seating. Great for people watching. I find the best things are the pastries. They also have sandwiches, paninis and a small menu of hot goods (quiche, lasagna) On the pricier end but worth it for the high quality.

Mouthwateringly delicious. This rather small restaurant in downtown Dartmouth has a big reputation…read morefor excellent cuisine. Prices are in line with other dining establishments in its genre. On to the food -- My spouse ordered seafood chowder and said the broth in particular had tremendous flavor. It was filled with haddock, 2 scallops, 4 mussels, and a bit of lobster along with potatoes, carrots, celery and onions. A tiny biscuit came with the chowder, which was a little disappointing. I ordered the scallop and pea risotto which offered an explosion of flavor in every bite. The creamy risotto came fused with mint and a dotting of fresh peas, and the 5 scallops topped with crème fresh and mini radish sticks and fresh pea pods added texture. Service was spot on, and since we did not have reservations yet were the first to enter when the establishment opened in the evening, the staff graciously gave us a 90-minute window to enjoy our meal. If we vacation in this quaint town again, The Canteen definitely will be among the first eateries we visit.

The food in this place is amazing. Every single person in my party enjoyed their dish. I order the…read moreeggs Benny. It had the perfect balance of flavor and amount of food. The egg was perfectly yolkie, and together with the ham and seasonings, made it a fantastic savory dish. The servers was phenomenal. She had a wonderful smile, was kind, quick, and made pleasant jokes/small talk. The place is small, but was pretty busy on a Sunday afternoon. Highly recommend this place if you are in Halifax.